VULGAR SPEECHIFYING, EXETER, 1845.

Mr. Vinning was a professor of music who had truly remarkable musical children.  When "The Infant Sappho", also known as Louisa Vinning, came to Exeter in January 1845 she was eight years old and had already been performing in public for five years.  The Exeter Flying Post (16th January, 1845) reported favourably on her precocious performance as a singer but was not impressed by the way her father, Mr. Vinning, dumbed the evening down with references to empty benches and bill-stickers and other such humbug.  This so chimed with my own sensible thinking, that there are few things quite so aggravating as vulgar speechifying during the presentation of songs and instrumental performances that I copy this section of the Post's review :   

"We are perfectly aware that country audiences require a certain degree of what is vulgarly called, "humbug," to be practised upon them.  In our judgement however, Mr. Vinning carries this to an absurd extent.

"He indulges in what, to use the slang of the Commom Showmen is termed "patter," not only in lauding the  powers of the "Infant Sappho" almost before every song.  but in talking to his audience about the songs that have been written for her, the verses in praise of her, the crowds that have thronged to listen to her, and the empty benches, there were not many, that these ought to and would have been filled, if due dilligence had been exercised on the part of the bill-sticker.   We are convinced that sensible people (and those are many among every audience) must be disgusted with all this vulgar speechifying, and we assure Mr. Vinning that the talent of his very interesting and highly gifted child is quite high enough to be appreciated every where without the aid of any false excitement among the audience."

The biggest offender of vulgar speechifying today with which I an familiar is BBC Radio 3.  The presenters' (and their guests'!) patter has become unbearable and grows more trivial and more vulgar with the years.  I guess it is the common fault of our national institutions that they feel they must be popular. (a  close synonym of vulgar!).  The consequence, it seems to me, is that it becomes increasingly tempting to switch off from the broadcasts.  Okay, a certain degree of  false excitement and what is vulgarly called "humbug" is necessarily practised upon us, but BBC Radio 3, I would argue, carries humbug, as did, reportedly, Mr. Vinning,  to an absurd extent. 

P.S.  Free Example! I switched on to BBC Radio 3 yesterday and heard no music but the words, deliberately spoken by a woman presenter, something like:   "Laura  - I think I would be right in saying  - that politics have been a thread throughout your life."  I switched off before 'Laura' made answer.   Humbug, humbug!!!

A JEMMY TUSCAN BONNET, EXETER, 1845.

 "In this case Mrs. Selina Soper complained that Mr. James Clarke, mine host of the Bishop Blaze public house near the Shilhay, had assaulted her on the 25th April, - torn her Tuscan bonnet, and damaged her frock, - for gowns no longer form part of the habiliments of woman.

"It appeared that Wm. Soper, the goodly mate of Selina, at an early party in the morning on the day in question, betook himself, with other boon companions, to the Bishop Blaze, where he staid about three hours, and drank six half pints of beer!  In the meantime Selina reached home, and found a pan of milk that was intended to be scalded only, on the brink of ruin.  Boiling with rage, even if the milk did not, she set out in search of her truant husband, and finding him at "The Bishop" - if the sign was not fully represented before, - she soon rendered the portraiture complete, by truly setting all in a blaze.  This Mr. Clarke disapproved of , as well a landlord may, and proceeded vi et armis to eject the lady from the premises; - a matter that, calling forth the husband, a battle royal ensued.

"That blood had been spilt on either side there was no reason to doubt, - and as little that the jemmy Tuscan bonnet, and frock of cotton print had been torn.  But the knotty question with the Bench was, had a greater degree of force been made use of in ejected the exited and turbulent Selina from the house than was necessary.

"Mr. G. W. Turner addressed the Bench, on the part of "mine host" of the Blaze, most eloquently on this point.  But the Bench decided that this had been the case.  Considering however that great provocation had been given on the other side, it contented itself with imposing on Mr. Clarke the fine of 1s. and the expenses.  Mr. Turner advised him to pay this, but under protest, if he shall hereafter determine to appeal to the Quarter Sessions against the judgement.  And in order to await this, the "tuscan" and the frock, were delivered into the care of Fulford, an officer."

This trivial tale, as reported in The Exeter Flying Post for 7th May 1845, follows a path well-trodden at the time.  The truant husband is followed into the pub by the furious wife and the landlord throws her out, or tries to.  In this case the intrepid Selina takes the innkeeper to court and wins her case even if her victory is distinctly Pyrric.

The Bishop Blaze: is still a public house near (or on) the Shilhay in Exeter.  Saint Blaise was a fourth century, Armenian, Christian martyr and the patron saint of wool-combers hence his connection to the city. 

Gowns and frocks:  We would seem to be at a significant point in the history of women's fashion with Selina Soper, perhaps, supercool  in her frock of cotton print and with her tuscan bonnet.

Scalding milk:  was a common practice to kill bacteria in fresh milk  - but I like to think our Selina was hoping to make some Devonshire (clotted) cream. 

Vi et armis:  by main force,  as every schoolboy knew.

A Tuscan bonnet: seems to have been a luxury item.  I warm to Selina Soper.

Mine host:   is still common, and sometimes even vulgar.  I wonder how it was pronounced.  These days, in my experience, everyone, those who couldn't care less and those who are nice about these things,  say, mine host,  which must be wrong, it is like saying an happle.  I guess its popularity stems from the Prologue to The Canterbury Tales!

Jemmy:  is not  in my dictionary of  slang (the Oxford).  Etymonline has the fascinating etymology: "a pop form of the masc. proper name James ....In mid 18c. often associated with effeminancy and male fastidiousness, hence jemmy "spruce, neat."  

The tool seems to have the same origin.  I have never seen jemmy (adj.) before but no doubt it is still in use somewhere,  -  the Appalachians or Botany Bay or Tiverton or somewhere!

"OLD HARRY", EXETER, 1845.

From the proceedings of the magistrates at the Exeter Guildhall as reported by the Exeter Flying Post of 7th May, 1845:

 "Solomon, who was a wise man, said  'Correct thy son' but what the doctrine in this respect would be in the present day, it is not very easy to say.  This, however, is clear, that it is a dangerous and very expensive matter to chastise the son  of any other body, however bad their conduct may be; and this James Stubbings found in the present instance.

"Stubbings is the civil driver of an omnibus to and from the railway station, and on the 26th of April,while thus engaged, near the Old London Inn, came in contact with a donkey cart driven by a lad named George Norman,  who not appearing to be attending to what was going on, and there being a danger that the pole of the larger vehicle would play 'Old Harry' with, or perhaps smash the smaller, Stubbings called to him.

"Instead,, however, of civilly replying to this, and doing that which was necessary to the safety of all, he (Norman) as he admitted called the other a d****d fool for his interference, and placing the fingers of one of his hands in a certain position, he applied the tip of one thumb to his nose, and in a well known and offensive manner endeavoured to draw ridicule on Stubbings.

"Naturally resenting this, as soon as he was enabled he quitted the box, and administered to the youth a few smart cuts with the whip. This, however, was stated by John Sparks, the beadle, who saw the latter part of the transaction only, to have been done in an unmerciful manner.  While Westcott, a fly driver, who also saw it, as well as the offensive action of Norman - observed nothing above a just and proper punishment. - This appeared certain, that Norman exhibited marks of punishment, the skin of his legs being broken, when he came to the Guildhall to prefer his complaint. - 

"The Bench deliberated, but were not unanimous in the judgement pronounced, which was the infliction of a fine of 5s. and expences, on Stubbings.  Norman's character, not appearing to stand very high with the Bench, and Dr. Barham observing, "I think it served him very right."" 

* 

The Old London Inn: was on the corner where Paris Street meets Sidwell Street.  It was later to be known as the Bude Hotel and was subsequently demolished to allow for road widening.

Old Harry: is an ancient euphemism for the the Devil and no one seems to know why.  It seems to me it might simply be a bad pun on the Old English verbs to harry and to harrow in the sense of to devestate but no one else seems to think so. 

Thumbing the nose: is still a well-known, offensive gesture although deemed much less offensive now than in 1845.  Most sources trace it back only to the 18th century and I always thought that Shakespeare's biting the thumb at someone (famously in Romeo and Juliet) would seem to be much the same thing (as my old English master, the celebrated Alan Durband, maintained) but this thumbing has been well researched back to Adam and this seems not to be the case.

John Sparks the beadle: was the junior beadle of the Exeter Corporation of the Poor.  As such, I suppose, the equivalent of Dicken's beadle, Mr Bumble in Oliver Twist, which  naturally prejudices one against him,  but  here  his seems the voice of reason.  The poor boy had, it would seem, come freshly-bleeding, to the Guildhall.

The Bench were not unanimous: It was unusual for the Exeter Bench to be divided but here Dr. Barham clearly voted for the control of rebellious youth and the Mayor, Edward Woolmer, for the word of the law.  No doubt the Mayor was in the right and these days we not do not lacerate the limbs of insolent young people.  We now, however, dare not speak a harsh word to them however bad their conduct may be, indeed we are cautioned by the police not so to do.  In today's Exeter, where I observe the bad behaviour of some, in particular, Exeter College 'students', with no-one able to exercise any authority over them whatsoever, I think the pendulum might have swung a little too far.

Any other body for anybody else is delightful.

     

A SULLEN FANATIC, EXETER, 1845.

Surprisingly the early-Victorian Board of Magistrates at the Guildhall of Exeter  often functioned as a type of Marriage Guidance Counsel as here in the case of a shoemaker reported in The Exeter Flying Post of 1st May 1845:

 "The wife of Alexander Tapscott. a snob, but anything rather than a jolly one, complained that he had been strapping her at a rather unmerciful rate with his stirrup, and also that he kept her without a sufficient supply of the "ready."

"This would seem to be one of the ill-assorted matches that take place.  Elick is a teetotaller, and the severity with which he disciplines his own body would seem to be such that his face might be taken for that of one of the old puritans, so lank is it and haggard.  His rib, on the contrary, has an eye full of fire, - a face in which spirit sits enthroned, - a form that is buxom, and, in short, appears altogether such as requires only a counter part in her helpmeet to render her a happy and industrious woman.  It appears they have one child 14 weeks old.

"The Bench deliberated whether they should not bind over the sullen fanatic to keep the peace; but on his promising not again to abuse his wife; and she promising also to accomodate herself to his peculiar habits and notions as well as she can, the parties were dismissed."

The jolly snob sounds to me like he should feature in a popular song but, if so, I haven't found him. Snob for shoemaker is still, in 1845, common usage in Exeter.

To strap someone with a stirrup. would be lethal but, bad enough!, it must be his stirrup-leather with which, our reporter tells us, Mr. Tapscott strapped Mrs. Tapscott.

Elick is merely a pet name for Alexander.  

Mrs. Tapscott is Alexander's rib and all the readers of The Flying Post have The Book of Genesis by heart and are familiar with the reference. 

The Post can't spell accommodate either.

THE LADIES FAVOURITE, EXETER, 1845.

In what purported to be a humorous peep into the future, a lively, not-altogether-literate, rail correspondant who signed himself  'W.', whose long letter was published  on May Day 1845 in The Exeter Flying Post, wrote:

"Now let us see how the Exeter and Plymouth gets on - I passed over the Line last week, and was surprised to find the works in such a forward state - why, my dear Sir, we shall soon, aye, in a few months, be "on the Rail" and I and you shall be able to say to our dear one -

"Come, come with me and trip by the Sea."

"Put on your bonnet my dear, where's the Satchel - Mary, cut some Sandwiches, and give me the Cherry Bounce - there, - it's all right - away we go across the river in the passage boat, out in a twinkling at the Staion. St. Thomas - into the Rail Carriage, and away - away - away - how beautiful the water looks in the Bright Sun, look at Powdeham Castle my dear, and the dear Deer - then see - there's Dawlish - yes indeed, and only fancy James, we are actually passing through the Sea - well, we are arrived at Teignmouth, - let's take a walk on the Beach - how pretty Shaldon looks, and the Ness - there, they are pulling in the Sprat Seines, do let us go on to these Shady Rocks - so we will love and there take a Sandwich, and drink all friends round St. Peter's - Isn't it time to dress for dinner love - I think it is dear, but I could stay here all day, - we'll come again next week won't we.

"My dear Mr. Editor this is a fairy tale, but a True one, ad we shall all, yes all,  from the lowest to the highest among our fellow Citizens be enabled to realize it.  I am sure such a Rail as this is sure to pay "Cause why" Yes, "Cause why" - do give it up - because it will be the "Ladies favourite," - and only get their support, and everything prospers." 

I was attracted to these 'voices' which are  presented as those of the average Exeter citizens of his time, an early type, perhaps, of Charles Pooter and family.  Our citizen has  a dear one, a son, James,  and a, long-suffering I suspect, housemaid, Mary.  In the event  he would have to wait a year before making his trip to Dawlish and, if he had invested in the South Devon Railway, would later have suffered from the failure of Mr. Brunel's atmospheric propulsion experiment.   

Cherry Bounce, I learn, is still going strong. It is cherries laid down in brandy. I must try some.

The passage boat:  for Exonians, all journeys from St. Thomas Station had to start with a river crossing.

All friends round St. Peter's:  meaning 'all our friends in Exeter'.  St. Peter's being, as we all know, our cathedral.  

GO-GO-YOU BEGGARS!, SALCOMBE REGIS, 1845.

 "Not an hundred miles from the delightful vicinity of Salcombe Regis, a rev. gent., after preaching a sermon to the Friendly Society, was to be seen, standing, with hurdle in hand, superintending the rural sports of Whit-Monday and dispatching the young urchins for a prize with the following exhortation - "Go - go - you young beggars, if you break your necks the doctor's here to mend them." Afterwards figuring in the capacity of ring keeper, master of the dancing ceremonies, course clearer for the wheel-barrows, and assistant to certain ladies whilst running for a bonnet, and last, though not least, was busily engaged in putting money into a tub of water, for the young 'uns to extract therefrom with their mouths, during which operation one of the competitors was nearly stifled by keeping too long under the water. The whole was finished up with a fight, to the evident satisfaction of that stately personage who adorns the white gown on a Sunday morning and according to his own account is the only person in the parish suited for the cure of souls." 

This is an attack on the jolly rev. gent. by The Western Times of 30th May, 1845,  not, as these days one might imagine, a laudation, the clue to which is the white gown that he wears of a Sunday.  He is clearly a beastly Puseyite wearing the much despised, by The Times, surplice.  As such nothing he says or does can be to his credit. 

This year the celebrated Country Fair at, still delightful, Salcombe Regis (16 miles to the east of Exeter)   will be the afternoon of 29th May.  (there's tradition for you!)  There will be none of the events of 181 years ago, no ladies running for a bonnet, no healthy sports, but lots of fun and, for the active, usually, at least a coconut shy.

I ask myself how an hundred was pronounced. 

Addendum, 28th June 2026.

This parson must have been John Haydon Cardew who was for many years the Rector at Curry Mallet and who was also vicar at Salcombe Regis from 1813 to his death, aged 81) in 1853.   He was  therefore about 74 when he was 'go-going' the little beggars.   In true pluralist style, he rented out the vicarage house.  He was preferred to Curry Mallet by the Prince of Wales, no less, which suggests that he was well heeled and connected. He, however, seems not to have done much for the parish.

In October 1849 Cardew, the cad,* offended the Western Times and removed all doubt that he was a deep-dyed Puseyite, (27th October)  by removing the old, wooden, 'Protestant', communion-table at Salcombe Regis and replacing it with a fixed stone altar, presumably the one still in the church.  This, according to The  W, Times,  infringed Church Law but, of course, the much disrespected Bishop Phillpotts was turning a blind eye to this as to other Romanist depredations.

*For some, perhaps, older readers!

THOUGHT-PROVOKING HAPPENINGS, EXETER, 2026.

Yesterday I personally experienced four thought-provoking happenings that seemed to me to be uncannily related.  These were:  the  television broadcast of the, May 9th, Victory Parade in Red Square, Moscow,  the results of the Exeter City Council Elections with Labour battered but still clinging to power, the too numerous turn-out for the Exeter Pride Procession into Northernhay Gardens, and this passage from an eighteenth century literary work which I just happened to be reading in the afternoon:

" O Pharnabazus, I must confess that the very circumstance which is the cause of so much mirth to the gentlemen that accompany you, is the reason for my fears.  On one side I see gold, and jewels, and purple in abundance; but when I look for men, I can find nothing but barbers, cooks, confectioners, fiddlers, dancers, and everything that is most unmanly and unfit for war.

"On the Grecian side I  discern none of these costly trifles; but I see iron that forms their weapons, and composes impenetrable arms.  I see men that have been brought up to despise every hardship and  to face every danger that are accustomed to observe their ranks, to obey their leader, to take every advantage of their enemy, and to fall dead in their places rather than to turn their backs. 

"Were the contest about who should dress a dinner, or curl hair with the greatest nicety, I should not doubt that the Persians would gain the advantage; but when it is necessary to contend in battle, where the prize is won by hardiness and valour,  I cannot help dreading men that are inured to wounds and labours, and suffering; nor can I ever think that the Persian gold will be able to resist the Grecian iron.

"Pharnabazus was so struck with the truth and justice of these remarks, that, from that very hour, he determined to contend no more with such invincible troops; but bent all his cares towards making peace with the Spartans, by which means he preserved himself and his country from destruction." (my emphasis.)

 l leave readers to find, or not to find, connections. 

Source: Thomas Day, The History of Sandford and Merton, 1783.