Some Selected Reports from The Windsor and Eton Express
21st October 1837
Chertsey, October 20.
On Wednesday last our town was, for the first time, regularly lighted with gas, on which occasion the Gas Company gave a supper at the Crown Inn, the meat, vegetables, &c., for which were wholly cooked by gas, an apparatus having been sent from London purposely, and erected uro tem [?]. In the large room, at the Crown Inn, about forty persons sat down to an excellent supper, cooked in the best possible manner, and the conviviality of the party was kept up till a late hour; the very polite manner in which the apparatus was shewn whilst the cooking was going on gave general satisfaction, any respectable person having been admitted to view it.
We understand that a very respectable company of comedians (Morgan's) are about to commence their performances in this town, and from the general good character of the manager, who has a large family to maintain, we sincerely wish him success.
Maidenhead, October 20.
Another fatal accident occurred on that part of the railroad near the Dumb Bell, on Saturday last, by which a poor fellow, about 19 or 20 years of age, was almost instantly removed from time to eternity.
Wanton Cruelty
Last Sunday evening, about eleven o'clock, some inhuman wretch inflicted a wound, about fifteen inches long, in one of the shoulders of a grey mare, belonging to Mr.Higgs, chemist, in this town - the said mare having been left a few minutes at the stable door in a back lane. Mr.Higgs has offered a reward of ten guineas for the apprehension of the offender, whom it is hoped may be detected and punished.
On Tuesday last a large and respectable meeting of the inhabitants of the town, and of the gentry in the neighbourhood, took place in the Town Hall (the Mayor, J.E.Langton, Esq., in the Chair), to consider the necessity of taking some immediate measures for preventing the evils likely to result to the inhabitants of the lower part of the town, from the embankment of the Great Western Railroad, obstructing the water, and throwing it back during the time of flood, when a committed was formed, and certain resolutions passed, a copy of which was ordered to be sent to Mr.Brunell, the Company's Engineer.
Death By Fighting
As the Navigators were returning to this town from their work near the Dumb-Bell last evening, two of them quarrelled (being in liquor) and fought, and after fighting for some time, backed by their comrades, one of them was killed, being dreadfully cut about the head and breast.
House Breaking
A few nights ago the shop belonging to Mr.J.Frost, of Cookham Dean, grocer, was broken into, and plundered of a quantity of halfpence, some tobacco, and sundries, to the value of about �2. The villains (supposed not to reside a great distance from the spot) effected their entrance by cutting a large hole in one of the shutters, and forcing an iron bar from the window. The inmates of the house heard the noise, but supposed it proceeded from the cattle on the premises.
Town Council
We understand Messrs. J.Higgs, Fletcher, and Saunders have determined on withdrawing from the Council in November, although requested by their respective friends to put themselves again in nomination.
Uxbridge, October 20.
The remains of Mrs.Boucherett, Grandmother of C.N.Newdigate, Esq., were removed from his residence , at Harefield, early on Friday morning last, for the interment in the family vault, at Willingham, Lincolnshire.
[The Proprietor of this Journal announces to the Inhabitants of Uxbridge and its vircinity, that Mr.Lake, of the Post-office, is no longer one of its Agents, and that he has appointed, in his stead, Mr.W.Burgess and Mr.H.G.Cosier. Mr.W.W.Grainge still continues as Agent for this Paper. The Proprietor begs to draw the attention of the Public generally to this change in the Agency, but more particularly those Advertising Friends and Correspondents who have been in the habit of forwarding their commands to him through Mr.Lake, and those of his Subscribers who have hitherto been supplied by Mr.Lake. The Proprietor will feel obliged by the latter immediately transferring the order for their Papers to either of the present Agents; and all future commands from the former he must beg will be sent to either of the present Agents.]
Chobham, October 20.
An Inquest was held at the Sun Inn, on Tuesday last, before Henry Woods, Esq., Coroner, and a respectable Jury, on the body of James Stevenson, a labouring man, who met with his death by falling a cart. It appeared from the evidence of John Gould, a very intelligent lad fifteen years of age, in the employ of James Blackman, that deceased's son and himself went up to Chobham Common with a horse and cart for a load of heath, where deceased was at work cutting turf; that deceased assisted them to load the heath; that when they had nearly loaded the cart, witness spoke to the deceased, who is very deaf, and was at the top of the load, and, as witness supposes, the horse, thinking he was being spoken to, moved on, by which deceased fell off the back of the cart on his head;
witness immediately went to him and untied his neckerchief, and remained with him while deceased's son went for assistance, but he never spoke after he fell off the cart. On someone arriving, witness immediately took the horse out of the cart, and rode as fast as possible for a doctor, a distance of two or three miles, who on his arrival pronounced him quite dead and cold - Mr.Hartland, the medical gentleman examined, gave it as his opinion that death was caused by a violent concussion of the brain, which must have caused instant death. The Jury accordingly returned a verdict of "Accidental death, with a deodand of one shilling on the horse," - At the conclusion of the Inquest, the Coroner said he had great pleasure in informing the Jury that he had it in his power to grant them a small remuneration for their services, and likewise to the landlord for the use of his room, which had hitherto been withheld in consequence of the Poor Law Commissioners refusing to allow it in the overseers accounts, and he believed it would be decided that day at the Quarter Sessions what the future allowance should be. The Jurors informed Mr.Woods that they considered themselves indebted to him (as must every person who is liable to serve on juries) for having taken the subject up so strongly in his correspondence with Lord John Russell by which means the allowance no doubt was obtained.