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 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.

MRS. ELWORTHY'S LITTLE JOKE, EXETER, 1844.

In August 1844, Mrs. Ann Elworthy who kept The Country House Inn in Catherine Street was summoned before the Mayor and Magistrates at the Exeter Guildhall on a charge of having people in her house after hours:    

"The case now proceeded, Richard Hamlin, an Inspector of the Watch being called, who said, I was on duty on Tuesday morning last about 20 minutes past 1, in Martin's Lane, when I heard a noise, and proceeding in the direction of the sound, found it came from the Country House Inn, kept by Mrs.Elsworthy.

"I heard there were several people in the house, and came and reported the circumstance to the captain of the night at the station house.  I was directed by him to return again to the Country House and observe what passed.  I heard beer called for, and gin and water.  I heard money rattle and money paid.  

"About  2 o'clock the door was opened and six or seven persons came out.  One of them pulled off his coat to wrestle, but Mrs Elworthy prevented him.  She stopped a few minutes, when all but two went away.  These men then went back with Mrs. Elsworthy into the house, and presently afterwards she let these two me out again.  They challenged one another to toss for Champaign:- Mrs Elsworthy said that she had no Sham Pain in the house, but had plenty of Real Pain'"

"Then the men went away."

So, it was in Catherine Street, about two in the morning on Tuesday 4th August, 1844, when Ann Elsworthy made her little joke about pain, sham and real.  Now it has echoed down one hundred  and eighty-one years!

She sounds a formidable lady, preventing her clients from wrestling, keeping an inn, serving beer and gin until two in the morning and making corny jokes.

She did not come to court but sent her solicitor, Mr. Willesford.  He was rebuked by the Mayor for her absence and the court then had its pound of flesh fining Mrs. Elsworthy 40s together with 7s. expenses.  I like to think she was able to laugh it off.

The night constable seems not much brighter than Dogberry and his pals in Much Ado.  Victorian policepeople invariably proceeded where other humans walked.  I think perhaps they still do.

Champaign for champagne is a delightful anglicisation which we seem to have lost.

Source: The Exeter Flying Post, 8th August, 1844.  

"A VERY PROPER PROSECUTION", EXETER, 1844.

In March, 1844, a navigator named James Warren was sentenced to fifteen years transportation for highway robbery.   He and another, allegedly, had, in the early hours of 13th August 1843, and where the New North Road meets the Cowley Bridge Road, knocked a shoemaker over the head and rifled his pockets.  A young woman, Eliza Coleman,  she was twenty-two, gave evidence on his behalf at his trial in an attempt to save him.  Her evidence was clearly mendacious. Five months after her court appearance she was brought before the City Assize Court at Exeter Castle charged with perjury as reported below in Trewman's Exeter Flying Post  of 1st. August 1844.

 "Mr. Cornish appeared for the prosecution; called Mr. Henry W. Hooper, who states in substance that he was present at the Assizes for the city of Exeter on 25th of March last.  when a man of the name of James Warren was tried before Mr. Justice Cresswell, and convicted of highway robbery on the Cowley Bridge road.  

"The prisoner Eliza Coleman was a witness on that occasion, and swore that she remembered Saturday the 12th August preceding. That she and the prisoner James Warren cohabited together and occupied a room in Sherman's Court, West-street.  That they retired to bed between 10 and 11 o'clock that night; that she did not awake until the morning about 5 o' clock.  That Warren, the prisoner, was then in bed with her, and she had not missed him during the night.  That she did not hear any one call the prisoner that night; and that he did not go out after breakfast on Sunday morning. And being asked what time that was , and cautioned by Mr. Justice Cresswell, she replied, about prayer time.  She knew a man called Thomas Mare, sometimes called Curly or Culy Tom, and remembered seeing him early on the Saturday evening, but did not see him afterwards that night.   She swore most positively, and after repeated caution, that he did not come to Sherman's Court, nor did any one call the prisoner Warren during the night.

Now in contradiction to all this, on the preliminary examination before the Magistrates at Guildhall, at the time James Warren was committed for trial, she swore that Warren was called up between 3 and 4 o'clock on the Sunday morning by anither navigator named Thomas Mare otherwise Curly, to go, as she was informed, to Bramford Speke; and that Warren returned and went to bed again about half-past 5 o'clock......

.....The Judge summed up, and the Jury immediately found her  guilty.

The learned Judge now proceeded to address the prisoner. She had, he said, been guilty of a most serious offense, and this too under circumstances of great deliberation.  She had been cautioned, warned, had time for retraction, yet still she persisted in what was now most clearly shown was the grossest falsehood.  This crime was among the worst and most mischievous that could be committed.  It struck at the very root of all proceedings in Courts of Justice, and he had alsways felt that if a clear case were made out, the provisions of the statute should be carried into effect.  This then had been a very proper prosecution, for, for her there was no palliation, no excuse whatsoever, since having first told the truth, she left that path in order to entangle herself in all the labyrinth of deliberate falsehood; the consequence of which she would now have to bear.  In the hope then that the example thus made in her case would operate so as to deter others from the commission of this very serious offence, though probably on herself all tht was to be desired might not be wrought by it;  and also as a sentence far better for her than she might at that time be inclined to suppose,  since a separation from those who had been her companions in sin and iniquity must be the consequence, he sentenced her to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for the space of two calendar months , and at the expiration of that time to be transported for seven years.

This sentence handed out by Mr. Justice Patteson seems, to me, to be out of all proportion to the offence.  Is it not a pitiful business, this over-sentencing to 'make an example'?  Not only is it cruel but I doubt that it ever achieves its purpose.  We are seeing a spate of it under Keir Starmer.  I suspect Eliza Coleman was in love with James Warren and that is what accounts for the irrationality of her evidence.  It is clear from her words and actions that she was a  simple soul. 

Eliza said that James left her at prayer time.  The court would appear to have understood what she meant!

The omission above is a list of witnesses to Eliza's appearance at the Magistrates' Court. 

   

 

A LODE-STAR, TOPSHAM, 1844

"TOPSHAM.  - On Tuesday, this hive of industry was the scene of unusual gaiety and activity, the whole population, including numerous visitors, having assembled on the quays and points of vantage to witness the launch of the Jeannette, the magnificent schooner yacht of the Earl of Egremont, from the yard of Mr. Bowden, where she had been undergoing substantial repair, and been lengthened about twelve feet.

"Adjoining the dock was an awning, erected by the noble owner of the lode-star, in which were Earl and Countess of Egremont,  lady of the Ven. Archdeacon Stevens and the Misses Stevens,  Captain and Mrs. Roberts, Mr. and Mrs. Williams and the Misses Williams,  Captain Heringham R.N., the Revds J. Thompson and G.H.O. Pedlar, Mr. Walker, and several members of the Royal Yacht Squadron.

"The Town Band was stationed in a barge off the wharf, and played the inspiriting airs of "Rule Britannia,"  "See the Conquering Hero comes," &c.  Upon the bosom of the waters were numerous craft,  from the huge steamer gaily decorated with the flags of all nations,  to the little cock-boat; the weather being delightfully fine the whole was a brilliant affair.

"The time appointed was seven o'clock, and about half an hour previously, the arrival of carriages with distinguished visitors, which was announced by the rettle of artillery, set expectation on the tiptoe.

"Precisely at seven o' clock the word was given, the numerous supports were simultaneously removed, and he gallant vessel, which is really a noble craft, majestically glided into the yielding bosom of the deep.

"Some little delay occured from the fact that the tide did not rise so high as usual, but this was of little moment.  it was some time before the immense crowd that were assembled dispersed to their respective homes, highly delighted with the scene they had witnessed."

Lode-star here means an attraction.  (This is how Shakespeare used the word in A Midsummer Night's Dream).   Here it is the schooner Jeannette that is meant although the lords and ladies there assembled would also have been an attraction, not to mention the over-the-top gunfire and the floating Town Band.

George Wyndham, 4th Earl of Egremont had been a naval officer before, in 1837, he became an earl, hence the strong naval presence under the awning.  He was 56 when his refitted yacht was launched at Topsham and he had less than two years to live.  He was the builder of Silverton Park, a great house some 8 miles from Exeter, long since demolished.

The Exe at Topsham had attracted numerous craft,  that a huge steamer was lying off Topsham sounds a bit hyperbolic. I find cock-boat a charming word for a small boat.

Too many bosoms?

The immense crowd that were assembled....!  Tut tut!

Source The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 20th July, 1844.

A SONNET IN PRAISE OF EXETER, 1844.

 "TO A LADY.- In Praise of Exeter. 

By the Rev. W.  Pulling, M.A.

Lady! with thine my spirit dwells delighted

On grand Exonia; she with charms is glowing:

Nature and Art therein, with powers united,

A picture form,  fresh beauties ever showing!

Painters and bards might there become excited

By her stream clear, fair-bridged, and softly flowing;

Peter's bold towers,  streets rising, myrtles blighted

By Winter scarcely, trees luxurient growing!

High on her Rougemont she a terrace raises;

A thick grove stands below, whereon th'eye gazes

With rapture!  Once beheld, her features never

Can be forgot, and Memory hymns her praises!"

Well, it's a long time since I blogged a bad poem and the Reverend William Pulling, of Sidney Sussex College,  M.A.  A.L.S, surely qualifies!  Welcome, William Pulling, to the Bad Poets' Society! (Of which I too can claim to be a proud member!) 

The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette of 6th July 1844 printed this poem in their Poets' Corner while , on the same sheet, noting that William had just published a neat little volume which contained 123 sonnets written strictly in the Italian style.  

Pulling was a native of Chudleigh and was, for some time, a master at the Grammar School there.  He was born in 1782.  Hence he was sixty-two or so when his sonnets were published. His promotion in the Church was slow but sure. He was nearly fifty when he was appointed Chaplain to the Cambridge Town Gaol and it was a good while later that he became Rector of Dymchurch in Kent.  He was 'instituted' by the Archbishop of Canterbury into the rectory at Old Romney in 1853, which I take to mean that the old man was given somewhere to live, and he died in his own house in Cambridge aged 78.  He seems never to have married.

The Gazette wrote of his work:  "we have great pleasure in recommending this little volume, as it is rarely that modern poetry is presented to us, not only so faultless, but containing so much to awaken the best feelings of the reader."

I have given this brief  'life' of William besause the internet seems not so far to have taken any notice of him and anyone who can write, probably, many more than 123, sonnets, strictly in the Italian style, surely deserves recognition.  He published some poems in the local (Kent) newspapers and his neat, little volume must still exist.

The A.L.S .the letters that he liked to put after his name, are a mystery to me.

The 'Grove' at Northernhay clearly caught his, and so many other people's, imagination.  Nowadays that part of the Gardens is a boring flat stretch of turf.  Bring back the Grove!