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.