SPLASH TUMBLER PIGEONS, EXETER, 1844.

"At the Guildhall yesterday, George Brannen, 17 years of age, and presenting an appearance of great emaciation, was committed for trial at the Exeter Michaelmas Sessions, for stealing two splash tumbler-pigeons from the dwelling of Charles Wills in Quay Lane.

"The prisoner had been shown the pigeons in an excess of innocent vanity, and must have watched him afterwards, as ingress had been obtained to the pigeons by unlocking the house-door with a key. which had been secreted by the prosecutor about the window when he went out.

"The prisoner sold the pigeons to Mr. Ford  (Jennings and Ford) of this city for 2s.6d. The prisoner said he had been induced to steal the pigeons from hunger, having had nothing to eat for four days, and that his father, who resided in Magdalen-street, had turned him out of door necessitous, and he was not allowed to return.  He had been formerly apprenticed to a tailor, form whose service he had run away."

Here is more evidence, if it were needed, of poverty in mid-Victorian Exeter.  A poor teenager, the emaciated, necessitous runaway-apprentice, George Brannen, had been in Quay Lane.  He had not eaten for days.  He was probably thinking only of food.  His father had kicked him out from the family home.  Charles Wills invited him in to admire his splash tumbler-pigeons. Young George stole them and sold them to Mr. Ford for half-a-crown.  He must have known that Mr. Ford was something of a pigeon fancier.  Now he was facing, at the least, a prison sentence.    

Jennings and Ford  was an estabished firm of carriers in South-street, Exeter.

Splash is still in use to describe a form of colouring in tumbler pigeons.  As far as I can make out they can be either splash or grizzle but not necessarily exclusively. 

For once a Gazette reporter, here in the second paragraph, is having trouble with his style.  These days,  O tempora O mores!, newspaper journalists abuse the English language as a matter of course.

Source:  The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette,  5th October, 1844.

 

THEM POACHIN CHAPS, AXMINSTER, 1844.

 "I wish ked stap them poachin chaps, they've bin out gen ta night:

With theck ther nit that they've a got, an they've catch'd sich a zight.

Why dont 'em tek a rod and line an try ta git a dish,

But not ta g'out wi nits an traps an distroy all tha vish.

"We've tried ta stap et times enough, bit all that ther's na good:

If constabels did g'oot by night, wy than ya noo they cood.

Bit ther' I don't think voks da kear if they da git a dish,

How they w's cotch'd er wot becoms ov al the tother vish.

 

"Th' ginlmin wot coms bout here, ta vish in our river,

Da mek complaints all bout th' town, that they can't ketch noan niver.

No moore I don't spose that they can, wheniver they mid g'out;

The reysn's clare ver they ther' chaps da burk maust all the trout

"An all th' vish them chaps da git they zulls 'em by the poun,

An what they cant they drows away, zoonder than they'd be vound.

But now I think tis maust a time ta zee ta that ther's work,

Er els' wi all the vish bout here, they'l  play the vurry turk"

'Clericus'  was, one might guess, an Anglican clergyman ministering in Axminster.  According to The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette he was the author of a work entitled Rural Sketches in the Dialect of.East Devon   Of him and his book(?) I can not yet find any further trace.  The newspaper published the above sample of his dialect verses under the title Lines to Mr. Piscator in its poetry-corner on  28th September, 1844.

It's pretty crude writing (not very consistent) and how reliable an idea it gives as to how East Devonian countryfolk spoke in the middle of the nineteenth century is hard to say but 'Clericus' was clearly making an effort.

It would have been the salmon that the poachers were principally after but it's easier to find a rhyme for trout.

It's interesting that the word burk turns up, here perhaps meaning quietly to put out of existence .  It had only entered the language fifteen years before when William Burke was executed in Edinburgh.  He had made a business of suffocating people and then selling their bodies for dissection by surgeons.

I remember there was still much mutual ill-feeling with the licenced net fishermen and the line fishermen of the Exe in the nineteen-seventies.  

The Axe fishing would appear to have been an attraction to piscatorial ginlmin.  I don't believe they ketched noan niver.

A LOT OF FINE FAT SHEEP, EXETER, 1844.

The Exeter Flying Post  of Thursday 19th September, 1844 reported to its readers the following life-affirming story:

"On Friday last, as Messrs. Darke, butchers of this city, were driving to their slaughter-house a lot of fine, fat sheep which had been purchased in the market that day, when near the Island Bridge, from the passing of some Omnibusses, &c., the animals were frightened, and one of them sprung on the parapet wall, jumping at once off into the Exe Island below.

"Singularly though, the animal escaped the least injury, which from the height might have been expected.  Several of the others jumped on the parapet also, but turned back again."

*

I blog this not so much for the sake of the daredevil leaping sheep as for the sake of the omnibuses. The quaint plural form and the capitalization reflect the extent to which  'Omnibusses' were still a novelty in 1844.  The very first omnibuses apparently were to be found in the city of Nantes as late as 1826.  Hence the concept and the Latin part of the name, voiture omnibus, are importations from the French. 

The meeting of sheep and horse-drawn omnibuses on the Island Bridge is a neat instance of the old world meeting the new in Exeter.  It would seem that there were still  troops of domestic animals being driven about the streets. Darke's slaughter-house, I think, was in Smythen Street.  Generally the omnibuses, as newcomers, were taking the blame for congestion and dangerous driving but they were to prevail.

Sprung as the past tense of spring, like rung as the past tense of ring, was deemed correct by The Flying News.  It sounds very Jane Austen!

I'm very pleased the bold sheep was not damaged by her momentous leap from the bridge, - just a pity she was on her way to Messrs. Darke's slaughter-house! 

THE FURY OF BACK, WOODBURY, 1844.

 "On Wednesday, Perram, a sheriff's officer residing on St. David's Hill in this city, went with his father to the house of Richard Back, labourer, at Woodbury, to distrain.

"Having taken possession in the absence of Back, they proceeded to take an inventory of the goods, when Buck hastily entered, and uttering a vindictive expression of recognition, snatched the poker from the hearth and belaboured Perram so unexpectedly as to render both his arms powerless, and then struck him on the head with such violence as to produce an effusion of blood from the ear, and render him insensible.

"The fury of Back then vented itself on Perram's father, whom he knocked down by a blow on the nose, which cut it open.

"The sister-in-law of Back, who lived in a contiguous house, tendered some assistance to Perram, who lay, apparently dying, in the doorway, for which her brutal relative kicked her so severely as to fracture a portion of her ribs."

For these outrages Back has been summoned to appear at the Castle of Exeter on Friday, when the case will be investigated."

The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette  (14th September, 1844.) clearly does not let the fact that there is a case yet to come to court restrict its telling of this story.   The vindictiveness of Richard Back's expression, his violence,  fury and  brutality, are literally prejudicial assessments although they are probably true enough.  I don't, however, believe Perram was dying, not even apparently.  

The life of a sheriff's officer was never easy and leaving the civilized world of St. David's, Exeter, in order to visit wild Woodbury clearly held dangers for one and for one's 73 year old parent.  Indeed, old Mr. Perriam   (The name is Perriam not Perram.) died only a fornight later. He died of natural causes said the coroner although violence such as the deceased was said to have been subjected to might have accelerated it. The Gazette, 29th September.)

Sisters-in-law are always spoiling one's fun. 

  

A JOHNNY RAW, EXETER, 1844.

"Elizabeth New, a lady of the pave, was brought up in charge by Perriam, of the night police, having been taken into custody about a quarter before 1 o'clock that morning in West-street, under the following circumstances as detailed by a young man named George Farrant of Budleigh Salterton, carpenter and joiner, - a sort of johnny raw, - now residing in Preston-street, in this city.

"He had been spending the evening at his brother-in-laws's on Quay Hill, where there had been a bit of a jollification and good supper, and of course the party got a little swipy.  At the hour mentioned however, he was on his return to his lodgings, when he encountered in West-street Elizabeth New with several other damsels.

"New ran to him, caught him round the waist, using much endearment, and saying "this is the man for me."  Poor Farrant, in his innocence, was astonished, he had never been so tenderly treated before, but still he was perfectly horrified that any woman should thus act, and piteously entreated that she should let him go.  Thus gently and piously urged she yielded to his earnest request, but, he was no sooner liberated from her powerful grasp, than he discovered his watch was gone.  he then at  the top of his voice sung out "watch" and, as before stated, Perriam came to his assistance.

"The watch was gone sure enough, the silk guard, round his neck to which it had been suspended having been dexterouly severed with a knife; an implement such as was found on the prisoner after she was brought to the Hall.  New, however, protested her innocence - (having meanwhile urged her companions to "cut.")   - nor was any watch found in her possession.

"Farrant, on the question being put from the Bench, said he could not say the prisoner had taken his watch.  And this not being deemed sufficient ground for her further detention, New was cautioned and directed to be liberated, and the case was dismissed.

The Flying Post's court-reporter, as so often, invents as much as he reports.  The naivety of  George Farrant,  the strength of Elizabeth New's arms, the (not proven) dexterous severing of the silk guard,  the crying of "watch" (a horrible pun!?) &c. cannot be more than assumption; still, it makes the story more entertaining.

There must be more slang terms to describe an excess of alcohol than anything else.  I had not met swipy/swipey before but I learn that Dickens uses it and it derives from swipes, another slang term,  once used  to mean thin, tasteless, washy beer and, according to my wonderful Lloyd's Encyclopaedic Dictionary, 1895, cognate to a Danish word: svip.  (there's many a svip twixt cup and lip!!)

There was a constable to hand!!!

I'm irrationally pleased that Elizabeth New was not sent to prison or worse.  Even if, as seems likely, she did steal George's watch, she sounds a jolly sort of young woman,  the kind one finds with her damsel mates roaming Exeter these days at a quarter to one any morning of the week. 

Source: The Exeter Flying Post, 29th August 1844.

THE SECRETARY ON HORSEBACK, EXETER, 1844.

 "TEMPERANCE PROCESSION. 

"The Members of the Temperance Society and the Independent order of Rechabites, a friendly society entirely composed of teetotallers, walked from Exeter the field near the Station, which is alluded to in another place, in procession. In addition to the Members residing at Exeter, there were several visitors from Teignmouth, Taunton, Bridgwater and Tiverton, came to Exeter for the double purpose of taking a holiday for the Railway Festival, and making a temperance demonstration. We may just remark here that Mr. Knott chemist, of Exeter, who is firm advocate of temperance, sent as a present to the members at their place of rendezvous, several dozen bottles of soda water and lemonade." 

"PROCESSION :  Was marshalled on Northernhay at half-past nine, and proceeded through St. Sidwells to the Black-boy turnpike, back again, and through High-street, Fore-street, Bridge-street, Bartholomew-street and Yard, North-street, and St. David's Hill to the Station. An idea may formed of extent of the procession, when we say that it reached from Pratt's London Inn to the top of Summerland-street St. Sidwell's. It was marshalled as follows. 

"The Secretary on horseback. 

"THE MAGNET COACH, Drawn by four horses, decorated with evergreens, and ornamented with Banners having the inscriptions, Temperance promotes education," "Touch not —taste not —handle not," Come with us and we will do you good." 

"BAND OF MUStC. Members of Temperance Society two and two, wearing their sashes and medals. 

"A FLAG, Bearing the inscription God save the Queen." 

"Members two and two. 

"The Banner of the Exeter Total Abstinence Society, having the arms of the Society richly emblazoned. 

"Members two and two. 

"The Banner of the Exmouth Total Abstinence Society. 

"Members two and two. Two white and pink flags. Members two and two. 

"The Taunton Total Abstinence Society's Banner of crimson silk, having the arms of the Society beautifully painted upon it by Mr. Havill, of Taunton. 

"Members two and two. 

"A banner, emblazoned with a large regal crown, and a dove descending towards it. 

"Members two and two. 

"Banner, with motto, "Faithful unto Death." 

"Members two and two. 

"Banner, motto, Religion our support."

"Members two and two. 

"A large white Banner, bearing the motto, "Temperance in youth prevents poverty in old age." 

"Members two and two. 

"Banner, motto, " No drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of Heaven." 

"Members two and two. 

"Banner, Total Abstinence is beneficial to all; hurtful to none." 

"Members two and two. 

"Banner of the members of tbe Juvenile Temperance Society. 

"Members two and two. Banner, motto, " Buds of Promise." THE EXMOUTH BRASS BAND. 

"The members of the Independent order of Rechabites of the Tents of Exeter, Tiverton, Taunton and Teignmouth. 

"The Union Jack. 

"The Banner of the Exeter Rechabite Tent.

"Members two and two. 

"The Banner of the Taunton Rechabite Tent. 

"Members two and two. 

"The Chief Ruler Wearing the sash and insignia of his degree, supported by officers bearing emblematical Banners The moon and stars." 

"The Deputy Ruler, Wearing the sash and decorations of his degree, and supported by officers bearing banners —the Sword and the Cornucopia. 

"The Tent Keeper, In full costume, bearing his banner—the Crimson Tent. The Stewards, In full costume, with their Banners, Coiled Serpents and Doves Motto, Be ye wise as serpents, but harmless as Doves.

"The Outside Guardian, In full costume, with his Banner, the Lamb and Eye. 

"The Inside Guardian, In full costume, with his Banner, the Beehive. 

"The Levite, With his Banner, the Golden Sheaf.

"Officers of the Tent, With the scrolls of the Rechabite Laws. The Elders, In full costume, each one bearing his Shield, with emblems of Temperance, Fortitude, Justice, Faith, Hope, Charity, Peace, and Plenty. Members two and two. The procession excited much attention, and was followed by a great concourse of persons through the city, and to the Station."

Every age has its causes.  I watched the Pridies' parade pass through Northernay a few weeks ago with its larding of men dressed in women's clothes and young people 'asserting themselves' with their bodies, their bling, their piercings and their tattoos and with every kind of 'let it all hang out', kitschy costume.  There were many banners but none, I contend, flying as well-intentioned nor with the dignity and sincerity of those of the teetotalers and Rechabites of 1844. 

Source:  The Western Times, 4th May, 1844. 

  

FURIOUS DRIVING, EXETER, 1844.

"Thos. Loder was charged with furiously driving an omnibus in the High-street, on the 30th of July.-  Mr Willesford attended for the defendant,  Loder, on the day in question was driving an omnibus from the Half Moon Inn to the Railway Station,  taking his route down High-street and Fore-street into St.Thomas; and the furious driving was witnessed by the Mayor and others; also by Wm. England, of the night police, B. Twiggs, &c.

"On the other hand, Mr Willesford called John Hancock, a guard on the railway, who was on the front of the omnibus, and Thomas Hawkins, the conductor of it, who differed materially from the other witnesses as to the rate at which the carriage passed the Hall, and ascribed this - (such as they admitted it to be,) - to be one of the horses having attempted to turn into Queen-street, the way it had been used to go, as also it did, after passing the Hall, towards the Globe Hotel by Broad-street; and gave it as their opinion that the skill of Loder alone prevented accident - Mr. Blackall delivered the judgement , saying, the Magistrates have no doubt that at the time spoken of, the man was furiously  driving this omnibus, he is therfore convicted, and fined the sum of 20s. and expenses , making 7s 0d. more.

"Mr. Blackall continued.  Having delivered the judgement of the Court in this case,  I have no hesitation in saying that it was most clearly proved, and I would advise the drivers of these omnibuses to be more careful in this respect in future than they have been in times past, as the lives of the inhabitants of this city must not be allowed to be endangered, because they may happen to be a little too late.

"The Mayor said, the case was now closed, and therefore he had no hesitation in saying in the face of his fellow citizens , that he had never before seen in the streets of Exeter an instance of such furious driving as this was; and further, he was continually receiving letters and personal communications on the subject of the fierce driving of those omnibuses through the streets.  With Mr. Blackall then, he would recommend these drivers to be careful in future." 

The Half Moon Inn, at 22 High Street, was a coaching inn and busdriver Thomas Loder was, no doubt, trying to ensure that his passengers caught their train from the railway station.  It was unwise of him to pass the Guildhall, where the Mayor and the Magistrates saw him whizz past, and he should, perhaps,  have followed the wise horse that wanted to take him down Queen-street. ( I assume already an alternative route. (?))

He was driving furiously. The word, together with its adjectival form, occurs four times in this report. It was, I feel sure, the much quoted  passage in the King James' Bible:  and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi for he driveth furiously, that caused this to be the word used by Victorian writers. A modern rendering has he drives like a maniac.  These days, though, we mostly drive dangerously.    

Source The Exeter Flying Post,  15th August, 1844.