Carlisle Patriot, 15 Oct 1825 - Local News (1)

[petra.mi...@doctors.org.uk]

Saturday 15 Oct 1825   (p. 2, col. 4-6 and p. 3, col. 4 + 6)

 

The Carlisle harriers will cast off on Monday the 17th instant, at Harrowby Bridge; on Wednesday, at Newtown; and on Friday, at Raughton Head—each morning at nine o'clock.

 

On the night of Tuesday last, the shop window-shutter of Mr. FITZGERALD, confectioner, Annetwell-street, in this city, was forced open, by some apparently inexperienced thieves, who cut out a square of glass, with a diamond, and forced into the opening thus made, a youth or other person of small stature, who stole several glasses of sweet-meats, and two tills from the counter, containing together about twenty shillings in copper and silver. In the course of the following day, some children who were playing in a field behind the Castle, found the two empty tills and the glasses of confectionary, some of which had been left untouched, partly hidden among the grass. This is the third time that Mr. FITZGERALD's shop has been robbed within the last twelve months, and in neither have the depredators been detected. Since writing the above, two boys, apparently aged about 10 and 12 years of age, have been apprehended and lodged in gaol.

 

A meeting of the inhabitants of Eskdale Ward was held, pursuant to advertisement, at the Court-House, in Brampton, on the 7th inst., for the purpose of forming a Friendly Benefit Society, for Eskdale-ward, Henry HOWARD, Esq. of Corby Castle, in the chair, when various resolutions were entered into, for which see the advertisement in another part of our paper. The time appointed for the purpose of receiving the deposits of those inclined to become members of the society, is fixed for the 16th November, at the Magistrates' office in Brampton. This institution promises to become of great advantage to the industrious and labouring classes, as by the payment of small deposits, according to their circumstances, they can secure without risk a fund for sickness and old age.

 

Horse-stealing.—Persons who have horses come to age, out grazing, ought to secure them during the night, as horse-stealing has become so general in this district as to recall the remembrance of the turbulent days of 1716 and 1745, when every thing in the shape of a horse was snatched up for the purposes of war. "Scarcely a day presents itself," says a correspondent, "but fresh accounts arrive of fresh feats at horse-stealing. Cumberland and the Borders are particularly adapted to this species of plunder, owing to their large tract of open and waste lands through which roads lead in all directions. But after all the dexterity of the London and Leeds "prad lifters," Sockey Tom of horse-stealing notoriety, the Bewcastle fugitive, put more through his hands in one year, than any six of these gangmen, Yorkshire though they be! He sometimes committed two thefts on one horse in the course of twenty-four hours: stealing it and selling it; and again taking it from the buyer, and finding another customer; taking it a third time, and returning it to the right owner!! Many who are now alive could bear witness to these facts."

 

SNELL, who was apprehended on Brough-Hill on a charge of horse-stealing, has been removed to Hertford gaol.

 

Professor WALLACE, of the Andersonian Institution of Glasgow, commences the first of a course of Lectures on Mechanics this evening, at the Assembly Room of the Coffee House.—See adv.

 

A chicken belonging to Mr. William NORMAN, of Well, in the parish of Castle-Sowerby, which was only hatched in April last, commenced laying eggs several weeks ago, and sat herself upon ten, seven of which she hatched, and has a fine brood of chickens following her at this time: an instance of precocity the most singular of any we have ever heard of.

 

On Tuesday last, Mr. SHAW, of Penrith, Bookseller, was again appointed surveyor of the highways, for that parish, by the magistrates assembled in petty sessions—the duties of which he discharges with great spirit and public utility.

 

The following explanation is given in the Cumberland Pacquet of a circumstance which is said to have occurred at Allonby when the youth from Edinburgh (MACKENZIE) lost his life in bathing. It is inserted on the authority of a nameless Gentleman resident at Whitehaven:—

 

"I regret that such misrepresentations should have gone abroad, more particularly as I am assured the individual referred to is 'a plain inoffensive man who labours hard to be useful to his fellow creatures, without receiving either fee or reward.' Though neither Priest nor Levite, he was on his way to Mowbray to preach the Gospel; after passing Allonby, he heard the cries of the dying youth, and needed no further call—he instantly returned, but as he could not swim, and saw a person wading in the water, apparently as unable to render efficient assistance as himself, instead of going as an idle spectator, he hastened to the village, gave the alarm, and many proceeded to the spot. He, however, made it his business to secure one who could swim, and was willing also to use the needful exertion: and accompanied by a humane person so qualified (I believe a fisherman) he went to the spot were [sic] many were collected, but none, save the uncle of the boy, had made any effort to rescue the drowning youth. The fisherman plunged into the water, but too late, the vital spark had fled. On observing this the individual who has been so shamefully calumniated, very properly remarked, 'Here you see the sad consequences of bathing on the sabbath day.' As he could be no longer useful on the beach, he proceeded on his journey, and after fulfilling his engagement he called at Allonby on his return, and saw the corpse which had been rescued by the courageous fisherman."

 

Assuming this to be correct, we at once see the reason of the uncle's impressions and conclusions, which were not at all unnatural. We are glad, for the sake of human nature, that even this explanation has been offered. We must say, however, that we wish the person alluded to had acted otherwise than he appears to have done by the account of his anonymous friend.

 

On Friday the 7th instant, a girl, named Mary BOYSE, dug up a potatoe in a field near Applegarth church, on which she perceived something growing like a gilded button, as she expressed it, but on picking off the earth, she was not a little gratified to find it to be nothing less than half a guinea of the reign of his late Majesty George the Third.

 

An inquest was held before Peter HODGSON, Esq. at Hensingham, on Saturday last, on the body of Robert WALKER, whose death was occasioned by the falling of part of the roof of Wilson Pit. Verdict: accidentally killed. The individual who was thus removed from all sublunar cares was of extraordinary and eccentric habits. Nature had formed him in one of her largest moulds, and given him strength and a constitution correspondent to his stature. His occupation was laborious in its ordinary character, frequently demanding the exercise of muscular powers for ten or twelve hours a day in the coal mines. This performed, WALKER travelled to his place of abode, for resting place it cannot be called, situated at the distance of more than eight miles from the seat of his daily labour. In a few hours he had to retrace his steps to the dark confines of the colliery, where he found employment; and thus occupied, but six hours at most were all he could allot to sleep. In his solitary walks between the scene of his toil and repose at home, the deceased observed complete taciturnity, and the existence he thus led was of many years duration. Pedestrian feats have often been recorded, but we doubt whether any instance can be found of combined activity, industry, and pedestrianism equal to WALKER's.

 

There are at present nine persons living in the Workhouse at Keswick, whose united ages amount to 747 years: Susannah HUNTER, 91; Elkanah IRWIN, 90; Ann BIRKETT, 84; Elizabeth PARKINSON, 84; Joseph HUNTER, 82; Jane, his wife, 82; Sarah STOT, 80; Margaret WORKMAN, 77; and Fanny LANCASTER, 77.

 

 

[to be continued]