Echoes of our PAST NEWS..... 7th February 1857

Read all about it……. Echoes of our past NEWS

What was in the local news this weekend in 1857?

MAIN NEWS –

*Funeral of Sergeant Warren –

Sergeant Warren was buried on Monday 2^nd February in the afternoon.  He was a member of the Chatsworth Rifles and his funeral took place at Trinity Church on Newbold Road.

The sombre scene was sent into turmoil when a “most disreputable mob” followed the procession.  The coffin was removed from the barracks to begin its final journey and already a mob of “roughs” had congregated outside of the gates.  As they waited they did not stand in dignified silence, no they took advantage of the weather and began throwing snowballs at each other and passers-by.  They were very vocal and caused much shock with their comments.

When eventually the funeral procession arrived at Trinity Church, the mob did not stop their riotous behaviour.  Even when the coffin was about to be lowered the snowballs continued to be thrown overhead.  The officiating Minister Mr Poole had to dodge the snowballs around his head and at one point stopped the service altogether.  He did try to talk to the men to ask them to cease their unwieldy behaviour, but to no avail.  A lady stood in a door way received a snow ball straight in the mouth. 

After the burial the band continued to play as the procession left the graveyard, at this point the mob began pelting them so violently with snowballs that they had to cease playing.  It was said that the police were in attendance but not in sufficient numbers to deal with the men.

The whole scene was labelled “disgraceful” “the most solemn sight a human being can witness – the consignment of a fellow creature to the dust – heartlessly profaned and turned into an occasion of mad rejoicing than of sorrow”

OTHER ITEMS –

*The first sewing machine in Chesterfield –

Mr Goodwin on Packers Row was a proud man when he introduced the inhabitants of Chesterfield to the sewing machine.  The first ever to be seen in Chesterfield, this really was a sign of industry and modernisation. 

The locals were demonstrated how the machine would aid the tailors with the “flagging” work and could be used in general use for all.  It was hailed as “extremely simple” to use, “all the labour it requires consisting in working a treddle with the foot, and shifting the cloth under a slide as fast as the needle pierces it”. 

The machine would enable an hour’s job to be completed in 5 minutes.  It was capable of all work, “except sewing on buttons”.  They predicted that in it would “completely supersede hand labour”.  Little did they know that in 2013 we have sewing machines that can sew on buttons, but hand sewing has still not been totally overthrown by the sewing machine.  What an invention though, the industrial revolution had landed well and truly on the everyday person in a little Midlands Town like Chesterfield.

*Snow causing hardship –

We have already heard that Chesterfield had been covered with a fair amount of snow this week in 1857 but how would it affect the locals? 

The stonemasons and quarrymen of Stanton near to Bakewell had been out of employ due to the weather since the first frost.  Times would be very difficult for them and so they called on W P Thornhill Esq M.P to ask if he would permit a day’s rabbiting on his land as they had been out of work for so long.  He reacted kindly and doubled their request to 2 days rabbiting and donated £5 to be shared between the men.

*Robbery at Matlock Bath –

On Saturday last thieves broke into the garden house of Colonel Leacroft of Tor House, Matlock Bath.  They stole 6 tame rabbits and a further rabbit that was the largest but “not exactly in marketable state” was left dead after the thieves maliciously killed it.

*Temperance Hotel –

Invitations were called to provide the contract for the building work of a Temperance Chapel at Stonegravels.

MARRIAGES –

*Mr J Thompson of White Banks, Hasland to Miss Elizabeth Barber of Chesterfield

*Mr Leonard Worrall a printer to Martha Manknell daughter of the late Mr Wm Manknell

*Mr Thomas Turner to Miss Elizabeth Marples on 20^th January at Dronfield

DEATHS –

*Mr Joshua Warren at Chesterfield, a sergeant with the Chatsworth Rifles aged 39 years

*Mrs Jane Hanstock wife of Peter, after a short illness aged 36 years

*Mary Barlow widow of Mr T Barlow on 3^rd February at Barlow

AND FINALLY…

If you had “questions on all events of life” this advert would have caught your eye -

Professor Lodoski of Charles Street, Hatton Garden, London was quite happy to answer any questions on “love, absent friends, losses, prospectus of the future”.  He had 26 years working as astronomer at the Court of Persia and so he would of course be able to answer any questions you may have had. 

All he required was details of your age and sex and 30 postage stamps.  I wonder if any Chesterfield residents contacted the mysterious man.

 

Echoes of our past ~ NEWS...... 9th December 1882

 

 

Read all about it……. Echoes of our past NEWS

What was in the local news this weekend in 1882?

MAIN NEWS –

 

*Bakewell Board of Guardians monthly meeting –

 

The meeting was officiated over by Lord Edward Cavendish.  Vice Chairmen G W Furniss and M Wood Esq’s, C Sorby Esq and twenty of the Bakewell Union Guardians.  The topics of discussion were -

 

Improvements in the house

 

The clothes drying area was “quite inadequate” to fulfil its role and it was suggested by the Committee that a wall be removed at the back of the house, in order to enlarge the present drying area.  The cost to the Union would be low as the land was not already in use.  It was also pointed out that the inmates would be able to provide the labour to dismantle the wall.

 

The Guardians agreed that the improvements be carried out.

 

Paupers Christmas Dinner

 

The Master of the Workhouse requested permission from the Guardians to furnish the inmates with their usual “extra” dinner on Christmas Day.  The request however was received with differing attitudes by the Guardians.

 

Mr Ward moved and Mr Garton seconded the request, but added that non-inmates should attend by ticket only.  Another Guardian stated that the extra Christmas meal was for inmates only.

 

Mr Harrison put forward a proposal that “there should be no Christmas dinner”.  He added that he “neither liked a feast nor a fast and a thing of that sort did neither rich nor poor people any good, and he thought it was a waste”.   The response from the Chairman to this suggestion was to ask Mr Harrison if he thought others would second this amendment.  To which Mr Harrison replied “I don’t know my Lord, they can please themselves”.

 

The result of the request that the poor of Bakewell and district who found themselves in such a sad state to be inmates in the Bakewell workhouse on Christmas Day should receive an extra Christmas meal was a resounding “yes” and Mr Harrison was on his own with his “scrooge” opinion on Christmas.

 

Sick Club dispute

 

An elderly man named David Skelton wrote to the Guardians for assistance in his claim for money from a sick club at Taddington, which he had paid into for 25 years.  Mr Skelton was suffering from rheumatics, but as the sick club would not pay him his dues he was forced to receive out-relief from the Union, which although he was “very thankful” for he thought he should receive his money from the sick club instead.

 

The case had been referred earlier to the County Court, but the sick club claimed that Mr Skelton was too old when he joined the club and was thus not entitled to any relief from them.  Mr Skelton could however prove that a man older than he was on joining was obtaining money from the club.

 

The committee heard how Mr Skelton was now living with his daughter and was described as a “tottering old man”.  It also transpired that Mr Skelton had been withdrawn from the club as he was found working whilst receiving sick pay.

 

The board decided that the issue was to complex and that is was best that they did interfere.

 

Previous items

 

The board heard how the suggestions made at an earlier meetingby Mr Basil Cane, the Poor Law Inspector  had all been achieved.  The porters lodge had been enlarged, there was now a receiving ward and the ventilation matters had been attended to.  Mr Cane thought that the alterations would “add to the comfort of the inmates” to which a round of applause was heard.

 

Scandal in the House

 

At the last meeting on 20^th November discussion was led involving an inmate named Fanny Goodwin.  The Committee had been left with instruction to discover the paternity of the child.  At this time the Committee had failed to achieve their objectives, due to the mother refusing to give the name of the father and also the “evasive and unwilling manner” of the inmates to give evidence.

 

It was moved by Mr Senior and seconded by Mr Garton that the issue is resolved and no further investigation would take place.

 

Music for inmates

 

The Master of the workhouse requested a harmonium, so that it may be used at the services in the House.  An instrument could be bought for £15-£20 and the money would come from the collection which had been previously carried out to purchase books for the Workhouse.

 

Almost all present agreed with this request, the inmates would soon be listening to the beautiful music of the harmonium.

 

Not all the Guardians however saw the merits; Mr Harrison stated “it seems to me we are going to make the place uncommonly nice (laughter) so that everybody will want to come here”.

 

Final request from the Master

 

The meeting finished on a sad note, when the Master (Mr Walters) announced that he and his wife had applied for a position in London.  They would be paid £250 plus rations. Mr Walters requested that the Board would provide him with a character testimonial if required.

 

The Chairman and other members responded that although they would hope that they would not lose the service of Mr and Mrs Walters, they did appreciate that they would benefit from bettering their position and so would grant a testimonial if applied for.

 

OTHER ITEMS –

 

*Attempted suicide –

 

The wife of a Mr Thomspon an engine tenter of Danesmoor, Clay Cross was found having had her throat cut and the razor still being left in her throat.  The Thompson’s lived in a row of five cottages and their neighbour was a PC Thompson who had found Mrs Thompson.  At this time she is still alive but in a serious condition.  Mr Thompson the husband was at work that afternoon being employed by the Clay Cross Company.

 

*Emigration to Canada –

 

Due to the demand for labour in Canada assisted passage was being advertised at £3 each.  The trip would leave from Liverpool to Quebec.  The sought after occupations were; agriculturalists, agricultural labourers and female domestic servants.  For £4 passage general labourers and mechanics were also required. 

 

*Disorderly women –

 

Mary Clare and Esther Holmes both of Stonegravels were charged with being “common prostitutes” and behaving in a riotous manner in Knifesmith Gate on 2^nd December.  Mary Clare was sentenced to 6 weeks and Esther Holmes 5 week’s imprisonment.

 

MARRIAGES –

 

*Thomas Archer eldest son of Samuel Archer of Hilton Grange to Sarah Ann Parker eldest daughter of Francis Parker of “the Oldhams”, married on 20^th November at Youlegreave.

 

*George Anthony Hartland youngest son of Mr William Hartland of Woolhope, Herefordshire to Emily Rose Thompson of Derby, married on 14^th November at St Luke’s Church, Derby.

 

DEATHS -

 

*Michael Smith aged 55 years at Lings Row, North Wingfield

 

*Robert Henderson aged 5 months at Brickyard, Chesterfield

 

*Lizzie Walton Eyre aged 1 year at White Bank Cottage, Hasland

 

*Gertrude Slack aged 1 year at Knifesmith Gate, Chesterfield

 

*G Landgraf head artist for Derby Crown Porcelain died on 26^th November at Bamberg, Bavaria after a long illness he was 42 years old

 

*Isabella Rodgers daughter of Jacob and Emma Rodgers aged 2 years at Alfreton

 

*Joseph Collins aged 66 years at Cavendish Square, Newbold

 

*Henry Heathcote aged 49 years at Marsden Street, Chesterfield

 

WEATHER -

 

Snow was causing havoc over the North of Great Britain, “the great snow block now extends more or less over the entire North of Great Britain”.  Many trains were abandoned stuck in the snow.  The trains in between Sheffield and Manchester were all blocked in on Wednesday night and the passengers which stopped at Penistone arrived at Sheffield at 6am next morning. 

 

In North Derbyshire the snow had fallen  “with great violence”; not only the amount of snow but the gale that blew alongside.   All traffic was almost suspended.  The farmers at Taddington and Millers Dale had great difficulty in transporting their milk to the railway station and extra staff was kept on duty to clear the lines.  Buxton and Chapel-en-le-frith were both almost deserted as the snow fell and became blocked.

 

AND FINALLY…

 

The commercial aspect of Christmas was even evident back in 1882 –

 

The South Kensington Fine art Association were advertising “Grand Christmas Gifts” for sale.  Magnificent oil paintings for 2s 6d could be delivered all over England and would provide a “more useful and lasting Christmas and New Year’s present.

 

The Association was also selling Christmas and New Year’s cards with pictures taken from the original designs of the eminent English artists.  The cards included a prose or verse, written by “writers of great talent”.   Thirteen cards could be purchased for 1s and would be forwarded to the purchaser free of charge.

 

Local business man T P Wood was also aiming to flourish from the Christmas season.  He was selling Christmas Boxes for 22s which would include the following refreshments –

 

1 bottle Old Rum

1 bottle Old Irish Whiskey

1 bottle Cognac Brandy

1 bottle Crusted Port

1 bottle Pale Sherry

1 bottle Best London Gin

1 bottle Essence of Punch (which would make 2 bowls of punch)

 

After consuming the liquor, if you are able to safely find the shop then on returning the bottles and the case a refund of 2s would be given – who could resist such a bargain?