Mercuriosities

This text about the fate of a wife travelled a long way to reach Stamford.  It was picked up by a German newspaper from an original Swedish story.

“THE USE OF A DEAD WIFE.- A German Journal contains the following paragraph :- ‘The wife of a labouring man in the neighbourhood of Stockholm died some time ago, and the husband made the necessary preparations for her interment.  He, however, deposited a block in her coffin, instead of the corpse, which he conveyed, during the night, into a forest, that it might serve as a bait for wild beasts.  By this horrible expedient he succeeded in catching a wolf and two foxes.  On the circumstance being made known, the  man was arrested and carried before a Court of Justice; but far from being intimidated, he claimed the reward offered for destroying mischievous animals.'”

Stamford Mercury, 21st May 1819

Alexander Cumming patented his design for a water-closet in 1775.  However, it was found that the water could freeze in cold weather.  Joseph Bramah, an installer of these flush toilets, improved the design.  It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that they became widely used.  Here is an early advertisement.

“PRICE FIVE GUINEAS.

New Invented Water-Closet.

THO. SCOTT, Plumber, ENGINE and WATER-CLOSET maker, MARKET-HARBORO’, Leicestershire,

Begs leave to inform the Nobility, Gentry, and the Public in general, that he makes and sells WATER-CLOSETS, upon a very simple Construction, which act without Valve, Plug, Slide, or Cock, and hold a certain Quantity of Water in the Basons; warranted to keep sweet and clean; not liable to be frozen, or out of order from Paper, which is so common in Water-closets.

N.B. Very good Allowance to Plumbers, Surveyors, Builders, &c. – All Letters duly answered.”

Stamford Mercury, 8th August, 1800.

 

An occasional item on beauty treatments; some sound rather hazardous, so don’t try them at home!

“OLIVE-OIL, warmed is splendid for massaging thin arms and developing the bust, while a little well rubbed into the roots of the hair before washing will be found very beneficial for dry hair.

PEROXIDE-OF-HYDROGEN is an inexpensive beauty aid with many uses.  It can be used to bleach downy hair on the upper lip and to sponge the under-arms after using a toilet razor.  Diluted with a little water and dabbed on unsightly pimples or ‘cold sores’ – it dispels them speedily.  Sprinkle a few drops on your nail brush, and it bleaches your nail tips to immaculate whiteness.

QUINCE SEEDS, soaked overnight in water, make an effective curling lotion which helps the hair to retain its curl and wave in damp weather.

ROSEMARY and cantharides*, which can be obtained at anuy chemists, is another excellent tonic for the hair.

STARCH is a little-known beauty bleach.  If your skin is discoloured from freckles and neglected tan, try a starch mask.  Mix a tablespoon of ordinaty white starch to a smooth paste with cold water.  Smooth this gently on the face and neck (hands, too, if you like) and allow it to dry.  It is best to do this when you can spare about twenty minutes to lie down and relax.  When the paste dries, allow it to remain on fort about ten minutes longer, then wash it off gently with lukewarm water, dry gently and massage th[e] face with cold cream.  Finish off with liberal applications of ice-cold water as an astringent.  This is a good treatment for greasy skins.”

Stamford Mercury, 26th February, 1932.

*Cantharides is a substance secreted by blister beetles.  Improperly dosed it can cause severe burns.  Also called ‘Spanish Fly’, it was used as an aphrodisiac.

 

Seaton Station served the villages of Harringworth and Seaton from 1851-1966.

“Seven Words in Six Letters.

One station on the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, the name of which is made up of only six letters, nevertheless comprises seven words without making any alteration in the order of the letters.  This is the Rutland junction of Seaton and the words are

Sea.     Seat.     Eat.      At.

To.   Ton.    On.

This will, doubtless, be hard to beat and the attempt should form an interesting pastime for our Guild Members.”

Stamford Mercury, 26th February, 1932.

 

From 1777-1852 a tax was levied on households employing ‘non-essential’ male servants.  This was aimed at the wealthy who used personal staff, which were seen as luxuries.  Farm and industrial workers were exempt.

“The following is a return of a Lady in Bath, recently made to the assessors of male servants, horses, carriages, dogs, &c.

Not a male in our house,

Not so much as a mouse:

Not a horse, nor a dog, as true written;

For search house and ground,

Not a beast could be found,

But an hungry old cat and her kitten.”

Stamford Mercury. 17th July, 1801.

Perhaps this misunderstanding about dog licences had been perpetuated by the clerks themselves for some amusement?

“Humour in the Post-office

January is always a ‘harvest time’ at the Post-office ‘licences’ counter.  The postal officials, however, though possibly overworked at this period, contrive to get a good deal of fun as compensation for their extra labour in the issue of dog licences.

I was talking to one of the counter clerks the other day and he related to me some of his experiences in this connection.

Apparently, it is a common belief among ‘dear old ladies’ that a dog licence cannot be issued unless the dog itself is presented at the grill.

‘Here is Fido,’ they say, struggling to prop up some poor little animal against the counter, and , seemingly expecting the clerk to pat its head or give it a bone.”

Stamford Mercury, 22nd January, 1932.

The gold sovereign (valued at £1) disappeared from circulation in 1914 at the start of World War I, when it was replaced by paper money.

The Gold Rush

“It is remarkable whence all the golden sovereigns have come  since they became worth 27s. 6d.*  In Stamford a busy time has been experienced by jewellers and others willing to purchase them.

At the beginning of the war a call was made for patriotism.  With that call a request was issued for the payment of gold coinage into the banks.  No doubt many patriotic people did so enchanging it at par. but in the light of recent events it appears that not a few hoarded it in spite of the dire need of the country for the precious metal.  Now there is an opportunity of selling at a profit they disgorge their savings, but I wonder if they realise what they have lost in compound interest had the money been lent to the nation, despite the fact that they are getting 7s. 6d. profit at the moment?”

Stamford Mercury, 4th March, 1932.

* about £1.37.

This acrobatic dancer, Señor Donato, had previously been a bull-fighter, whence he obtained his injury.  He was very popular in England and on the continent.

“The theatre at Stamford was opened on Monday last for the Midlent season, by Mr. C. A. Clarke, who has introduced a partially new company, with a few old favorites, which seems likely to become popular.  The Lady of Lyons was well played on Monday evening, Mrs. Clarke very cleverly sustaining the character of Pauline.  Mr H. Windley has re-appeared, greatly to the gratification of the admirers of burlesque and broad farce.  Among the novelties is a one-legged dancer, alleged to be very clever: he is named in the bills as Donato, but whether he is the original Spanish dancer of that name who caused so much sensation in London three years ago is not stated.”

Stamford Mercury, 27th March, 1868.

 

 

Relationships can be very complicated.  Trying to visualise this family tree from Corby would give anyone a headache!

“An extraordinary relationship of two families living at Corby, Northamptonshire, – The master and mistress of one family are both father and mother, and brother and sister, to the master and mistress of the other family; consequently both grandfather and grandmother, and uncle and aunt, to their children: While the master and mistress of the second family are both brother and sister, and son and daughter, to the master and mistress of the first; also uncle and aunt, and cousins, at the same time, to their children. – The mistress of the second family is sister to her own father, and aunt to her own brothers and sisters.”

Stamford Mercury, 7th December, 1798.

Of course little girls like to wear make-up!

“‘Lipstick’

Preaching at Stamford recently Canon Hicks, of Messingham, referring to the increased use of cosmetics by members of the fair sex, asserted that, while he could understand the use of face powder to cover up a definite blotch or mark, he would defy any woman to look him in the face and say the the use of ‘make-up’ was a necessity of life.

This form of adornment has recently come in for considerable criticism, but it is no modern cult, as evidenced by the findings during the excavations in Egypt, where relics of what is presumed to be lipstick have been discovered.

In Stamford this week, however, was witnessed an episode which was very far from edifying.

Three little girls, whose ages ranged from about six to nine years, were seem busily engaged in front of a shop window. which was being sued as an impromptu looking-glass.  Closer investigation disclosed the fact that the youngsters, having purchased a small quantity of sweets covered with a red-coloured substance, instead of devouring them, were moistening their fingers, rubbing them on the colouring matter and endeavouring to emulate their elder sisters by giving their lips a ‘Cupid’s bow’ shape!”

Stamford Mercury, 18th March, 1932.