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The Windsor and Eton Express.
Bucks Chronicle and Reading Journal

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Some Selected Reports from The Windsor and Eton Express



3rd December 1836

Maidenhead, Dec 2

Sheep Stealing - On Saturday last some persons stole a fat wether sheep from the field of Mr.W.Cannon, of Maidenhead, leaving the head, skin, and fore quarters; the same individual, it is supposed, then took it to the Workhouse at North Town, which is very near the spot, and is uninhabited, and there boiled a leg in one of the coppers, as the bones, the liquor, turnips, &c., and a large dish were found the next morning. Mr.C has offered 20 guineas reward for the apprehension of the thieves. A very short time previous a sheep was stolen from Mr.Robins, butcher, of this place, and Mr.Hughes, of Lowbrooks.

The Hurricane - On Tuesday the hurricane did much damage in this town and neighbourhood. Many houses were injured, and chimney pots, tiles, &c., were blown in all directions. We regret to state that very serious mischief was done to the Town-hall. The windows of the Hall were broken and a large stack of chimnies fell down with a tremendous crash, carrying in its descent a portion of the roof together with part of the joists into a bedroom adjoining the Hall and there demolishing two bedsteads and other articles that were in the room.The confusion and disorder that this accident created in the lower apartments which are in the occupation of Mr.Buffett, and denominated the fighting cocks Inn, destroyed for a time all accommodation for his customers, and what made it much worse for the respected host was that he was to have provided for a ball that evening in the Town-hall, which was necessarily postponed, to the great pecuniary loss of himself and the mortification of the families of the neighbouring gentry who were expected to attend. Information of the occurance was instantly forwarded to those neighbouring families and an express was dispatched to London to prevent Weippert's band, who had been engaged, from coming away. Had this accident occurred at night during the ball, no doubt several lives would have been lost.

This day an inquest was held at the King's Arms before Mr.May, coroner, on the body of John Corderoy, one of the navigators on the rail-road, employed by Mr.Bedborough. The deceased, it appears, was wheeling a barrow on a plank over a part of the Thames on Tuesday during the hurricane, when he was forced by the wind into the water, and drowned. Verdict "Accidental Death."




High Wycombe, Dec, 2.

On Saturday night last the house of Mr.Daniel Pymm, of Loudwater, near this town, was broken into and several articles stolen therefrom. The thieves have not yet been apprehended.

On Sunday night a man was knocked down and robbed by some footpads, who beat him severely, between this town and Beaconsfield.

The fifteenth anniversary of the Wesleyan Missionary Society was held in the Wesleyan Chapel on Monday evening. Thomas Westwood, Esq., most ably filled the chair, and in a neat and praiseworthy speech opened the business of the meeting, which was also addressed by the Rev. Messrs. Stanley, Hoole, Young, Judson, Haydon, Simmons, and Jones; R.Wheeler, Esq., &c. The weather being so very unfavourable the chapel was not so crowded as last year, neither did the collection, we regret to say, though liberal, amount to so much.

The high wind on Tuesday did considerable damage in this neighbourhood by blowing off a quantity of slates and tiles from a great many houses, and also tearing up several large trees.

We are authorized to state that there is no foundation in the report which has gone round of the papers, that Col.Grey is about to receive a Foreign appointment, or that he intends to vacate his seat for Wycombe.




Staines, Dec 2
Sudden Death at Stanwell

On Thursday an Inquest was held at the Noah's Ark Inn, Stanwell, before Mr.Stirling, on the body of Edward Lacy, aged 47, who had been reduced by misfortunes from the station of a substantial farmer in that neighbourhood to the most wretched state of destitution . The deceased, it appeared , had, while a farmer, been subjected to such serious losses by incendiarism and various casualties, that he became completely ruined, and for some time past he had earned a miserable existence by obtaining now and then a job of work, being also relieved occasionally by the parish officers, but for which he was always very diffident in applying. He was seen on Saturday last by a man named Weston, in the employ of Mr.Potts, farmer and cattle dealer, at Stanwell, in whose shed he had been in the habit of sleeping, and he then presented a very wretched appearance. On Monday morning, between six and seven o'clock, when Weston went into his masters shed, he was shocked at finding the deceased lying among some straw quite dead. He was miserably clad, very much attenuated, and had not a farthing in his pocket. The Jury returned a verdict of "Found dead."




Chertsey, Dec 2

A man named John Gibbons, has been committed for trial, by James Sparks, Esq., on a charge of stealing fowls from James Smythers, of Woodham, in March last; the prisoner had absconded from that time till he was apprehended by Giles , our constable, on Sunday last, at a public-house in Staines; at the same time Joseph Barnes, who was taken in company with Gibbons, was committed, on a charge of stealing tiles from off a building, the property of Mr.John Keene, of Chertsey.

The Late Hurricane - Great damage has been done in our town and neighbourhood, by the high winds of last Tuesday; a large building, used as a work-shop by Mr.Strubell, builder, was completely blown to the ground, several panes of glass in one of the Church windows were broken, houses were divested of their chimney pots, and in some instances their chimneys, and the lead on the roofs of many houses was completely rolled up; at Mr.Howard's, Woodham Farm, the barns were unroofed, as was also a wheat rick, the sheaves being carried to a considerable distance. Addlestone, Weybridge, Sheppertop, and, in fact, the whole of the surrounding villages, have felt severely the effects of the tempest, more so than has ever been remembered by the oldest of the inhabitants.




Walton-on-Thames, Dec, 2

Yesterday week Miss Kensett had a morning concert, by the kind permission of Sir Henry Fletcher, Bart., in his hospitable mansion, Ashley Park, which was attended by nearly all of the rank and fashion for a considerable distance round. The company comprised between 200 and 300, among whom were the following persons of distinction:- Earl of Denbigh, Lady Mary Fielding, Hon.Miss.Palmer, Lord and Lady Grantley and party, the Baroness de Tessier and party, Sir - Sullivan, Hon.Miss.Sullivan, Admiral Sir Thomas and Lady Williams, Sir Robert and Lady Gardiner, Lady Frances Hotham, Hon.Mr.Cuthbert, Sir Richard Frederick, Captain Frederick, &c, &c. Owing to the lamented demise of the Dowager Countess of Tankerville, several other persons of distinction, among whom was the liberal proprietor of the mansion, Sir Henry Fletcher, were unavoidably absent. The performances were very superior and afforded a great treat to the company. The performers consisted of Mr.Alfred Shaw, Mrs.Bishop, Miss Kensett, Signor Begrez, Mr.Mori, Mr.Richardson, and Mr.H.Bishop.

On Tuesday the remains of Emma, Dowager Countess of Tankerville, whose recent death at the age of 84 has been announced, were removed from her residence for interment in the family vault at Harlington, Middlesex. The storm raged with great fury during the progress of the cavalcade, which had nearly been suddenly impeded, a short time after it had left the mansion of the lamented deceased, where several trees fell across the road where it had passed. The procession consisted of a hearse, and three coaches, which contained among other mourners, the Earl of Tankerville, Lord Ossulaton, the Hon.Mr.Beresford, Sir H.Fletcher, Bart., Col.Wilkins, and the Rev. T. Hatch; several private carriages also followed.

The Storm - The hurricane of Tuesday was tremendous and its effects almost incredible. Upwards of 400 trees, besides paling, &c., were blown down in Oatlands Park, a considerable number in Ashley Park, (Sir H.Fletcher's), Burwood Park, the grounds of the late Dowager Countess of Tankerville, and at Claremont, at which latter place their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Kent and Princess Victoria arrived on Wednesday morning. At Esher many stacks of chimnies were destroyed, and at Mr.Whirburn's brewery the large copper chimney fell and seriously wounded one person.




Chobham, Dec 2
Distressing Case

Some few weeks since a small industrious farmer, of this neighbourhood, applied to the Overseers of Chobham, to seek advice and assistance under the following circumstances. He stated that his daughter (a fine healthy young woman, about twenty years of age) was come home from service, in the family way; she had been living with a baker in Windsor; that the author of her dishonour was an apprentice to the same master, who, being just out of his time, had left, and gone to London. The alteration in the Poor Laws having rendered the power of the Magistrate and Overseer in these cases nearly nugatory, nothing further was done, in a few days the young woman was put to bed of two fine boys, both healthy and strong; not many days after the confinement the mother was taken ill of the quinsy; which caused her death, - thus the little innocents are left without their parental support their tender age require. - Should this meet the eye of the father, it is hoped it will produce a degree of compunction sufficient to induce him or his friends to offer assistance in rearing the little orphans, and keeping them from the workhouse.