Newspaper Transcripts
Some Selected Reports from The Windsor and Eton Express
9th January 1836
The New Corporation Of Windsor
Barefaced Treachery
We have this week to record one of the most flagrant instances of treachery that ever took place in the annals of electioneering proceedings, and one which will reflect eternal disgrace upon the parties who were the chief performers in it.
The election of six Aldermen from the Common Council having left so many vacancies, last Thursday was the day appointed by the Mayor to fill them up, and the greatest exertions were made by the Time-serving Faction to recover the vantage
ground which they had previously lost. They put forward for the In-Ward Messrs. Jennings, Clarke, and Tull, and for the Out-Ward- Messrs. Clode, George and Twinch. The
Reformers had started for the former Ward- Messrs. Burge, Ingalton, and Mason, and for the later- Messrs. Ray, Fergusson, and Nind. The Reformers believing from the result of the
previous election that there was no doubt of success on this occasion, had not, unfortunately deemed it necessary to exercise the same activity as they had done before, but while they
were resting on their oars, their arch-enemies were concocting a base plot to undermine and destroy the superiority which they had gained in the Council. Yes, we will call it a Base plot, which
covers its authors with shame, and makes them contemptible in the opinion of every man of honourable principles. We will first give the result of this unprincipled scheme, and then proceed without remarks.
The following was the state of the poll:-
In-Ward
Mr. Jennings 131
Mr. Clarke 128
Mr. Ingalton* 109
Mr. Burge* 101
Mr. Tull 100
Mr. Mason* 88
Out-Ward
Mr. Clode (Castle Inn) 117
Mr. George 108
Mr. Twinch 104
Mr. Ray* 100
Dr. Fergusson* 99
Mr. Nind* 88
* Those marked thus are Reformers
The first six, being three of each Ward, were of course declared elected, and of them only one (Mr. Ingalton) is a Reformer, the other five forming a portion of that body which is possessed of
no fixed notion of political principle, and therefore justly denominated a "Time-serving Faction."
We now come to the treachery which we say has been committed. It is well known in this Borough there are a number of Electors who hold situations in the Royal Establishment, but who reside
in the town. At the election of Members of Parliament those men - footmen, pages, and other - have been generally rendered subservient to Tory purposes. They are men who are permitted to
have no opinion of their own, but are commanded by some one or other of their superiors in the
Establishment of Their Majesties, to vote in a certain way. This it was that occasioned the return of Sir John Elley at the last election, who is frequently a guest at the Castle, and who of course
obtains the influence of the many Tory hangers-on of the Court. It was not however expected that such an unconstitutional influence would be made auxiliary to the promotion of the objects of the Time-servers in the
election of corporate officers, and particularly as at the first election of Councillors no application was made for the King and Queen's servants to come up from Brighton to vote. The Timeservers
found that they stood no chance if the depended on their own characters with their fellow townsmen, because on the first occasion a majority of Reformers was returned, and- preferring
disgrace to defeat - they were determined to leave no means of any description untried to secure a majority last Thursday; accordingly an appeal was made to the Pavilion for assistance. It was the
last desperate effort and it was responded to, for on Thursday morning Not Less Than Nineteen of the Royal Servants Voted for the Faction ! We here subjoin a list of them together with their occupations in the Royal Households:-
John Bailey Confectioner
James Barber Usher of the Hall
Henry Dowsett Pages' Man
Robert Eeles Footman
James Judd Footman
William James Lewis Footman
Adolphus Frederick Lloyd Confectioner
William Loades Page
James Merrick Table Decorator
George Pike Sir Frederick Watson's Man
William Mayor Sculleryman
William Shepherd Footman
James Stove Footman
John Bates Footman
John Battershill Footman
John Cocum Clerk of the Stables
Hugh Kinnaird Page
Thomas Hardy Princess Augusta's Page
John Taylor Page
Windsor Epiphany Sessions
Yesterday three Sessions commenced at the Town Hall, before ��.
Legh, Esq., Mayor,Robert Blunt, Esq., Justice and ��
Swabey, Esq., who officiated as Recorder in the absence of Sir �.
Wilson. There were also on the Bench T.R.Ward,Esq., Capt. �
the Rev. Isaac Gosset, and several members of the new Corporation
Mr.Swabey in his charge to the Grand Jury alluded to the �..
of Mr.Legh and Mr.Blunt on the Bench, and said that by the �
section of the Corporation Act, those gentlemen retained their �.
as Justices until the 1st of May. With regard to the cases ..
Calendar he thought it necessary to direct the attention [of the]
Grand Jury to two of them. One was that of James Hall, for obtaining
goods under false pretences. It did not appear that Hall obtained [the]
goods personally, but if the Jury believed he employed some agent [to]
obtain them for him by a false representation the act was his. [The]
other case was that of the two Rolfes for stealing two steers. In
[examin?]ing at the depositions he did not think there was sufficient evidence [to]
convict them, and therefore perhaps the best way was that they [should]
not be put upon their trial, because if the Jury found the bill and [the]
prisoners were tried and acquitted, it would prevent their being
tried should any further evidence be hereafter obtained. That [was]
however, a matter for the Grand Jury to determine when the bill [came]
before them.
Susannah Gibbons was indicted for stealing seven yards of pr�..
cotton, the property of William Henry Millard, of Thames street.
It appeared from the evidence that on the 13th of November the prisoner
who was respectably connected, went into the shop of Mr. Millard [and]
after looking at various articles, she asked to look at some p[..]
While she was examining them one of the shopmen perceived [some]thing
bulky under her cloak and communicated his suspicions to [Mr.]
Millard, who went up to her, charged her with taking something �
on putting aside her cloak the piece of print in question was �.
She was then given into the custody of a constable.
The prisoner had nothing to say in her defence, but called �..
respectable witnesses who gave her an excellent character up to
the period when this transaction took place.
The Jury found her Guilty, bur recommended her to mercy [on the]
count of her previous good character, in which recommendation [the]
prosecutor joined.
She was sentenced to one month's imprisonment in the borough [gaol]
Wm. Minell was indicted for receiving a copper and some iron [which was]
the property of Mr. Joseph White. He was found not guilty.
Charlotte Adcock pleaded Guilty to an indictment for having ob[tained]
some clogs under false pretences from the shop of Mr. Thomas C[�]
High-street, Windsor. She was sentenced to six weeks imprison[ment]
in the borough gaol.
James Hall was indicted for obtaining from Mr. John Butcher,
grocer, of Clewer-lane, several articles of grocery goods under [false]
pretences. The prisoner it appeared had ascertained that a Mrs.[�]
ridge was in the habit of sending written orders to Mr. Butcher for
goods she wanted, and he on the 7th December delivered a similar [order]
to a lad named John Gould, of Eton, desiring him to go to Mr. Butcher's
and get the goods. The boy got them and delivered them to [the]
prisoner, who gave him twopence for his trouble.
The Jury found him Guilty.
Mr. Swabey in passing sentence alluded to a former conviction [of]
the prisoner in this Court two years ago, since which time he had [been]
in prison in an adjoining county, but of the latter this Court could [not?]
take any cognizance. Considering the former conviction in this [Court]
however the sentence upon him now was that he be transported [for]
seven years.
Prisoner. Thank you Sir, it will save me from the gallows.
The Grand Jury threw out the bill against the two Rolfes for st[ealing]
the steers out of the Great Park.
Robert Dell appeared to answer to a summons to show cause [why an]
order of affiliation should not be made for the support of Chr[�]
Curtis's bastard child. Corroborative evidence being adduced [an order]
was made for two shillings per week accordingly.
Printed and Published by Richard Oxley. Of No.19, Brunswick Terrace, Windsor, in the County of Berks, Printer, at his Printing Office, No.10 Church Street, Windsor aforesaid.