Mercuriosities

This poor gorilla was clearly frightened and confused, but he was brave enough to pelt his would-be arresters with potatoes! We wonder if the marvellous Guy (late of London Zoo) would have done the same in that situation?

“According to the Paris letter of the Daily Telegraph a gorilla has been arrested in Paris. The animal appeared to be doing sentry duty in front of one particular house. He strode solemnly backwards and forwards, walking erect, and turning sharply when at the end of his beat. When a attempt was made to secure him he suddently lost his temper, tried to bite the bystanders, then pelted them with potatoes, which he seized from a neighbouring greengrocer’s shop. Two policemen came upon the scene, and inquired in the house for the owner of the gorilla, but no one claimed the animal. The representatives of authority then solemnly marched the anthropod, who walked erect between them like a man, off to the police-station, where they reported that they had found a prisoner causing an obstruction in a public thoroughfare. The constables, impressed by the half-human appearance of the animal had serious doubts whether he ought not to be duly charged with the offence; but the officer, overruling their objections, had the gorilla conveyed to the pound.”

The Stamford Post, 14th March, 1902.

After being requisitioned during the Second World War and having attracted huge death duties, the 7^th Earl Lonsdale sold every fixture and fitting of Lowther Castle and it became an empty shell. However, it has been restored and is now a popular tourist attraction.

“It has been said that Lord Lonsdale can never forget the happy years he and his wife spent in Lowther Castle, the ancestral home in Westmoreland which now stands deserted. Although he now has to live at Stud House, Oakham, with typical Lonsdale spirit he has thought of an original way to be reminded daily of the castle. He has a flower sent for his buttonhole from the Castle gardens every day. Even when he went to Paris recently during the Royal visit he had his flower sent to him daily by aeroplane.”

The Stamford Mercury, 30th September, 1938.

J H Pestalozzi was a swiss educationalist who believed that education should help children develop critical thinking skills, foster empathy and emotional intelligence, and practical, hands-on learning.

“Pestalozzian Preparatory BOARDING and DAY SCHOOL for Young GENTLEMEN, STAMFORD.

THE Misses Heatley, in announcing their removal from Barn Hill for the reception of Pupils, avail themselves of this opportunity to repeat their thanks for the support their friends have given to principles which are silently, though successfully, making way in England; a result long since foretold by their ablest advocate, the late Fr. Mayo. He always said they were so consonant with good sense, so much in harmony with the spirit of the People of England, that they must be adopted, though it might be that the name ofPestalozzi would not be appended to them. The general principle seems universally recognised, that Instruction is not Education; that the Child is to be reated as a moral, intellectual, and physical being; or, to repeat the well-lknown words of Pestalozzi, that education must work on the Heart, the Head, and the Hand. It is not the amount of knowledge (in a Preparatory School) which Children may obtain, – but, what is of far more importance than positive knowledge, and far more pleasing to witness, is the freedom of mind, and intelligent sympathy with the meaning of questions. This system attains the important end of sending Children into the world with well-furnished minds, capable of easy development. In whatever direction occasion may call for further progress, there is good ground-work laid: such as will bear ample testimony to the merits of the system.

🖙 The Autumnal Quarter will commence on the 29th of September. Barn Hill, Stamford, Sept. 15th, 1847.”

The Stamford Mercury, 24th September, 1847.

A fantastic advertising ruse resulted in many sales of this Mummy pea, but sadly, it seems it was just a scam which fooled many vegetable gardeners. Perhaps this pea was in need of a father? Incidentally, the real pea named ‘Mummy’s Pea’, which is still available, has well-filled pods and tastes sweet.

“A few months ago the gardening world were thrown into a state of great excitement by the announcement of the discovery of a new pea, which had been propagated from one found in the wrappers of a mummy, supposed to have been placed therein some 1500 years B. C. This pea was said to have a flower like a geranium, a pod like the letter S, to be extremely productive, and to be the best in quality ever before known. The seed sold in London, and numbers of people in different parts were induced to purchase the seed of the mummy pea. It has been at length tried; the bloom is like that of the geranium; but there is no pod like that of the letter S: it is a slow grower, extremely shy in bearing, has a common field-pea appearance, nothing to boast of in quality, and has been pronounced by all who have been duped into its purchase, as being nothing more or less than a piece of mere humbug!”

The Stamford Mercury, 10th August, 1849.

What would you do if you found a three foot long alligator (- or was it a crocodile ?) near a railway? Run? Assume it was waiting for the next train? This sensible watchman called for help and a rope. But quite how its owner managed to forget about it is bizarre. Let us hope it found a suitable environment in London – perhaps near Regent’s Park? After all, at three feet it must have been quite young – adults tend to be between eight and fifteen feet long.

“On the evening of the 10th Inst., as a watchman was proceeding to his beat, about thirty yards from the platform at the Trent Valley railway-station at Tamworth, he was surprised to discover an alligator, three and a half feet in length, apparently wounded. An alarm was instantly given, and a rope procured, when the monster was fairly captured, and placed in confinement until the following Sunday, when it was forwarded to London. It turned out to be the property of a gentleman who went up by the mail-train on the previous Thursday night, and who did not miss his travelling companion until his arrival in town. It is supposed to have fallen from the railway carriage, and got injured.”

The Birmingham Jour.

The Stamford Mercury, 24th August, 1849.

A bull buffalo is a seriously large beast and very strong; when one escaped in the middle of London, chaos ensued.

“On Tuesday three buffaloes – a grown bull and two calves – one of them about the size of a small donkey, and the other of a sheep, landed at the London docks, were being driven along Holborn to Euston-square terminus, for transit to Birmingham, when, frightened by the strange noise and clamour at the foot of Holborn-hill, the bull darted away, followed by the calves. The animals proceeded at a very rapid rate along Fleet-street and the Strand, to Charing-cross. Here the bull dashed across Trafalgar-square, St. James’ square, along Jermyn-street, up Bond-street, through Grosvenor-square, into Park-lane, and upsetting Captain English and his horse, at that moment coming out of the Park. Having accomplished this, he fell in behind a load of hay being driven up Park-lane. The keepers, who had followed in a chaise-cart, attended by an immense crowd, now came up, and ropes being passed over his horns, he was secured to the tail of the cart. He kicked and plunged furiously, and from his great strength threatened to upset both horse and cart, and broke one of his horns, which bled profusely. He was at length drawn to a neighbouring stable, and depositied there for safety. The bull and calves are very handsome animals, of a greyish slate colour. No serious accident occurred in this long chase, though numbers of persons were excessively frightened.”

The Stamford Mercury, 3rd August, 1849.

. . . And the midlent fair is still going strong, still popular and still using the public thoroughfares, although the original prancing horses have been replaced by modern, exciting and faster rides. But it’s a shame we don’t have the wild beasts and feats of horsemanship nowadays.

This year’s midlent fair will open on Monday, 16th March.

” – this annual pleasure mart, which formerly lasted for a fortnight, commenced on Monday last, and will be continued till the end of the week. The attraction of the shows is not quite equal in extent to that of late years, and consequently the public thoroughfares are not so much incommoded as it was anticipated they would be : there are no exhibitions of wild beasts, nor any booths for the feats of horsemanship, though the drama (besides the ‘legitimate’ at the theatre-royal under the able management of Mr. Cacle) is abundently applied on the customary pruning principles exercised at fairtimes of ‘cut and come again,’ by Messrs Bennett and Lawrence.”

The Stamford Mercury, 7th April, 1848.

A mouse’s nocturnal activities caused a man to imagine a dancing mussel. One wonders if he had taken a little too much of a nightcap! (Apparently, rodents do like shellfish.)

“Singular Capture.

A man named Grant, who lives at Sidlesham, in the western part of Sussex, a few days ago, deposited for a night a large quantity of mussels in an empty room, and went to bed. Early next morning he was awakened by a strange noise in the empty room, which sounded to him as if the mussels had taken to dancing, and were clattering up and down the floor. After listening for some little time, and the noise still continuing, he got up, went into the room, and, to his no little wonderment, found that the noise was caused by a mussel indeed, but that the more active party in it was a mouse, which was scampering about the room with a mussel attached to one of its legs! and which both impeded its locomotive powers and prevented it from returning to its hole. The poor little thing, already half a prisoner, was soon fully captured, and, on the mussel’s being examined, its shell was found to have been partlky nibbled away . The mystery was now cleared up: the mouse had flattered itself with the hope of making a meal off the mussel; but, whilst effecting an entrance, the mussel had closed its shell on one of its assailant’s legs, and held it fest, in spite of all the little creature’s endeavours to shake it off.”

Brighton Herald.

The Stamford Mercury, 3rd August, 1840.

‘Wizard’ Joseph Jacobs toured the world amazing people with his spectacular ‘experiments’. He visited many towns in Lincolnshire in 1847.

“The Great Original WIZARD VENTRILOQUIST, Professor of Modern Philosphy, and Improvisatore.

Mr. Jacobs, from the Strand Theatre, London, respectfully announces his inimitable and popular entertainment at the Assembly Rooms, Stamford, on Monday the 20th; at the Assembly Rooms, Grantham, on Tuesday the 21st; at the Theatre, Sleaford, on Wednesday the 22d; and at the Assembly Rooms, Boston, on Thursday the 23rd.

Since his last appearance in Lincolnshire, he has visited many of the principal Cities on the continent, and has now to introduce such a variety of ‘new experiments’ that will eclipse all his former efforts, and throw completely into the shade all other Wizards, whether from the East, West, North, or South. His philosophical and Scientific Illusions have gained for him the title of Modern Faustus. No conception can be formed of the effects produced, unless seen. Mr. Jacobs rests his claims to popularity on the ground of combining the intellectual with the amusing – not only are the eyes deceived but the senses are gratified: he has studied the sciences of ‘Chemistry,’ ‘Electricity,’ ‘Galvanism,’ ‘Mechanism,’ and ‘Hydraulics.’ The result of which is that he stands unrivalled – his Apparatus is splendid, and produces the appearance of Arabian Romance – forming a complete Temple of Enchantment. His ‘Ventriloquism’ is also highly amusing, and his ‘Extemporaneous Songs’ on Proposed Subjects by the Audience, after the style of the Italian Improvisatore, as pleasing as they are novel. The whole forms a treat rarely to be met with.

Doors open at Half past Seven, and commence at Eight o’clock precisely. – Children under 12 years of age, Half price. – Front Seats, 2s.; Back Seats, 1s.

N.B. The Wizard will perform also at Spilsby, on Tuesday, December 28th; at Alford, on Wednesday the 29th; At Louth, on Thursday the 30th, and Friday the 31st; and at Horncastle, on Monday, January 3d.”

The Stamford Mercury, 17th December, 1847.

An exciting account of a motor race at Donington (near Derby). The E. R. A. team were doing well until various parts failed.

“NARROW ESCAPE FOR RAYMOND MAYS

E. R. A. ‘s UNLUCKY AT DONNINGTON

Bad luck dogged the E. R. A.* works team in the Empire Trophy Race at Donington Park on Saturday and Raymond Mays, the Bourne Driver, had a narrow escape which his brakes failed at 140 m. p. h.

In their first race of the season, the works E. R. A. cars, two of 1500 c.c., were driven by Mays and Earl Howe, the former winning the trophy last year.

From the spectacular massed start, Mays was soon in the first three, and after going on the grass at the hairpin bend took the lead in the third lap. This he gradually increased, and in the seventh lap Earl Howe passed ‘B. Bira,’ the Siamese Prince, to take second place.

Thus the two E. R. A.’s led on handicap although they were three laps behind the Austins, who were credited with seven laps out of the 64, against the E. R. A.’s three.

Earl Howe had to retire in the 18th lap with valve trouble, but Mays looked as if he had the race in his pocket and was rapidly overhauling the small cars. With the race nearly half over, however, and when he was travelling at 140 m.p.h. down the straight towards the hairpin bend at Melbourne corner, his brakes failed.

‘NEARLY PULLED BACK AXLE OUT’

‘ The pedal went limply to the floorboards,’ said Mays in an interview. ‘The only thing I could do was to change down to first gear. It nearly pulled the back axle out, and the car ran on the grass, nearly turned over and stopped only a few inches from the densely-packed crowd by the fences.

The crown at the grandstand, including quite a number of people from Bourne, saw Mays roll up at the pits, where he made a lengthy stop, during which his brakes were adjusted. He had to retire soon afterwards, however, as the brakes still refused to function.

Much of the interest went out of the race when Mays retired, and Charlie Dobson, in the 700 c.c. Austin, crossed the finishing line nearly a lap ahead of Bira, driving one of last year’s E. R. A. team cars. Billy Cotton, the dance band leader, in another E. R. A., was third.

It is understood that Raymond Mays was testing out a new braking system which it is proposed to employ on the new 2 1/2-litre cars now in course of production at Bourne.”

The Stamford Mercury, 15th April, 1938.

*English Racing Automobiles – Mays’ business at Bourne.