Cumbria Family History Society

 Saturday 20 Jan 1816   (p. 3, col. 1-2 + 4-5)
 
We are extremely sorry to inform our readers, that Henry FAWCETT, Esq. M. P. for this city, is seriously indisposed at his house in Portland place, London; and we understand, that the accounts have been received here during the latter part of the week are not more favourable. We hope we shall soon have the satisfaction to announce the entire convalescence of one who is no less respected in his public, than in his private character.
 
On Monday last, a meeting of the Commissioners for the Affairs of Taxes, in Cumberland Ward took place at Mrs. IRVING's, the Crown and Mitre, in this city, for the purpose of electing a clerk for the Property and Assessed Taxes, in the room of the late Mr. Matt. BOAKE, when Mr. Thomas BOUSTEAD, clerk to the Commissioners for Eskdale Ward, was chosen to fill both situations.
 
A Dividend, amounting to nearly £200 was lately shared among the proprietors, under the Bailey Common Inclosure Act, in this county. Dividends of this kind are rather unusual; and much praise is due to Messrs. NORMAN and GRAHAM, the Commissioners, for the expedition and economy in their management of the business of the Inclosure, which has given great satisfaction to the proprietors and all others concerned.
 
During the night of Tuesday, and the whole of the following day, we had violent gales of wind from the west and north west, occasionally accompanied with smart showers of sleet and snow. The wind, we understand, has done some damage in the neighbourhood, such as unroofing stacks, insecure out-buildings, &c; and in this city many lamps were blown from their irons and broken. There has been a very heavy fall of snow within the last few days, to the north of this city, which has impeded the Edinburgh and Glasgow mails very considerably. The latter was stopped by it about 19 miles on the other side of Moffat, and the former at the two first stages out of Edinburgh. The snow in some places is drifted very deep.
 
A report has reached us of a Guard to the Glasgow Mail having been lost in the snow on Wednesday. He had set out with the Mail on horse-back, from Dumfries, and was overpowered in the violence of the storm and perished. We do not vouch for the truth of this, but fear it will prove to be a fact.
 
On Thursday se'nnight, early in the morning, an attempt was made by two thieves to break into the Warehouse of Mrs. SELBY, situate in Pack-horse lane, English.street, in this city, but which was frustrated, we are happy to say, in the following manner.—While in the act of forcing open the door, they broke a square of glass, the sound of which gave the alarm to two men who had slept in the adjoining house, and were then in the act of getting up; on hearing the noise, they threw up the sash, and saw the thieves entering the Warehouse, but on being thus discovered they ran off.—Depredations of this nature are now become so common in this city, that, in our opinion, some measures ought to be taken for general protection. To guard every dark lane and corner is both out of the power and province of peace officers, and we have more than once recommended a nightly watch—at least in winter—with which almost every considerable town in England is supplied. A well selected set of watchmen would insure security not only from burglaries, but in a great degree from fires. We should feel happy if through our means some plan were adopted, and we offer our paper and our aid in pointing out and arranging the most eligible line of conduct to be pursued.
 
We have great pleasure in stating, that his Grace the Duke of Devonshire has given directions for the workmen to proceed in making the road through his Grace's field, at Stanwix Bank.
 
Botcherby Bridge. —The statement about the wonderful fall of this structure is void of truth. The bridge is still passable, but as we said last week, it is not prudent to venture on it with heavy loads.
 
Mr. PARRIN the Organist, &c. will shortly arrive at Penrith. See Advt.
 
The Newcastle mail coach, which left this city on Tuesday was upset on its way to that town. It received a severe jerk from an accumulation of ice in the road, and the very violent wind took effect at the moment, and completed the overthrow. There was not the slightest neglect on the part of the coachman. We are happy to add no one received injury.
 
The Mail Coach which left Manchester on Saturday afternoon last, about five o'clock, for Carlisle, was upset about two miles out of Manchester, in consequence of the breaking of the axle tree, by which accident, a gentleman named DUCKWORTH, an outside passenger, we are sorry to say, received several such severe bruises that he was unable to pursue his journey. Another gentleman, an inside passenger, had his shoulder dislocated. The Coachman, Guard, nor none of the other passengers received material injury.



[to be continued]

 
 
Reproduced with kind permission of British Newspaper Archives
 

 
A few weeks ago we presented our readers with an interesting detail of the ultimate fate of the mutineers of the Bounty, and of the interesting new colony formed by them on Pitcairn's Island. It is well known that the relations of the ill-fated CHRISTIAN are numerous and highly respectable in this part of England; and we are informed, they have received the account of their young relatives with great interest. In giving the detail, the Quarterly Review, earnestly recommended this new colony to the attention of Government, who it is said have met that call, and intend to send out implements of industry and useful handicrafts, with all those utensils of European manufacture which can contribute to their comforts and increase their happiness.—Many of the natives appear to have strong minds and a right sense of the Christian Religion. The occurrence is thought on all hands, as likely to lead to the future civilization and conversion of the inhabitants of all the islands in the great Southern Ocean—who from all the accounts of travellers are an interesting race of people.
 
We have the satisfaction to announce, that a liberal subscription is begun in Glasgow, for the road from Glasgow to Carlisle; and in a few days we hope to be able to give the public the names of the subscribers, with the amount of their subscriptions.—Glasgow Chronicle.
 
The 3rd Lancashire Militia were disbanded at Preston last week.
 
On the 12th inst. thirteen persons, resident in the town of Egremont, were convicted at the Public Office, Whitehaven, before the Rev. R. ARMITSTEAD, one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace, in the penalty of 5s. each, for having profaned the Sabbath day on the 31st of Dec. last, by working the greater part of that day, in removing stones out of a quarry, the lease of which expired with the year! One of the persons, summoned to give evidence, refused to answer questions put to him, and he was committed to the House of Correction.
 
On Friday se'ennight, a gormandizer, in Sunderland, undertook for a trifling wager, to eat 3lb. of beef stakes, two threepenny loaves, and to drink two quarts of ale, in ten minutes, but in rolling a piece of steak up to swallow whole, he choaked himself in the attempt, and instantly expired! He had once before eaten 50 penny pies in ten minutes for a wager, and when his task was finished, he declared that if they were brought in small quantities, he could devour a hundred at a sitting. His companions in the last fatal frolic are said to have been so eager to win their wager, that they actually prevented a surgeon being sent for, till all hopes of resuscitating life were at an end. Query,—Should this be the fact, are they not liable to be indicted for manslaughter?
 
The Friendship, bound to Workington, is frozen up at Mirimachi, North America, and must winter there.
 
The Mayflower, ALEXANDER, of Harrington, is arrived after being some time missing, supposed to have been lost. She was forced by stress of weather upon an island, on the coast of Newfoundland, where she was detained many weeks, and part of her cargo was taken out before she could be got afloat. She has brought with her many persons who have been shipwrecked.
 
The log-book of the American ship Rolla, bears very honourable testimony in favour of Capt. FRAZER, of the ship London, belonging to Whitehaven, who lay his ship by the Rolla, in great distress, and supplied her with every thing necessary, saving the vessel, and the lives of the crew. What makes this conduct the more conspicuous is that the Rolla sometime before hailed an American but who passed on with a deaf ear to her distress. This extract from the Rolla's log-book has been published in an American paper in which Capt. F. is called "a noble hearted Scotchman," and the crew return "the generous Captain their hearty thanks."—Captain FRAZER is about to sail from Whitehaven for the West Indies, and every one will wish him a good voyage.
 
During the gale of wind on Wednesday, the Hopetoun, from Port Carlisle for Dumfries, laden with iron, &c. was blown on shore near Rockliff, and so far from deep water, now the storm has abated, that she must be unloaded, and either launched, or a channel cut in the sand to bring the water to her in order to float her off.
 
 
Reproduced with kind permission of British Newspaper Archives