General Chat

Hackney coaches are first mentioned as being used in London, in the year 1625, at which time they were only twenty in number; and, instead of standing in the streets, were kept at inns ready for call as occasion might require.

1631
The streets of London being greatly encumbered with stalls and stands for the sale of various goods, in defiance of the laws against those nuisances, the common-council enacted, " that no inhabitant whatever should presume to sell any thing in the streets or lanes of the city, on pain of forfeiting for the first offence twenty shillings, for the second forty shillings, for the third four pounds, and for each offence afterwards the penalty to be doubled.

In the year 1665, about the beginning of May, there broke out, in London, the most dreadful plague that ever infested this kingdom, which swept away sixty-eight thousand five hundred and ninety- six persons, which, added to the number of those who died of other distempers, raised the bill of mortality, in this year, to ninety-seven thousand three hundred and six. And the mortality raged so violently in July, that all houses were shut up, the streets deserted, and scarce any thing to be seen therein but grass growing, innumerable fires for purifying the air, coffins, pest-carts, red crosses upon doors, with the inscription, " Lord have mercy upon us !" and continual cries of " pray for us;" or the melancholy call of " bring out your dead."

The cause of this dreadful calamity was ascribed to the . importation of infected goods from Holland, where the plague had committed great ravages the preceding year. And it was observed, during the whole time of its continuance, that there was such a general calm that for many weeks together not the least wind could be perceived; the fires in the streets were kept burning with difficulty for want of a supply of air, and the very birds panted for breath.

It is probable that the numbers who died of this dreadful pestilence were greatly under-rated in the bills of mortality for that year: one parish, that of St. John the Evangelist, Watling-Street, appears from them to have been wholly exempt from it, which is not to be credited when its situation is considered.

1715
The winter of this year is remarkable for a hard frost, which began in the last week of November, and continued, with some short intermissions, until the 9th of February; the severity of it was greater than any man living could remember; the Thames having been frozen, nearly the whole time, so strongly, that all sorts of wares were sold on it; and, on the 19th of January, two large oxen were roasted whole upon the ice. The vast quantities of snow that fell, at different times, during this frost, made the streets of London almost impassable.

By a long dry season, the fresh water stream of the Thames was reduced so low, that, on the 13th of December, 1717, a strong wind from the west- south-west, having kept back the water from the sea, many thousands of people crossed the river on foot, both above and below London-bridge, and walked through most of the arches.

Earthquake in London

On the 8th of February, 1750, between twelve and one o'clock at noon, a smart shock of an earthquake was felt through the cities of London and Westminster, and parts adjacent; and, on the 8th of March, between five and six in the morning, the town was alarmed with another shock, much more violent, and of longer continuance than the first.

Many people, awakened from their sleep by it, ran terrified into the streets without their clothes; a great number of chimnies were thrown down, several houses were considerably damaged; and, in Charter-house square, a woman was thrown from her bed, and her arm broke.

The panic of the people in consequence of these earthquakes was greatly increased by the ridiculous prediction of a wild enthusiastic soldier in the life-guards, who boldly prophesied, that as the second earthquake had happened exactly four weeks after the first, there would be a third exactly four weeks after the second, which would lay the whole cities of London and Westminster in ruins.

Though this prognostication appears too ridiculous to merit the least attention, yet it produced the most astonishing effect on the credulous and already terrified people.

A day or two before the expected event, multitudes of the inhabitants abandoned their houses and retired into the country; the roads were thronged with carriages of persons of fashion; and the principal places within twenty miles of London were so crowded, that lodgings were procured at a most extravagant price.

On the evening preceding the dreaded 8th of April, most of those who staid in the city sat up all night; some took refuge in boats on the river, and the fields adjacent to the metropolis were crowded with people; all of whom passed the night in fearful suspense, till the light of the morning put an end to their apprehensions, by convincing them, that the prophecy they had been weak enough to credit, had no other basis than that of falsehood.

Although the predicted time was now elapsed, yet the terror of the people did not thoroughly abate till after the eighth day of the month, because the earthquakes had happened on the eighth day of the two former months. When this time also passed, their fears vanished, and they returned to their respective habitations. The false prophet, who had been the instigator of such general confusion among the people, was committed to a place of confinement.

The year 1768 began with a very severe frost, which greatly contributed to the calamity of the lower sort of people, who were already much distressed from the exorbitant price of provisions.

On the 9th of January, the river, below bridge, bore all the appearance of a general wreck; ships, boats, and small craft, lying in a very confused manner, some on shore, and others sunk, or overset by the ice.

A fishing-boat was discovered, near Deptford-creek, jammed in by the ice, and all the people in it frozen to death; one of whom, a youth about seventeen, was found sitting erect, as if alive.

The Times, Tuesday, Dec 30, 1823

An Extraordinary Case of Filiation

An extraordinary case has recently occurred in the parish of Gwennap.

A Young girl who worked at one of the mines was discovered to be pregnant, and being brought by the overseers before a magistrate, in order to filiate her expected offspring, to the astonishment of all present, she swore that another young girl, with whom she was known to be inhabits of close intimacy, was the father.

As she persisted in this statement, the accused nondescript was brought before his worship, when, on investigation, the following facts were elicited. :-

The mother of the offender, for reasons which have not been learned, contrived to pass a male infant, of which she was delivered, upon her acquaintance as a female

At an early age the child was sent to work as a ball-girl at one of the mines; here the disguised youth formed an intimacy with another miner; they worked together and occasionally, as friends, they slept together, at the house of the latter; the consequence has already been stated.

The lad has put on garments suited to his sex, and under all the circumstances of the case, the overseers have not thought proper to act with severity towards him.

West Briton

Where do you find them?

Nice to see you back even if you do have a longer string of numbers...lol

Sue x

Good to see you again, Susan:-)

The West Briton and the Falmouth Packet are interesting, in my opinion.

Haven't been on boards tonight,but thought I'd pop in before bed.So glad to see you back Susan,i've missed your interesting 'stories'..........potations are alcoholic drinks hic

Mau x

~~~

Some news articles are just too good 'not' to share.....

I .have tried to find more on the last article as I would like to know the reasons of the mother of the boy.....nothing yet.

Have a browse here, Susan -

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/index/CORNISH/2009-04

At first I thought perhaps the mother dressed her son in girl's clothing so he didn't get 'hard labour jobs', but actually wouldn't the boys earn more money than girls then?

Preston Chronicle (Preston, England), Saturday, November 17, 1838


Interesting to the ladies

It was asserted at Nenagh petty sessions a few days since, that the act rendering a scolding woman subject to three dips in the river on a ducking stool, was never repealed.

NOTE:-.....I wonder if it has been repealed yet.....I may have to spend my life in he river :-)))


Hi Mau

I think there may have been more to it than that, but all searches so far have drawn a blank :-(

Thank you Joy.....a good read and very informative for those with ancestors from those parts :-)

Hello Susan... lovely to see you.

I have ancestors from Gwennap!! Makes you wonder, doesn't it??

Love

Daff xxxx

It depends on what it makes one wonder Daffy :-))))

Pm me the name and I will see if one of yours is infamous enough to have made the headlines.

Apparently the Ducking stool punishment was abolished in 1967. Thank goodness :<)