General Chat

POLICE REGULATONS

Sunday Times,

September 27 1829

Mr. Secretary PEEL must have laughed at some parts of that volume which has been prepared for the edification and guidance of the new police. If the recruits can understand, or even read it through in a year, they will certainly be very different from their thief-taking or thief-screening predecessors. However, we suppose this may be calculated upon, for we have heard so much of the care taken by the commissioners to guard against enlisting any but proper an accomplished persons like themselves, that it is almost a relief to find, in the work above-mentioned, that, so far as we have yet got, university honours are not required to prove the fitness of the individuals applying for a situation which is to prove the fitness of the individuals applying for a situation which is to bring them in 3s. per diem.

MOST HORRIBLE MURDER

Cock Inn, Polstead

Saturday morning

The Times

May 4 1828

It would be impossible to describe the extraordinary interest which the inquiry touching the mysterious and atrocious murder of Maria Marten has excited for miles around. Business was suspended for the whole of Friday, and the village, notwithstanding its secluded situation, and the fewness of its inhabitants, presented the appearance of a large fair. The Inn was so crowded that no accommodation could be obtained after noon, and the village green was thronged by dense crowds, who had collected from all parts of the adjacent country and who did not disperse until late at night.

The manners of many of the rustics were far from creditable to their feeling, and one unacquainted with the fact would rather suppose they had congregated for purposes of hilarity and mirth, than for the purpose of witnessing a judicial enquiry affecting the life of a human being.

In one of the rooms of the Inn situate immediately below that in which the prisoner was placed, towards the after-noon a large part assembled, and amused themselves by singing light songs, and exhibited other symptoms of boisterous mirth.



THE VICTIMS GRAVE

Suffolk Herald

Reprinted in the Sunday Times

May 4 1828

The grave from which the poor victim has been taken is still open; the right layer of the barn had over it straw at least 6 inches deep, and the depth of the grave, by our admeasurements, somewhat less than 18 inches; the picking up of a barn floor---solid as a public road……serves only to show the brute-like and insensible manner in which the monster proceeded to his work.


TRIAL OF WILLIAM CORDER

Advertisement

Sunday Times

August 10 1828

WILLIAM CORDER---

On Wednesday next will be published the trial of WILLIAM CORDER, for the Murder of MARIA MARTEN, accompanied by a portrait and copies of upward of 50 of the letters sent to him, in consequence of an advertisement he inserted in the “Morning Herald,” of Nov 13 last, and in the “Sunday Times,” Nov 25, under the head of “Matrimony,” in consequence of which he obtained his wife.

THE STETHOSCOPE

Sunday Times

December 12 1824

A wonderful instrument, called the stethoscope, invented a few months ago, for the purpose of ascertaining the different stages of pulmonary affections, is now in complete vogue in Paris. It is merely a hollow wooden tube, about a foot in length (a common flute, with the holes stopped and the top open, would do, perhaps, just as well,) one end is applied to the breast of the patient, the other to the ear of the physician, and according to the different sounds, harsh, soft, loud, etc., he judges of the state of the disease. It is quite a fashion, if a person complains of a cough, to have recourse to the miraculous tube, which, however, cannot effect a cure; but, should you unfortunately perceive in the countenance of the Doctor, that he fancies certain symptoms exist, it is very likely that a nervous person might become seriously indisposed and convert the supposition into reality.

SOBER AND CIVIL DRIVERS

The Times

April 24 1823

The Cabriolets, in honour of his Majesty’s birth-day, were introduced to the public yesterday. They are built to hold two persons besides the driver (who is partitioned off from his company), and are furnished with a book of fares for the use of the public, to prevent the possibility of imposition; these books will be found in a pocket hung inside of the head of the cabriolet. The drivers are selected from gentlemen’s servants only, who have produced good characters from their last places for sobriety and civility, and are dressed in a plain stable livery, and who will be discharged for any incivility or fraud. The fares are one-third less than hackney-coaches. They had a private trial on Tuesday, and were found to answer to all the purposes intended.

ABOLITION OF TURNPIKES

Observer, June 12 1864

THE NEW ACT TO ABOLISH TURNPIKES.----

On the first day of July “The Metropolis Turnpike Road Act Amendment” will take effect, when twenty-five toll-gates and fifty-six side bars will disappear from the Metropolis, as far as the tolls are concerned. The statute will set free from toll-gate obstruction about fifty-one miles of road on the Middlesex side of the Thames. At Fulham including Walham Green and Earl’s Court, all the gates and side bars are to be removed; also at Kensington, Hammersmith, and Notting-hill….Further removals will take place at Holloway, Islington, Ball’s Pond, Kingsland Road, Cambridge Heath, Hackney, Twickenham, and Teddington. All the gates and side-bars of the City-Road are included.

GETTING DRUNK WITH A PURPOSE.

Punch Magazine 1854

A MOVEMENT is now on foot to put a legislative stop to all drinking of every kind of beer or spirit, "except for medicinal purposes." Whether it will be an improvement to saturate society with water instead of moistening it with malt, is a question we leave to those who delight in dry discussion ; but we must warn the friends of total abstinence that the exception " for medicinal purposes " is sufficient to throw the whole question overboard. We never yet knew an old woman who could not find a "medicinal purpose" for every glass of grog she happened to have a fancy for.

If an Act of Parliament should ever be passed to prohibit spirit drinking, except for medicinal purposes, it will be absolutely necessary to add a schedule of imaginary maladies which shall be declared to be not within the exceptions allowed by the statute. In this schedule we would comprise that anile ailing familiarly known as the "wind," which has caused the consumption of more brandy and water by elderly females in one month than has been imbibed by the most inveterate topers during an equal period. We must also guard the legislature against the allowance of " spasms as a ground of exception to any measure for the prohibition of dram drinking, for there is no doubt that any woman of a certain age can command "spasms" at any moment, when she is desirous of calling up "spirits from the vasty deep" of the cellaret.


Misc: according to Punch Magazine....October 6 1854 was a Friday

London Cabmen http://www.victorianlondon.org/publications/thomson-2.htm

http://www.victorianlondon.org/publications4/peopled-03.htm

still haven't found the one I was looking for but will do a more thorough search later.

Australian Occupations
http://www.coraweb.com.au/occsites.htm

http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/guide19/part06x.html (Time travellers guide to Victorian Britain)

added:--
This one has some photos of Cabmen’s shelters ( Have an article about the need for them, will put up when time permits )
http://www.urban75.org/london/cabmans-shelters.html

oooh I have a few more cabbie ones.......and about the traffic in London in Victorian times....not much seems to have changed apart from the vehicles.

One of my ancesters was a cabbie/ Cab-owner owner....He died after having his leg amputated 1893. I wonder if the inquest will say if he had fallen off a horse or maybe been run over.

.I was reading...online.... will have to find the url....about the life of a cabbie.....they hardly ever got to go home and it was a really tough job if you were just a cabbie, the owners took most of the money....... and the history of the first omnibus'

EIGHT-YEAR OLD LABOURERS

Times, June 22 1867

AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT BILL.-----

The bill before the House of Lords proposes to enact that, after the close of this year, no boy under eight years of age and no girl under 13, shall be employed in agriculture for hire, and that no girl under 18 shall be employed in a public gang. The bill also directs the Quarter sessions to make by-laws, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State, requiring the attendance at a proper school of boys between 8 and 13 as a condition of their employment in agriculture for hire, the attendance to be for 400 hours in the winter half of the year, and 200 hours in the other half, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.; less than two and a half hours on one day not to be reckoned, nor attendance beyond five hours on one day. Powers are given to magistrates, guardians of the poor, and constables to demand from the employer information necessary for ascertaining whether the Act is observed. The Bill is to be enforced by penalties.

THE CAB LAW OF LONDON

Spectator, February 9 1867

If Lord Belmore would like to “leave his mark” in the Home Office, a thing which nobody of late years has succeeded in doing, let him give Londoners a decent cab.

The prima facie case for reform is, indeed, quite perfect. The cabs, by everybody’s admission, are the worst in the world, badly built, badly fitted, badly horsed. London is the richest of all cities, yet if a woman wishes to drive a mile she must get into a box on wheels, with doors no woman can open from the inside, with seats which ruin her dress, with draughts which give her the face-ache, and with a floor often like that of a badly cleaned stable. This last evil is the worse, because a mat could be easily made which would last for years, yet be cleaned every time the cab returned to the stand.

These cabs are drawn at about five miles an hour by horses often too unfit to work, driven by men who have been taught to look on the public as their natural foes. No rests are provided for the arms, no support for the back, and by a refinement of cruelty no means of communicating with the driver. The passenger in a new bonnet must put her head out in the pouring rain, crane her neck round the intervening space, and shriek out directions for the edification of the street Arabs as well as the driver.

GUNPOWDER OUTRAGE

Times, October 9 1866

This morning, between 5 and 6 0’clock, one of the most fearful outrages which have been committed in this town* for some years was perpetrated upon a house in New Hereford-street, Sheffield, which is occupied by a man named Thomas Fearneyhough. Fearneyhough is a saw grinder, and not a member of the Saw Grinder’s Union.

At about half-past five this morning Fearneyhough and his family were awakened by a loud report resembling the discharge of a piece of artillery, and immediately afterwards their house was shaken as if by an earthquake, and it seemed as if it was falling to pieces. They, of course, immediately rushed out of their beds, and on hastening downstairs they found that the wall of their sitting-room had been blown almost in one huge mass away from the house to the other side of the passage which leads to the yards of several of the houses in the row.

The cause for the whole of this scene of disorder was soon afterwards found by one of the detectives, who, on going into the cellar beneath the sitting-room, discovered a tin can similar to those which are used by workmen for drinking their tea out of. The can it was supposed would hold about a quart. The sides were tightly secured with cords, so as to prevent it from bursting. This can must have been filled with powder, and then dropped into the cellar grating, where it was ignited with a fuse, and left to do it’s deadly work. Fortunately, although there were seven persons in the house, no one was injured.

* Sheffield.

THE PERFECT SKIRT

Advertisement, The Times

April 21 1864


CRINOLINES----

THE PATENT ONDINA, or Waved Jupon, does away with the unsightly results of ordinary hoops, and so perfect are the wave-like bands that a lady may ascend a steep stair, lean against a table, throw herself into an armchair, pass to her stall at the opera, or occupy a fourth seat in a carriage, without inconvenience to herself or others, or provoking the rude remarks of the observers, besides removing or modifying in an important degree all those peculiarities tending to destroy the modesty of Englishwomen; and lastly, allows the dress to fall into graceful folds.


Fag Ash Note: Sigh!.......Wish we wore them now……wouldn’t get through the door though…..and for those who take the bus…..no chance!

MANCHESTER

Courier, reprinted in the Times

August 19 1819


Before 12 o’clock crowds of persons began to assemble, each town or hamlet having a banner, and some a cap, with “Liberty” upon it: each party, as they came through the streets, kept in military order, with sticks shouldered; and to make as much display as possible, did not go to the ground where the meeting was to be held by the nearest route, but marched through the principle streets to the scene of action. By about one o’clock all the persons from the neighbouring townships of Ashton, Royton, Middleton, Saddleworth, Oldham, Bolton, Stockport, Failsworth, Bury, etc. had arrived, and arranged themselves in regular line, and extended the whole breadth of the ground. A banner, with a black ground and large white letters, was brought by the Saddleworth and Mosley mob. On one side was painted “Taxation and no representation is tyrannical and unjust,” and on the reverse “No Bouroughmongering ----Unite and be free---equal representation or Death. On another banner “Die like men, and not be sold like slaves.” On a third “Major Cartwright’s Bill, and no Corn Laws”…..and the figure of a bloody dager, etc. There were on the whole 18 flags and 5 caps of liberty. The Magistrates took their station at a gentleman’s house within the sight of the meeting, and a chain of special constables kept a communication open to the hustings.

It was 20 minutes after 1 o’clock before Hunt appeared on the ground. He came, (preceded by a band of music) in an open carriage; Johnson and some others were with him. A female rode on the box with the driver, bearing a flag with a figure of Justice painted upon it, and the words “ Manchester Female Union.”……Hunt then said “Gentlemen I must entreat you that you will be peaceable; a great deal depends on that, and I trust all who will hear me will remain quiet…..” At this moment several companies of foot soldiers appeared in sight, and presently the Manchester Yeomanry Cavalry galloped down Mosley-Street and having immediately formed their line towards the hustings and after cheers from each party, they made a charge and surrounded the hustings almost in an instant. A kind of battle ensued, but the Yeomanry succeeded in taking Hunt, Johnson, and Saxton into Custody.

The military cleared the streets several times, but the crowd gathering again immediately after the soldiers had quitted the place, and the night approaching fast, the Magistrates saw the necessity of some decisive measures, and therefore , after the Riot Act had been read, the streets were once more cleared, on the crowd re-assembling the soldiers fired right and left, and some of the mob fell; the numbers* of the wounded are not yet ascertained.


* Thirteen persons were killed and about 600 wounded in the Peterloo Massacre—ED.

AN ECCENTRIC PUBLICAN

Gentleman’s Magazine

March 1806

(death ) Suddenly, at his house, the sign of the Load of Hay, near Hampstead, Middlesex, the eccentric Joe Davis, known by the appellation of “The Host of Haverstock Hill.” The publick are well acquainted with the character and eccentricities of this huge man, whose caricature has long figured in the window of most of the print-shops in the metropolis. He used to offer copious libations to Bacchus early in the morning, and continue in a state of intoxication the whole of the day. It was in these happy moments that he amused his company by his eccentricities, clad in a gorgeous court dress. His house was frequented by strangers of all descriptions, whom curiosity led thither; and it was not uncommon to see the carriages of noblemen and gentlemen drawn up at the door, for the visitants to gratify their curiosity with a view of the celebrated host.

He died as he had lived, in the arms of the Jolly God; for, having spent another of his happy days, he at night threw himself prostrate at the bar, and, this being no novelty, remained there, unnoticed, till bedtime, when he was found dead.


Fag Ash Note : More on this and other places of interest can be found at...... http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=22645

MRS. BATCHEN’S GREAT AGE

Times, March 23 1838

Died at Elgin, Mrs. Batchen at the very advanced age of 107 years. This long-liver dwelt in Elgin from her infancy. She was in the year of the rebellion, 1745, servant to Lady Arradowal, who at that time resided in the house formerly belonging to the Earls of Sunderland, and lately called Batchen’s Hall, a portion of the east wing of which still stands. Prince Charles Stuart, on his way to Culluden, slept in the house, and the subject of the present notice helped to make his bed. She used to relate that her mistress, Lady Arradowal, a staunch jacobite, laid aside the sheets in which the prince haid lain, and gave strict orders that when she died they might be used as her shroud. Mrs. Batchen for a long period enjoyed excellent health, and was at the fish-market a few days before her death.

Not always so different Mick :-)

A ROWDY OCCASION

Times, February 7 1839

MASQUERADE. ----

The “last grand masquerade” for the present season, at the English Opera-House, was given at that place on Tuesday night. Nobody will regret that it was the last of the season, and the residents in the immediate neighbourhood will congratulate themselves in getting rid of similar nuisances for some months. The “doings” at the masquerade of Tuesday night and Wednesday morning were not diversified by any incidence beyond such as generally accompany masquerades at the English Opera House.

There were for many hours a tremendous din of voices, and a most discordant braying of trumpets and squealing of violins. The dancing was of the usual vehement character. The shins of all present were in danger of being kicked by the splay-footed activity of the dances. A wretched imitation of the worn out exhibition of Jim Crow was one of the annoyances, and the presence of a certain female ex-publican, surrounded with a group of roysterers, who were attempting to “do a bit” of the “Marquis”, created something beyond a sensation. Fortunately there was no “row” though several persons were attempting to get one up.

There was a mob of persons present, and a collection of all sorts of motley characters outside. The Police kept tolerably good order, but…..what was being done inside the theatre cannot be either instructive or edifying to anyone. Noise, violence, Indecency, and drunkenness, strove for the mastery from 11 o’clock on Tuesday night till 4 in the morning of Wednesday, nor was there a single gleam of real humour, or even tolerable wit, to relieve the vulgar monotony of the scene.



Fag Ash Note: and apart from him……a good time was had by all.

Fascinating stuff! What a different world it was!
xxxx Mick

A DISGRACEFUL SPECTACLE

Northamptonshire Free Press

Reprinted from Essex and Herts Mercury

March 25 1834

EXECUTION --- SHOCKING ---- SCENE. ---

Yesterday the dreadful sentence of the law was carried into effect, by the execution of the incendiary, Thomas Gee, convicted at the last assizes of setting fire to a wheat stack. The culprit proceeded towards the drop, escorted by the Under Sherriff and his attendants. The Rev. Mr. Drake then offered up a prayer, and the prisoner at this trying moment shook violently. All being prepared, the prisoner ascended the scaffold, but, in consequence of a sudden turn of the head, the rope was moved from it’s proper position, and, when the drop fell, the spectators yelled and hooted in the most frightful manner; the knot of the rope having shifted completely under his chin, and admitted the means of respiration by which his sufferings were dreadfully protracted.

There were, it is supposed, 5000, persons present, many of whom testified their horror by violent gestures and exclamations. Immediately after the drop fell the wretched culprit’s knees clung to the woodwork, which were not removed for a short space of time, and during which the yelling of the multitude below was absolutely deafening, while the executioner pulled his legs, amidst the execrations of the people.

THE SLAVE TRADE

Portland Paper, reprinted in St. James’s Chronicle

July 15 1826

We are informed by a ship-master, who lately arrived here, from Trinity Martinique, that while he was at that port, a French slave ship arrived there, after a long passage, from Africa. The whole number of slaves, when taken on board, consisted of 300, but, owing to shortness of provision, and other circumstances incidental to the traffic, 100 had died before the vessel had arrived.

The remainder were purchased by the commandant of the port, and sent to plantations. Our informant saw these poor wretches on the march. They were entirely naked, and so miserably weak and poor, that it was with difficulty that they could walk. Some of them were placed on mules; all their ribs and other bones could be counted. On asking a Frenchman the cause of their frightful appearance, he received, with a significant gesture “Want for de stomach.”

In the evening of the day of their arrival, a gentleman visited the plantation, and saw a few of them seated, eating sugar – cane; the rest were housed, with the exception of some who were burying one of their number, and, though at some distance, he heard the groans of the dying slave, who was partly covered with earth.





Sorry folks....had an early night for a change only just seen your replies :-)

will add some more later.

When you're ready ..................... My Lady !