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CORONERS' INQUESTS

The London Dispatch and People's Political and Social Reformer

September 17, 1836


M30, a police constable, said that on Saturday night, he was on duty at Gravel-Lane, where, at the corner of Surrey-Row, at Mr. BROWN’s, a baker, he saw three men who alternately worked in an oven, the deceased being one of them, two remaining outside while one was inside the oven at work.

When they came outside, being in a great perspiration, they wrapped themselves in blankets. About four o’clock, he heard the deceased, who was in the oven, groaning, when, on approaching the spot, he saw the two men, who were tipsy, lying on the ground asleep.

Witness awoke them, on which the men were very abusive, one of them remarking with an oath that it would be a good job if he were dead. After much persuasion, and having informed Mr. BROWN, the deceased was dragged out and removed to the bake-house.

Mr. BURKENSHAW, Oven builder, Blackfriars Road, who worked the oven after the deceased was removed, stated that it was in a right proper state.

The policeman stated, that, in his opinion, the deceased had been in the oven two hours.

Verdict:- That the deceased, was accidently suffocated while intoxicated.


NOTE: wish they had named him.




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LOL

Sorry Susan, I didn't mean to sound like an anorak !!

These threads of yours are right up my street ( now I am sounding like Del Boy ).

Please keep them coming.

Sorry Robin, but if I looked up every definition of the old words I would be here forever Lol.....I think it may have something to do with drinking, all I can say is that if Google doesn't know....then neither do I :-)))).....My other name being Susangoogleferbrains :-))


Edit: Please feel free to add any definitions of words not known in this century.....I do usually look them up but sometimes don't have the time :-))

Could I just ask if anyone knows what "potations" means in the "trashing" article.

I thought potation meant something to do with drinking, but not sure that is what is mean't in the context of the article.

Thank you all for the appreciation...makes it worthwhile :-)

I have a new source :-))) and must agree with what my Headmaster said of me years ago, albeit unkindly. " All you will ever do is read".. ( My Headmistress, who was also our English teacher, & I got on like a house on fire I might add Lol )....He wasn't entirely correct but still.....I just love Old books and History:-))))


EDIT: I have decided to start putting all names in capitals in case anyone is researching a surname, making it easier to find , as is usual with most researchrers.

A most entertaining read, as always.

Thank you Susan.

I can think of a no more memorable send off for a young couple on their wedding day than being "trashed"

Thank goodness the Wedding Photographer has since been invented !

LOL

Thank you Susan, i find this sort of info jolly interesting.

The illustrated Police News

Saturday, January 5, 1867


EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF ABANDONING AN INFANT


At the Surrey sessions on Wednesday, Eliza LEVETT, twenty-four, was indicted for unlawfully abandoning and exposing Charles LEVETT, her child, under two years of age, whereby its life was in danger. Jane COLLIER said that on the night of the 11th October she was near the workhouse at Wandsworth she saw a female resembling the prisoner put down a baby and run away.

Hearing the baby cry she went and picked it up, and looked for the female, but not being able to find her she took the baby and left it at the workhouse. She believed the child had shoes on, but no socks, he was poorly clad.

The porter of the workhouse proved receiving the infant. It had hardly any clothing on and was without shoes or stockings. It was almost insensible, but with the careful attention of her nurse soon revived, and was now in full health.

Mr James CONNOR surgeon St. John’s-Hill, Battersea, said that he was called into the workhouse about eight in the morning, and saw the child produced. It was in the workhouse clothing and seemed well and happy. He considered, however, that it’s life was endangered for about half an hour.

Police Constable 179 V said he took the prisoner into custody on the 7th Ult., when she denied leaving the child exposed and used a vulgar expression telling him to look after her husband.

The prisoner made a rambling defence saying her husband had deserted her and her children. She was in the house and the infant she put out to nurse while she was in service. Happening to meet the woman who had it in the night in question, she handed her the child, and then meeting her husband afterwards she gave it to him, and he must have abandoned it. He had acted cruelly to her and caused her to be turned out of several situations.

The jury consulted for a few minutes and returned a verdict of ‘Not guilty.’

January 7 1876

Death of another female Miser

An inquest was held at Sheffield on Wednesday, on the body of a woman named HANCOCK. She was the wife of a tradesman but had been separated from him for some years, he making her an allowance for maintenance. On the 27th Ult. She was taken ill and died on the following day.


Before being taken ill, she borrowed some money to buy food with; but after her death four halfpence was found upon her wrapped in about fifty pieces of paper and also fifteen pence in a bag secured by thirty pieces of string


What is very remarkable is that about one hundred matches were found concealed between her toes.----Death was caused by Syncope.

Newcastle Courant

Police courts

21 September 1888


South Shields, Monday

James TEARNEY, better known as ‘blind Jimmy,’ was sent to prison for a month for being drunk and disorderly on the Market Place on Saturday night, this being his 114th offence.


Sunderland, Saturday---

A sailor named William TAYLOR was brought up and convicted of begging---

The defendant stated that he had just been discharged from the Royal Infirmary, Newcastle. He had fallen down the hold on his vessel and had both his arms broken. When he was injured he had about £5 to take for wages, but the money had all been used for hospital fees.

Mr. James LAING said he understood the Newcastle Infirmary was free as at Sunderland and he thought some representation should be made at Newcastle with respect to Taylor’s money.

Col. BRIGGS said that the Infirmary at Newcastle was now free.

The defendant was discharged on the promise not to beg again. He was granted 5s out of the poor box.


Consett, Monday

Thomas RYDER, Hairdresser, of Blackhill, was brought up to show cause why he had neglected to contribute the sum of £2 3s due to his wife, Margaret RYDER, in respect of a Justice’s order under the matrimonial causes act. ----Defendant was committed to hard labour for a month.

November, 1826.

FUNERALS IN CUMBERLAND.

To the Editor.

Sir,—It is usual at the funeral of a person, especially of a householder, to invite persons to attend the ceremony; and in Carlisle, for instance, this is done on the day of interment by the bellman, who, in a solemn and subdued tone of voice, announces, that " all friends and neighbours of, deceased, are requested totake notice, that the body will be lifted at—— o'clock, to be interred at church." On this occasion the relatives and persons, invited by note, repair to the dwelling of the deceased, where they usually partake of a cold collation, with wine, &c. ; and at the outside of the door a table is set out, bountifully replenished with bread and cheese, ale and spirits, when "all friends and neighbours" partake as they think proper. When the preparations for moving are completed, the procession is accompanied by those persons who are disposed to pay their last mark of respect to the memory of the deceased.

This custom, it has been remarked, gives an opportunity for "that indulgence which ought to belong to the marriage feast, and that it is a practice savouring of the gothic and barbarous manners of our unpolished ancestors."

With deference to the writer's opinion, I would say that the custom is worthy of imitation, and that the assembling together of persons who have only this opportunity of expressing their respect for the memory of the deceased, cannot fail to engage the mind to useful reflections, and is a great contrast to the heartless mode of conducting interments in many other places, where the attendants frequently do not exceed half a dozen.

The procession used often to be preceded by the parish clerk and singers, who sang a portion of the Psalms until they arrived at the church. This part of the ceremony is now, I understand, seldom performed.
I am,

Yours, &c. W. C.
Newcastle apon Туnе, August, 1827.

COUNSELS AND CAUTIONS

BY DR. A. HUNTER.

BEWARE !
Leave your purse and watch at home when you go to the playhouse or an auction room.

TRAVELLING.
When you take a journey in winter put on two shirts; you will find them much warmer than an additional waistcoat.

BUILDING REPAIRS.
If you mean to buy a house that you intend to alter and improve, be sure to double the tradesman's estimate.

YOUR STAIRCASE.
Paint the steps a stone colour; it will save scouring and soap.

HOUSEKEEPING.
If you are in trade keep no more houses than you can support; a summer-house and a winter-house have forced many a man into a poor-house.

ENOUGH SHOULD SUFFICE.
A man who has obtained a competency, and ventures upon a speculation that may be capable of consuming all that he has already got, stakes ease and comfort against beggary and disgrace.

LOQUACITY.
A gossip has no home.

NICHOLAS WOOD, THE GLUTTON.

One Nicholas Wood, of Harrison, in the county of Kent, yeoman, did eat wilh ease a whole sheep of sixteen shillings price, and that raw, at one meal. Another time he eat thirty dozen of pigeons. At sir William Sedley's he eat as much as would have sufficed thirty men. At lord Wotton's in Kent, he devoured in one meal eighty-four rabbits ; another time eighteen yards of black pudding, London measure. He once eat sixty pounds of cherries, and said they were but wastemeat. He eat a whole hog, and afterwards swallowed three peck of damsons: this was after breakfast, at which he had taken a pottle* of milk and pottage, with bread, butter, and cheese.

" He eat in my presence," saith Taylor, the water-poet, " six penny wheaten loaves, three sixpenny veal-pies, one pound of fresh butter, one good dish of thornback, and a sliver of a peck household loaf, an inch thick, all within the space of an hour : the house yielding no more he retired unsatisfied."

One John Dale, at Lenham, laid him a wager, he could fill his belly for him with good wholesome victuals for two shillings. He took this wager and said, when he had finished the two shillings worth, he would eat up a sirloin of beef. Dale, however, brought six pots of mighty ale and twelve new penny white loaves, which he sopped therein, the powerful fume whereof conquered this gluttonous conqueror, and laid him asleep before he had finished his meal, whereby the roast beef was preserved and the wager lost.

Wood spent all his estate in provender for his enormous stomach, and, although a landed man and a true labourer, he died very poor in 1630.


Note * yes it did say Pottle -)))

The table book of daily recreation and information concerning remarkable men

TRASHING.

A BRIDAL CUSTOM IN YORKSHIRE.

To the Editor.
Morley, near Leeds, July 21, 1827

Sir,—There is a custom prevalent in various parts of Yorkshire, which I do not remember to have seen noticed in the works of Strutt, Brand, Fosbroke, or any other learned writer upon such subjects. It is called "trashing," which signifies pelting people with old shoes on their return from church on the wedding-day.

There were certain offences which subjected the parties formerly to this disagreeable liability; such as refusing to contribute to scholars' "potations," or other conviviality’s; but in process of time the reason of the thing became forgotten, and " trashing" was indiscriminately practised among the lower orders. Turf-sods or mud being substituted for lack of old shoes, and generally thrown in jest and good-humour rather than in anger or ill-will. Although it is true that an old shoe is to tins day called "a trash," yet it did not, certainly, give the name to the nuisance.

To " trash" originally signified, to clog, encumber or impede the progress of any one; (seeTodd's Johnson;) and agreeably to this explanation we find the rope tied by sportsmen round the necks of fleet pointers to tire them well, and check their speed, is hereabouts universally called the " trash-cord," or dog trash. But why old shoes in particular were selected as the missiles most proper for impeding the progress of new married persons, it is now perhaps impossible to discover.
Yours respectfully,
N. S.

Mr. G. Godfrey, Basildon.

I have been used to farming all my life; I never remember the labourers under such good moral restraint as they are now, there is no grumbling between master and man as there used to be. The labourers are more industrious, more anxious to keep their places, and therefore more civil and obliging. This arises from the change of law ; the labourer depends now entirely upon himself, the workhouse is his only resource ; the good man has been better off than the inferior, this has made the inferior man look about him; the greatest change is in the improvement of our worst men: our best men are about the same as they were. The whole agricultural population is improving now; parents push out their children early to help maintain the family; before they were kept at home, to add one more for the pay table.

The surplus labour has already disappeared, the men will now go where they can get best off', and as the labour becomes scarce in the market, which I think it will as the measure works on, price must rise. This makes the masters more careful to keep up a regular supply of men through the winter, as there is no parish supply to fall back upon, and if they did not provide for the summer in this way, they would be without hands.
It is my opinion that the practice of the Union as regards bastardy is very beneficial; it is not now the high road to marriage.

There is not now the same degrading exposure of females as there was formerly, when they were sworn to their children, which had a direct immoral tendency. As young women know that the workhouse is the only refuge, they take care of their characters, and get into service early, and endeavour to keep it. The operation of the same principles has tended to check improvident marriages; before they used sometimes to go to the overseer for a house, and work the next day after marriage.

Pauperism is felt to be degrading to every man who values his respectability; no respectable person would like to see his name on the church door.

Reports of the workhouse

Annual Report of the Poor Law Commissioners for England and Wales
By Great Britain Poor Law Commissioners

1836


W. Denley, of Great Risington, being a person in good circumstances, having married a woman with property, was applied to by the relieving officer of Stow-on-the-Wold Union, to support his aged and widowed mother, residing in the same parish. He answered he would not do anything for her support, she might starve. The relieving officer replied, he must report him to the board of guardians as a person liable to maintain his parent; he answered, he should do nothing for her. The relieving officer made no provision for the old woman, but spoke to a daughter residing in the same parish, but not in circumstances to assist in her mother's support; she said she would take care her mother did not want for bread that week. When the relieving officer came in the week following, W. Denley, on being again applied to, made no further objection to maintaining his mother, and she has not been since chargeable to the Union.



A young widow, with one child, by name Johnson, belonging to Stow, resided with her father at Eyford, and received constant relief for herself and child from the parish of Stow; upon hearing that her name was to be affixed quarterly to the church door at Stow as a pauper receiving relief, she sent, by farmer Smith, of Eyford, her respects to the gentlemen in the vestry at Stow, thanking them for the money she had received, and hoping they would make her a little present on her now declaring off the parish, saying, she could not bring herself to allow her name to be stuck up as a pauper on the church door every quarter."


NOTE : There are many and well worth the read

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