Sunday 17 March 2024

MR EYRE KINGDON AND THE VAGABOND, EXETER, 1842.

"Mr. Eyre Kingdon," reported The Western Times in 1835, "is a well-meaning young gentleman, of considerable talent, and great zeal." by which The Times meant to convey that, in the newspaper's opinion, John Eyre Kingdon was a  somewhat foolish, young, Tory busybody. They expressed themselves carefully because he was the Mayor's son.

Seven years later, John, no longer so young but married and with a family, resided in one of the smart, new houses at Mount Radford (No. 4) and  seems still to have been a busybody albeit clearly a plucky one or perhaps, one should say that he was an early gentleman consulting-detective predating Sherlock Holmes by some 50 years. Anyway, The Times of April 29th was pleased to report this snippet of news:    

"Mr Eyre Kingdon is well known for his activity in aiding the police to apprehend thieves.  A vagabond went to him the other day, and said, for a pint of beer he would disclose where the spirits stolen from the Cattle Market Inn were 'planted.'

"Mr Eyre gave a quart, proud of the confidence reposed in him.  The fellow then said that the jars were planted in the river, and the thieves intended to fish them up at night.

"Mr. Eyre took his station at an early hour of the night, but the thieves never came to 'fish,' so that he lost his quart and caught a cold. It is possible that the thieves saw him, and would not go to the 'plant'."

The Cattle Market Inn was a 'commodious and well-accustomed public-house' in the Bonhay where could be found a 'dancing room' and 'girls of a loose character.'

Newspaper punsters seem to have been more subtle in 1842, 'caught' and 'quart' are so nicely juxtaposed.


Tuesday 12 March 2024

A FLY AND A HALF, EXETER, 1842.

The Western Times of  16th April, 1842 reported:

"A man named Charles Wright, by trade a baker, was taken before the County Magistrates, at the Castle, on Monday last, charged with having attempted to administer cantharides, or Spanish flies, to a young girl, named Mary Wickett, living in St.Thomas.

It appeared that the prisoner had placed about a fly and a half in a broad fig, which he gave to a little boy who lived with the complainant, and told him to give it to Mary Wickett, without letting her mother know anything about it.

Fortunately, however, the mother of the girl intercepted the dangerous drug, and gave the man into custody,

After a full examination, Wright was ordered to find bail, himself in £50  and two sureties in £25 each, to appear at the next general Sessions to answer the above charge.

*

I hadn't heard about Spanish flies since I was in the Lower Yard at school.   We all knew all about them then.   A boy found a gurl and cleverly tricked her into eating a Spanish fly and she would instantly turn into a sex-mad predator who would certainly want to kiss him.  I don't imagine many of us had ever seen much of the creatures in question, flies or gurls, yet the reputably aphrodisiacal Spanish fly existed and doubtless still exists despite the fact that it happens to be a beetle.  These days, to parody Ogden Nash:  'flies get a rise/ but liquor is quicker', especially, when experienced by the something like ten-per-cent of the population whose drinks are 'spiked' from time to time.

The poor, lovelorn baker, Charles Wright, I suspect he was not much more than a boy, tried the experiment on little Mary Wickett but Mary's mum found the flies and recognised them for what they were.  A good thing too in so far that the fly and a half were more likely to make Mary ill than to make her amorous,  but rather severe on Charles whose offence was deemed by the magistrates at Exeter Castle to be serious enough  for him to face trial at the Assize. 

And what is a broad fig?

  


Saturday 9 March 2024

A BOAT MADE OF THE SLIGHTEST MATERIALS, SIDMOUTH, 1842.

 The Sidmouth correspondent to The Western Times of Saturday, 9th April 1842 reported: 

"On Friday, there was a large quantity of illicit brandy  landed about a mile to the east of this town, unperceived  by the coast-guard of the adjoining stations.

"The smugglers left behind them a boat used in landing their cargo from some larger vessel, and which was evidently made with a calculation as to its probable loss, it being made of the slightest materials, and not painted,  It is in the possession of the coast-guard, and marked with the broad arrow." 

For a second consecutive month (see my last blog!) the coastguard stations at Sidmouth and Weston did not notice a ship delivering a cargo of brandy to, on both occasions it can only have been, Salcombe Mouth.  The ship would have shown no lights and the crew would have made no noise and would perhaps have navigated by what the National Trust calls 'the day-mark', the great, white, man-made area of flint stones high on Dunscombe(?) cliff, which would also serve, most nights, as a night-mark.  (Does anyone know when this 'mark' was made?)

This is the first time I have read of smugglers using a cheap-and-cheerful, dispensable, unpainted boat 'made of the slightest materials' which could be abandoned on the beach to amaze and dismay the excisemen.  The boat must at least have been sturdy enough to serve as a lighter.

The customs officers of Sidmouth and Weston seem seldom to have found any kegs of illicit brandy to mark with the ordnance's famous crow's foot.    Does one sense a lack of urgency?     

 

      


Sunday 25 February 2024

SMUGGLING, SIDMOUTH, 1842.

 "SIDMOUTH. - Smuggling. - At an early hour on the 4th inst, there was a considerable quantity of illicit foreign brandy landed between Sidmouth and Salcombe coast guard stations, which appears to have been done in a cool and business-like manner, as it has been clearly ascertained that the smugglers brought their waggons convenient to  the place of landing, and fed their horses prior to their departure.

"When the occurence came to the knowledge of the coast guard they went in pursuit, but without success."

*

It's impossible to resist blogging a report on smugglers even when it is as brief and unsatisfactory as this from The Western Times of 12th March 1842.

By Salcombe is meant Salcombe Regis.  The Salcombe coastguard station was farther to the East at Weston Mouth.  I guess the waggons brought to a place convenient to the place of landing must have used the old quarry track above Southcombe Farm but, wherever, the brandy must still have been worked up the cliff.

Why is waggon a so much more satisfying word than wagon?

Saturday 24 February 2024

YOUNG FELLOWS IN EPAULETTES, EXETER, 1842

 "Why don't the Tory tradesmen who supported Sir W. Follett so handsomely, memorialize the learned knight to get the head quarters of the regiment stationed here fixed in Exeter?

"The head quarters being here would cause the circulation of a great deal of money - cavalry officers are generally gay.   They accept of invitations, and make liberal returns.  The young ladies of the great houses, make up parties to meet them, and make excuses to come into Exeter a-shopping, and don't break their hearts if they encounter any of the light hearted aggravating young fellows in epaulettes.

"The servant maidens content themselves with the rank and file, but the ladies are not less fond of the society of the officers, and this general attachment of the damsels of all grades to the killing fellows, high and low, causes a circulation of money very serviceable to a country town.

"The tradesmen must, therefore, feel the advantage of having the head quarters here.and we wonder how it is that they have not bestirred themselves in the matter. 

"The head quarters were decapitated, it is generally believed, from this city because Bishop Philpotts would not let the band play on Sundays.  Could they not come to a compromise, and play psalm tunes?"

*

This from a column in The Western Times echoes a general opinion in the city that the headquarters of the cavalry should have been Higher Barracks in Exeter and not, as it was, in Dorchester.

Note the wonderful social distinction: ladies for the officers, servant maidens  for the rank-and-file.  It was unthinkable that there might be other outcomes.

It is a shame that soldiers and royal marines don't get to strut about Exeter in their number-one uniforms any more.   It is said that the wearing of uniform in public was suspended for health-and-safety reasons at a time when the IRA were up to mischief.  We have become a nation of angst-ridden pansies.  

I happen to know that the custom of inviting officers to social evenings persisted in the United Kingdom at least until 1961 when the regiment in which I was serving received a request to supply 'two subaltern officers' to a dinner party from a local father of 'young ladies'.  It was a charming custom, satisfactory to all parties.  I doubt it happens now.

There seems some evidence that Bishop Henry Phillpotts, wrongly spelled above, really did cause Exeter to lose the headquarters by objecting to the Sunday concerts.  In any case most of the readers of The Times were willing to believe anything written to his discredit.

Source:  The Western Times, 26th February, 1842.


Friday 23 February 2024

NO WORTHIER WOMAN, EXETER, 1842.

"A decent looking woman, named Charlotte Clark, was charged at the Guildhall, on Monday, with intermarrying with Joseph Bryant;  her husband, William Clark, being still alive.   Both marriages were clearly proved, the first to have taken place at St. George's Church in Dec. 1835, the second at St. Mary Major's in August last year

"It seemed that Clark had been living away from his wife for between two and three years, working on the railroad, where he had lost an arm, and now on coming back, finding she had married another was resolved to prosecute her.

"Bryant, the second husband who is a blind man living in St. Thomas, said he had been informed by a man that Clark was dead, and that there was not a worthier woman than the prisoner in the City of Exeter. 

"She was committed for trial."

*

What a tragedy is here! - what a plot for George Eliot  or Thomas Hardy! -  and what a lot of questions!  These were poor, ignorant people but Charlotte was a decent looking woman than whom her blind second husband thought there was no worthier woman in the city of Exeter and William Clark had been working on the railroad and had lost his arm and his wife.  Had she believed William to be dead?   Did he not communicate with his wife?

The City Assize Court, two weeks later, showed little mercy.  Charlotte was sentenced to six weeks imprisonment with hard labour.  By now she was looking sickly and the governor of the prison was asked to  employ her in the kitchens.   In a sense she was lucky, - not to have been transported.

To which husband did Charlotte return after prison, to the one-armed man who had prosecuted her or to the blind man who, it seems, truly loved her? 


Sources: The Western Times, 5th March & 19th March, 1842. ( I have to add that The Exeter Flying Post of 3rd March gives a  differing report in which Charlotte appears somewhat less worthy, )


Monday 19 February 2024

SNEAKING, EXETER, 1842.

 In The Western Times of 12th February 1842 is found the following brief notice to the citizens of Exeter:


"SNEAKING.- The class of depredators, professionally termed "sneaks" are busy in this city.

"Mrs Chapple, of South Street, had her own and daughter's work-box sneaked off from the back parlour whilst Miss Chapple was writing at the front.  The door was inadvertantly left open."

*

The origin of the verb to sneak, says  Eric Partridge, is the Old English word snicen, to creep.     Snakes and snails are also creepers, i.e. sneaks.   Here a sneak creeps into your back parlour while you are busy in your front parlour and steals from you.  We still use the term sneak-thief  but these days sneaks tend to tell tales to teachers and sneakers tend to mean footwear.