Mercuriosities

Fear of the resurrection men and of being accidentally buried alive were two considerations very much at the forefront of a rich, old gentleman’s mind when it came to making his will.

“The will of an eccentric old gentleman, Wm. Hunt, Esq., who died lately in London, was proved on the 24th of September, and the property sworn to be under 250,000l.  The testator expresses great anxiety not to be buried alive, and also to escape the resurrection men.  An advertisement, cut out of a newspaper, of patent self-closing and unopenable iron coffins, is gummed on the top of the first sheet of his will, and he directs that he shall be buried in an iron or stone coffin, but not until undoubted signs of putrefaction appear upon his body.  Other characteristic marks of peculiarity of opinion are scattered through the will.  One legacy to a friend is afterwards revoked on account of the said friend’s “extreme bigotry and ignorance, in burning the Philosophical Dictionary of Voltaire, because he could not refute it.”  The principal feature of the will, however, is the magnificent bequest to Guy’s Hospital, being the residue of the testator’s property, after a few legacies to executors and friends, and other charities, and estimated at upwards of 200,000l.  For this he binds the governors to build and fit up accommodation for one hundred more patients than the original founder provided for.  To St. Thomas’s Hospital, the Refuge for the Destitute at Hackney, and the Philanthropic Charity, St. George’s Fields, he has left 1000l. each ; with other contingent benefits in the very improbable case of the governors of Guy’s declining to comply with the conditions of his bequest to that hospital.  The vault at Guy’s Hospital he selects as the place of sepulture, in lieu of Bunhill-fields, on the ground that his late brother, Theodore Hunt, who had used him ill, lies there above their two uncles, and he is determined “not to mix his bones” with those of the person alluded to.”

Stamford Mercury, 2nd October 1829

Shawnawdithit (or Shanawdithit) was supposed to be the last of the Beothuk or red indians of Newfoundland.  She died in her late 20s of tuberculosis in 1829.

“Died, at St. John’s, Newfoundland, on the 6th of June last, in the 29th year of her age, Shawnawdithit, supposed to be the last of the Red Indians or Boeothicks.  This interesting female lived six years a captive among the English, and when taken notice of latterly, exhibited extraordinary strong natural talents.  She was niece to Mary March’s husband, a chief of the tribe, who was accidentally killed in 1819, at the Red Indians’ Lake, in the interior, while endeavouring to rescue his wife from the party of English who took her, the view being to open a friendly intercourse with his tribe.  This tribe, the aborigines of Newfoundland, presents an anomaly in the history of man.  Excepting a few families of them soon after the discovery of America, they never held intercourse with the Europeans by whom they have been ever since surrounded, nor with the other tribes of Indians since the introduction of fire-arms among them.”

Stamford Mercury, 18th September 1829

From time to time, the customs of other nations find their way into the paper; this article describes a possible dialogue, by way of salutation in Russia, when it must have been very cold.

“In Russia it is by no means an uncommon circumstance to hear two people accost each other in the following dialogue, by way of salutation : ‘I beg leave to acquaint you that your nose is freezing’ — to which the other probably answers, ‘I was just going to observe to you that your’s is already frozen.’  On such occasions both the sufferers stop, and reciprocally perform on each other the operation of rubbing the afflicted part with a piece of stuff, or sometimes with a handful of snow, in order to restore the circulation of the blood.  After this service mutually rendered, the parties separate with the usual ceremonial of bows and salutations. —Lit. Gaz.”

Stamford Mercury, 18 September 1829.

When a new colony was established at Swan River, New Holland in June 1829, it was envisaged from the outset as a free settlement.  Unfortunately, an earlier convict settlement was located nearby.  The free settlers of Swan River objected to their presence, so all the convicts were withdrawn in March 1831.  ‘New Holland’ continued in popular use as the name for the whole continent of Australia until the mid-1850s.

“For the NEW SETTLEMENT on SWAN RIVER, NEW HOLLAND, To sail on the 1st of August, in lieu of the Emma, THE fine A.l. Snow TRANBY, about 500 Tons burthen, —- Commander, now lying in the Old Dock.  She will be newly coppered, and fitted up in a superior manner with a capacious round-house, &c. for the accommodation of passengers, many of whom are engaged ; she has capital heights, being 6 feet 10 inches between decks, and will carry an experienced Surgeon.

Immediate application is desired ; and the terms of passage, &c., also important information relative to the colony, may be had by applying (if by letter, post paid) to

GEORGE LOCKING, 12 High-street, or JAMES and ROBERT WAKE, 26, High-street, Hull, June 10th 1829.”

Stamford Mercury, 24th July 1829.

Some more from the occasional series of beauty tips, all of which are quite innocuous compared with the previous tips.  Tincture of myrrh is still in use today.

“TINCTURE OF MYRRH makes a delightful mouth wash, and has a beneficial effect in tightening up the gums if the teeth become loose through age or ill-health.

UPPER ARMS which are disfigured with unsightly ‘gooseflesh’ may be restored to beauty by bandaging with pads soaked in warm almond oil after scrubbing with hot water and a loofah.  Repeat nightly until an improvement is effected.

VINEGAR is often useful to remove stains from the nails.  A tablespoon added to the last rinsing water after a shampoo makes the hair soft and glossy.

WHITE OF EGG is a useful expedient for removing ‘that tired look’, for it tightens up wrinkles and ‘crow’s feet’.  Paint it lightly over the face with a pad of cotton wool, and allow it to dry.  After about 15 minutes remove it with luke-warm water and rinse with cold water.

YELLOW patches often appear around the mouth if the liver is out of order.  The juice of a lemon in a glass of hot water every morning instead of that early morning cup of tea will soon restore the complexion to its natural pink and white beauty.”

Stamford Mercury, 26th February, 1932.

 

Conception outside the norm occurred in Harlaxton, when a mare, on dying, was found to be carrying the fabled offspring of a bull.  On further investigation three calves and one foal were found inside her.  Quite a feat for one poor mare.

“PRETERNATURAL CONCEPTION.- A mare of the cart kind belonging to the Rev. Thomas Plaskitt, of Harlaxton Lodge, near Grantham, died on Wednesday the 18th, and, on being opened, was found to contain a colt foal, and one bull and two cow calves !- The truth of this can be certified by several persons of the first respectability.  The foal and calves were taken from the mare by Mr. Rd. Millhouse, of Barrowby, and are now preserved in spirits at Mr. Turner’s, druggist, Grantham.- The foal was within two months of its time of birth.  The mare had been accustomed to work regularly with a bull, and lie in the straw-yard with him.”

Stamford Mercury, 27th January 1815

Humour was rarely in evidence at the assizes, however almost 200 years ago, after receiving the sentence of 14 years’ transportation, the recipient, a very old man undaunted by the sentence passed upon him, chose to introduce a note of levity into the proceedings.  The  Proceedings of the Old Bailey website, provides further information on the variety of punishments imposed at London’s Central Criminal Court.

“At the conclusion of the Lancashire assizes, Baron Richards passed sentence of death on no less than forty four prisoners.

At the above assizes, a very old man, an Irishman, was found guilty of an offence for which he was sentenced to 14 years’ transportation.  On receiving sentence, he bowed profoundly to the Court, and thanked his Lordship, for, ‘Indeed, (said he) I did not think I had so long to live, till your Lordship told me.'”

Stamford Mercury, 16th April 1819

Modesty was an important quality for women seeking a husband.  In the nineteenth century it was much more difficult to find a husband than it is today with the proliferation of dating sites, as this article shows.

“MODESTY.- A lady who advertised for a husband in a provincial newspaper, has withdrawn her advertisement, stating, that she was not aware of the indelicacy of the proceeding at the time ; but, however, she modestly says, ‘If any gentleman should be inclined to advertise for a wife, she will answer the advertisement without delay.'”

Stamford Mercury, 10th October 1819.

 

 

This text about the fate of a wife travelled a long way to reach Stamford.  It was picked up by a German newspaper from an original Swedish story.

“THE USE OF A DEAD WIFE.- A German Journal contains the following paragraph :- ‘The wife of a labouring man in the neighbourhood of Stockholm died some time ago, and the husband made the necessary preparations for her interment.  He, however, deposited a block in her coffin, instead of the corpse, which he conveyed, during the night, into a forest, that it might serve as a bait for wild beasts.  By this horrible expedient he succeeded in catching a wolf and two foxes.  On the circumstance being made known, the  man was arrested and carried before a Court of Justice; but far from being intimidated, he claimed the reward offered for destroying mischievous animals.'”

Stamford Mercury, 21st May 1819

Alexander Cumming patented his design for a water-closet in 1775.  However, it was found that the water could freeze in cold weather.  Joseph Bramah, an installer of these flush toilets, improved the design.  It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that they became widely used.  Here is an early advertisement.

“PRICE FIVE GUINEAS.

New Invented Water-Closet.

THO. SCOTT, Plumber, ENGINE and WATER-CLOSET maker, MARKET-HARBORO’, Leicestershire,

Begs leave to inform the Nobility, Gentry, and the Public in general, that he makes and sells WATER-CLOSETS, upon a very simple Construction, which act without Valve, Plug, Slide, or Cock, and hold a certain Quantity of Water in the Basons; warranted to keep sweet and clean; not liable to be frozen, or out of order from Paper, which is so common in Water-closets.

N.B. Very good Allowance to Plumbers, Surveyors, Builders, &c. – All Letters duly answered.”

Stamford Mercury, 8th August, 1800.