Novel Cricket Match

Westend (or West End, as it is now written) is a parish in the borough of Eastleigh, just east of Southampton.  It not only boasts a brewery (perhaps near the site of this pub?), but is also the location of the Ageas Bowl, where Hampshire County Cricket Club has been based since 2001, and which has staged a number of international matches.  Hampshire is also famous in cricketing circles for the village of Hambledon – home of a famous team in the 18th century which defeated many county sides.

“A novel match of cricket was played on the 3d inst., between two female parties (married and single), in the field in the rear of a newly-erected public-house near Westend, Hampshire, kept by Mr. J. Vare. The fineness of the weather and the novelty of the scene drew together an immense concourse of spectators, who signified theri delight by repeated rounds of applause. Vehicles of every description were also in attendance, from the dashing phaeton and pair down to the humble donkey tandem: on the whole, there could not have been less than 3000 persons present. The playing commenced in right earnest at 12 o’clock, the married ladies going in first, and scoring 22 runs; the damsels then took the bat and scored 18. The dames then went in again and scored 27, making 49; the young ladies then went in and got 34, thus beating their opponents by three runs only. After the two first innings, bets varying from 2 to 1 to 5 to 2 were freely offered on the married ladies, and as freely taken. The fielding and batting of Miss Ann Cleaver, of Bitterne, and the Misses Caroline and Patience Lee, were particularly admired, indeed they may be safely backed against any three boys under 18. The bowling of Mrs. Carter on the married side was also very good. The p[eculliar manner of the ladies in stopping and catching, or attempting to catch the ball, was highly amusing. When the game was over they all sat down to a comfortable tea provided by the landlady, and concluded the day’s sport by a dance in the evening. It is proposed to play the return match on Saturday the 13th, at the New Inn, Westend. – Hampshire Adv.

The Stamford Mercury, 12th October, 1838.

The Queen’s Daily Life

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were married on 10th February, 1840. This is a fascinating insight into their life at Buckingham palace.

‘The following important article of information appears in a daily journal: The Queen is an early riser, seldom being in bed later than half past seven, except on the mornings after her state balls, or on those few occasions when she honors the parties of the nobility with her presence. Her bell is rung about 8 o’clock for her “dressers,” and by nine her Majesty, her Royal Consort, and the household, are at breakfast. The time occupied at the meal is about half an hour, when her Majesty, if the weather permit, enoys the air in the pleasure garden attached to Buckingham palace. This garden covers a space of about forty acres. Here the Queen frequently remains an hour and is accompanied by the latter, etiquette prescribes that, except by invitation, the ladies and gentlemen in attendance should walk at a “respectful distance.” Upon her Majesty’s return to the palace she is attended by her secretary, when she affixes her signature to the various documents which acquire their validity by it. These comprise treasury and other warrants, the commissions of militaty officers, state papers, &co., and they are frequently so numerous that it has sometimes required more than two hours to get through the business. The Queen passes the time between one and three either in conversation, reading, painting or music. In these two accomplishments her Majesty is eminently proficient: her drawings are much admired, and her love for music is well known: she is excellent both as an instrumental and vocal performer. There are three grand pianofortes in the suite of three drawing-rooms usually inhabited, but that which is especailly her Majesty’s, and which is only touched by her fingers, is magnificent: it is rosewood, inlaid with gold and vignette pictures, and cost 1,500 guineas. Luncheon is served at three; after which the Queen receives the Cabinet Miniters, and other such persons as it is usual to honor with audiences. At five the royal cortége leaves the palace and proceeds through the park, &co., and generally returns about seven or quarter after. Dinner is generally served at a quarter before eight, except on opera nights, when it is a little earlier. The usual number of persons who dine at the royal table is about 30. The Queen never fails to be present, except upon the nights of a ball either at the palace or elsewhere: on those occasions her Majesty dines in her own suite of apartments. The Queen, who occupies the centre seat of the dinner-table remains from an hour and five minutes to an hour and a quarter: her rising is the signal for the ladies to move after her, and in a short time subsequently to this move, the gentlemen follow. During dinner-time the band of one of the regiments of guards generally attend: the musicians are placed in a situation above the ceiling of the apartment; they are separated from the royal party by large panes of ground glass, which mellow the sound, and prevent the musicians from seeing into the dining apartment. Tea and coffee are served immediately after dinner, in a small room leading from one of the drawing-rooms. The reminder of the evening is passed with music and conversation, in both of which the Queen and Prince Albert take a part, and about half past eleven her Majesty retires to her apartments, which are in the immediate vicinity of the drawing-rooms, and with which there is a communication by means of a door that is ordinarily concealed by a cabinet. This cabinet is on rollers, and it is, when her Majesty expresses a desire to retire, immediately rolled sufficiently far away to enable the door to be opened, and is replaced again as soon as she has quitted the apartment.’

The Stamford Mercury, 18th September, 1840.

And along came Spring

In contrast with the horrendous weather in last week’s post,there were also mild Decembers, more like Spring.

“Such a Christmas day a Monday, in point of temperature, has been rarely (if ever) known, with the thermometer at 60, a southern breeze, and sunshine, rather resembling May than December.”

The Stamford Mercury, 29th December, 1837.

“The present season, as compared with the severe winter of last year, offers perhaps a striking contrast as could be produced from any page of the annals of our chageful climate. Last year, look wherever we would, we met the frowning and chilling evidences of the universal dominion of frost and snow. Nowe, it is true, the forest trees are naked, but our shrubberies are as luxuriant and flourishing as in sommer, while the roses, sotkc, polyanthuses, rosemary, &c., still look gay in the garden. The hills and fields are full of interest for the Botanist. One would almost imagine that Spring, born before due time, was lifting her infnat voice to call back Autumn, that they might together banish the rugged Winter – for the plants of both seasons are thickly scattered amidst the rant and verdant grasses. Aged-looking buttercups (we call them by the name that brings back happy chilehood, and eschew the harsh names of science) are actually found surrounded by new daisies, opening their beautiful begemmed faces upon us wherever we tread, The large crimson thistle still lingers, and on the same ground the new buds of the bright yellow furze are unfolding into blossom. The small plants common to each season, – the primrose, the groundel, the white and red archangel, the chickweed, and the dandelion, – are rank by every hedgerow where these is any shelton. The lichens are, in general, rotted with the wet, but nothing can equal the velvety beauty of the mosses, to which the birds resort to pick their insect food: in gact,. so plentiful is the ground food of the feathered tribe, that the red fruit of the hawthorn and dog-rose remains on the bushes almost untouched.”

The Stamford Mercury, 5th January, 1838.

Let it snow. . .

Today we are still inconvenienced by snow and bad weather, but we generally have reliable cars and warm houses – and we are not so totally reliant on mail. A few days after this story was published there was even an avalanche at Lewes in Sussex.

“It is 23 years since there was any thing like the downfall of snow with which this part of England has been visited in the present week. The effect has been to prevent all travelling; and even persons who happened to be from home on business, found for a day or two that it was impossible to quit the places where they were overtaken by the storm, although the distance which they had to go to their families was only three or four miles: such was actually the case with several persons who were in Stamford on Sunday and Monday: even on foot, and with the utmost contrivance and knowledge of roads, in some dirctions it was impossible to make way from town to town. – The firt sign of the great extent and inconvenince of the downfall was perceived at Stamford on Sunday night, when the mail from Melton Mowbray did not arrive as usual; it left Stamford that morning, but it did not return from Melton, nor has any mail been dispatched hence in that direction since Sunday. On Monday morning there was neither Edinburgh nor Glasgow mail from London: after being greatly delayed in the South, they finally stuck fast between Wansford and Thornhaugh, six miles from Stamford; and it was not until one o’clock on Tuesday afternoon that the guards of the coaches which should have reached us at half-past 5 o’clock on Monday morning were able to come to Stamford on horseback through the snow. The coaches still remained embedded in the drifted mass which covered the road to a depth of six or eight feet near Wansford. The mails from the North were set fast at Colsterworth and at Horn-lane, where they also continued for many hours; but the guards, on horseback, reached Stamford on Tuesday at nearly the same time as those from the South, and they proceeded in the same way on their respective routes with the mail-bags. The mail coach from Edinburgh which should have been here on Monday night, was dragged into Stamford on Tuesday afternoon by eight waggon horses, and stopped here. The business of the posts on the Great North Road could be transacted only on horseback, and in this way for three days we have received the mail-bags: but the bags themselves in general contained little, showing that the interruption on the roads was almost general, and that there was no communication whatever between Lincolnshire and the great road at Stilton. We learned, indeed, to our great concern, that the Lincoln and Hull, and the Boston and Louth lines of the road, were alike impassable on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and that the post communication by them was suspended.

The interruption which the mail-coaches experienced, was of course common to all other coaches. For three days no conveyances were sent out from Stamford for Cambridge, Leicester, or Boston, as none arrived from those quarters.

The situation of the passengers by some of the coaches which were set fast in the snow, was most trying and singular. When, after a tedious journey, one poor fellow who had been outside the Glasgow mail for two days and nights, found the coach come to a dead stand near Horn-lane, six miles North of Stamford, he got into the vehicle and slept soundly for five hours, until the snow could be dug away and a team of waggon horses arrived to extricate the coach. The whole company of one coach, set fast between Wansford and Stilton, found an asylum at Mr. Simpson’s at Morborne, where they were received with all the kind-hearted hospitality for which the late coach-owner and landlord of the George and Angel at Stamford is so well known.

About 50 extra labourers have been employed for four days in clearing the hill at Casterton, and many at Horn-lane, Whittering and Wansford at an expenditure of 25l. to 30l. per day, by Mr. Haycock, the surveyor of the turnpikes.”

The Stamford Mercury, 30th December, 1836.

‘Tis the Custom

Everywhere seems to have its own Christmas custom the origins of which go back into the mists of time. Here are two of them.

“There is at Queen’s College, Oxford, a custom observed on every Christmas-day of decorating a boar’s head with holly, &c., and carrying it into the hall in procession, accompanied with the singing of an ancient song. On this occasion the public are admitted to view the ceremony, and the hall presents an animated appearance. There is a tradition as to the origin of this custom, which is, that as a member of Queen’s college was walking in Shotover Forest, reading Artistotle, he was attacked by a wild boar: the youth with great composure and resolution thrust the volume into the animal’s throat and choaked him, crying out at the same time ‘Graecum est.’* Another custom at this college is, that the Bursar on New-year’s-day present each member with a needle and thread, addressing to him these words, ‘Take this to be thrifty.'”

The Stamford Mercury, 28th December, 1838.

*It’s greek to me.

Rothwell

“The inhabitants of the small but important village of Rothwell, near Caistor, have at this very interesting season, according to ancient custome, provided their families with a large bacon pig, weighing from 20 to 40 stones: in about five days, 170 stones of these animals have ornamented their larders, and at this time a profusion of pork and mince pies, sausages, spareribs, &c., are generously bestowed among their bairns and ‘auld acquaintance,’ with a good ‘pint soup’, to wash all down. We are glad to record these good doings, and the hospitality of the inhabitants, as a set-off against the complaining in our streets about the price of flour, and the probability of a war with Russia; and to show that, in the good old town of Rothwell, an example is afforded to all persons of industry and contentedness, which it is hoped will induce others to be alike happy in themselves and pleased with one another.”

The Stamford Mercury, 28th December, 1838.

School Christmas

The Bluecoat School had a new master who proved to be a excellent choice. (It sounds as though the previous master had not been!) Notice that ‘children’ meant ‘boys’! It was not until the Education Actof 1870 that it became a requirement for both girls and boys to receive an elementary education.

“An examination of the children in the Bluecoat School of Stamford took place at the new school room on Saturday last, and was attended by the Trustees of Charities, and by several ladies and gentlemen of the town, all of whom were highly delighted, and even astonished, at the progress made by the boys in reading, writing, arithmetic, and geography, in the three months that they have been under the tuition of Mr. Green, the new master. The warmest encomiums* were passed on that gentlemen, and all acknowledged that a fitter person for the situation could not possibly have been found. On Christmas-day the boys, in their new cloathing#, attended divine service at St. Michael’s church, where the neatness of their appearance and their orderly behaviour excited general notice and approbation. Afterwards they were regaled with an excellent dinner at the school, and sang the national anthem and appropriate hymns in a style which delighted a numerous party of visitors who had been attracted by the high reputation of the school. The change in the management is proved to be one of the greatest blessings that ever occurred to the town; and the advantage is likely to be greatly extended, as the Charity Trustees propose to nearly double the number of scholars in the ensuing half-year.”

The Stamford Mercury, 28th December, 1838.

*A speech or letter praising someone or thing highly.

#Their coats were blue – a colour denoting charity.

Theatre of Arts

Mr E. Wigelworth was clearly a theatrical man, to judge by the language of his advertisement for his Theatre of Arts. One wonders if Spalding appreciated the spectacular. A similar amusement by George Peck had been touring in Tasmania a few years earlier and this was based upon Thiodon’s Theatre of Fine Arts.

Never Exhibited in Spalding before!

By Permission, at the TOWN HALL, SPALDING.

Original Royal Mechanical and Pictureque THEATRE of ARTS, forming a Repository of Rational and Interesting Amusements.

E. WIGELSWORTH most respectfuly announces to the nobility, gentry, and the public in general of Spalding and its vicinity, that he has arrived with his splendid Theatre of Arts, which he will open on MONDAY next, MARCH 19th, and every Evening during the week. The Exhibition consists of beautiful representations of the most interesting parts of the World, in the varying aspects of light and shade, forming the most splendid and majestic Scenery that nature and art ever produced; the foreground and bridges will be enlivened with several thousand chaste figures, and by the power of mechanism display all the minor and more complicated muscular actions of animated nature. The whole to conclude with a faithful delineation of a Storm at Sea, with all its characteristic phenomena. – Doors to be opened at Half past Seven o’clock, and the Performance to commence at Eight. Front Seats 1s., Gallery 6d. – For particulars see handbills.”

The Stamford Mercury, 16th March, 1838.

Three Sisters

A gang of three shopliftering three sisters operated in Stamford on market days. There were many such gangs in London the victorian era. The fashion for long, voluminous skirts and cloaks made for easy concealment.

“Shocking cases of shop-lifting by three sisters, daughters of a man at Edithweston, and all married women, were investigated at the Town-hall in Stamford on Monday and Tuesday last, as noticed in another column of our paper. It seemed that the three women, residing in parishes several miles apart, have long been in the habit of meeting at Stamford on market days, and, dressed in large cloaks, going together to drapers’ shops, and stealing whatever articles they could secrete amongst them. They were all three in the shop of Mr. Knight in the afternoon of Friday, last, when one of them, named Webber, of Baston, was detected in stealing a roll of cotton print; and other stolen goods (as well belonging to Mr. Knight, as to Mr. Brown, draper) were found upon her. Her two sisters (Woods, or Collyweston, and Broughton, of Edithweston) escaped from the shop before the relationship was known, but joining Webber afterwards when she was in custody at the station-house, sufficient passed between them to authorise their detention also, and warrants were granted to search the houses of their husbands. At Baston and at Edithweston an immense quantity of drapery goods of all descriptions were found concealed under beds and in boxes. Woods, being far advanced in pregnancy, was allowed to go home on Friday evening before the search-warrant was executed at Collyweston, and nothing was afterwards found there; but from confession since made, in which each sister charges the others, it seems that all three were in the habit of partaking of the plunder, which in one instance consisted of a whole piece of linen cloth, containing 68 yards and weighing more more than 30 lbs! this they stole from the door of Mr. Brown, in the High-street, in the middle of a Friday. The practice was, after stealing goods, to go together to a public convenience under the market portico, and there to make a dividion of them, each sister taking a share, or selecting articles of most use to her. – The scene at the Town-hall on Tuesday night, when the women ascertained that each had separetly made a confession implicating the others, can hardly be conceived. Each attributed to the ill counsel of her sisters her own criminality, and one laid her melancholy situation to the want of care of her education and habits of a dissolute father! They were all committed to gaol, for trial at the quarter sessions in April. – Besides drapery goods, stolen shoes, ironmongery, and other articles were found on executing the search-warrants.”

The Stamford Mercury, 23rd February, 1838.

sisters

The trial of the three sisters was later reported and also another woman who stole from her employer.

“All the four women tried at Stamford sessions on Saturday last were sentenced to transportation. The three shop-lifting sisters, from Baston, Collyweston, and Edith Weston, were all married women, and one of them has a family of six children: there were 17 indictments against them. – Against Frances Elsom, for robbery at Mr. Lumby’s in St., Martin’s, where she lived as servant, there were four indictments: the plunder she has committed is supposed to be the extent of more that a thousand pounds! about half of which has been recovered by the representatives of Mrs. Holman. On the day before her trial, Elsom made an assignemnt of her property to a person at Stretton, in Rutland, on whgose premises some of the stolen articles were found secreted, when the chief-constable of Stamfor executed a search-warrant on Friday afternoon. The most melancholy proof arising from this trial is, of the facility with which the convict found persons to purchase and to conceal stolen property of all kinds.”

The Stamford Mercury, 13th April, 1838.

Child Abandoned

A child, abandoned in mysterious circumstances was, sadly, placed in the workhouse, despite having all the appearances of being well cared for.

“Rather Mysterious. – About three weeks back, a respectably-dressed female, having an infant child, who had been staying two days in March, was about to leave by the Wisbech mail at 6 o’clock on the Monday morning. As she was proceeding to the coach-office she met a woman going to her work, whom she requested to carry the infant and a small basket, and say the lady would be there in a few minutes. The woman, on arriving at Mr. Wiles’s residence, gave them to Miss Barket, who with her monther also resided in the house, and who has since been married to Mr. Wiles: she declined receiving the infant, and would not allow it to be taken into the house. The poor woman, therefore, not knowing what to do, and being compelled to attend to her work, left the infant outside Miss Barker’s door, where it lay smiling at the passers-by nearly an hour, until at last some of the neighbours took charge of it: it appeared to be about six months old, and was very healthy, clean, and handsomely dressed; the basket containing various changes of clothes, made in the best manner. After remaining with these good samaritans some days, and no tidings being heard of the unnatural parents, the poor infant was removed to the Union-house at Doddington, where its fine clothes were exchanged for the workhouse dress. It is needless to say that the supposed mother did not make her appearance, nor has she since been heard of – thought rumour, which is very busy in this case, fixes her residence near Stamford. Several humane persons in March would willingly have taken charge of the child, but the Magistrates advised it being taken to the Union, in order that, being chargeable to the parish, proceedings might be taken against the parents should they be discovered, as it is hoped the will be.”

The Stamford Mercury, 4th October, 1839.

King Louis’ clock

As we mourn our own dear Queen Elizabeth II, we found this interesting piece about how the French mark the passing of their monarchs. The piece was published in 1837, just after Queen Victoria’s accession, so such things were of interest to the public. Presumably, if the clock exists today (somewhere?) it still marks the moment of death of Louis XVIII.

“In the courtyard of the Palace of Versailles is a clock with one hand, called l’Horologe de la mort du Roi. It contains no works, but consists merely of a face,in the form of a sun, surrounded by rays. On the death of a King the hand is set to the moment of his demise, and remains unaltered till his successor has rejoined him in the frave. The custom originated under Louis the Thurteenth, and continued till the Revolution. It was revived on the death of Louis the Eighteenth, and the hand still continues fixed on the precise moment of that Monarch’s death.”

The Stamford Mercury, 8th December, 1837.