Location: England, United Kingdom
George Clark Autobiography
Part One
INCIDENCE AND CIRCUMSTANCES THAT I, GEORGE CLARK, CAN REMEMBER FROM CHILDHOOD AND ON THROUGH LIFE
First, on the twentieth day of May 1810, I was twenty months old and my youngest sister (Maryanne) was twenty days old (actually twelve days old). Since her birth my mother was being cared for by one of her sisters who was staying with us. Newark spring fair was being held on that day. On this afternoon, I saw my aunt, a friend, and my eldest sister (Elizabeth) go out of the house for a walk. I thought to follow them, but was not quick enough to see them go into the first neighbours house on the left-hand side, and thinking I was following them took the right. Toddling along, I passed all the houses that way until there was only thorn hedges covered in white blooms on each side of the road, about three quarters of a mile away from home. I remember seeing my aunt and another person with her meeting me, and when they came up to me took me by the hand, asking if I would go back with them. I said ‘it is so’. I am told that was as plain as I could express willingness to go back with them.
I remember nothing more of that time until, as I have been told, I was about two and a a half years old when I was taken to Tuxford in the stagecoach. As it passed along the road, I thought trees and buildings was rushing past us instead of the coach running passed them. I can remember the curious sensation I felt at that time.
After arriving there, I remember going to Grandfather Cotton and having hasty pudding with sugar and crab verjuice and liking it very much. I can remember Grandfather very well. He was wearing spectacles with very round rims. Broad rimmed hat, very large buttons on his coat, and large buckles on his shoes and on his breeches at the knees.
At this time all the house furniture was of turned wood – chairs had rush bottom and bedroom floors was joists laid over with rushes and then plaster of parris run over the top of that, so was very cold in winter.
I scarcely remember Grandmother Cotton, only her coming into the bed room with long grey hair hanging down her back, and I was frightened of her as she had different features from Grandfather that I remember. Uncles and aunts I don’t remember much about at the time – only one aunt who had a large flower pot in which she grew an orange tree full of yellow oranges about the scise of marbles that took my attention very much; as did the door handle inside the closet which was stuck all over with different kinds of animals drawn and painted by a cousin six years older than I.
The next I remember about that time was the great earthquake. A Mister Caister, a neighbour who was ill in bed, was continually wanting me to have me in his bedroom with him. I suppose my chatting to him so much cheered him up, passing the time more agreeably than if he were by himself. On this memorable day he had fetched me to be with him for a while. I don’t remember the exact time of day it was, but all of a sudden there was a great shake and a rumbling noise. The rings of the bed curtains rattled on the iron rods, the windows rattled, earthern ware was thrown from themselves below the stairs at the alarm, and Mr Caister sprang quickly out of bed. Being a child it did not alarm me, but the stir was such that I’ve had it ever since very vivid in my recollection, and of course there was talk of it for a very long time afterwards.
Next I remember when about four years old going to school to a Mrs Cooks next door to our house, and can remember her features very well as though see her now while at this. She was a very nice person, wore spectacles and knitted stockings. Whilst going to her school, there was close by an old man the name of Oaks who died. We knew him well, and when in his coffin we children were allowed to see him and shall never forget the look of him. His beard had grown long and did not look nice. I felt frightened at the time and never lost sight from my eyes. After that for a long time shunned as much as possible seeing dead people in their coffins.
Next when five years old there was a sixteen weeks frost when the Thames was frozen, and was told a fair was held on it at London and both bullocks and sheep roasted on the ice, and all sorts of sports and amusements carried on for some length of time for the ice broke up. I remember seeing the icicles hanging down from the tiles down to the ground as thick as lampposts. Also saw a man with both feet in the stocks for getting drunk and making a disturbance pelted with rotten oranges and eggs and all kinds of rubbish. The stocks were near the gaol in an open space where five streets met..
When five and half years old, my school was changed to a Mrs Maplestones. Her husband was a rope maker, and further from home had a very large rope walk. Unfortunately he failed in business and it so distressed him in his mind that he attempted to put an end to his life by cutting his throat, which did not prove effectual. He remained in a desponding way, but got a situation under the town corporation to be over the boys from the workhouse employed at the spinning factory. His wife commenced schoolkeeping. They had two daughters that took situations as lady’s maids, each of them in families that travelled about a great deal on the continent. Can remember when they used to come home for a little while – they talking about the people of Italy, and women doing the man’s work in the fields and men doing the women’s work in the house; which of course we thought a very strange thing and were much surprised at the information they used to give after their travels on their return home. I have no recollection of either of Mrs Maplestones daughters as to their features, but that they was tall in stature. Mrs Maplestones face I recollect well, as also Mr Maplestones. He was lame with one knee bent, wore a high pattin and remember hearing him passing our house in the mornings when I was in bed, going to the factory which was near a mile from our house in a line. I went to Mrs M’s school till I turned seven.
About six years old I was put into boys clothes and trousers buttoning onto a jacket of very narrow cord. Also remember going to a bowling green with my father and there seeing boys with green flannel aprons to fetch the bowls and wipe them for the gentleman playing. The peoples name that kept the green was Cox. Very nice people, they had a very large black raven that talked as plain as anyone to be understood. I sometimes went to father by myself and was frightened of the raven, as it used to run after me. Mrs Cox when she heard me at the gate would come to bring me through from the raven and give me nuts and biscuits. On the way to there, had to pass the Posting Inn on the High London coach road where there was a large pol parrot that talked as plain as anybody. You would think someone was calling to you. It was hung out the front bow window of the Inn, and called to people as they passed by. I remember that time seeing the first steamer going through the locks on the Cannet to Sun on the Trent betwixt Newark and Gainsborough. There was a great stir, numbers of people to see – it was an astonishment to people at that time.
When a little turned six, I with my brother (11yra) and two sisters (9 and 4yrs) had the small pox. My youngest sister was very full, and was for a fortnight was quite blind. But I was quite worse than her and only had three pox on me, but was so bad was thought to be dead and laid out for dead. Don’t remember how it fared with my elder sister and brother, but remember seeing my younger sister lying in a couch covered all over with the pox and being blind, and her hands muffled. Soon after that the sickness I had a fever and was very bad and given up for dead. On that illness was both laid out and measured for a coffin – afterwards recovering. I remember being taken to be with a neighbour until I was better, who was very kind to me, and made me many nice things. One thing I remember well was nice sweet bread that was very yellow which I liked, as well as nice drinks for me.
Soon after that illness I had a dress jacket and trowsers of brown cloth, and a quantity of gilt bell bottoms on the jacket and all around for the trowsers to button on. I considered myself very grand. The first Sunday I had them on I think was Parm Sunday, as I remember going with my sisters and others to get parms and edges along the road, and we took home hand fulls. I remember it was very frosty weather at the time and the sun was shining on it.
At this time everything was very dear, just before the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The war with France had been going on for some time and was great cause of everything being so dear together. There was at about that time three wheat harvests with the hay and corn all spoil’d in the fields, and every other as for food exposed to weather was spoil’d. Flour was 5/- a stone. I used to go with my brother to the mill for flour. It was got for 5/- at the mill, but not at the shops, and that when bought from the bakehouse baked in tinds had a hard black crust, the inside loose from the crust exactly like a piece of liver – black and very sticky. That was the best bread that could be had for a long time, so had to be content with either that or barley and bean bread, or rather cakes and barley puddings. Rice at that time was very dear, and sugar, nearly black, ¼ per lb. Tea was 15/- per lb. Coffee 3/6 per lb. Soap ¼ per lb. Salt 8d per lb. All kinds of meat very dear and seldom tasted it. Everything else in likes for two or three years after the Battle of Waterloo.
For sometime before the Battle of Waterloo I remember recruiting soldiers going about the town early in the mornings with drums and fifes playing, causing great excitement, and I remember it was very fine sunshine mornings at that time. And after the Battle of Waterloo there was a great to-do by the walls being stuck over with pictures of the Duke of Wellington and Blucher, the German general. Most every house had pictures of both on their walls, and public house signs painted with the same.
About this time there was a great stir about prisoners sentenced to be transported to Van Diemens Land and Bottoney Bay – which was thought worse than being hanged – it being so far away and among savages that they would never get back again to England. There were ballards sung in the streets about the convicts to be sent so far away. I very well remember it was thought for a while at the first that it had checked crime in some degree, though not so much afterwards it was left off transporting for many and small offences that it had been custom to transport for.
It was about this time, I remember the person well, a Mr Lampkin who forged a bill for not a large sum on his brother-in-law, a Mr Carmen. When found out he was tried for forgery and hung. Mr Carmen never looked up afterwards, for he had not thought for a moment that what he had said at the trial would be the means of his brother-in-law being hung, at least he had not intended such, only that he might be so far punished as to have been a warning against doing so again. Mrs Lampkin his widow, was a straw-bonnet maker. She commenced business very well, bought up her son and daughter very well indeed and was much respected by all who knew her.
About the time I remember Mrs L, her shop was on the corner of the market place close to the church and was considered to be in great danger, for there had been a thunderstorm and lightening had struck the spire and spit it a long way down. It was at that time the highest spire in England. It was too dangerous to remain up, so the authorities advertised offering 500 pound to anyone who would go to the top of the steeple and take down the weathercock which was a sheep of brass, and it was a long time before anyone offered to do it. At last a man named Chamberlane undertook the job and succeeded to erect a scaffolding and got the weathercock down. The men who helped him carried it about the town to shew the great scise of it that had looked the scise of a mans hand but stood about three feet or more; of course it was flat. Then after the man Chamberlane got the sheep down, danced on the top stone. Of all it was round but several feet across. I saw him dance, he appearing no larger than a doll and little more than a foot high. He also fixed a flag on the stone before commencing to take the steeple down, and when taken down to below the split in the steeple, commenced to build it up again, but was unable to get it to the height again by from forty to fifty feet.
Soon after the Battle of Waterloo, peace was proclaimed and great rejoicing over it. I was eight years old and remember well seeing bullocks and sheep roasted in the streets. I could form the plan of the places and how the carcases was roasted, then the dinnering where my father took us his family in a large enclosed yard with brick walls all round where we had roast beef and plum pudding, and how the lads was on the walls shouting and making great noise, and then that night every house was illuminated and decorated with garlands and flags out of the windows. My mother put on a very handsome flag of embroided satin such has been worn a short time before for ladies dresses. A gentleman the next day offered my mother 10 pound for it but she did not part with it. About this time remember seeing a child knocked down into the gutter by a runaway horse and cart, and the wheel of the cart bouncing over the child in the gutter without even touching it, so that we rejoiced much to find the child not hurt in the least.
When about seven and a half, I was taken to Tuxford again. It was after both (paternal) Grandfather and Grandmother was dead and we was in mourning. Went by coach, going through the town about two o’clock in the morning betwixt five and six and was very frosty mornings, so was put to bed in the room where Grandfather used to sleep. I remember feeling very queer knowing Grandfather was dead. One of my uncles slept in the same room but was up and out attending the cows, taking them to the fields after being milked. I remember being very fond of the new milk we had. I used to go with uncle to the fields and quite delighted going. It was the hay time, a very nice time. They had apple and plum trees and the plum trees had a quantity of locusts about them. The boys got them and run pins through them, then they spun round and made a great noise with their wings.
After returning to Newark from the visit I was for the first time put to Mans school name of Tootet who was a very bad tempered man. He managed nearly two hundred scholars and he was very clever and brought on his scholars very well, but we never knew when doing to please hin, though doing the best we could.
When in a bad temper he would come round the desk and beat someone or other whether they deserved it or not, so that we was always in fear of being caned or our knuckles being rapped with the ruler. The master had a son that he vented his passion on when he could not on anyone else so much that he had knocked all sense out of the lad. His mother had often to come into the school to save him from being half killed. When I was attending the school he split a boys skull open with a ruler, and another time put a boy on fire. The boy whose scull was broken died from the injury, but was not generally known that it cost him a good sum of money to have it hushed up without being brought to justice for it. The master had a great name for bringing his scholars on quick in their learning.
Everyone had to attend Sunday school unless sick, and to attend church was marched in double file. Though so large a number, he had stricked order both going and in church. Not one dared to speak to another he had all in such order. The service in church was the same as in a cathedral, with the singers in gowns, and the singing was considered very good. There was men in different parts of the church to keep order wearing blue cloth gowns trimmed with white edges and carried long wands called dog-wipers. One day when leaving school was running and fell down and hurt my hands very much on the gravel and like fire coming out of my eyes, and was told that I had done wrong. I shall ever remember it. At any time I ever stumbled afterwards was impressed with the recollection of that circumstance and the remark that was made to me at that time.
In 1816 there was another great frost lasting thirteen weeks. The Thames in London was frozen again and great sports (held) on (it), but not to the same extent as there was in 1813. I remember in the frosty weather of that year seeing a regiment of scotch soldiers with all their baggage waggons in the market place. They was returning from the wars that was then over with Napolean. We children was much amused to see them in their dress, their knees and their thies being bare and when climbing over their wagons saw their bare bottoms. At that time there was some shews come into the market place and had two dwarfs with it, and with Miss Shaw, brother and sister, my mother took me and my eldest sister to see them. I have never seen two such perfect dwarfs in my life since. They were the smallest and prettiest I have ever seen. There was also Giantess shewn, a Miss Flower. A native of Newark before she was in shew. I had often seen her go by our house for a walk. She was used very badly by her brothers and sister and her mother as well, so sold herself to a shewman.
During the last frost I have named,I remember having a long dark cloth topcoat which I was very proud of, and used to go slide on a place called the Devon which was frozen over. There was a stone bridge over it and a school fellow of mine named Nixon went under one of the arches. The ice being loose at the edges, he slipped in and was drowned, which frightened me very much and mother would not let me go there any more to slide. That was a long winter that lasted till spring.
I remember the orange stalls in the market place when the snow was on the ground and freezing. The great orange fair was held on Ash Wednesday and Shroaf Tuesday, and the oranges raffled for. Every stall had a raffling machine with a brass ball all covered over with figures on flat parts and the women called, ‘One down, who makes two,’ and so on, as many as liked to put down a penny, and those who was the highest number had the moneys worth of oranges. It was a very remarkable time every year. There was also held in the market place on the fifth of November a shew of moving figures back of a screen and a large bonfire towards which the corporation of Newark gave some tons of coal. I forgot the quantity, and anyone was allowed to add to the fire as much as they chose of either coal, sticks, or anything else that would burn a very large bonfire all night of the fifth of November, and a quantity of fireworks.
When I was nine years old there was a lady badly burnt in the market place by her dress being set on fire by a squib (small fireworks with hissing sound before exploding) being thrown at her. It was very dangerous for people going into the market place on that night, but they would go. It was always an exciting affair at night. There was always many effigies of Guyfaux burnt in the large fire in the market place – those that had been carried about in the town during the day. The church bells used to ring out very merrily on those occasions.
Also in those times I remember the Morris dancers to come bolt into the house in the evening and begin to go into their anticks and would not stop until they got something given to them to go away. And there was also at the end of the plowing season farmer men, twenty or thirty of them in gangs with faces painted and ribbands flying, and some of them carrying a large plow dressed in ribbands, each man had a tin box in his hand with coppers in, which they rattled at every house to get the amount increased, but they generally expected silver and not copper. People so soon as they heard them in the street would fasten their doors, but being so many of them, some would catch the people before they had time to close the doors.
There was also another custom in Newark on a certain day of the year, I forget the day of the year it fell on, that everyone would go to the town hall betwixt certain hours on that day got a penny loaf given to them, and the boys – so that they should not go in a second time – had their faces marked with raddle (ochre pigment), a red substance and hard to wash off. I think if I remember right, those children was shut in the town hall enclosure until a certain hour when they was let out with their loaves if they had not eaten them. It was a very strange sight to see the boys raddled faces going home after being let out. All the incidences mentioned here was before I reached the age of ten.
Next followed my leaving Tootets school to go to a Mr Collins who had been head-master for a long time at the head Grammar School kept by a Mr Wittington, then curate at the church under Rev. Mr Bartlett who baptised me on the twentythird of September 1808, when six days old. Mr Collins was a very nice gentleman and was very much liked by the scholars and their parents; he bought them on so fast and so kind. I was there until I was eleven and a half years old. After that had but very little more schooling. I can say that during the time I was at Mr Collins school, or afterwards, had never once felt the weight of the cane from any teacher I was under.
When about ten years old a piece above our house on the opposite side of the road – it was called Portland road – there was no houses but qickthorn hedges and fields at the back, was commenced to be prepared for building on. When digging for the foundations where the hedgerows was, they came upon the skeletons of a man and a woman at the same spot that people at often times before had said they had seen ghosts. Nearly opposite to there was a chapel my mother attended both on Sunday and on weekdays. Very soon after the skeletons was found, and on a very dark night – the lamps not extending out to so far as that spot – I was at a neighbours by the name of Proiter, betwixt our house and the chapel. My mother was in the habit of calling upon Mrs P. – they both attending there. Near the time of going on one Wednesday night she call’d as usual to see if Mrs P. was going. I being there at the time was sent to see if the gates was open as on some Wednesday nights when rainy or bad weather there would be no meeting. I was shy at refusing to go by myself, but thought that as there was a boy in the house older than myself, a son of Mrs P. he ought to have been sent with me. I had not sense to ask that he should be sent with me, so without saying a word I started to go. But for the life of me I dare not go beyond the light of the lamps, to go right opposite to where the skeletons had been dug up, only covered over with a few inches of earth, and on the very spot where I had with others played many times under the hedges. I could not sum up the courage to go to the chapel gates, so stayed out a sufficient time and returned and said the gates was not unlocked, so it was concluded there was no meeting that night. The time passed to a certain time when a lady call’d returning from the meeting house – then my lie was found out, that I had not been so far as the meeting house.
For telling such a lie my mother was very much put out and promised me how she would punish me when we was home, and no doubt would have carried out her threat but for Mrs P. and the other person begging seriously that mother would forgive me the offence under the circumstances of being timid and frightened to go there by myself. I have never forgot telling that lie. Whenever thinking to tell a lie afterwards, that circumstance came up before me and I always saw the wrong I was in and the great folly there is in not boldly speaking the truth which will take us through all troubles.
When eleven years I was knocked down by a cricket ball. I saw the ball coming to where I was and in attempting to get out of the way of it, ran into the danger. The ball caught me across the kidneys, knocking me down and depriving me of my breath, and as have been told, was thought to be lifeless for some time afterwards, as it happened in a field nearly opposite our house.
At that time my father was at home from his travelling, being very ill and attended by the doctor who persuaded him to give up the occupation he was engaged in (Royal Mail coach driver), as if he did not, his life would be short. He was then about fortyeight years old and took the alarm, gave up his occupation he had been employed in for over twenty years as a traveller, so bought a farm. He understood farming as being bought to it with an uncle as a child to the age of twentyseven. Several years previous to his leaving farming was full manager on the farm. He knew farming was hard work, but as farming was good at that time he thought it would be the best way he could invest his money, and would be more conducive to his health, which it certainly did so prove.
But unfortunately he had given too much money for it, as it turned out the land was very poor and had not been supported by the proper supply of manure, which was great drawback to father as it cost him hundreds of pounds for manure the first year or two. He had to work very hard himself to keep from going back in money affairs. Fortunately he kept up good health which kept up his spirits, but to make things worse all kinds of farming produce in less than two years was reduced from 50-70% in market value. A bushel of wheat went from 13/- down to 5/-, cows that father gave 30 pound or more for was only worth 15 pound each, and sucking pigs from 21/- down to 5/- each, and everything on the farm in proportion : cheese, butter, poultry, everything. It proved very hard work for both father and mother. Mother had been against going to farming, not having been previously used to it, so found very great fault with father, though still did her best to make the best of it, as they both did to keep from falling over it, and to keep things together, and dragged on at it for eleven years working like slaves, then sold the farm for the same money they gave for it as it cost, giving in all their labour and worry for that time and had only barely lived and meeting all demands on them. The first summer there was much to contend with as the beginning of summer was very hot and dry, that at the end of the month of May the grass was all dried up so there was scarcely any for making hay. And the harvest was wet, all the wheat mildewed in the field so a great loss in that way at the beginning making everything very hard to bare with. During the eleven years father had the farm had continual drawbacks, the land requiring great management to be able to get anything like reasonable crops.
There was also some heavy doctors bills my youngest sister (Maryanne) and brother (John Cornelius) being a long time ill with cholera and bloody flu, which was prevalent at that time in all parts of England in 1824 – 25. My married sister (Elizabeth) was bad at the same time at her home. None of them was expected to get over that sickness. Both sisters (Maryann)were at deaths door but both recovered, and brother died (John Cornelious). We had then been on the farm five years.
I was serving my apprenticeship (tailor) in my seventeenth year of age. My elder and only brother (James) was just out of his apprenticeship (?tailor) and was in London in a sillmercers (Mercers were formerly merchants or traders who dealt in silk and cloth). In my sixteenth year I was considered to be in a decline, an effection caught partly by visiting a family where there was a son and a daughter both in a consumptive. I had spent much time with them in the evenings as they was very near to where I was serving my apprenticeship, and they being distant relations and my home fourteen miles away. There was two sisters, very nice girls near my own age, the brother was some years older who continued lingering two years. It was he who first bought the sickness and was very bad when he arrived home. The youngest sister soon took the complaint and died about eight months before the brother. The eldest sister lived several years after the others but unfortunately died of consumption. The same doctor attended me and made a cure of me. I was being taken in time and prohibited from visiting where these young people was as much as possible. I had my health pretty well during the remainder of my apprenticeship, but was worked too hard for sixteen hours a day with only poor fare, not so good as it ought to have been for the number of hours worked. I felt it the first year or two.
My mother was not certain as to the year I was born in, whether 1807 or 1808, so sent to Newark where I was born for a copy of my registry; being anxious to find if it was 1807 I was born in, and if so, I should have been able to have got off with six years service instead of seven, as I was bound for seven years. But the law was then that an apprentice could not be held after twentyone years of age no matter what age when apprenticed, or how many years named when bound. In finding it was 1808 I was born in, I was so tired of my situation I was resolved to try to alter the figure 8 to 7 in order to get a year of my servitude off, but could not be done without detection. Being aware that in such a case it would be closely examined, from fear gave it up and no one had need to see it. I am not aware if anyone besides myself has ever seen it to this time, nothing having occurred requiring its production. I served my full time and became a favourite, visited them several times after my apprenticeship was out and was always made much of by all the family and family connections.
During my apprenticeship there was several striking incidents occurred I may mention as being impressive to my memory. First was soon after I was bound to my apprenticeship: a prize fight took place about a mile and a half off by two of the greatest prize fighters in England, names Cribb and Moleneux, which cause a great stir in the country – hundreds of people down from London to see the fight. I was not allowed to go and see it, neither do I remember which of the two was the winner - it was for the belt – and took place in the year 1823.
The next was an electioneering contest in the borough of East Retford. As the year 1827 commenced there being two required for parliament, it was eighteen months preceeding the time of polling at the general elections. At this time it was a borough and none but freemen had the vote. There was three candidates put up for two seats. Two of them was Roman Catholicks named Wrightson and Dundas, who inducted the election as to both be returned. The people at that time was set against having Roman Catholicks returned. The say did not rest with them, but they was able to bring a gentleman forward to contest one of the seats = a protestant. All the three was rich men. The third, in opposition to the other two, was Sir Henry Right-Wilson who from the first told the free men that if they did not return him he would break the borough, that they would not have it in their own power after this election to put in those the body of the people did approve of during the canvassing in 1827.
The election came off in ’28 about eighteen months after the canvassing commenced. Wrightson and Dundas had open house for the free men the whole time, night and day, with bands of music and rioting about in a half drunken state – that is those of no principle who intended to vote for them they could get the most money from. It was a long time of great excitement – there was no money spared over them. Sir Henry kept aloof from encouraging such unbecoming folly that the others was supporting. When the time came for the great struggle the authorities of the town, being fully aware of what might be expected at the polling, had been prepared for it by having a great force of military in ambush.
The election commenced with great rioting – each party, both of the freemen and townspeople wearing colours and fighting occasionally. The voting began on the side of Wrightson and Dundas by giving sums of money for votes. Those voting for Sir Henry Right-Wilson went to the poll in an honourable manner without looking for bribes. I don’t remember the sum given to the first voters for the Roman Catholicks, but before the close of the third days polling they gave as high as 5 pounds a man. Rioting going high with many a broken head the military had to be brought in, and then not only broken heads but several kill’d and many seriously wounded.
When the poll closed with a majority for the two Roman Catholicks, the affairs was terrible. The populous was desperate. They had made preparation for chairing Sir Henry Right-Wilson not only around the market place, but round the town. For the two returned the chairing could not be carried out – the excitement was so great against them. It prooved to be a serious affair for many families – ruination for them. The electioneering had made many confirmed drunkards that never recovered from their life after Sir Henry Right-Wilson, as he had threatened during the canvassing – that if not returned he would break the borough – which ultimately he did cause to be done before there was another election took place, so that there would be no more corruption by voting being in the hands of the freemen of the borough alone.
It was during this time of excitement my little brother died five years and seven months old, and shortly after that when the two young people I have made mention of died of consumption.
Another circumstance near about that time was a fair held in the same town = the Borough of East Retford – as the great electioneering contest took place in. There was at that fair a gang of thieves down from London – regular pick-pockets – and to a Hatter and Cap manufacturer in the town had taken a lit of seal skins for to be made into sixteen caps. The cap-maker managed to make seventeen out of the skins, which odd one he kept for himself and wore on the day of the fair two or three days after the order was given and the caps fetched and payed for. So on the day of the fair he was standing by his stall with both hands before him, right hand open on the left, when a gold watch was put into his hand. He had just before heard that people was getting their pockets picked at the fair. It struck him about the sixteen caps being made by him, and the one out of them for himself which he was wearing, that the watch had been put into his hand by taking him for one of the sixteen wearing the sealskin caps, so at once gave the information to the chief constable. The caps and watch was about midday, and before night every one of the sixteen was taken into custody and various articles of stolen properties was found apon each of them. They got committed for trial and all of them was transported. They was thieves from London.
The next on my memory noticeable in 1825, was the young squire of the manor being of age, and though he was then from home France his birthday was celebrated in grand style. All the young men and women of the trades shops near the young gentlemans home was all invited to join those connected with the establishment in a thorough festivity beginning with lunch at the hall, and then a trip to Rouch Abby some few miles away, being conveyed there all that could attend so early in the day in various carriages, taking with them provisions for tea which was served up in that delightful place, and enjoyed much the scenery, adding much to the pleasure. After we had remained there for a certain time, started back to the hall where in a large schoolroom in a building in the interior of the shrubbery, and a mistress for it, supported entirely by the squire for all the children in the place that their parents would send , there was provided an abundance of pastry foods and sweetmeats of all kinds and it as six o’clock when we was back, so enjoyed ourselves about the grounds. A little after seven dancing commenced which continued till eleven o’clock. The squires Lady and her two daughters, younger than their brother, came into the ballroom for half an hour before supper and had a couple of dances. At eleven o’clock supper was announced to be ready in the dinning-room of the hall. There was everything of the best on the table – mostly gold – very dazzling to the eye, such as I could dare say none of us had seen before. Such a display of richness there was.
There was all kinds of game fish and poultry. It was a grand set-out for us, also plenty of ales and wines, and the ale drank was brewed at the young gentlemans birth. Supper over, we returned to the ball-room, the dancing being kept up till five o’clock next morning when all was tired and glad to go home. I knew nothing of steps in dancing though I stood up to every dance and was thought to be a first rate dancer. After being in bed a few hours after dancing, I rose from bed but was unable to walk scarcely across the floor my legs was that painful; and so continued for two to three weeks.
Two or three days after, the time arrived when according to custom, I at that time of year payed a visit to my parents nearly fourteen miles away. It was at that time impossible to get any kind of conveyance on the road. I had to go at the time I wanted to so, bad as I was, I could not allow my visit to my parents to pass over, so made a start at four am on the day fixed. But how to accomplish it? It was agony for me. I had got about two or three quarters of a mile on the road where I came to a standstill, the pain was so great. Each step I took was like dragging the sinews from my calfs. What to do was a puzzle. It was impossible to go back, and equally difficult to go forward. At last I summed up the courage to go forward in hope of meeting a cart or other conveyance. When I got on the turnpike I was three miles from, I did not meet with anything, so gradually worked at it grinning and baring the pain, and got to my journeys end in just about double the time it had formally taken me, and when home was unable to go about and enjoy the visit, and almost unable to make my way back to my apprenticeship home. With great difficulty it was I managed to reach my destination.
I had left it until evening before starting, being aware there was no chance of getting a lift in anything if I started early in the afternoon. It happened to be a starlit night, but did not much like the walk on so lonely a road even by starlight for twelve of fourteen miles, and having to pass over a bridge which for a long time since was reported to be the place some people had often seen some kind of ghost there – it being close to the foot of a plantation where a murder had been perpetrated, or supposed to have been. But for all I being so lamed and not whishing to be noticed, I preferred the nightlight walk, and arriving near the bridge about five miles from my journys end was making the best of my way I could. But there appeared at the foot of the bridge just before me, something in the appearance as a four legged creature, rather large, which got onto the top of the wall of the bridge on the side next to the plantation walked to the middle of the bridge then jumped into the middle of the stream below making a great splash. When at the spot I looked over but saw nothing, not even the water disturbed, nor any noise what-so-ever, everything being silent. I was very tired and crippled but pushed on the best way I was able, reaching my place of destination rather late at night. By the way, I must not omit to mention that many had reported seeing exactly the same vision at the bridge I saw on that night.
The end of my apprenticeship followed the next year in July, but I remained two or three weeks after my time was out to oblige helping to finish an order. I then went home and found all at home busy with harvest, so gave a help in the hay field.
In the month of September there was a party of relations and friends in commemoration of my apprenticeship being out, a kind of rejoicing as was customary on such an occasion in those times, being cheering to the family. In the month of October made a start to fight with the world, forward on my own account for a living by going to Liverpool – that was eighty to a hundred miles away from home. At that time had never been more than twenty miles, consequently for the first time in my life felt a pang at the heart leaving mother and father and sisters, not knowing when I might see them again, not able to see them in three or four hours as I had hither been able to during my apprenticeship. I had in my charge a little nephew three and a half years old – my sisters child who had been staying some time at his grandfathers, his mother and father then living in Liverpool. The child being so young I had him for most of the journey on my knees. Travelling by coach I got my back hurt very much and in consequence was laid up for several weeks in great pain, almost giving in in despair.
After I was able to get out, went out for work. I succeeded in getting into a nice shop but found myself very deficient in one sense, having learnt just one way of doing and handling the work and found the needle handled in a much different manner from what I had been taught in my seven years of apprenticeship. The first shop I was in laughed at, but in spite of it I quickly noticed how things was done and improved so much that the head man on the board became jealous of me and began by every means to try to get me to leave the shop, making it too hot for me, more than I could put up with. There was a young man who had served his time there who advised me to leave as he said he thought this man - the captain of the workshop – would soon be leaving himself, and that he would let me know so that I could go back. The cutter had told him and wished for me to go back.
I kept my acquaintance both with the said young man and the cutter who was a married man, so visited at his house. The young man was a member of the Doctor Raffles Chapel where I also became an attendant and a teacher in the Sunday school. Though I never went back to work again in the shop, I still kept acquaintance with the same parties. I got work in other places. The chapel was burnt down in that year. At times when not working in the shop, I would exercise my talents in different friends houses until the end of the year 1830.
Going back to my arrival in London and the different sights: I had the pleasure of witnessing in the procession of William 4th going to Westminster to be crowned King of England, and on that occasion for the first time the then next heir to the throne, Victoria, in the carriage next to the King with her mother the Duchess of Kent. Queen Victoria was then a nice little chubby faced, heathy looking 11 years old in the month of May that year. In the same year was a grand illumination in memorial of the passing of the Reform Bill. I also saw the Duke of Wellington being pelted with all kinds of rubbish riding through Cheapside, he having on a flowing Cambet cloak {?combat) lined with scarlet. At that time he had his house in the park barricaded – all windows and entrances from the mob or they would have broken every window. He had in Parliament House said he would put down the mob by force, which had exacerbated the people that was calling out for reform and repeal of the corn Laws, that bread must be cheaper.
The next sight was the opening of the new London Bridge by the King and Queen being present in 1831. That was a grand sight. A balloon was sent up, the partie sitting on a pony in a car attached to the balloon which went safely away, settling eight miles away. In that year visited with my intended, who became my wife in due time, both the Tower of London, the Monument of Saint Pauls, Westminster Abby, the colliseum and all places of note worth seeing. I also heard that the Reverend Roland Hill preached his last sermon on a Sunday and on the Wednesday following as chairman of the missionary meeting. The Friday after, he gave up the ghost in the ninety- third year of his life.
Go back to when I was in Banbury (Oxfordshire). After staying the appointed time there I left, making my way home in Nots (Nottinghamshire). And arriving the end of September at Staffordshire (note: there is no recorded evidence that the family ever lived in Staffordshire) where mother, father and sister resided after leaving the farm. My poor mother was suffering when I arrived home, with a stoppage in the throat having been caused by a severe cough she had with the infuenza in the month of April before – it being prevalent all over England at that time, very few escaping. I suffered very much myself with it in London. She poor devil, had felt a throttling feel in the throat in swallowing as one may feel pressing against with the thumb on the outside. She had not actually choked taking food until taking dinner one day in July, and from that time every day felt the choking more and more with the pressure in the throat getting worse – a substance forming. When I arrived home in October she was then becoming unable to take any food at the table with the family, not being able to swallow anything of substance and very little a liquid state. By the Christmas following could only pass down the throat a very little liquid at once.
It was the custom at Christmas to have a pig killed and to have pork and mince pies which my dear mother was very partial to, and was considered a first hand at raising pork pies, but poor creature could not taste them after making them, and was obliged to leave the room while the rest of the family took the meal. It was very heartrending to see it so, she having as keen an appetite to eat as any of us, but not being able to swallow the least substance the poor lady continued on, the passage in her throat gradually closing up. From that time in the month of March up to her death, was kept alive by drops of wine draining into her stomach. The passage at the time of her death, the doctors said, was scarcely enough for a hair to go through, and she was to the end, even to the last day, with an appetite to eat. She had lived as long as there was any moisture in the body, so at her death was only skin and bone.
During all that suffering never heard from her the least murmuring, but was as patient as was possible anyone could be. Bearing the pain of hunger and knowing her time in this life was limited, she looked with full hope of a happy immortality that would make up for all the privations she had suffered in life, so gave up with a quiet mind. After her death the doctors who had attended during her affection was called together as had been arranged to ascertain as far as they could, as they had been during the interim of her sufferings, any chance of a cure being affected by an operation in an attempt to take away the substance in her throat. The doctors one and all was satisfied that would not have been a success, but would have been instant death. The substance was so formed as to make it impossible to be taken away. They term it a stoney cancer, and it was the size of an egg in the swallow that had entirely closed up the passage, caused by an injury to the throat from severe coughing.
Having stayed at home to see the end of my dear mother, the following April 1833 I returned to London leaving my father and younger sister to bear the loss by themselves and feeling the loss acutely. My fellow apprentice having been near twelve months out of his time went up to London with me. He having an uncle living in Nottingham we went that way and stayed the night there, then proceeded by coach to Leicester. On arriving in London, I found the people of my first staying there was dead, so made to a Mr Mills, an old acquaintance of my fathers and there keeping the White Swan Hotel on Snow Hill near my old place of abode in the city. Only stayed there two days.
We got a shop to work for at the East End, so also engaged apartments near to our work where we remined for some length of time. We did not agree first rate as partners, he being headstrong in his way and very deficient as a workman – the same as I had found myself on first leaving apprenticing. I’d a deal of trouble getting him to manage with me as a partner in works, the whole responsibility resting with me to keep the work. Towards the end of summer we parted, so each took our own way working at different shops afterwards, and when the season got slack I paid a visit to a friend of my mothers family living in Herefordshire – a farmer, and remained a month or two enjoying myself very much. Returning to London, got through the winter as best I could, sometimes in work, sometimes out.
It was at this time body snatching systems was carried on at such a high hand by Bishop and Williams who was executed after the proof of their being the murderers of the Italian boy by selling his teeth to a dentist. To accomplish his death he was put head downwards in a well of water. That was their plan for taking life, so as the doctors at the hospital would not be aware of their being murdered, or was supposed so. But it was found out with strong proof, that they seldom ever made any enquiries as to how the bodies had been obtained. The requirement was great at the hospitals at the time, and so gave rise to murdering to obtain them, when not sufficient opportunity offered for to get sufficient bodies out of the graves for the purpose – the hospital doctors was giving on an average of ten pound for each body. Those persons engaged in that disgusting work in London was called Burkers, as the beginning of the work was in Edinborough, and the two men was caught and executed was named: one Burke and the other Hare. Those two in London – Bishop and Williams – the two principle ones taken and executed, though doubtless there was many others that escaped the penalty of the law. Many was fortunate to escape out of their hand after being operated apon, passing a secluded part in a street or having a plaster put over the mouth. That was commonly done even early in the evening passing the end of a by-street or dark entry, and is supposed many lives was taken in that way, so many persons was missing and never heard of afterwards.
Bishop and Williams was executed in August 1833, a short time after another party was caught – that of an old woman being with a man much younger than herself who had a son about eight or nine years old going to school. He had to be first up in the morning to make the fire. The mother, as this boy called her, made a practice of meeting different stage coaches arriving from the country, to put any stranger in the way of obtaining lodgings. On one of the stage coaches coming in from the country was an old lady with grey hair. The wretched woman Mrs Ross, offered her accommodation in her house until she could suit herself better, which the old lady accepted, being a stranger not knowing any particular place to put up at – or at least being weary with the journey was glad to get some rest without delay – so accompanied this woman to her place. And after some refreshment was glad to lie down. The bed was a four-post one the old lady was put into and was soon asleep. The boy previously mentioned returned from school and was in the same room waiting for his tea. His father was also, but with his head out of the window, when the boy saw his stepmother get onto the bed and do something about the throat of the person on the bed. But if or not he had seen something of the same before, or if he suspected there being done something, he said nothing. Then on the same night, the old lady was put into a sack and taken to Guys Hospital, but that night they chanced to be over supplied with bodies and so could not do with more that night. Consequently the body was taken back and put in the coal cellar for to be taken another night.
It was the boys custom to be up first to make the fire and put on the kettle by the time the stepmother was to get the breakfast so the boy could get to school at the proper time. This said morning after what the boy had seen on the previous evening, he went as usual to the cellar and at the bottom of the stairs was a sack of something. The boy looked at it. It was tied up at the neck, but there was some long grey hairs out that the boy was terrified at seeing, but dare not name it to them, and could not rest till he made it known, so that as soon as he got to school did tell his teacher all that he had seen, who at once got the police to go to the boys home and found as he had said. The man and woman was there and the body of the old lady as the boy had described in the sack in the coal cellar. The man and the woman was both taken into custody and committed for murder on the boys evidence. The woman was found guilty of the murder. The man got acquitted on the ground that he knew nothing of how the murder was committed and did not see the woman commit it as he had his head out of the window. The boy had stated that his father was looking out of the window at the time when he saw his stepmother kneeling on the bed doing something to the body on the bed.
On the day the woman Ross was executed the crowd was enormous to see the execution, as was the case of the two men Bishop and Williams only a few weeks before. They was the first that was executed for murder in England for the sake of disposing of the bodies to the hospitals for which they got an average of ten pounds each – with few if any questions asked as to how they had been obtained, whether from graves or how.
Among the crowds thousands had taken their stand to see the execution, as early as two o’clock in the morning – the place of execution the Old Baily. I was then living close by, but did not go till near the time of eight o’clock but got a good stand not more than forty feet from the gallows, so had a good view. The poor wretch on being brought for execution, was leaving an old shawl behind her in the cell, and asked for it to be fetched, her remarking she would be dammed cold hanging there for an hour without it. I noticed the shawl she had on. It was a cashmere, Canary ground, with coloured spots drafted into holes from the chemicals being used at the time, and which shewed very visible in the case of the one worn by the culprit on the gallows.
Another remarkable incident occurred which might have attended with serious consequence. Both the man and the boy who was the evidence, was at the prison at the time Mrs Ross was being bought out for execution. She espying the lad made a smart cleak at him, which had she succeeded in laying hold of him no doubt would have torn his eyes out before being extracted from her – she was so evil disposed it was with great oath what she would do.
I was at this time courting her who became my wife, living then in Ackney Road, and not far distant from where the men Bishop and Williams had their abode at the time of being arrested for the murder of the Italian boy who had a fine set of white teeth being extracted after his death and offered for sale to a dentist by which they was detected. Near about that time my then intended, one evening after dark, was going from the house to the station shop only a short distance away, and on passing a narrow street badly lighted, no light at the end of this place, and the lamps at the time very thinly fixed so that it was dark passing at that spot. There had been rumours that people had been…… at there, so that my intended was going very quick by the end of that opening and was stuck a heavy blow on the back of the head, but fortunately kept her feet though stunned, and continued running to the shop almost put out of breath. The shopkeeper kindly escorted her home. It was dangerous people going about in the outskirts of the city after dark.
At the end of the year after a second visit to my farmer friends in Herefordshire, and before my intended one had returned to town from their accustomed country outing, I left London by coach to Liverpool, and that on the very night Parliament Houses was burned down in 1834. In Liverpool met my brother (James) on a visit on his way to Edinburgh. It was an appointment we met there, having a sister (Elizabeth) settled in Liverpool. As I had been there before and had formed some acquaintances, made up my mind to stay and commence business, so in the spring of that year came to the conclusion to be married, so my adopted wife went down from London to her fathers residence at Carlton-in Lindrick, Nottinghamshire. In April 1835 made a visit to my friends about sixteen miles apart from there. I obtained a licence and on the eleventh of April was at Carlton, and on the thirteenth, on a Monday before Easter, was married by the incumbent; my wifes father giving his daughter to me, her two sisters bridesmaids – witnessing, then soon after breakfast left by coach for Sheffield where we stayed for the first night.
Next day we took rails for Manchester, then to Liverpool. I commenced business and was very happy together being fully entitled to the flitch of bacon, and working together with all our might for many years. We attended Dr Raffles Chapel twice on Sunday, which took us twenty-five minutes to walk to from where we was located. That twice on Sunday lasted until the time came from that natural causes my wife found it too much for her to continue doing so. From that time forward attended Church of England where we found such a minister we thought equal in his preaching to the Doctor at the Independent Church, much nearer, and attended the same for over thirteen years until the church and grounds was taken over for a railway station to pass over its place, and a fine one built in its room close by where we attended afterwards.
In the month of May 1836 on the ninth day, our first child was born, a son (George Cotton), a fine big baby. Both babe and mother got on well. In June ’35 soon after being married joined the Independent Order of Oddfellows of the Manchester Unity. The Grand Master of the Lodge who
installed me into the order was a Mr William McCormic, then becoming a great railway contractor who made a tunnel of three miles long under Liverpool. In January 1838 a second son was born (John James).
In that year was the great fire of Liverpool, destroying a block of warehouses seven stories high all fill’d up to the top with bales of cotton and other merchandise; the block covering an area of thirteen acres was burning. Engines was playing water on for three months before the debris could be removed. During that time there was several explosions of combustables that was stored in the cellars and lower parts of the buildings. There was bales of cotton red hot through, blown to sea up the River Mercy for nearly a mile from the place of the fire. It was a great sight to see the front of the warehouses burst out shewing the red hot bales of cotton all piled up in their perfect shape, and that one storey above the other. I went night after night for weeks to see them. It was hawfully grand sight.
During the fire, a woman walking by a canal half a mile away had her arm broke by an iron bar by an explosion, as also several similar occurance happened during the fire. There was no less than forty or fifty fireman killed, and engines buried by the fall of parts of the buildings. The fire would have been more serious, for the shipping in Princess Dock would not have been saved only for there being nearest to the dock two fireproof warehouses which stopped the progress of the fire at that point. My house was north of the fire and everytime for weeks had to go the long way round in going to the more poperlous business part of the town, in consequence of the heat from the burning.
Unfortunately a short time afterwards there was another fire broke out very near to our residence. It commenced at the bottom of the street – on one side of the street houses, the other warehouses. The fire took the whole side of the warehouses, the wind being favourable for the house side of the street, so was saved. If it had been so, we was in a perilous position, living near the end of the street from the warehouses.
Another excitement followed soon after. Some man undertook to jump of the highest point of the tallest ship in the River Mercy, and to fire off a pistol after reaching the water, which feat he accomplished in every point of the satisfaction of the thousands who witnessed it.
About eighteen months afterwards, my father-in-law was taken ill. My wife went to see him taking the two boys with her, the youngest then being about two and a half years old. A niece came from the country to keep house in mothers absence. What we did not know was that there had been scarlet-fever in the family and soon after mother returned, our two boys commenced to be bad. The germs of the fever had been bought in the girls clothes. The two boys were very bad, neither I or mother had our clothes off for a fortnight. Our family doctor attended very strictly to them, but there was very little hopes of their recovery. The youngest was worst, the doctor having to squirt vitriol up his nostrils and down his throat in order to keep a passage for his breathing. On a Saturday night it was, the doctor had bought another with him to hold a consultation and said they would be there next morning, and if no better would change the medicine. Mother was convinced from their way they did not expect to find either of them alive in the morning, and so as the doctors had spoken of changing the medicine, she there and then after they had gone, threw all the bottles and medicines out of the house and prepared strong doses of Morrisons Pills and got them taken as quick as possible. Soon after having taken that medicine they both of them fell into a sound sleep for some hours. We also got some sound sleep that night. When they awoke, there appeared a change for the better. Mother gave them another dose, they went to sleep again for some time and awoke able to speak. The medicine went through them and they was able to take a little food. I dont remember what it was they had, but there was quite a change had taken place for the better. The
doctors came as they said they would on Sunday morning and was thunderstruck to find such a change in them. From that day, with continuance of the pills they improved rapidly and was convelescents. I suppose the doctor was informed afterwards of the steps mother took on that near point of life and death, for never afterwards would he prescribe for any of us. When he had occasion to visit the house, in the case of requiring medicine he used to say – you know what to take – so gave no prescription, but was very attentive some two years after our daughter (Maria Morton) was born.
She was taken bad with diarea which bought on dropsy and suffered very much, her body so swollen, more than the skin could hold causing great pain. The doctors attended several weeks using all means they could think of trying to reduce the swelling in the abdomen, she being rubbed with different things of no use as far as giving ease. Our family doctor ordered to give plenty of extracts of Dandilion which was done, but nothing seemed to do any good, the poor child crying with pain day and night. The doctor went to the despencary himself supposing he would get the extracts purer then perhaps the druggists shops, but for all the filling of the body with water, still was not reduced but rather on the increase. The doctors appeared to be beat to know what to do, and gave her up to die in pain.
Several weeks or so elapsed without any mitigation of the pain, the poor child reduced to skin and bone. By some circumstance or other was struck with recollections of having heard of, or read of, Parrs Pills having effected some great cure, that I was so impressed with what I had read, or heard, that I procured a box as speedily as possible and mother cut two or three pills into bits and got the child to swallow them, or as little of something she could be prevailed upon to take them in. And on the second day after two or three doses the water began to drop from her elbows and her body measuring one inch and a half less round, the body continued to decrease daily, and in six weeks from that time was completely cured, having new nails both on her fingers and toes was restored to perfect health, and for many years afterwards had not the least ailment.
Allison (William Allison) was then a baby. Grandfather Unwin being dead, we had their grandmother with us. James was about four and a half years old. Grandma Unwin was teaching him and his eldest brother to read and used to talk to them, explaining them, and learning them out of the bible, telling them all about Gods works, that the God that the Bible set forth was our maker and had made all things in heaven and in earth, and that we was to look to him for all good. One day, by misfortune his presence, the handle of a mug broke off, so he at once requested his grandma to tell God – the next mugs he made to put the handles on faster. On another occasion, when Grandma was writing a letter on a low table, sitting on a low chair, he got on the floor with a piece of paper with pen and ink, and drew a correct picture as she was sitting writing with her spectacles on, her quakers cap and shawl over her shoulders – it being winter time.
The following summer poor Grandma died of cholera, a sickness very prevalent in all parts of England that year. After the coffin was bought and ready for the corpse to be put in, and in going to the bedroom for the purpose, James had occupied it and was laid all his length in the coffin, and in answer to a question said he was trying if the pillow and all was comfortable for his Grandmother to lie on – not the least timidity with him, but anxious the coffin should be comfortable. Their Grandma was interred in the Friends burying ground by permission as she had wished, being joined to that body for many years previous soon after her marriage. Her youngest son and youngest daughter had arrived just as we returned from burying and grieved at not being able to see their mothers face before being buried.
After poor Grandmas death George and James was taught by a young lady name of Powell. Her father was a doctor and had been dead for several years. The mother, with an elder son, kept a druggist shop in the neighbourhood the father had been practising in, and by a hard struggle managed to get him so far through as to get a diploma to practise as a surgeon, and had no sooner done that, turned his mother out of doors. His two sisters and young brother got employment in a chemist shop. The two girls having received a tolerable good education took a house in the subburbs so commenced teaching to our two boys. Their eldest sister was also sent to the Miss Powells where the girls received all the education they had up to the time we left England for Australia (1851) – the eldest (Maria) then being over eleven, and the next (Elizabeth) turned six. Miss Powell got married and left England to go to Rio Janiero, her husband being a native there. That was about eighteen months before we left England.
The boys had been attending the Collegiate School in Shore Everton for near four years previous to our leaving England. The competition for a prize was commenced in the school a month to breaking up for the midsummer holidays 1851. J. James got the prize for drawing a map of Liverpool with every street, public buildings, and docks, and he was thirteen and a half years old – the last year of his attending school.
I took he and his eldest brother to the exhibition in London* in the month of August, and in November set sail with all my family for Australia. Several notable incidents took place between the time of Grandmas dieing and us leaving England. The Queen had visited Liverpool twice, first to lay the foundation stone of St Georges Hall, and again in 1851 to open the said hall. Prince Albert was also in Liverpool soon after his being married to the Queen, and laid the foundation stone there for the sailors home. On each occasion of their royal visits there was great rejoicing and great processions. Several great alterations took place during that period by railway extensions into the city and several new docks for the shipping which had increased so much up to that time. Had seen the ‘Great Britain’ steamship come into Liverpool, also the ‘Great Eastern’. Saw and was on board the ‘Great Britain’ after she was wrecked and sunk In Dundrenan Bay, and was got up and bought to Liverpool, to appearance a mass of rusty iron.
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