General Chat

1828 (Oct.)—This month, as Joseph Forster, of Lumley, was proceeding along the Wear side, near Finchalo abbey, on his road to Nesham, a stone, about a ton weight, was put over the bank by some men working above the road: it fell upon him, and killed him upon the spot.—

1828 (Aug. 9).—An anonymous letter of which the following is a copy, was received by sir Matthew White Ridley, bart., M. P., who gave the money to the dispensary of Newcastle.

" Newcastle, Aug. 9, 1828.

"Sir,—I swindled your late father out of £3. 3s. about thirty years since. I am extremely sorry for what I did; I have enclosed the amount. May the Lord bless you, dear Sir, and all your family, is the prayer of your obedient servant."—Local Papers.

On Sunday the 17th of February, 1828, between one and two o'clock, as two boys, named John Martin and William Lee, 11 and 12 years of age, (the former belonging to Pandon, the latter to Pilgrim street, Newcastle), were sliding on a pond in the brick-yard, at the Shield field, unfortunately the ice broke under Lee's feet, and he sunk; but, rising again, he caught hold of the firmer part of the ice.

Martin, perceiving the dangerous situation of his companion, hastened to assist him, and in endeavouring to pull him out of the water, more of the ice gave way, and they both sunk; poor Martin to rise no more! but Lee again appeared and again caught hold of the ice, and kept his head above water.

By this time many people had gathered about the pond ; but none of them rendered efficient assistance, till a young man, named Matthew Robinson, apprentice to Messrs. Mackenzie and Dent, printers, came to the spot, who, at the peril of his own life, went along a plank, and though the ice broke in with him, and he was immersed to the armpits, he happily succeeded in rescuing Lee from a watery grave.—

1827 (Feb. 22).—A young man named John Margetts, apprentice to a surgeon of North Shields, having been sent by his master, Mr. Greenhow, with some medicine to a sick person about five o'clock on the morning, most mysteriously disappeared, and has not since been heard of. He was about nineteen years of age.—Local Papers.

1826 (Aug. 27).—Being Sunday, a joiner was placed in the stocks in St. Nicholas' church-yard, in Newcastle, nearly two hours, for having disturbed the congregation in the church, by exclaiming " Bell for Ever," whilst the service was proceeding. He was in a state of intoxication at the time.—


NOTE: Bell was a candidate in the local elections

April 3 1826

.—Two men whose united ages amounted to 202 years were interred at Houghton-le-Spring, Durham, viz:—John Drew, of that place, aged 91 years, and Thomas Fletcher, of Philadelphia, in the same parish, aged 111 year.

The latter retained his senses entire till within a few hours of his death. His grandfather died at the age of 120 years, and his sister at 102 years. His uncle was 105 years when he died, and he could read the smallest print the day before his death. He was in the train band of Mr. Shafto, of East Shafto, in the year 1745.—Local Papers.

1826

In the beginning of this year, the numbering of the houses and shops in the various streets, &c. of Newcastle, was commenced.

September 16.—About half past ten o'clock at night, a person having the appearance of a porter, brought a travelling trunk to the Turf hotel coach-office, in Collingwood street, Newcastle, where it was left for the purpose of being forwarded the following morning to Edinburgh. The address it bore was " James Syme, esq., 6, Forthstreet, Edinburgh," but in consequence of its having been deposited in that part of the office where packages were placed for the south coach, and no coaches going north on the Sunday, it was detained till the Monday, when a most naseous smell was felt from a liquid oozing there from.

When the trunk was opened by order of the magistrates, it was found to contain the body of a young woman supposed to be about 19 years of age, of fair complexion, light eyes and yellow hair, and without any marks of violence.


A similar package which arrived by the Telegraph coach from Leeds, on the night of January 6, 1826, containing the dead body of a woman, whose stature must have exceeded six feet; and another, brought from beyond York, on the 15th of the same month, in which was the body of a man, were detained and opened at the same office.

Coroner's inquests were held in each case, after which the bodies were interred.


NOTE:...Hmmm must follow this up

August 26 1824.—This day (Thursday), there was the lowest spring ebb ever remembered in the river Tyne. Three pilots, L. Burn, junior, J. Harrison, and William Tully, walked across from the south to the north side of the river on Tynemouth bar! a circumstance, which it was believed, had never occurred before. At high water on that day, there were twenty-four feet, eight inches, water on the bar, and when the pedestrians set off they found only two!


Hi Linda

These particular snippets can be found on googlebooks 'The Borderer's table book' I thought I would add some from the North for a change.

Really interesting reading these Susan Thanks for sharing them

Where did you find them please?

Linda :o)

December 19 1822.—David George Clayter, a private in the 3rd regiment of dragoon guards, was found dead in a field at Sandhoe, near Hexham, having shot himself through the body with a horse pistol which was lying near him.

The cause and circumstances of this shocking act, as developed before the coroner and a respectable jury, were most heart rending, it being clear that the unfortunate young man (who had been six years in the regiment, and was highly and deservedly respected by his officers and comrades) fell a victim to his ardent attachment to his wife!

About a month before, he had been married at Gretna green, to a young woman named Jane Stokoe, servant in a respectable family in Carlisle, (where he was quartered), and a daughter of Mr. Ralph Stokoe, smith and publican, at Sandhoe.

This match having displeased the parents, the mother went to Carlisle, and persuaded the daughter to return home with her, under the pretext of paying a visit to her family, but in reality under the idea that a marriage at Gretna Green was not binding, and that the connexion might be dissolved if the parties were once separated.

After the departure of his wife and her mother, the unfortunate husband finding that they had taken away every article of the wife's clothing from their lodgings, and comparing this circumstance with the previous conversation of the mother, the dreadful truth flashed upon his mind, and, in a state of distraction he wrote a most affecting letter to his wife, which did not reach her hand, as she had previously been sent away to a relation's at Sunderland bridge, in the county of Durham; but it was opened by her friends at Sandhoe.

Not receiving an answer, he obtained a furlough up to the 18th of December, and set out on Sunday the 15th for Sandhoe, where he arrived early on the following morning. Here, of course, he could not find the object of his search, nor obtain from her parents any account whither she had gone, which they studiously kept from him.

This raised his mind to a state bordering on phrenzy, and he wandered between Sandhoe and Hexham, until the 19th, when he terminated his existence as above stated.

Tied round his arm were a letter to his mother-in-law, dated the 18th, upbraiding her as the cruel cause of the act he was about to commit, and two letters dated the 17th and 18th, to his wife, incoherently written, but breathing the most ardent affection for her, and enclosing in one of them a cheque upon the Neath bank in Glamorganshire, for three hundred pounds, with six years' interest, which he bequeathed to her, hoping that she would never want.

These two letters were enclosed in a note to his wife's brother in Hexham, desiring him to forward them to her, as he could rely on no one else to do it, and mentioning that one of them contained £400. These letters were severally read at the coroner's inquest, and their perusal excited a deep sympathy in the coroner and jury.

Verdict lunacy

March 1822.—Henry Anderson, a pitman, of Old Painsher, was executed at Durham, pursuant to his sentence, for a rape.

1821 (Jan. 2).—Early on the morning, John Wilson, a pitman, aged 64 years, fell down the shaft of Sheriff-hill colliery, near Gateshead, in the dark, but fortunately caught hold of the rope with his left hand, at the depth of about eighty feet; although it lacerated his hand by the friction, he was able to stop his descent and suspend himself, until his fellow-workmen heard his cries, and lowered down a corf by another rope, which took above a quarter of an hour, when providentially he got into it and was drawn up safely.

Had he descended a few fathoms lower, he would have passed the end of the rope, and must have been killed by a fall of four hundred and fifty feet.

May 26 1819.—Died in All Saints' poor-house, Newcastle, Thomas Matfin, aged 77 years. When a boy, and in St. John's charity school, he was supposed to have died, His school-fellows, according to the then custom, attended to sing at his funeral.

On entering the church porch their voices reverberated so shrilly, as to arouse him from his lethergy, and he turned on his side to listen. The underbearers, who were just setting the coffin upon the bier, felt the motion, and in a fright informed the clergyman, who ordered the lid to be unscrewed.

On perceiving that life had returned, he was immediately taken home to his aunt's house in Low Friar-street, where he was wrapped in a blanket, and having drank a little of some invigorating cordial, was put to bed, and soon recovered.

He afterwards became a keelman, and being in his old age, turned out of the keelmen's hospital for irregular conduct, he became an inmate of All Saint's poor-house, where he died as above stated, and was interred at All Saints' church by the rev. Robert Green, on the 28th of May.—Local Bee.

1818 (Nov. 10).—On the morning, John and Lancelot Younghusband, brothers, and very respectable farmers at Heckley Grange, near Alnwick, the one about 70 years of age and the other 60, left their house between the hours of nine and ten o'clock; when one of them went to give instructions to a boy ploughing in the field, the other brother approached, and asked, " Are you ready ?" Being answered in the affirmative, they left the field together.

Their long absence from home created alarm, and servants were sent to search for them, when they were discovered within a few yards of each other, each having his throat cut, and a razor near his body. A watch was also found beside one of them, from which it was inferred that they had resolved to die at the same moment.

A jury held an inquest, and after several adjournments, returned a verdict of Felo de se. The farming stock and utensils were then valued, and the bodies were buried at midnight, in cross roads near the church. This not being considered a sufficient compliance with the terms of the statute, an order was given by the magistrates to the churchwardens, that the sentence of the law should be carried strictly into execution.

The bodies were accordingly taken up, and buried again, amidst a great concourse of people, in a highway near Hinding-lane, not far from the spot where they committed the fatal act.

1818 (Aug. 15).—Died, at Durham, aged 82, Mr. A. Featonby. This person, who lived during the greater part of his life in a state of abject penury, is said to have died worth £20,000. He had not unfrequently accepted employment on the turnpike roads in the breaking of stones, &c.; and the coat which he wore up to the time of his death was so patched, that scarcely a particle of the cloth of which it was originally composed, could be discovered amongst the " shreds and patches" which it exhibited.—Mon. Mag.

1818 (July 22).-On the morning, Edward, son of Mr. Beckinton, of the Ouseburn, near Newcastle, was unfortunately drowned while bathing in the burn at Temple Vale. In attempting to swim, he got out of his depth; after coming up the second time, he called out to his brothers, and they immediately gave the alarm to five men working about thirty yards distant, but they inhumanly disregarded them

The Borderer's table book
February 21 1818

.—Died, in Sunderland Old Road, in the chapelry of Heworth, at three o'clock in the morning, Hannah Bell, aged 100 years, and at nine the same morning, James Bell, her husband aged 103 years. He had been indisposed for some time; and a few days previous to his dissolution, his wife observed to him, that he would not live long, but that she would go before him, which she did as above stated; without any previous illness she complained of being sick, and expired. Their youngest daughter, aged 68, attended them during their last moments.—

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