Author: Volunteers

In 1828 was £4,000 (now estimated at about £300,000) too great a sum to give to priests to say prayers to free the soul of an old woman so she could move through purgatory quickly? The court and the residual beneficiary of her will thought it was. Was this a money-making venture ?

‘Liberation from purgatory.– A case was argued last week, in the Exchequer Court, Dublin, in which the residuary legatee contested a bequest of four thousand pounds, left by an old lady to Priests to say masses for her, in order to rescue “her poor miserable soul” from the torments of purgatory. Mr. Cooper (counsel for the legatee) contended that this was an enormous sum to have appropriated to such a purpose. The poor old woman must have been priest-ridden when she made such a bequest. In such a case it was competent to the Court to apportion some reasonable sum ; but four thousand pounds was beyond all reason. The Chief Baron–How much do you think would bring her out of purgatory, Mr. Cooper ? Mr. Cooper–I think 10l. would be quite enough to relieve so old a woman, my Lord. Mr. O’Loughlin–I am sure the balance would not be enough to take Mr. Cooper out of purgatory, if he were there. (Laughter.) The Court–We will refer it to the Master to determine how much he may think necessary for her relief in purgatory ; and on the report we will be better able to ascertain what ought to be done. Mr. O’Loughlin–Yes, my Lord ; but recollect that this poor woman’s soul is in the meantime suffering all torments. (Great Laughter.) I am sure your Lordship will not willingly inflict pain by delay, nor diminish the sum of four thousand pounds. This lady must have been the best judge of her own sins, and she thought four thousand pounds necessary to rescue her from purgatory.–The Court decided that the matter should go before the Master first.’

Stamford Mercury, 30th May, 1828.

Previous censuses had taken place, but the United Kingdom Census of 1841 is considered as the first modern census. Here the Stamford Merucry included instructions on how to complete the census for the Enumerator including an interesting way of recording ages which may be of use when researching family trees.

“CENSUS of the POPULATION.-The necessary papers and instructions to the “Enumerators” of the several districts have been issued this week. The Householder’s Schedule has the following information:- “The Commissioners appointed under the Act hereby give notice, that on Monday the seventh day of June the Enumerator of each district will proceed to visit every house in his district, and will call for this paper, which the inhabitant Householder, or any Occupier to whom a whole story or apartment of the house is let, and for who a paper is left, is hereby required to fill up correctly and sign. Inconvenice will be spared to the Householder or Occupier if this be done before the Enumerator calls at the House. It may be done before Monday June 7th, but in that case care must be taken afterwards to strike out the names of all persons who were absent on the night of June 6th, or to insert any who abode in the house on that night but whose names had been previously omitted. The only object for which this information is sought being to obtain an exact account of the Population of the Kingdom, as in the years 1801, 1811, 1821, and 1831, the Commissioners earnestly hope that every Householder, Occupier, and Head of a Family, will willingly assist in this great National work by giving coorrect returns. If the Owner of the house is absent, the person whose charge it is left will be considered the Occupier, and be required to fill up and sign this paper.

“By an Act passed in the present Session, persons making false returns in this Schedule, or refusing to make any returns, ‘shall forfeit a sum not more than 5l. nor less than 40s.,at the discretion of any Magistrate before whom complaint thereof shall be made.’ The Act imposes the same penalty for refusing to answer, or giving false answers, to the questions of the Enumerator.

“Directions for filling up the SCHEDULE.-Insert the name and surname of every person who has slept or abode in the house on the night of Sunday June 6th. Persons sleeping in a separate building (as over a stable or out_house), although belonging to the house, must not be inserted as inmates of the house, but be inserted in the paper which is left at or for such separate building.

“Write in figures the age of every person, opposite to their names, in one of the columns headed ‘Age of Male,’ or ‘Age of Female,’ according to their sex. For persons aged 15 years and upwards it is sufficient to state within what period of five years their age is, writing down the lowest number of that period: thus, for persons aged 15 and under 20, write 15-for 20 and under 25, write 20-for 25 and under 30, write 25-for 30 and under 35, write 30; and so on, upto the greatest ages; but the exact age may be stated if the person prefers it. For persons under 15, write the number of years; for infants under one year, the number of months.

“The profession, &c. of wives, or of sons or daughters living with and assisting their parents, but not apprenticed or receiving wages, need not be inserted. Domestic servants may be inserted as Male Servant or Female Servant, without further statement of their duties. Those who are Journeymen or Apprentices in any trade must be inserted as such, with the name of the trade. In cases of Factory or Manufacturing employment, state the staple on which employed, as silk, cotton, woolllen, linen,&c., with the description of work, as silk-throwster, Wool-cardr, &c. &c. In cases of employment in Mines, state whether of coal, iron, copper, &c. &c. Men or Widows, or Single Women, having no profession or calling, but living on their means, may be inserted as ‘Independant.’ “Whether born in the same County, and whether born in Scotland, Ireland, or Foreign Parts,” write yes or no in the columns as the case may be.”

The Stamford Mercury, 21st May, 1841.

This painting, produced by Peter Paul Rubens in about 1625 as one of the designs for a series of tapestries, can be seen in the Prado Museum in Madrid, and is now known as “The Triumph of Divine Love“.  The appetite for finding and identifying lost paintings is still with us today in such television programmes as Fake or Fortune and Britain’s Lost Masterpieces.

“Singular DISCOVERY of a PICTURE by RUBENS. – A few weeks ago, at the sale of Mr. J.E. Pearson’s effects, at Sheffield, an old picture in which no figure was discernable was knocked down for 1s. 9d. : It was afterwards purchased of the byer for 5s., and the new possessor proceeded to wash it, which caused several of the figures to appear while wet.  This led to a resolution to send it to London to be cleaned, and the old varnish being removed, it turned out to be a very fine old picture.  It was returned to Sheffield, with an offer of 160 guineas for it, and the biddings have since advanced to 350 guineas, at which price, however, it is not to be had.  The picture consists of a fine female figure standing upon a car drawn by a lion ; one child nestles in her bosom, others cling to her robes, others follow her car, while one rides a lion : several other rotund little ones with cherub wings fly about her.  The style of the painting and some other internal evidence have satisfied several eminent connoisseurs that it is a genuine Rubens : and this is confirmed by an old etching of the picture, which is called ‘the triumph of Christianity, by Rubens.’  This prize is in the possession of Mr. Sawyer, wine-merchant, of High-street, Doncaster, where it has been seen by many persons.  The best judges speak of it in very high terms, and the probability is that the biddings for it have by no means reached their maximum. – Doncaster Gaz.”

The Stamford Mercury, 23^rd June 1843

Did Sir Isaac Newton think he was about to discover a weather gauge to foretell rain? The ram had the answer.

“SIR ISAAC NEWTON AND THE WEATHER GAUGE-The illustrious philosopher was once riding over Salisbury plain, when a boy keeping sheep called to him, “Sir, you had better make haste on, or you will get a wet jacket.” Newton, looking round and and observing neither clouds nor a speck on the horizon, jogged on, taking very little of the rustic’s information. He made but a few miles, when a storm suddenly arising, wetted him to the skin. Surprised at the circumstance, and determined, if possible, to ascertain how an ignorant boy had attained a precision and knowledge in the weather of which the wisest philosophers would be proud, he rode back, as wet as he was. “My lad,” said Newton, “I’ll give thee a guinea if thou wilt tell me how thou canst fortel the weather so truly.” “Will ye, Sir? I will then,” said the boy, scratching his head, and holding out his hand for the guinea. “Now Sir,” having received the money, and pointing to his sheep, “when you see that black ram turn his tail towards the wind, ’tis a sure sign of rain within an hour.” “What!” exclaimed the philosopher, “must I, in order to fortel the weather, stay here and watch which way that black ram turns his tail?” “Yes, Sir.” Off rode Newton, quite satisfied with his discovery, but not much inclined to avail himself of it, or to recommend it to others.”

The Stamford Mercury, 17 October 1828

The Mercury reports optimistically on a patent for an aerial steam carriage (named ‘Ariel‘), 60 years before the Wright brothers flew at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

THE AERIAL STEAM CARRIAGE. – When it was announced some time ago, by the ordinary monthly lists of patents granted, that Mr. Henson had invented a machine capable of conveying dispatches and passengers through the air, the general impression was that some moody and enthusiastic projector was about to exhibit the produce of his day-dreams.  Our readers may, therefore, be somewhat surprised to learn that this is in truth no visionary scheme, but a design of very scientific conception, carefully and perseveringly wrought out.  It would perhaps be too much to affirm (what yet we cannot deny) that the machine in its present state will certainly succeed ; but the least which can be said is, that the inventor has most skilfully removed the difficulties which have hitherto debarred us the possession of the long-coveted faculty of flight, and has made its eventual, perhaps early, attainment a matter of little less than certain.  This device would not have succeeded if the inventor had not effected an extraordinary reduction in the weight of his steam-engine.  Our engineering readers will be somewhat surprised to learn that the engine of 20 horses’ power now in preparation for the aërial carriage weighs with its condenser and requisite water but 600lbs.  To the united effect of these different branches of this important invention must we attribute our present prospect of making our paths in the air.  The area of the sustaining surface will be, we understand, not less than 4500 square feet ; the weight to be sustained, including the carriage and its total burden, is estimated at 3000lbs.  The load is said to be considerably less per square foot than that of many birds.  It may assist the conceptions of our non-mechanical readers to add that the general appearance of the machine is that of a gigantic bird with stationary wings ; that the mechanical principles concerned in its support are strongly exemplified in the case of a kite ; and that its progress is maintained by an application of power like that which propels a steam-boat.  In the operations of nature, particularly in the flight of birds, will be found many striking illustrations of the principles on which the inventor has proceeded. – Whatever may be the immediate issue of the present attempt, we think it is impossible not to award to the inventor the highest credit due to the removal of the great difficulties which have hitherto defeated all similar inventions ; nor do we doubt that, in following out the path he has opened, complete success will eventually be obtained : whether that success will be, as we wish, early and entire, or whether it will be delayed and gradual, depends on the facts as to oblique pneumatic resistance, which have yet to be ascertained.  It is, however, high time to begin to consider in the spirit of careful inquiry and cheerful hope what will be the changes, commercial, social, and political, which the possession of this new-born power will necessarily bring about. – Times.“

The Stamford Mercury, April 7^th, 1843.

Magnetic north was an elusive creature, perhaps because it was, and still is, constantly on the move. In 1828 these men set out to find magnetic north. They only just missed out because three years later it was discovered by another naval man, James Clark Ross.

“Northern Scientific Expedition.–Towards the end of this month (April) Professor Hanstein will set out on his journey to Siberia. He will be accompanied by Lieutenant Due, of the navy ; and at St. Petersburgh they will meet Dr. Erman, from Berlin, who will go with them as naturalist and astronomer. They will proceed from St. Petersburgh to Moscow, Kasan, and Tobolsk, and northwards along the Obi to Beresow, in order to examine the hitherto imperfectly known northernmost branch of the Ural chain, and to observe the temperature of that tract. They will afterwards go from Tobolsk, by way of Tara, Tomsk, Krasnoiarsk, and Nischmei-Udinsk, to Irkoutsk, where they hope to arrive in time to pass the winter. Hence they mean to travel north-east to Jakoutsk, from which the most fatiguing part of the journey will be to Ochotsk, as there are 1014 wersts (676 miles) to go over, in a country entirely uninhabited, in which they must pass perhaps a thousand streams, bivouac in the night, and take provisions for the whole journey. It is calculated that the tour may occupy two years. The grand object of this important expedition is to observe the phenomena of magnetism, and to ascertain, if possible, the situation of the magnetic poles, &c,–Literary Gazette.”

The Stamford Mercury, 9th May, 1828.

From the stomach pump to the fire escape, Mr. John Read’s inventions knew no bounds. He descended from the various floors of the house causing quite a stir. Other similar creative and amusing fire escape designs were around at this time.

“Great interest was excited on Wednesday afternoon the 30th ult. in Regent-street, by the descent of Mr. Read (the patentee of the stomach pump) from a window nearly 60 feet from the ground, by means of a very simple fire-escape of his invention. The apparatus consists merely of a rope twice the length of the height of the place where it is attached. Above the window of the chamber a ring is fastened to the wall inside the room, a bar crosses the ring perpendicularly, and around this the rope is reflected. Some strong web, which forms a sort of seat, is attached to one end of the rope, and the other being thrown out of the window, the persons escaping from a house on fire lower themselves into the street, by allowing the rope to pass gradually through the hands as they descend. In the same manner children or others may be let down by any one of ordinary courage and coolness, for which purpose a bag is appended to the rope, in which they may be securely enveloped. Mr. Read descended from the various floors of the house with great adroitness, highly to the satisfaction of a great crowd assembled by the novel exhibition.”

The Stamford Mercury, 9th May, 1828.

The Leet of the Manor of Stamford, overseen by the Lord of the Manor, was a force to be reckoned with, from medieval times to more recent times, in Stamford, as hundreds of soon-to-be homeless people would discover. Let’s get everything in perspective : what is more important: a) making hundreds of people, admittedly ‘of the humble kind’, homeless, b) losing £2,000 in rental income, or c) losing 50 votes ? It was a hard choice in 1828.

“At the annual assembly of the Leet of the Manor of Stamford last week, Mr. Torkington, the clerk, stated that the notices given to a few of the persons who had trespassed by building on the waste, would be followed up by active operations in case the owners did not promptly take down the erections ; and that it was intended to give similar notices to all the trespassers, by a dozen or two at a time, and to resort to similar active proceedings in every case of contempt, until all the buildings were removed.–This measure will throw some hundreds of persons out of dwellings ; and, although they are chiefly of a humble kind, will, it is calculated, destroy a rental of about 2000l. a year, and about 50 votes for the borough.”

The Stamford Mercury, 9th May, 1828.

Here’s the story of an accidental shooting that may well have been taken from the pages of any United States newspaper. It is noteworthy because the event occurred in nineteenth century London.

“James Parker, a fine young man, aged 17, met his death last week under the following distressing circumstances. The deceased, the nephew of Mr. James Hayes, paid a visit in company with the family of that gentleman to Mr. Barham, in Cold-harbour-lane, Brixton, on Sunday se’nnight. On their arrival they were introduced into a back parlour, where they had been but a short time, when the deceased said “I perceive you have a gun, Mrs. Barham.” His uncle desired him not to touch it, upon which Mrs. Barham observed that her husband did not allow it to be loaded in the house. Mr. Hayes then examined the piece, and finding no powder in the pan, he snapped it twice under the grate, and gave it to the deceased to put away. At that moment Mrs. Barham said “James, give it to me, I know how to let it off,” and taking the gun, she pointed the muzzle towards the deceased, jocularly saying–“Now mind yourself, James :” at that moment the piece went off, when the whole charge struck the deceased between the eyes, and he instantly sunk in his chair a corpse. A verdict of accidentally shot was returned, and the piece condemned as deodand.”

Stamford Mercury, 9th May, 1828.

A human calculator, a savant or just good at arithmetic ? This 10-year-old from the US was undoubtedly a very bright boy indeed.

‘ANOTHER CALCULATING BOY.–A Washington paper gives an account of a boy in that city, named Edward Ord, only ten years of age, who appears to be not only a prodigy in calculation, but in ready wit. A number of gentlemen who visited him for the purpose of proving his talent, asked him, “If I give away one-third, one-fourth, and one-fifth of a bushel#, what shall I have left of two bushels ?” After a few moments’ consideration, he answered correctly, “43-60ths of a bushel.” He was then asked, “If a pair of boots costs six dollars, what will a hat cost ?” He answered readily, “Different prices ;” and immediately proposed a similar question–“If a bushel of coals costs 6 1/2 cents., what will a cord† of wood come to ?”–“I don’t know,” said the gentleman. “It will come to ashes,” said the boy–He was then asked. “If 7-10ths of a yard of kerseymere* cost two dollars 25 cents., what will a yard and a quarter cost ?” and, after a short pause, answered, with his usual precision, “Four dollars, two cents., and 12-28ths of a cent.”‘

Stamford Mercury, 21 November, 1828.

#A US measure of capacity equivalent to 35.2 litres, used for dry goods.

*A fine woollen cloth, with a twill weave.

†128 cubic feet.