In Skegness a harsh sentence was imposed on a chambermaid accused of stealing a leather toilet set. This kind of penal servitude was abolished in England and Wales in 1948.
“Chambermaid’s Theft
PRISON FOR STEALING TOILET SET.
Before the Skegness Bench, on Tuesday, Elizabeth Tolliday (51), of Grantham, pleaded not guilty to the larceny of a toilet set in leather case, value 30s., the property of Annie Hilda Watson, of Skegness.
Mrs. Watson stated that she was the proprietress of the Tower Cafe, and accused had been in her employ since April last as a chambermaid, In October of last year witness went away for a holiday, leaving the case in her bedroom, and when subsequently she asked accused if she knew the whereabouts of the article she made no reply. On the 24th inst. witness saw the case in a box in accused’s bedroom. She exclaimed, “that’s mine, Mrs. Tolliday,” and the latter replied, “Yes, Madam I bought it here to clean.” Witness gave her no authority to take the case from her bedroom.
Insp. Corden said accused was well known to the Grantham Police. Her husband was a labourer at Grantham, but accused had not lived with him for some time. She had had a number of good situations, and in every instance her employer gave her a splendid testimonial, but drink had been her downfall. She had served several terms of imprisonment.
Sobbing bitterly, accused declared that she had been punished for what she had done, and had since gone straight. She was entirely innocent of stealing the toilet set.
A sentence of two months’ imprisonment with hard labour was imposed.”
A local landowner spoke of the usefulness of his traction engines before a new bill was introduced which removed the speed limits and rules previously introduced for motorised vehicles.
“TRACTION ENGINES ON ROADS. – EVIDENCE BY LORD ANCASTER.
A Select Committee of the House of Commons, presided over by Mr. H. Hobhouse, sat again on the 26th ult. for the consideration of the Traction Engines Bill. The Earl of Ancaster being called, said that he owned a large amount of agricultural land in Lincolnshire and Rutland, and for the last 20 years had used traction engines as a convenient means to its development. Owing to the restrictions imposed by the law he was not able to use the engines to the extent that he could wish. With regard to the effect of the passage of locomotives upon the roads, his opinion was that no harm was done where the roads were in good condition. Of course, if the roads were mere tracks it was quite possible that considerable harm might be done by the traveling of the locomotives. There was no reason, as far as he could see, why the engines should not be used at any hour of the day or night. They were most vauable to farmers, and so much cheaper than horses. His engines weighed about eight tons, and the two trucks weighed about four tons each. The engines probably would not turn out a profit if used on other than very large farms. His employees were always most careful as to the passing of traffic on the roads. No accident had happened except on one occasion, when a horse turned round and broke the shafts. The incident did not impress itself upon his mind largely because he had to pay very little damage. (Laughter). – In answer to Colonel Kenyon Slaney, the witness said that if all roads were available for traction engines, they would have to be made up’ at a considerable cost, and he was not prepared to say upon what body the expense should fall, although he thought that if a village was brought into a prosperous condition by a landowner employing traction engines, the cost ought not to be placed altogether upon him. He was perfectly aware the the locomotive wheels, as now constructed, ‘bit’ the road, as it was termed. – Mr. Eddison, director of Messrs. John Fowler and Co., Leeds, said that his firm built a large number of traction engines and road locomotives. They had had been engaged in the business for upwards of 30 years, and made each year a hundred or more engines for road haulage, and agricultural purposes, exclusive of the export trade. The engines were used by estate agents, property owners, co-operative companies, mine owners, and others. In lat years there had been improvements in the construction of the engines, and care had been taken to protect the gear. He did not see why there should be any limit placed upon the number of waggons drawn by any engine. Road locomotives should be treated in the same way as vehicles drawn by horse power. Speed to the extent of that allowed to horse traffic should be permitted; also he suggested the removal of all restrictons and taxes upon traction engines.”
A ticket-of-leave was effectively a parole for convicts which allowed them some freedoms, if they had proved themselves to be trustworthy. However, there was a need to make the conditions more stringent, following a spate of gruesome garottings or muggings in London.
“The new Ticket-of-leave Bill now passing through parliament will possibly do something towards allaying the alarm which has been excited in the public mind on the subject of garotting. The new bill renders the licence or leave revocable upon the commission of any new indictable offence, and, furthermore, reimposes the remitted penalty in addition to the punishment for the new offence. Four conditions are to be endorsed upon the ticket-of-leave: – ‘1. The holder shall preserve his licence, and produce it when called upon to do so by a magistrate or police-officer. 2. He shall abstain from any violation of the law. 3. He shall not habitually associate with notoriously bad characters, such as reputed thieves and prostitutes. 4. He shall not lead an idle and dissolute life, without visible means of obtaining an honest livelihood.’ These alterations have the effect of bringing the holders of ticket-of-leave more stringently into the power of the law than they were before; but is is to be hoped that in exercising the powers conferred upon them the police will not use them in so harsh a manner as to close the door of return to respectability & independence for ever.”
Much-loved funny man Eric Morecambe made an appearance for the Lord’s Taverners at a charity cricket match against our local Burghley Park Team. It seems much fun was had by all although it’s not clear from this article who actually won!
“How’s that – game raises £4,100
THE LORD’S Taverners star studded cricket team raised £4,100 for charity from their visit to Burghley Park on Sunday.
And they gave in return an afternoon of fun and pleasure to the 4,400 people who came to see them.
Off the field it was top comic Eric Morecambe who stole the show, bowling the crown over with his wise cracks and antics.
And on the field John Alderton proved that while he earns his bread and butter from acting he is also a useful cricketer.
Eric Morecambe, won the toss for the Taverners and put the Burghley Park team into bat.
The Park made a total of 232 with Tony Beavon hitting 67 before being caught by John Alderton off Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough. And John Price made 42.
Alderton took three of the Park wickets, as well as making two catches. The actor was the Taverner’s top scorer with 57.
Among the names to face the Park bowlers were Reg Simpson (32), Alan Revill (33), Mike J. K. Smith (30), Tom Baker (21), J. P. R. Williams (6), William Rushton (10) and Ted Dexter (9).
o ERIC Morecambe pictured with Burghley Park skipper Adrian Richardson, at the toss.”
A horrid attack on a gamekeeper by a poacher left him unable to speak, but the prominent Bow Street police officers, Lavender and Vickery were on the case. The gamekeeper was in the employment of the second Earl Spencer at his Estate in Wimbledon Park.
“On Saturday se’nnight Mr. Thomas Astill, head gamekeeper to Earl Spencer, at Wimbledon Park, arrived at his own house speechless, having his scull dreadfully fractured, apparently by a bullet from a horse pistol, which has perforated his hat in two places; he was also much struck about the thighs by the hilt of a sword or cutlass. He had been seen to follow and overtake a man in a dark jacket, who had been shooting and taking away some game, and they were observed to walk together towards the park paling, not above 5 or 600 yards from his residence. Information of the above having been given at Bow-street, Lavender and Vickary (sic) were dispatched to obtain information; and on their arrival at Wimbledon, they found that one Holt, who had come from Hampshire to assist in the harvest, was the suspected person. The officers then proceeded to the Antelope, at Wandsworth, where he lodged, but he had not been home all night. They then, with much difficulty, and after a long pursuit, traced him to the Waggon and Horses at Farnham, where they secured him, and learned that previous to entering the house he had discharged a musket, which, nevertheless, he denied being in his possession, and said it belonged to a soldier. They, however, found it in the cellar of the house concealed behind a beer barrel, and, on inspection, it proved to be the piece which the gamekeeper has taken out with him. On Thursday he was taken to the wounded gamekeeper, who was not able to speak. He, however, identified the prisoner as the man who wounded him; and his testimony was taken before Major Fleming, a Magistrate, which will be made evidence on the trial.”
A poor lad suffered a broken arm and some horrible injuries, trying to escape the eyes of his father while viewing a new threshing machine (or thrashing-machine). These machines first came into use in the industrial revolution to replace the time-consuming practice of flailing by hand.
On Wednesday se’nnight a shocking accident happened at Bourn. Mr. John Chamberlain, of that place, had lately put up a new thrashing-machine, which excited the curiosity of numbers of persons to see it work : among others, a son of William Davy, (contrarily to the injunction of his father,) went for that purpose : the father happened to go also, and the boy, perceiving him come, ran over the spindle of the machine in order to get away, but being caught by the cloaths, was doubled up amongst the works, and had an arm broken, and his head and shoulders cut and mangled in a shocking way. Notwithstanding all these apparently ‘mortal wounds, the least a death to nature,’ the boy, we understand, still survives, & there are even hopes of his recovery.”
Stamford was a popular racing venue (1717 – 1873), so its newspaper attracted many such advertisements. Baronet was well-known and may have been one of the horses painted by George Stubbs, although he is referred to in the advertisement as a chestnut and Stubbs’ subject was called a bay.
“BARONET will COVER Mares this season, 1811, at Two Guineas each. He was got by Stride (that uncommonly speedy well-bred son of Phenomenon), his dam by Drone, grandam by Young Marske, out of Ferret, by a brother to Silvio, Regulus, Morton Arabian, Mixbury, Mulse Bay Turk, Bay Bolton, Coneyskins, Hutton Grey Barb, Byerley Turk, and Bustler.
Baronet is own brother to Sir John, Lady Brough, and Brough – all good runners, and, to those conversant with the turf, well known to possess great speed.
Baronet is seven years old, a good chestnut, fifteen hands three inches high, free from all natural blemishes, with great powers, fine shape, and good action – and for constitution and good temper, not inferior to any horse in existence. He had won as follows : viz
At York, on Wednesday 23rd May, 1805, being then only two years old, a sweepstakes for 120gs. beating Mr. Knapton’s filly by a brother to Eagle, Mr. Mellish’s Companion, Sir H. T. Vane’s filly by Patriot, and Mr. J. Hill’s Talisman by Totteridge. – At Doncaster, on Thursday 25th September, 1806, a match for 300 gs. beating Mr. Mellish’s colt Luck’s-All by Stamford. – At York on Saturday 29th August, 1807, the Ladies’ Plate, beating Sir T. Gascoigne’s filly by Hambletonian, Mr. Mellish’s Luck’s-All, Sir M. Sykes’ Harriet, Mr. Grimstone’s Woldsman, and Mr. Wentworth’s Irene. – At Ormskirk, July 22, 1808, a sweepstakes of 80 gs. for all ages, four miles, beating Mr. Benson’s Dimple, &c. &c.
He will be at Barton, Grimsby and Castor markets, and travel that circuit during the season.”
One lucky ‘Mercury’ reporter was invited to visit the site of the old paper mills at Wansford. There he discovered the fascinating history of the house and grounds, and paper making.
“Once Belonged | In Existence
To The ‘Mercury’ | Nearly 300 Years
Interesting Retrospective Glance
The days when the paper on which the ‘Mercury’ was printed was manufactured at Wansford, near Stamford, were recalled when, through the courtesy of Mr. G. Wyman Abbott, of Stibbington House, Wansford, a Mercury reporter was shown over the grounds of Stibbington House, the site of the old Paper Mills.
Stibbington House, which is even now occasionally referred to by old residents of Wansford as ‘The Paper Mills,’ was for over a century the property of the Newcomb family, a family which retained a controlling interest in the ‘Mercury’ for nearly 150 years. The paper was bought by one Richard Newcomb in 1785, but it was not until 1824 that he purchased the Paper Mills and used their product in Stamford.
Mr. Abbott was able to trace the ownership of the Mills as far back as 1650, when they were bought by William Page. Page married a lady by the name of Bridget, who had a daughter of the same name. He died in 1678, whereupon his widow re-married a man named Wright. The property then passed to a cousin, William Walcot, and then to William Walcot junior, of Oundle, a surgeon.
At this stage there is a gap in the records, the next known owner being the Richard Newcomb referred to abouve.
Sold Eleven Years Ago.
The Paper Mills remained in the Newcomb family until as recently as 1927, when Mrs. Todd-Newcomb sold the property to Mr. Abbott.
There is now little recognisable trace of the Mills, though, thanks to Mr. Abbott, I had little difficulty in re-constructing the scene of activity of a century or so ago.
There still remain standing a building which was the lower storey of the mill itself and a number of outbuildings which were probably used as drying rooms.
At the bottom of Mr. Abbott’s beautiul gardens runds an offshoot oft the River Nene and, standing on a small bridge over this stream, Mr. Abbott pointd out to me the site of the mill wheel which provided the power for the Mills.
A little higher up a verdant bank slopes down to the water’s edge, but is was not until Mr. Abbott acquired the property that the slope was made, as until 1927 there still remained the old wharf on to which the bales of rags from which the paper was made, were unloaded.
One could easily picture the barges mooring by the wharf, the bales being unloaded and carried off to the rag pits where they were pulled to pieces by women and taken to the mill itself.
Chimney Foundations Found
Some of these rag pits were filled in by Mr. Abbott when he bought the property, and the foundations of the tall chimney were dug up at the same time.
Mr. Abbott showed me an old photograph of the mill and chimney which, unfortunately, is too faded with age for reproduction. So changed is the site now, however, that it is scarcely possible to recognise the photograph.
The lower portion of the mill itself has been converted by Mr. Abbott into a garden house and a garage, and other buildings which were used for the manufacture of the paper are now utilised as garages etc.
The accompanying illustrations give some idea of the site as it was and as it is today.
The photograph shows what is now Mr. Abbott’s garden room, and if you look at the engraving you may recognise this garden room as the square building on the left of the mill. This engraving, incidentally, is reproduced from the letter head of one Thomas Nelson, paper maker, Wansford Mill, Northamptonshire, a sheet of which remains in Mr. Abbott’s possession.”
The Stamford Mercury, 13th, May, 1938.
In the foregraound can be seen the river on which the barges brought rags for paper making, and in the background is Mr. Abbott’d garden room, formerly part of the mill.
This reproduction from an old letter heading, shows the mill as it was in bygone days. The garden-house in the photograph above is the square building on the left.
Another Stamford Mercury columnist picked up a mistake in S.H.E.’s reminiscences. However, it adds to her story and explains how the blind organist learnt his music.
“Blind Stamford Organist
My attention has been drawn to a slight straying from the path of strict accuracy by our ‘memorist,’ ‘S.H.E.,’ whose series of articles have proved so absorbingly interesting to readers of the ‘Mercury,’ who will share with me the regret I feel at the fact that, for the time being at least, her writings will disappear from our columns.
In last week’s article, ‘S.H.E.’ referred to Mr. Hilary Hewitt as the blind organist of St. Mary’s church, whereas the blind organist at St. Mary’s was Mr. William Marriott, who lived at Borderville and was led to the church by a boy. This information has been given to me by a septuagenarian resident of Stamford, who tells me that when she was a child she used to sit with a hymn-book before her reading out the notes as Mr. Marriott found them on the piano and so committed the hymn tunes to memory. In those days the Rev. A. C. Abdy was Rector of St. Mary’s, and the organ was exactly opposite its present situation.
Mr. Hilary Hewitt was a blind resident of St. Mary’s at the time, but, as far as my informant knows, had no occupation. His father was engaged in Burghley estate office, and his sister conducted a preparatory school at the house in St. Martin’s now occupied by Mr. Fred Miles.”
Some interesting pieces of folklore, legend and superstitions about the prickly holly bush, are presented in our third look back at Christmas items from the Stamford Mercury in December, 1927.
“Holly Lore.
Holly is a fine crop and beautifully berried this year. That is often the case after a wet summer, and the theory that this means a severe winter has even less to its credit than the tradition that a green Christmas spells a fat churchyard. Nevertheless, these popular sayings of the countryside should not be dismissed too dogmatically, for a spice of truth generally flavours the most grosteque delusions. Not a little legend surrounds this beautiful plant. One of the tales is that holly first sprang up under the feet of Christ when He trod our earth, and, as an addendum to this idea, we are assured that animals remember what man has forgotten, and thus they never harm the holly.
Ancient Superstitions.
An early classical writer attributed to holly wood the stange power of compelling any animal to return the thrower of a staff of holly, it the latter so disired it, and to lie down by the staff. A rather weird variation, this, on the familiar return of the Australian native’s boomerang, which returns to the thrower. Holly used to play an important part in West Country affaires. For instance, the oath on mining questions in the Forest of Dean was sworn on the holly-stick instead of the Bible. We used to export birdlime made from holly bark, they say, and, apart from alleged medical properties of the berry, the tree has had many other uses. There is no more lovely wood, when worked up and polished, than holly.
