Mercuriosities

Would the war impact the availability of spruce trees? Such fears were allayed by this small article. Note that ‘buying early for Christmas’ in 1940 meant mid December – not early November as it seems to today!

‘Here’s good news for the children. There will be ample supplies of Christmas trees available this year. As a matter of fact, substantial consignments have been in the hands of the retailers for some days. A wholesale fruiterer and florist told me at the week-end that the trees, which in pre-war days were largely imported from Germany will be quite as plentiful as they were last Christmas. Prices, too, should be fairly reasonable.

“It’s a fact,” he added, “that people will spend money at Christmas, particularly where there are children. So far as Christmas trees are concerned, transport will not prove much of a problem, but intending purchasers should buy them as soon as they can.

“Shop early for Christmas applies as much to Christmas trees as to anything else this year.”‘

The Stamford Mercury, 13th December, 1940.

An exhortation to people shopping and preparing for Christmas to consider employing others during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

“A fortnight tomorrow will be Christmas-eve.

It is always difficult to keep pace with the silent march of time, and it becomes necessary to ask ourselves whether we are preparing for the inevitable Christmas rush.

In particular, let every householder and every potential employer who may be able to give out any sort of odd job think about it now. Let institutions and authorities who can organise these highly desirable attempts to make Christmas happier ask themselves what is being done and what degree of energy they are contributing to the special effort.

It is quite possible to bring a measure of brightness into many homes by a combined movement to give our temporary work which benefits also the persons for whom it is performed. A Christmas dinner earned will be doubly satisfying.

But the days are slipping by. Now is the time to make preparations.

There is a special interest this year in providing extra jobs. This is a particular appeal.

We may also help our neighbours by getting ahead with the Christmas shopping.

If we begin this week, we shall be encouraging the retailers and the wholesalers to realise that there is a brisk seasonal sale for goods and a reasonb for putting on extra hands. This means additional employment.

It is necessary to create the Christmas Shopping atmosphere as early as possible.

Crowding out the shops two or three days before the 25th does not help employment. It is too late then. Customers simply jostle each other and shop assistants get very little chance of exercising the art of real salesmanship.

Begin shopping today.

Don’t say “Christmas is coming.”

Try to think that Christmas is practically here!”

The Stamford Mercury, 9th December, 1932.

Two small paragraphs here published, but a whole wealth of history lies behind them! The Irish labourers who caused the run on sickles had come over to find work and send money back to their families in Ireland. They were suffering the terrible famine, caused by potato blight. The field fires were created by that exciting new mode of transport – the railway.

So unexpectedly great was the influx of Irish labourers at Stamford on Monday, that the stock of sickles was exhausted in all the ironmongers’ shops, and actually an implement of that sort could not be bought in the town. Next day a large fresh supply was received.

Fields or corn were set fire to at Uffington and Helpstone yesterday by railway trains running between Stamford and Peterboro’. Fortunately the damage was not great, as the fires were soon discovered.

The Stamford Mercury, 6th August, 1847

“Pepper and Salt” was a regular feature of “Gossip Grave & Gay”- a column which appeared in The Stamford Mercury during the 1930s and 40s. It was compiled by ‘Tatler’, the pseudonym of John Clare Billing, a local organist and composer.

‘ “Cold weather,” says a physician, “does the body good if you take it with the right spirit.” That’s rum.

Complaint is made of the shortage of coppers. Maybe it is due to so many beeing called up for service in the Forces.

A woman writer says that a doctor is entitled to respect. Yet lots of people put out their tongues at him.

The Minister of Agricultrue has informed farmers that he will report progress from time to time. A cereal story.

A report on a fire at the offices of a county authority states that “All Acts of Parliament were destroyed.” Unfortunately, copies have been kept.

“Just now,” said a civic transport manager the other day, “all out men are putting their shoulders to the wheel.” Not all, surely? Were not some throwing sand under it?

People in a large Midland town were said one day this week to be getting out of hand over being able to buy only a bit of meat. By this time they have taken the bit between their teeth.’

The Stamford Mercury, 9th February, 1940.

In a letter complaining about Stamford clocks and time keeping, a grazier (not Mr. A. Grazier!) points the finger at political influence. He is probably referring to the 2nd Marquis of Exeter. He was to become a controversial figure in the town later on, by interfering in the route of the railway through Stamford and charging tolls to cross the new town bridge.

Mr. Editor, – Attending the fair here to-day (Wednesday), it would have been useful to me to know how time got on, and I tried at all the public clocks which I had occasion to pass to make this important discovery: judge of my surprise when I found that St. Mary’s had stopped for three weeks, – that St. Michael’s clock, according to the dial, was an hour too slow, – that the Bedehouse clock (like St Mary’s) had stopped, – and that All Saints’ clock was, at it long had been, quite unintelligible from want of a fresh painting of the face. – These, I presume, be the signs of the Tory influence in your borough: some folk think there is nothing like keeping people in ignorance, – and that the only information given should be with the view of enabling the rich and arrogant to intimidate the poor and independent. – Things are managed better at Deeping, as I found after quitting Stamford for that place: a desire is there shown to afford conveniences to the public, and it may always be seen what time of day it is. The sages of Stamford who drove away the fairs, seem to be keeping up their title for wisdom.

Nov 9, 1836 A GRAZIER.

The Stamford Mercury, 11th November, 1836.

The “Black-out” was imposed on 1st September, 1939, but by February the following year, people were still not complying with it properly. This warning from the Mercury explains what people could do to avoid prosecution.

‘The “Black-out” is to be strictly enforced from now on and it is authoritatively stated that warnings will not be given in the future.

Housekeepers, motorists, shopkeepers and torch-flashers will be well advised to see that they comply with the law, otherwise there is bound to be a crop of prosecutions – a state of affairs which is not desired.

It should be borne in mind that a proper “black-out” for a private dwelling-house means that from the outside there should be no evidence whatever of the existence of windows when the lights are on inside. In a good many cases ill-fitting curtains or screens, or the use of material which is not a hundred per cent. light proof, are causes of complaint, and in this direction stricter enforcement of the regulations is imminent. Cracks at the side of windows, slits in curtains and other defects will have to be remedied.

There are still some motorists who have not fitted the regulation mask to their vehicles. This equipment is compulsory, and it is no longer legal to drive with the cut-out paper mask.

Chief complaint, however, is with regard to the indiscriminate use of improperly-shielded flash-lamps. Recent inspection from the air has disclosed the danger of this form of illuminant. Flash-lamps must be held so that the beam shines only on the ground and they must be screened with two sheets of paper.

All these points should be carefully watched, for by co-operation with the authorities the civilian population can contribute their quota to safe-guarding their own and other people’s lives in the case of air attack.’

The Stamford Mercury, 9th February, 1940.

The phrase ‘a nation of shopkeepers’ is commonly attributed to Napoleon about the English, but did he ever use it? Or perhaps it was Adam Smith in his magnum opus ‘The Wealth of Nations’? And is the phrase derogatory or complimentary? Whatever the case, shopkeepers in 19th century London had their ‘absurd extravagance’ regarding the size and quality of their windows regulated by the Chief Justice of the King’s Bench.

“The Corsican’s reproach, that we are “a nation of shopkeepers,” has a new illustration in the window of a fancy dealer’s shop in the Quadrant, Regent-street, Piccadilly. The window is one entire pane of thick glass, measuring eight feet by six. The value of it is said to be 200l. Should a person in passing accidentally break it, the law (according to a recent decision) will not oblige him to pay more that 3s. 6d. to the owner, the Chief Justice of the King’s Bench having declared that shopkeepers may not increase the common perils of society by absurd extravagance in the size and quality of their windows and shop decorations.”

Stamford Mercury, 25th May, 1827.

For those who like a puzzle, here’s a very old one, not just a puzzle but an acrostic rebus. Two weeks later the answer to this puzzle appeared in the paper, please see below. Did the lady appreciate it though?

“For the LINCOLN, RUTLAND, and STAMFORD MERCURY.

ACROSTIC REBUS,

On Miss ——–.

A Creature fierce whom Hercules did tame,

A goddess who for gard’ning is in fame;

A city where an ivory statue stood;

What queen Semiramis to build thought good;

The first idolator —a monarch he;

Join these initials and the name you’ll see

Of an ingenious, lovely, charming fair,

Who’s lately caught my heart in Cupid’s snare.

Stamford. LEANDER.”

Stamford Mercury, 2nd February, 1789

“For the LINCOLN, RUTLAND, and STAMFORD MERCURY.

Answer to the Rebus in our paper of January 2.

NO sooner I the th’initals [sic] had set down,

Directly then appear’d the name of BROWN.”

Stamford Mercury, 16th February, 1789

An eclipse of the Sun was the subject of this very detailed report, outlining times, positions and duration of the event. It seems to predict an eclispe on Wednesday 20th December, 1826, but this has not been confirmed.

‘FOR THE MERCURY

It is three years since there was an eclipse of the Sun visible in England. One of these phenomena will happen on Wednesday the 20th inst., and will be visible to us. The eclipse will first touch the earth at the time of the sun’s rising in latitude 50 ͦ 50′ N., longitude 28 ͦ 52′ W., at 45 m. past 9 in the morning, Greenwich time. The middle will happen while the sun is in the horizon, latitude 68 ͦ 16′ N., longitude 8 ͦ 45′ East.: and at 1h. 8m. P.M., in latitude 46 ͦ N., longitude 48 ͦ 58′ E., it will quit the earth, at the time of the setting sun to traverse the boundless regions of space. This eclipse will not be central or total to any part of our globe, on account of the moon’s great north latitude (1 ͦ 2′ 34″); hence the nearest approach of the central track to the surface of the earth will be 792 miles, and which will be at 25m. past 11 in the morning. At Greenwich the eclipse will commence at 10h. 6m. A.M., the middle will be at 11h. 9m., the visible conjunction at 11h. 11m., and the end at 13m. P.M; duration 2h. 7m., and the digits obscured at the middle 6 ͦ 30′ on the sun’s northern limb, and which will incline 35 ͦ to the east of the vertical point of the solar circumference. – It will be almost six years before there will be another solar deliquium visible in this country.1

The Stamford Mercury, 24th November, 1826.

Corsets were a necessity for previous generations of women. No respectable woman would venture outside without squeezing herself into the fashionable shape of the moment.

“Fashion Decrees that 1915 Costumes shall define the lines and assert the pose of the NATURAL FIGURE. The lines of Bust must be long and sloping, the front effect slightly incurved, and for the Hips absolute freedom.

NEVER WAS CORRECT * CORSETING * MORE NECESSARY.

Ladies relieve themselves and their costumiers of ALL RESPONSIBILITY by wearing CORSETS “La Cybele” (PARIS MODELS) which give the right poise to every figure and add a distinctive charm not to be secured by other means.

Prices from 4/11 to 3 gns.

Illustrated Book, “The Corset Beautiful,” or special portfolio of SELECT CORSET DRAWINGS free from

G. H. TURNER & CO. 3 HIGH STREET, STAMFORD.”

Stamford and District News, 7 April, 1915.

A few months later corset fashions had changed a little and the following advertisement appeared.

Special Display in Corsets

• SEE OUR WINDOWS
• J.B. Corsets 2/11 ¹⁄₂.
• From 1/11 ¹⁄₂ to 8/11.
• Meys Corsets2/11 ¹⁄₂.
• From 1/11 ¹⁄₂ to 8/11.
• G. H. TURNER & CO.,
• 3 HIGH STREET, STAMFORD.

Stamford and Rutland News, 25th August, 1915.

In earlier times whalebone was used as an added stiffener. Luckily, we can only imagine how uncomfortable these items of clothing were.

• “NEW PATENT, CORSET, THE DUCHESS.
• DIAGONAL WHALEBONE FRONT.
• PATENT TAPER BUSK.
• AFFORDS PERMANENT SUPPORT.
• REDUCES AND IMPROVES THE FIGURE.
• Secures a graceful and fashionable appearance.
• SOLD BY CHARLES CHARGE,
• 8 HIGH-STREET,
• STAMFORD.”

Stamford and Rutland Guardian, 27 December, 1878.