MISCHIEVOUS FOLLY, EXETER, 1811.

On Wednesday , 30th January 1811,  readers of the Exeter Flying Post could read, right at the top of the social column, the following announcement:

"On Monday last was married, at St. Paul's church by the Rev. J. P. Carrington, the Rev. William Warren of Ottery St. Mary, to Miss Hicks, only daughter of Mr. William Hicks, of this city, builder."

A week later they were informed by the Flying Post: 

"The Paragraph inserted in our last paper, announcing the marriage of Miss Hicks of this city, to the Rev, Mr Warren of Ottery, is totally void of foundation.  The editors of both the Exeter papers were imposed upon by the mischievous folly of a young man, of this city, who has since expressed his sorrow for having been guilty of so great an impropriety, and of having been the cause of so much unpleasantness to the parties concerned."

There are mysteries to be winkled out here!

 Of  William Warren I can find no trace.  (I haven't looked very closely)  A  Rev. John Warren was the head master of the King's school in Ottery and his wife was, at least by 1815, a Frances Hicks.  Can this be a coincidence?  

Was perhaps the young man a King's scholar?  He sounds to me like he might have been a younger brother. 

In any case the announcement in the papers must have given rise to much shaking of heads and, I hope, quite a lot of giggling, both at Exeter, especially in  the congregation of St. Paul, and at Ottery St. Mary.

Source: The Exeter Flying Post, 31st January/6th February, 1811.