Newspaper Transcripts
Some Selected Reports from The Windsor and Eton Express
Saturday, December 11, 1830.
WINDSOR & ETON.
The Lecture , "On the Rearing and Management of Children, with a view to the Prevention of Diseases, &c." delivered by Mr. Moss of Eton, at the White Hart Inn, on Thursday last, was both numerously and respectably attended, and the company expressed their approbation of the various modes of treatment laid down in the Lecture. - Several professional gentlemen were present.
William Saunders, a labourer, in the employ of Mr. Ball of Wexham, underwent an examination before the magistrates at Eton, on Wednesday last, charged with stealing about two bushels of wheat from a barn on his employer's farm. The evidence produced before the magistrates was sufficiently strong to justify them to commit him to Aylesbury for trial.
Upwards of forty persons residing at Taplow and the immediate neighbourhood have entered into Lord Kirkwall's Troop of Yeomanry; which is to be called the Kirkwall Volunteer Cavalry, the accoutrements are all in readiness, and the Troop is now fit for service.
The Rev. William Way, Rector of Denham and Hedgerley, at his late tythe audit, returned to his tenants the sum of one shilling per acre.
An ornithological match recently in a parish near Edinburgh, has set the whole neighbourhood in a flutter. Miss Henrietta Peacock espoused Mr. Robin Sparrow, the bridesman being Mr. Phillip Hawk, and bridesmaid Miss Larkins ; the marriage line were extracted by J. Crow, the Session-clerk !
AN INCENDIARY ALMOST CAUGHT.- In our last paper, we promised our readers a hearty laugh at the weakness of some of their neighbours, and we now proceed to redeem the pledge for the double purpose of cautioning others against indulging in indiscreet zeal, and of curing the gentlemen themselves of that itch of doing something very uncommon or particularly clever, by which they have rendered themselves not a little ridiculous. It appears that a few days ago, when every stranger bearing the resemblance of a "gentleman," was in imminent danger of being arrested, two well-dressed men on horseback rode up to the Kerrison Arms. The landlord, Mr. Ireland, who, as our readers all know, is monstrous cute, as once resolved that they were travelling incendiaries. Their horses had been hard rode and were jaded, - that strengthened the suspicion. They put the animals in the stable, ordered them to be carefully rubbed down, and said they were willing either to sell or chop them, if any gentleman should come along. They directed the ostler to look to the animals, and intimated that they should presently be back. - Scarcely were the travellers departed, before a peace officer was sent for. Mr. Joseph Wisden was quickly on the spot. -- We need not remark on this gentleman's sagacity; it is said of him, - and we believe with truth, - that he can see as much with half an eye as many can with two. The peace officer and the landlord forthwith proceeded to reconnoitre - The horses smelt combustible, and it was at first thought their tails were moveable, and might be converted into the exploding balls by which ricks were ignited. Here, however, suspicion was not well-founded; the tails proved to be real, genuine, horse-hair. But the saddles - oh, - they were nothing but incendiary saddles; they were searched for the purpose of discovering, if possible, the place where the stack destroying combustibles were concealed. The search was in vain; yet, on lifting the flap, suspicion was converted into certainty. It appeared by a label pasted on the leather, that the saddles had been made in Blackfriars-road. "Blackfriars-road," exclaimed Mr. Wisden. - "Aye," rejoined his companion, "it is quite clear, Hunt's Rotunda is in Blackfriars-road." "To be sure it is," responded the other, with breathless haste, "they must be incendiaries sent about the country to spread desolation - Go fetch the magistrates, while I keep watch here." Thus, by "putting this and that together," these wiseacres really persuaded themselves into the belief that two of the travelling gentlemen incendiaries were safe in their lawful clutches. Mr. Ireland put his poney to, and scampered into Brighton, (for the Kerrison Arms is in Hove Parish), in quest of the magistrates. - Meanwhile Mr. Wisden, as it is said, in order to overhear any plan the incendiary rascals might be concerting when they returned to the stable, laid down in an adjoining and empty stall, - which had hitherto been occupied by horses, and covered himself over with straw, only cocking half an eye out just to see what was going on. There he lay perdu; but the fellows were a long time coming back. Mr.W. became impatient, - his appetite was strong, dinner time was at hand, and the hard boulders were not a very comfortable lay; so, at last, impatience got the better of duty, and Mr. Wisden emerged from his litter, and went in quest of a brother officer to relieve guard. When he was gone on this errand and to see about his mutton, the magistrates, - three, we believe in number - arrived, and were ushered up stairs into the room looking into the street. Having inspected the horses and the saddles, they received the report of what had transpired, and felt no doubt that they were in a fair train to a clue, leading to the detection of that crime which had illumined that part of the country. - All now was anxiety for the arrival of the malefactors; to hunt them into toil would be an easy task. - The magistrates, urged by a laudable anxiety and corresponding zeal, continued looking out of the window, stretching their vision to the utmost to catch the distant approach of the fellows. After long waiting, two men were indeed seen approaching. - "Here they come" said one, "two of them". As they neared the house, Sir David Scott observed "that they were indeed two ill-looking fellows, - their appearance bespeaks their horrid trade. " They continued to advance, when lo and behold ! the two ill-looking fellows turned out to be none other than Mr. Joseph Wisden and his brother officer, Mr. Meads. Under ordinary circumstances, such an occurrence would have convinced the magistracy that their views were jaundiced for a moment, and themselves unfit to sit in judgement.- The fact of their taking so well-bred and gentlemanly a person as Mr. Wisden, and his colleague, who is a most respectable man, "for ill-looking fellows," shewed a distempered vision, and at once proclaimed their incompetency to judge. Pending the explanation that followed the "real Simon Pure" came in reality. By this time, very many persons of the neighbourhood had collected. Mr. Wisden was sent forward as an advanced guard, the magistrates being at hand to sustain the recontre - The advance was made; but courage in Mr.W. being overcome by his innate modesty, he kept fumbling his staff of office in his bosom, - fearing to pull it out, - and entered into conversation with these "swing" fellows. - How he mustered so to do, we hardly know; because he must have been in danger of their going off and consuming him in the explosion. - But he did sidle up, and as we have said, commenced a very polite interrogatory as to the weather, which presently led to a remark touching the horses, which, he said, he understood they were willing to sell. Yes, they said, either to sell or exchange. Of this, Mr. Wisden, availed himself to introduce a more practised hand, because he began to find that they were "downy coves" and not easily to be had. He had a friend, he said, in the house, who would probably buy, and out he brought Sir David Scott, who chaffered about the horses, every now and then flanking in a home question as to their pursuits, the road they had travelled, &c. &c. Pending the driving of this bargain, Mr. Churcher came up, and he recognised one of these rascally incendiaries to be a respectable riding master living at Worthing, and his companion, also a tradesman of that town. Whereupon Sir David did not want the horse, the suspected parties paid their bill, vaulted into their saddles, and returned homeward, - and indeed without observing something very strange about the conduct of the numerous persons assembled, who "eyed them as though they were dangerous." On reading this account, they will doubtless rejoice at the coming up of Mr.Churcher, and exult at their narrow escape. In times of excitement, it is impossible to decide what constitutes a suspicious circumstance; but if Mr. Ireland proposes so to interpret the jaded appearance of travellers horses, we think that he is in a fair way of attracting "lots of custom to the Red Cow." - Brighton Guardian.
BIRTHS.
Dec. 6. Mrs. Thomas Murray of Uxbridge, of a son.
" 7. In Upper Berkeley street, the lady of Thomas James Ireland, Esq of a daughter.
" 9. Mrs. Money of the George Inn, Uxbridge, of a son.
" 9. At Runnymede, the Hon. Mrs. Nevile Read, of a daughter.
MARRIED.
On Thursday last, at St.Giles's, Reading, by the Rev. H.R. Dukenfield, Mr. Charles Warwick, of Cheapside, to Martha, youngest daughter of the late Mr. E.S. White of Reading.
DIED.
Last night, Dec.10, in Part-street, Windsor, Octavius, youngest son of Mr. Long, Solicitor, aged 11 months.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE WINDSOR EXPRESS.
Great Marlow, Dec. 7, 1830.
SIR, - A letter appeared in your last week's journal, dated Marlow, and signed as "EYE WITNESS," to the statement of which I beg to give an unqualified contradiction. The account of the "alarm" excited in Marlow, is a complete piece of burlesque, and must have been intended as a hoax upon some one. No houses were barricaded - no women were seen flying in terror, with infants in their arms - nor were any persons seen running about with pistols, blunderbusses or double-barrelled guns, &c. The blunder rests entirely with your correspondent. The necessity for all that which an "Eye Witness" ascribes as having occurred, was superseded by the excellent arrangements made by Sir W. Clayton, General Sir George Nugent, and Col. Clayton, who met during four successive days at Marlow. At the first meeting Lord Boston was Chairman, and during three days afterwards Sir W. Clayton was Chairman. The Messrs. Williams, members for the Borough, were not present. Colonel Clayton I believe, went out a shooting on Monday; an express was sent for him, and he arrived at the Crown Inn, Marlow, twenty minutes before the Messrs. Williams came ! The "host" of special constables has been sworn in on the former days, to the number of sixty. Thus your correspondent's invidious assertion falls to the ground ! Your correspondent must have been a strange eye witness indeed ! I should rather deem him some "one-eyed monarch of the blind." Colonel Clayton, after making every necessary arrangement in the town, went, on the Monday, in company with W. Wyndham, Esq to observe the movements of the rioters; Mr. W. returned, and Colonel Clayton rode on till he gained the satisfactory intelligence that the mob had been dispersed near Loudwater. He then returned to Marlow, and addressed the people on the impolicy of breaking machinery, and the necessity of keeping good order; on these representations, several individuals who had before refused to be sworn in as special constables, willingly undertook to perform the duties of the office. It is extraordinary and pitiful that an active and upright Magistrate should be subjected to such vile insinuations as those made by an "Eye Witness." And why is Colonel Clayton treated with such virulence ? merely because he came forward upon requisition, at the late election, to liberate the town of Marlow from Boroughmongering and oppression; to free it from a system, which I regret to say, exists here to an extent fully equal to Stamford or Newark ! In making these observations, I have no wish to detract from the merit due to others; but, should a Magistrate, who has faithfully and anxiously discharged his duties, be subject to attacks with emanate merely from violent prejudice and party-feeling excited by the late election ? This is proof (if any were wanting) of the necessity of throwing open Boroughs to the hundreds, which would at once prevent that rancour, jealousy and ill-will which too frequently prevail in close Borough towns.
Your correspondent quotes Shakspeare; does he recollect this passage ? -
Either you must
Confess yourself wond'rous malicious,
Or be accused of folly ! - Coriolunus.
Surely, Mr. Editor, if ever there was a period when electioneering bickerings ought to be forgotten, it is now; when the danger and distress of our country require the strongest union and the most unflinching activity. That person who would now indulge in mis-reprepresentations and contemptible insinuations, for party purposes, is neither a true man or a good citizen.
I am, Sir, &c. &c.
AN "IMPARTIAL" EYE WITNESS.
P.S. It was considered necessary to send for a military force, and the Grenadier Guards, commanded by Captain Augerstien, arrived most promptly, having got under arms at Windsor, and commenced their march at ten minutes after the order was received. Colonel Clayton went down and met them on their arrival at Marlow, about one o'clock in the morning, to make the required arrangements with the commanding officer. Very great praise is due to Colonel Doyle, commanding the battalion, for the active and zealous conduct he displayed, and the ready assistance he gave on the occasion.
MARLOW, Dec. 8.- Sir, - A letter having appeared in your last paper, evidently intended to ridicule Col. Clayton and his friends, for the gratification of the Williamses and the perversion of truth, - I shall be obliged by the appearance of the under-written reply to it. In my last I stated the Walker has been mortally wounded and was since dead - it was so reported, but was not the fact, he is safe in Aylesbury gaol. You also state that soldiers arrived here from Windsor by nine o'clock in the morning; I stated one o'clock, which was the correct time.
From his confused union of truth with falsehood one would suspect your correspondent AN EYE WITNESS, &c. to be a sprig of that profession whose practice, it has been justly remarked, seems to be to make light appear dark, and black white : for although an express for the soldiers was received here from Wycomb, as he relates, intimating that a numerous body of rioters were assembled to destroy the machines on the Wycomb stream, "the greatest consternation and terror" which it created was confined to the bosoms of the High Constable and Magistrates Clerk. As to the Town Clerk, he ought to have learnt during the time the town has been honoured by his residence in it that we have none. It is equally true that all the efforts of the panic-stricken gentlemen before mentioned could not extend to the fear beyond their own breasts, and that, perhaps, of a few old ladies and the kind of gentlemen usually denominated dandies. Colonel Clayton had previously provided and sworn in a sufficient number of special constables to protect the inhabitants from any danger that might arise from such a mob, and might therefore, with the greatest propriety, enjoy his amusements. However, he was speedily to his post when the agitation of his clerk and its cause was made known to him; but was unwilling to put the parish to unnecessary expence for additional fees when an adequate force to resist the mob had been already provided. The barricaded houses, carronades, double-barrelled guns, &c. &c. &c. had no existence but in your Correspondent's own disordered intellects; if meant for wit, the example affords an equally good sample of his barren brains. I should scarcely have suspected he would have attempted to mix an ingredient of that description with so serious a subject; but am aware, that a supposed friend of his, on a similar occasion, when a fire took place in this town about five years ago, mixed quelque chose with the beer given to those who attempted to extinguish it, which did not tend to drown the recollection of his previously equivocal character. And I ever judge a man by the company he keeps. Your last paper contains other accounts far more accurate than this EYE WITNESS'S of what actually took place here. I will therefore neither repeat the names of the patrons, whom he seems vainly anxious to rescue from oblivion into which they are fast and deservedly falling, nor add to my own importance by farther notice of him, but subscribe myself, Mr. Editor, your most obedient Servant,
VERITAS.
* * * I this moment see the blaze of a large fire, said to be Mr. Webb Aldridge's at Shottesbrook.
[From the above letter it would appear that "more is meant than meets the eye;" for admitting a little high colouring in the description of 'AN EYE WITNESS' - a fault extremely difficult to avoid in a moment of general excitement - such an over-wrought statement would not justify the fierce personalities of our friend VERITAS, who should learn to take these things - as he himself is in the habit of reasoning them - cum grano salis]
TO THE EDITOR OF THE WINDSOR EXPRESS.
SIR, - I wish to call your attention to the riotous meeting of the machine-breakers, at Woburn, on Monday week, which was suppressed by the Gentlemen of the King's Hunt, who, by great good luck, were brought to the spot : I say, by great good luck, for has they not made their appearance the poor special constables would have been wofully worsted. The Eton new constabulary force was ordered out at about eleven, and mustered from 100 to 150. They reached the scene of action, or, at least, where the scene of action has been - at about half-past three, and, consequently, were too late to join in the amusement. I would suggest to the authorities of Eton the propriety of keeping a few good horses in readiness; they might be volunteered by gentlemen who keep saddle horses; about a dozen of these, with men armed with sword and pistol, would be more effectual against a mob of 300 of the especials on foot, with their tri coloured dis staves. The single fact of the King's Hunt being able to whip the sturdy peasantry out of the field, proves may position. Besides, they would reach their destination in a fourth part of the time, and after all be much less expensive.
I am, Sir,
A SPECTATOR.
Dec. 8, 1830.
On Sunday evening, between eight and nine o'clock, a fire broke out at a small farm at Cut's end [?], in the parish of Cumner, in this county. The proprietor of the farm (Joseph Clanfield) is a hard-working man. The fire destroyed a stable and barn, the latter containing half a mow of barley, and five sacks of beans. The conjectures as to the origin of the fire are various; Clanfield says that he went into the stable with a lighted candle to rack up his horse, after which he retired to his bed-room, and before he could undress himself he was alarmed by the cry of fire ! On his coming down stairs, he found that the barn and stable were in flames; two persons who were on the road at a distance from the farm, saw a light like that of candle on the premises, and soon after they observed that the barn was on fire. We hear that a person has been taken up on suspicion. Though Clanfield's loss perhaps does not exceed forty pounds, to him it is ruinous. The buildings were the property of the Earl of Abingdon. Shortly after the fire broke out several gentlemen of the neighbourhood were on the spot, amongst whom were T. Duffield, Esq [?] of Marcham Park, the Rev. Wm. Slater, Vicar of Cumner, and others, and by their active directions to the labouring men, may be attributed the saving of the dwelling-house and other buildings. The labourers from Cumner and the neighbourhood deserve great praise; they were most strenuous in their exertions to extinguish the fire.
On Thursday night, an alarming fire (the work of some incendiary) broke out on the farm of Mr. Aldridge, which is situated at Shottesbrook near Maidenhead. Before the flames could be entirely subdued, two very large hay ricks, a rick of straw, a barn, and other buildings were entirely destroyed, and a wheat rick was much injured.
Eight prisoners from Boddington were escorted to Northampton gaol, early on Tuesday morning, by a party of the Light Dragoons from Banbury, where they had been examined the preceding day by the county Magistrates, and fully committed for trial.
BUCKS. - On Friday last the election for the Borough and Hundreds of Aylesbury took place, when Lord Nugent was proposed by W. Hayward, Esq of Aylesbury, and seconded by John Lee, Esq. D.C.L. of Hartwell House. Previous to the return being made, the Noble Lord addressed the electors in an extremely eloquent and animated speech, which met with the most enthusiastic and unanimous approbation from a numerous and respectable body of voters. Proclamations being made, and no other candidate being put in nomination, his Lordship was declared duly elected, when he returned his heartfelt thanks for the distinguished honor which had been for the sixth time conferred upon him. Mr. Gibbs proposed that three time three cheers be given, that the people might know an election had taken place, and the County Hall instantly rang with rapturous acclamations.- This election was conducted in the most peaceable and unostentatious manner.- Lord Nugent, accompanied by a body of friends, walked from the George Inn to the place of election, and returned in the same manner. It had originally been determined by his Lordship's Committee that a public chairing should take place, accompanied by music and banners. In deference, however, to the wishes of others, who feared that in consequence of the agitated state of the neighbourhood a disturbance might take place, they were induced to waive their intentions. The result, however, proved the groundlessness of the apprehensions entertained, for never within the memory of the oldest person living was an election conducted in a more orderly and decorous manner - not a single mark of disapprobation having occurred during the whole of the proceedings, nor was the town ever in a more peaceable state than during the whole of the day.- In the afternoon his Lordship partook of an excellent dinner with a respectable body of his friends at the George Inn, which was attended by his Hon. Colleague, W. Rickford, Esq. M.P., Sir Thos. Digby Aubrey, Bart., John Lee, Esq D.C.L., W. Hayward, Esq, R. Ludgate, Esq, Francis Hayward, Esq, Thomas Hookham, Esq, Rev. Robert Lowndes, Rev. John Morley, the Rev. J. Athow [?], and many other influential electors of the borough and hundreds. The afternoon was spent with much conviviality, and many excellent speeches were delivered, in several of which the speakers avowed themselves friendly to the principle that were cordially joined by the greater part of the assemblage.
A troop of Yeomanry Cavalry is now forming in Uxbridge and the neighbourhood, and an Infantry Corps has offered its services for the town.
Dr. Walmisley, Rector of Hanwell, Middlesex, in consequence of a respectable remonstrance from the tithe-payers that they could not longer continue to pay the previous rate, very handsomely agreed to a reduction of 20 per cent.
The Rev. Henry Foulis, Vicar of Wragby, Lincolnshire, last week returned forty per cent upon his tithes in East Torrington.
The Rev. Mr. King, Rector of Henley-on-Thames, has published an address to the Land-owners and land-occupiers on that neighbourhood, in which he feelingly alludes to the present distressed condition of the labouring classes, and observes, that he will readily agree to make the farmer a deduction of five per cent or more if necessary, in order that he may thereby be enabled to pay his labourers on an advanced scale of wages, without any loss to himself.