Mercuriosities

Compromise for the Railway?

The political influencers of Stamford were trying to get agreement from the Marquis of Exeter to allow the railway by coming up with a compromise, but would that compromise be acceptable?

“The particulars of the re-election of Sir Geo. Clerk as a representative for Stamford will be found in our fourth page. One good result from what occurred on his convass, at the hustings, and after his election, was the Hon Baronet’s thorough conviction that he must never more show his face in Stamford if the Marquis of Exeter should require him to oppose the Syston and Peterboro’ railway in parliament, or have been in consequence of this new light, that, soon after Sir George Clerk descended from his ‘chairing carriage’ at the hotel, he caused a message to be conveyed to Mr. Stephenson and Mr. Ellise, the engineer and the vice-chairman of the Midland Counties Company, (who had been denied the opportunity of speaking at the hustings on the railway subject, because they were not electors of Stamford.) to the effect that he entertained a hope that a compromise might be effected, and that both he (Sir George) and the Marquis of Exeter might be induced to support in Parliament the measure of a railway which should have a station within the borough. For this concession, it was pointed out that the line must enter the town on the south side of the river, & through a tunnel to pass under the street of St. Martin’s, commencing at a short distance from Nun’s Farm (after passing across the meadows from the north-west), and emerging near the Union-house on the Barnack road, so at totally to avoid the bridge and passing over the turnpike on a level. – The propostion was favorably entertained by the gentlemen connected with the railway, who expresses themselves desirous of conciliating Lord Exeter, if they could do so with safety to their measure, and without foregoing the advantage of their parliamentary notices. It would be necessary that written consents of all persons whose properties would be affected by the change, (and particularly by the tunnelling under many houses in St. Martin’s,) should be delivered to them by the agents of the Marquis, so that no delay in executing the railway might arise, – and then they would endeavour to do what he desired, and keep the line on the south side of the water. They would also make the George inn and premises the site of a first-class station, and rebuild the bridge, in such a style as should make it equal to the vast traffic which would have to pass over it.- Thus matters, we understand, remain at present, with every prospect of an amicable adjustment; by which Lord Exeter will keep the advantages of the improvement that may be expected to result from the railway, on his own property, instead of permitting them to go to the estate of Earl Bownlow, which would have been the case had the railway station been on the north side of the Welland.”

The Stamford Mercury, 14th February, 1845.

Enclosing Land

The Marquis of Exeter is accused here of stealing land which had previously been considered ‘common’ and used as grazing by the freemen. But he was a man of great influence, and nobody dared to cross him.

“Strange things are doing in what have heretofore been considered the ‘open fields’ of Stamford. Mr. Torkington, the Town Clerk, is inclosing his land with stone walls, and proclaims his intention of so surrounding all his 177 acres. The average rental of the land in the fields has not hitherto exceeded 24s.: but Mr Torkington, it is stated has let 100 acres to Mr. Robt. Islip at 50s. an acre, the increased price being in consideration of the enclosure. All this is said to be based upon the worthy legal gentleman’s having last year prevailed in his action against Mr. Wm. Reed, for prostrating the first stone fence which he put up, in the field at the back of Rutland-terrace. The freemen who, as commoners, have an interest in the herbage of the land at certain times, look on with wonder at this invasion of their right; but it is doubted whether any person will be bold enough to take this bull by the horns. The rage for now shutting out the public from what they have for ages enjoyed, actuates both peer and commoner: the Marquis of Exeter has lately taken in large slips of land beside the Great North Road. In St. Martin’s parish, Stamford, on the pretence of a frontage-right, and of the road’s having been more than 60 feet wide. In this way he has within the last year acquired several acres of valuable ground; and he still continues his righteous system of appropriation, without interrupion from the Trustees of the Turnpike, or from anybody else, although this extension of his park walls will still further exclude the sun and air from the road, and make the condition of it disagreeable and the repair expensive. The Act for the inclosure of St. Martin’s parish passed in the year 1797, and the public have ever since enjoyed the use of the land which Lord Exeter in now inclosing; and still no hand is raised to stop him, though many tongues are wagged to reprehend his course; but what cares he for that? The award of the Commissioners under the Act would set out a road called ‘Salter’s Lane,’ leading from Wothorpe to the Great North Road : it is now obliterated, and the whole area of it is thrown into Lord Exeter’s estate. A similar process had more recently deprived the town of the Nun’s Road in the same parish, which led from the meadows to the Wothorpe Road: it is now thrown into the field of the Noble Marquis, by the side of which it ran. And there are manuy similar instances of honest acquisitions to keep in countenance the ploughing up of balks and footpaths by ‘meaner men’ on the other side of the water ; until, at last, comes the climax of inclosing land by hundreds of acres at once, and bidding the ‘will’ of the appropriator ‘avouch it.’ Men say that great results will arise from this, for that is must bring on the general and legal inclosure of the fields. This the Burghley family have long resisted, from a knowledge that the extension of the town which must follow, will soon destroy Lord Exeter’s political influence in a borough where the right of voting proceeds from the occupation of rateable property within it.”

The Stamford Mercury, 7th February, 1845.

Marvellous Eating

How on earth could a person swallow an ink-stand? and ‘unthinkingly’, at that? This gentleman seemed to regards everything as fair game for consumption. Apparently there is even a word for the condition people suffer from who are compelled to swallow weird things!

“A German Professor at Wirtemburgh, has published an attested account of a gardener, lately deceased, of the name of Jacob Kahlens, who not only consumed an immoderate quantity of all kins of food, but several other substances, such as walnut shells. – When at gentlemen’s houses, he would frequently eat pastry, with the vessels that contained it, and would at other times swallow the glasses out of which he drank. His teeth were so strong and sharp, that he would split the thickest deals with the greatest facility, and would often perform that service for the maids of the house. Rats, mice, moles, and live fowls, he looked upon as the most exquisite dainties. And at one time, unthinkingly, he is said to have swallow ed a pewter ink-stand, with the pens, sand, &c. – this was verified upon the oath of an eye witness. At another time, he devoured a pair of bagpipes in the presence of several people, and turning upon the piper, the man was so terrified, that he jumped out of the window. – These, and exploits of a similar cast, gave the common people and idea that he was assissted by an evil spirit, in consequence of which the clergy of the place examined a number of witnesses, but as no crimination followed, he died peaceably in the 79th year of his age.”

The Stamford Mercury, 29th January, 1796.

Cows (swift of hoof?)

Cows rarely run anywhere (unless stampeding); they generally prefer a short stroll from one tasty tuft of grass to another. However, according to a French Jesuit historian (an ‘expert’ on China), they have cows in that country which can run 300 miles in a day – more than enough to get the mail from London to Leeds!

“A correspondent observes, that Mr. Palmer’s scheme for conveying the mails from London to Leeds in 26 hours, has some degree of cruelty in it towards the poor horses. He wishes to find some method of easing these useful and industrious animals of their burden. And as in the course of his reading he has found, in Duhald’s* History of China, page 233, a description of a cow, which can run 300 miles in a day; – he submits it to Mr. Palmer and to government whether it would not be [possi]ble to import a number of these cows upon the present [o]ccasion to relieve the most useful and noble animal of the creation.”

The Stamford Mercury, 26th August, 1785.

*Jean-Baptiste Du Halde

Her Majesty ‘s Visit

The visit of her Majesty, Queen Victoria, in 1844, was eagerly awaited and much enjoyed by everyone in Stamford. She and Prince Albert stayed at Burghley House.

“Every body in Stamford has been in such a whirl of excitement since out beloved Queen came into town on Tuesday afternoon, that we find it no easy task to continue the narrative given in our second page, of her Majesty’s progress from London and arrival here. We left off at the departure of the Queen from the largest throng we ever saw in this town, on her turning into the lodges at the entrance to Burghley Park. When about 700 horsemen (chiefly tenants of the Marquis of Exeter) who followed the Royal carriage, had entered also, and it was possible for pedestrians to move, the Mayor and Council, with the several benefit societies of the town and their hands, and an immense phalanx of the inhabitants walking four abreast, returned to the Town-hall, where the cheers for the Queen were enthusiastically renewed, and three also being given for the Mayor, the assembly dispersed. Notwithstanding a committee had recommended that there should not be an illumination of the town, many houses were splendidly lighted up with devices in gas and coloured lamps, and the streets were crowded till midnight, although rain descended incessantly. the exhibition of flags and devices, with the ringing of the church bells, continued throughout Wednesday and esterday, and the illuminations at night were as numerous as on Tuesday. Dinner parties have taken place at the inns; and all has been joy and hilarity, with such a universa mind as you’d make it almost discreditably unsocial to be capable of coolly narrating what has occurred. We must defer some particulars till out next, especially as to the christening and magnificent doings at Burghley House. There was a brilliant display of fire-works on Wednesday evening, followed by a ball, for which Adam’s band from London was engaged: quartilles, waltzes, and the polka were principally indulged in, and in the former her Majesty and Prince Albert joined. – Yestrday happily proved a fine and bright day; and the amiable Queen of England availed herself of such weather to gratify the inhabitants of Stamford by ridingi in an open carriage through the principal streets of the town. This occurred between three and four o’clock in the afternoon. Her Majesty proceeded at a moderate pace, and acknowledged the cheering of her subjects with smiles, and all the indications of a happy and gratified disposition. the shops in the different parts of the town were closed about one o’clock, agreeably to notice given. Her Majesty took the route of St. Martin’s, St. Mary’s, and St John’s streets, up High-street, to the western entrance of the infirmary; then moved round by St. Leonard’s Priory, and returned in front of the Infirmary, through St. Paul’s-street and Ironmonger-street, Broad-street, and Red Lion-square, back to Burghley. In the carriage with the queen were Prince Albert, The Duchess of Bedford, and the Marquid of Exeter, and in other carriages Sir Robt. Pee, the Earl of Aberdeen, the Marchioness of Exeter, &c. In the early part of the morning Prince Albert enjoyed the sport of shooting, and the Queen planted a tree at Burghley. – It is arranged that the Royal Pair should leave the Marquis of Exeter’s at a quarter past nine o’;clock this morning (Friday), and return to London by exactly the same rounte as that which they took in coming to Stamford. The Mayor and corporation have been invited to meet her Majesty exactly at the time mentioned at the Nurghley Lodges, to take their leave.”

The Stamford Mercury, 15th November, 1844.

Three Hundred Miles per Hour.

Long before the days of the facsimile machine, one man had a vision of transmitting letters miles away by means of an ‘artificial hurricane’ – perhaps this was the original ‘air mail’!

Something similar could be seen in shops not that long ago, whereby cash could be removed quickly from the shop floor and sent directly to the accounts department, thus minimising the amount of cash held in the tills. Indeed some readers may remember this system in place in the Co-op in Stamford High Street, in the building that more recently housed Wilkos.

“-The Mechanics’ Magazine has an account of a new plan for the rapid transmission of letters and light dispatches through tubular passages, at certain intervals in which he purposes to place air-exhausting machines, which will establish a perpetual current of artificial hurricane, by means of which spherically-shaped elastic vehicles, or bags, will be blown from station to station. The first cost is estimated by Mr. James at 2000l. per mile, and the working expenses at 300l. to 500l. per annum for every 50 miles. This system would enable us to transmit documentary intelligence at the rate of 7200 miles a day! Instead of one exchange of letters per day between Liverpool and London, there might be twelve exchanges.”

The Stamford Mercury, 2nd May, 1845.

Convicts Transported

Continuing the story of the hard life young convicts lead after being transported to Van Diemen’s Land.

“Next morning, the largest boys were again selected, and put to work at cleansing mud out of the river – an employment in which they had to stand up to the middle in water. Others were put to drawing stone-carts, being yoked to the cart as horses are in England – each having a collar round his neck, and a bellyband and traces. After being at this work for some time, the young convicts were consigned to masters as their slaves, 20s. being paid to Government for each. The boys guilty of misconduct while working under Government, were punished either by being flogged, or sent to the penal settlement of Port Arthur, where they had to work in chains and perform the work of horses, having to drag the plough, harrow, and rollers. for misconduct under the master, the offender was sent before a magistrate – the master at the same time sending to the functionary a present of a fat goose or a pig. Usually the issue was that the Magistrate ordered the offender should be flogged, and then returned to his master; but if a present was not sent, the Magistrate would sometimes return the convict to the Government works. Many convicts, instead of going before the Magistrate (with the present and not always sent with it by the convict), would take to the bushes; and then, if apprehended, they were sent to Norfolk Island or to the coal mines, to work in chains for life; but if detected with fire-arms in their possession, they were hanged. The smaller boys were sent to Point Pure, a small place guarded by soldiers and trained dogs, where they were supplied with clothing made of sheep-skins, and employed in carrying wood and drawing stone-carts in the place of horses from 1/2 past 5 in the morning to 6 in the evening – the only intermission being the dinner hour, from 12 to 1, during which each had to wash his own linen. After leaving work, they were marched to the barracks, and the allowed half-an-hour for supper, at the close of which they were sent to the bed-rooms, where they slept on the floor, the bed-clothing allowed being a rug and a blanket for each. The diet was, for breakfast half a pound of brown bread, and a pint of gruel made of coarse flour; for dinner, 5 oz of meat, half a pound of bread, and a pint of soup; and in summer, in addition, three large potatoes, for supper, the same as breakfast. Boys transported for seven years, obtained, if their conduct had been good, tickets of leave a the expiration of 4 1/2 years, enabling them to let themselves to a master for the remainder of the term: 10 years, 5 1/2 years; and 14 years, 7 1/2 years. Sanderson so misconducted himself at Point Pure that he was flogged 15 times, and his leave-ticket was postponed for two years over the usual time; but, improving in his conduct, the interference of the Superintendent procured from the late Governor a remission of the two years, and a third-class ticket of leave, just at the time Bishop ~Willson (brother of Ald. Willson, of the Lincoln Town Council) and other Catholic Missionaries arrived in the colony: to them he was recommended as a servant, and remained with them until seven months after the expiration of his seven years’ sentence, when they paid for his passage to London by the Mayflower brig. Finding his father dead on returning to this country, Sanderson expressed his determination to return to Van Dieman’s Land, by working his passage; but adds, that he will never steal anything again, and that he would rather suffer death than be again transported. The hardships he describes to be so great that the convicts break one another’s arms or legs, for the purpose of obtaining a brief rest in the hospital. Crippled convicts are sent to Wedge Bay, where they are occupied in breaking stones, each having a square yard of pebble-stones to break daily: they live in bark-huts in a very wretched and miserable condition, the rain running through the huts, and no change of cloathing being allowed when their clothes and rug and blanket got thoroughly saturated with wet. They are guarded by soldiers and large dogs. – The youth states that he well knows Frost and Jones, the Chartists; that Jones is constable at the new gaol at Point Pure; Frost, clerk in the Government-office at Port Arthur; and Williams, schoolmaster at the coal-mines 21 miles distant. Convicts sent to Norfolk Island have to work in chain-gangs, with a large heavy chain round the middle, and another fastened to the leg: they are employed in dragging ploughs, harrows, and carts, and in cleansing the rivers of mud, and have to sleep in the chains. Whilst employed in river-cleaning, a long chain which is fastened to a post on shore is attached to the body-chain, so that if they attempt self-destruction, the overlookers or soldiers may immediately drag them ashore, and any convict making the attempt is severely flogged.”

The Stamford Mercury, 21st November, 1845.

Transportation Life

A harrowing account of the hard life lead by young men after transportation to Van Diemen’s Land.

“LINCOLN. – History of a Thief. – Recently, a youth 19 years of age, named Jos. Sanderson, who was transported from Doncaster in the year 1838, having returned from transportation, called upon police-inspector Ashton, of this city, and gave him an account of his life, from which which we condense the following particulars:-In December, 1836, he left home (Sheffield) with his brother john, and a boy named Thos. McGuire, and came to Lincoln. Here, and on the road, they committed 13 felonies; and in January, 1837, they were apprehended by Ashton for stealing silk-handkerchiefs from the shop of Mrs. Jeavons, and some pork from the shop of Mr. Geo. Simpson, butcher: being tried before Lord Abinger at the following assizes, McGuire was sentenced to seven years’ transportation, and the two brothers to six months’ imprisonment each. Joseph sadly misconducted himself whilst in prison, and at the end of the term was taken to a London refuge, that efforts might be made to reclaim him. After being in the establishment for almost a fortnight, he determined upon escaping; and accordingly, one night after he had been put to bed he got up, dressed himself and went up the chimney: having arrived at the top, he threw down his cap, and leaving his smock at the top of the chimney to prevent the smoke from coming out, he dropped down the side of the building, left London, and went down to Sheffield, where he again joined some juvenile companions in crime. Not long afterwards, he was apprehended by Mr. Bond, constable of Doncaster, and with two other youths was committed for trial for stealing three silk-handkerchiefs, tried, and sentenced to seven years’ transportation. In February, 1838, he was removed from York Castle to the boys’ hulks at Chatham, and after being there for nine months, he was removed with 269 other boys and 10 men to a convict-ship at Sheerness; and after four months’ voyage, the whole were landed at Hobart’s Town, Van Dieman’s Land*. Here, after the likenesses of the whole had been taken, each was asked how many times he had been in prison, and for what; to what church he belonged; what was his trade, what friends he had in England, and where they lived. The ship’s company were then examined, and the largest boys were selected from the rest, put into a boat guarded by soldiers, and conveyed to the barracks.”

The Stamford Mercury, 21st November, 1845.

To be continued . . .

*Tasmania

Burghley Bells

The bells rang out for Lord Burghley‘s birthday, but Stamford folk were not happy. His father, the (3rd) Marquis of Exeter was not a popular man in 1845 due to his opposition to the railway coming to the town.

“Nine-tenths of the inhabitants of Stamford were greatly annoyed at an early hour on Wednesday morning by the ringing of bells at several of the churches of the town. It was stated to be on account of its being the birthday of Lord Burghley (eldest son of the Marquis of Exeter), who on that day completed his 20th year. The ringing was continued throughout the day; and, connected with the exceeding unpopularity of the Marquis’ unscrupulous opposition to the railway which is to bring coals to the town at one-third of the price heretofore paid for them, and to confer other essential advantages on the inhabitants, made the annoyance intolerable at this juncture. Many, disturbed from their business by the din of the bells, assembled in the streets, and expressed their dissatisfaction in indignant terms, declaring that, with the experience they had, they could not find it in their hearts to rejoice, ‘for all Lord Exeter’s honesty, or all Lord Burghley’s beauty.'”

The Stamford Mercury, 7th February, 1845.

Chaise and Horses Tragedy.

Quite why this post-boy needed to hide his actions from Mr. Whincup of the George is not clear. Perhaps he had borrowed the chaise to deliver the passengers to Empingham on the quiet?! In any case, the chaise and all the horses were lost in the Welland.

It is also not clear what sort of vehicle it was, some were two-wheeled and driven by only one horse, others (like a post chaise) could be four-wheeled and enclosed. Often the driver would ride one of the horses.

“A serious loss was sustained by Mr. Whincup, of The George Inn in this place, on Wednesday night, through the misconduct of a post-boy names James Eaton. He had driven to Empingham two passengers who came to Stamford by the Regent coach, and on his return went with the chaise and horses into the river Welland, on the north side (to avoid observation from the George), to wash them, and the consequence was that the whole were by force of the current carried down the river. Opposite the brewery of Mr. Phillips the cries of the post-boy were heard, and that gentleman’s pleasure-boat was immediately used to save him: he was standing on the top of the chaise, with his head just above the water, when he was rescued: immediately the chaise and horses sunk, and the cattle* were drowned.”

The Stamford Mercury, 4th March, 1825.

*I don’t think there were cattle involved as well. Perhaps this refers to the horses?