All Human Life

In 1901 Charles Mackie collected together the most interesting articles published in The Norfolk Chronicle between 1801 and 1900 and published them in two books The Norfolk Annals vol I and II. They are now Public Domain and can be found free to peruse on line. They make fascinating reading to anyone interested in the history of East Anglia. So here are a few extracts from the first 10 years of the nineteenth century......

“To be seen alive in a genteel room at Mr. Peck’s Coffee-house, Church Stile, Market-place, Norwich, the largest Rattlesnake ever seen in England, 42 years old, near nine feet long, in full health and vigour.  He is well secured, so that Ladies and Gentlemen may view him without the least danger.  He has not taken any sustenance for the last 11 months.  Admittance, Ladies and Gentlemen, 1s.; working people and children, 6d.” April 11 1801 

 “Died, lately, at Strawberry Hill, near Collumpton, Devonshire, aged 78, the Earl of Montrath, of Weeting Hall.   His invariable dread of small-pox occasioned his lordship to lead absolutely the life of a recluse.  His terror was so great that he had five houses between his seat at Weeting and his house in Devonshire, to prevent the chance of infection, and at these houses small establishments were kept up, as he dared not sleep in an inn.” Mar 20 1802

Three gentlemen, for a considerable wager, undertook to walk blindfolded from Post Office Court to the great doors of St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich, in 15 minutes.  “Two of them performed it in less than the given time, much to the satisfaction of the spectators, but the other unfortunate gentleman bent his course rapidly for the Upper Market, and found himself at the expiration of the time at the great doors of St. Andrew’s Hall.” Oct 18 1802

“Lately, was married at Ranworth, Wm. Brown, aged 80, to Elizabeth Gunton, aged 63.  The bridegroom had had three wives, the bride three husbands, and the bridegroom’s daughter, who attended this wedding, had also had three husbands.”    May 7 1803

David Graham was convicted, before the Rev. J. Oldershaw, for driving cattle on Sunday at Harleston, and under the Act of Charles I. paid a penalty of 20 shillings. Nov 27 1804

“Died lately at Bristol Hot Wells, where she had gone for the recovery of her health, the Countess of Leicester.” Feb 13 1802

“At Diss, a number of labourers in husbandry refused to work for the customary wages, and being out of employment applied to the magistrates, who advised the parish officers to put them to work, which they accordingly did.  Their business was to carry bricks in a hod from Palgrave to Diss, a distance of two miles.  This medicine had the desired effect, for after two days they returned to their former employment.” July 27 1805

A woman, who had eloped from her home in Kent with a horse dealer, was found by her husband in a house in St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich.  She refused to return to him.  The dealer offered to buy the woman for £5, and her husband, agreeing, placed a halter round her neck, and surrendered all right and title to her for the sum named. Feb 9 1805

Died, aged 60, Elizabeth Clayton, of Wells-next-the-Sea.  “This woman, from an early propensity for masculine employments, had worked as a ship’s carpenter at the dockyard of the above port upwards of 40 years, and always in man’s apparel.  She used to drink, chew tobacco, and keep company only with workmen, yet would never enter into the matrimonial state.  She was a strong robust woman, and never permitted anyone to insult her with impunity.” Mar 4 1805

  “To be seen alive (from Mr. Kendrick’s menagerie, 42, Piccadilly), in a commodious room at Mr. Peck’s, the Church Stile, in the Market Place, Norwich, a most surprising crocodile from the Nile ever seen in this kingdom.  He is so remarkably tame that any lady or gentleman may touch him with safety.” Aug 9 1806

A woman, named Mary Hudson, aged 35, escaped from Norwich City Gaol under extraordinary circumstances.  She made a hole through the wall of the room in which she was confined, and crept through it into the street, taking her six months old infant with her.  The wall was two feet in thickness, and she must have been employed some nights in making the aperture.  The bricks were concealed beneath her bed, and the loose rubbish put into the pillowcase.  Another bed served to conceal the hole in the wall. Nov 9 1808

 At this date was published the statement “Norfolk grows the finest barley, and makes the worst ale of any county in the kingdom.” Aug 7 1813

 “There is now living at Oxburgh, in this county, William Durrant, a gardener, who yearly eats 1,095 red herrings, chews 18 lbs. of tobacco, and, to give his nose pleasure, takes 365 ozs. of snuff.  The total sum of tobacco, snuff, and red herrings is £13 18s. 10d.” March 3 1810

 At a meeting of the Trafalgar Lodge of Oddfellows, held at the Three Tuns, St. Andrew’s, Norwich, the floor of the upper room gave way and precipitated the members into a lower apartment.  No one was injured.  The meeting, at the time of the accident, had under discussion the question of the desirability of removing the lodge to other quarters. Dec 10 1811

Take care.