CORKCUTTING, EXETER, 1845.

The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette of 5th April 1845  reported how the Magistrates at the Exeter Guildhall were obliged to consider the following:

 "Jon Stockham, a master corkcutter, charged Samuel Tozer, a small lad, his apprentice, with having neglected his work.

"It appeared that he was expected to cut 16 gross of phial corks in a day, and on a day named he had only cut 8 gross.

"In answer from an enquiry from the Bench, the master stated that the hours of the trade according to the indenture were from six in the morning to nine at night.

"Mr. Justice Kingdon said, an indenture from six to nine was in these times an absurdity, and no Magistrate would think of interfering to enforce it,

"Mr. Justice Harris and Mr. Justice Davy, who were on the Bench, also expressed their surprise at the number of hours required, and desired to have the indenture produced, for which purpose the case was adjourned to Saturday"

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Corkmaking must have been miserable work.  It seems the corkmaker sat at a table and made corks one by one using special knives and punches.  A gross (is it still widely known?) is 144, which means that little Samuel  Tozer was required to produce 2,304 corks every long working day. 

One has the impression that some of these Victorian Exeter indentures had continued unchanged from the Middle Ages.

HOOKING THE BRAT IN, EXETER, 1845

 "At the committee meeting, [of the Exeter Humane Society] held at the Globe Hotel on Monday last, Harry Leeke Gibbs, Esq., in the chair, rewards were distribute to several persons for having at their risk of life and health, plunged into the water to save persons in danger of being drowned.

"The Chairman in distributing the awards, expressed regret that the funds of the society did not enable the committee to give more - ten shillings was the maximum sum awarded, and in that case the recipient, George Soper, had saved a couple of children belonging to a navigator, whose hair breadth escape we recorded at the time.

"In some instances the recipients had plunged into the river at the coldest season of the year: in one case the gallant fellow (Scoynes) had plunged through the ice, and shown not only a gallant impulse, but pluck and fortitude in carrying it out.

"It is a pity that the society is not better supported, in order that these rewards might be given with greater effect. Some honorary distinction should, if possible, accompany the recognition of these acts of heroism in humble life - the society feels this - but have not the funds.

"One case, rejected, was an application by an old man for a reward for having saved a boy at the Shilhay leat, by putting out his walking stick and hooking the brat in.  The old gentleman was informed that he had done no more than his duty, and that the application did him no credit, for if he had not stretched forth his stick he would have been a very wicked old man indeed.  He admitted the force of the objection, and retired somewhat chopfallen."

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The Globe Hotel  was in the cathedal yard next to St. Petroc's church.

Here is George Soper again from Exe Lane, receiving ten bob, but no silver medal, from the Chairman of the Exeter Humane Society. Perhaps only in London were medals awarded.

Ten shillings was the average weekly wage of a workman in 1845 and so not to be despised.

It is perhaps noteworthy that the chairman seems to have felt that it was only necessary for the Humane Society to consider the heroism of persons of the humbler life. To reward courageous, respectable people with shillings would not make much sense.

Chopfallen (chapfallen) is hardly used these days but it has a long pedigree.  It occurs in Hamlet.  Crestfallen is even earlier.

Being myself an old man, I wish I were in a position to point out to the chairman of the Exeter Humane Society that he did not need to to treat the old gentleman, who hooked the brat out of Shilhay leat, so discourteously.  I should like to know the details.  Did the old fellow perhaps run towards the drowning child?  What was his state of health?  The least the chairman could have done was to commend his action.  Some of us, old men, find it difficult to tie our shoelaces, never mind lean out over a river and hold out a walking stick and rescue people.  I would not be surprised if, in his own way, this old man demonstrated pluck and fortitude like the best of them. God stand up for old gentlemen!

Source: The Western Times, 26th April, 1845,

GATHERING PRIMROSES, EXETER, 1845.

 "A gallant instance of intrepidity and courage was displayed on Wednesday se'nnight, by Geo Soper of Exe-lane.  Walking on the banks of the river, on the Exwick side, he saw two children who had just rolled into the water from a steep bank, and at once plunged into their rescue.

"Although it was ten foot deep at the spot he succeeded in getting them both out.  The children who belonged to a navigator, working not far off, had wandered away to gather primroses and rolled into the deep water.  The father expressed his gratitude.  We have no doubt that the Humane Society will give a more substantial acknowledgement."

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This brief recognition of George Soper's saving two young lives implies that George was a swimmer. If so he was in a minority.  In 1845, few could swim, and learning to swim was problematic.

The grateful navigator on the banks of the Exe had brought his children, (very young I imagine) to his place of work.  (The railway presumably) I wonder how common that might have been.  Poignant that two infants(?) gathering primroses on the banks of the Exe on a bright(?) spring day might have drowned if intrepid George had not turned up. 

The Royal Humane Society was already well established.  It had been handing out silver medals since 1775, the year after it was founded.   (Grace Darling received a gold one.) Oliver Goldsmith was a founding member.  It has been 'Royal' since 1787.  I hope George qualified. 

Source: The Western Times, 12th April 1845

WORSE THAN ORPHANS, EXETER, 1845

 An appeal, dated March 20th, 1845 and published for a while in all the Exeter Papers but here specifically in The Western Times of 5th April 1845, under the title: TO THE CHARITABLE AND HUMANE.  A CASE OF GREAT DISTRESS, reads as follows:

"The bereaved Children of Mr. J. C. DUSOIR, late a Schoolmaster, of New Buildings, Gandy-street, Exeter,  (a Girl 14, and a Boy 10 years of age) have suddenly been deprived of both their Parents and a Home!

"Their FATHER, (who is thought to be in France,) left his dying wife and helpless OFFSPRING without resources, or any means of subsistance whatever.  The Children have been genteely brought up, and are now, by the death of their Mother, utterly destitute.

"Under such distressing circumstances this Appeal is made to the sympathy of the benevolent in their behalf, for the means of supplyimg the immediate necessities of these worse than ORPHANS, and to provide for placing them out in life."

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Joseph Charles Dusoir seems to have been a thoroughly bad character.  He had been living in Exeter for at least eleven years.  In 1834 he gave evidence in the case brought by Mr. Abraham, a gentleman who had been assaulted at the Agricultural Dinner.  To my mind the manner in which he addressed the court on that occasion defines him as a smooth-speaking, cherry-lipped poisoner.  He lied (this is my opinion) at every opportunity in order to undermine Mr. Abraham's case and to ingratiate himself with the magistrates.  At that time he was described as the Conductor of a Select Boarding School at 1, St. David's Hill.  At the time of his deserting his dying wife and his children he was working as a schoolmaster at the New Buildings, 1, Gandy St.  Presumably he did not leave empty-handed.

The Western Times published this:  The man who has absconded is the same who, at the dinner of the Oddfellows Society, spoke so feelingly of Oddfellowship producing good husbands, good fathers and good members of society. 

He was thought to have travelled to France but, whether he did so or not, he was very soon employed in London by a bank from which he stole a very large amount in money and bills and was thought to have fled to France yet again.  Amazingly, according to The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette of 30th December 1848, he already had another wife and more children whom he abandoned!   

The Exeter Appeal initially raised  £82 which was deemed unsufficient money for the purpose,  A second appeal was made.  Citizens were very generous,  Their  names appeared in the newspapers. In a city where there were homeless orphans in every corner, the fate of the two Dusoir children struck a chord.  It was, perhaps, the fact that they had been genteely brought up that raised the money.  The Victorians fully accepted that one should treat equals equally and unequals unequally. 

The daughter, Maria Harriet Dusoir, died of consumption aged 17.  By then she had attained a situation as a governess and according to her death notices was an amiable young lady who was highly esteemed and deservedly regretted.

I hope the little boy fared better.

(Addendum:  The Western Times, of 12th April 1845, reported: "The greatest credit is due to Capt. Tanner for his humane exertions.  He has succeeded in placing the boy with Mr. Quicke, the schoolmaster, who has taken him on the most liberal terms...")