Some Selected Reports from The Windsor and Eton Express
12th November 1836
Staines, Nov 11
An Independent Chapel is being built in town, by
Mr.Higgins, the architect, who constructed the Staines Literary and Scientific Institution. The expense is to be defrayed by voluntary subscription towards which
George Byng, Esq., M.P. has liberally given ten guineas.
Literary Institution
On Tuesday the
Rev.Dr.Jones delivered his concluding lecture on "Modern English Literature" at this Institution, to a numerous and highly respectable audience. The subject is one of the most popular that could be selected, and no better time or occasion could have been chosen for treating of it than at the opening of the season. The Rev gentleman displayed a most accurate acquaintance, with literature and its various authors, their tastes and feelings, their foibles and their excellencies. Indeed, the character of all the authors of note was briefly, but beautifully depicted, and with an accuracy that few persons are capable of giving. That of History commenced with Camden, who in 1586, published his Brittanica; then succeeded Burnet, Hume, Gibbon, Fox, and Mackintosh. To history succeeded biography, in which Boswell's Johnson formed a conspicuous topic. Then auto-biography was dwelt upon, science and metaphysics; law, physic, and divinity - all were reviewed briefly but clearly, and in a manner that gave infinite satisfaction. The Rev lecturer then proceeded to give a short view of our early poets, commencing with Chaucer, and going to Spencer, Walter, Shakspeare, Milton, Dryden, Pope, Isaac Watts, Swift (the "witty, dirty, patriotic dean," described by Cowper), who left £11,000 to found a lunatic asylum in Dublin, satirically remarking, that "no nation wanted it so much;" Thompson, of whom it was said, that he never wrote a line, which, when on his dying bed, he would wish to blot out; Goldsmith, Johnson, Akenside, Beattie, &c.; the character of Sir Walter Scott's works was
ably dwelt upon, as was that of Byron's; dramatic literature was, of course, but briefly touched upon; romance and novel literature followed (the latter so called from its being a new improvement on the wild romance), and they were succeeded by miscellaneous and newspaper literature; the observations on the latter having, of course, no reference whatever to politics. The lecture was listened to most attentively and was frequently applauded. The various topics it embraced were, in some degree familiar to many present, but the manner in which the Rev.Gentleman dwelt upon them, imparted additional interest to them.
Maidenhead, Nov 11
Meeting of the Town Council
On Wednesday the Quarterly meeting of the Town Council was held, which was attended by the whole of the members. On the motion of
Sir.J.Phillimore, seconded by
Mr.Williams,
Alderman J.E.Langton was unanimously elected Mayor for the ensuing year. The Treasurer (
Mr.Lewington), and the Serjeant at Mace (
Mr.Buffett), were also unanimously re-elected.
Mr.Williams then proposed that all meetings of the Council be open to the burgesses, which was seconded by
Mr.W.Ward. This produced a long discussion, in which most of the members expressed their opinions.
Sir John Phillimore moved, and
Mr.Nicholson seconded, amendment, that the quarterly meetings only be open to the burgesses. On the division there appeared for the amendment the Mayor (
Joseph Clark, Esq.),
Sir John Phillimore,
Mr.Langton, and
Mr.Goolden, (Alderman),
Mr.Nicholson,
Mr.Higgs, and
Mr.Payn. For the original motion, that all meetings of the Council be open, the following gentlemen voted, viz.,
Mr.Williams,
Mr.Saunders,
Mr.Bishop,
Mr.Swallow,
Mr.W.Ward,
Mr.Baker, and
Mr.Whitmore. There being equal numbers for each, it became requisite for the Mayor to give the casting vote, which he did in favour of the amendment. Two of the members did note vote,
Mr.Fletcher being called away, and
Mr.Bigg declining to vote, though the latter gentlemen had expressed an opinion in favour of the amendment, on the ground that the Council would be better conducted if the quarterly meetings were open to the burgesses.
High Wycombe, Nov 11
Mr.Alderman Harman was unanimously elected Mayor, by the Common Council, on Wednesday.
Mr.Carter, in proposing him, said that he did so, first, because they all knew him to be a man of firm character and integrity, but chiefly because he thought they owed it the people to elect those gentlemen who had the greatest number of votes, and as long as he (Mr.C) was a member of that Council, he, for one, should always delight to honour those to whom the people had been pleased to the greatest degree, to give their confidence.
Mr.Lane seconded the nomination, and said, that he had not the least doubt, that placed so high as
Mr.Harman had been by the people, he would do justice, not only to their satisfaction, but also to his own credit. After the usual ceremonies were gone through,
Mr.Harman said that he felt greatly obliged for the honour they had done him in electing him there chief magistrate, and their kindness he should not easily - nay, should never - forget. With such kind friends around him, he trusted he should go through the duties of his office, if not with satisfaction to himself, at least to them and to the people.
On Monday the Town Council gave a dinner to
J.G.Tatem, Esq., the Mayor, on his going out of office.
Mr.Lane,
Mr.Miller,
Mr.Prestage, and
Mr.G.L.Parke were on Tuesday week elected Councillors of this borough the first three were the late members of the Council, and went out by rotation.
On Tuesday
Messrs.Preston and
Gurden revised the list of voters for this borough. The following is a statement - Liberal objections 9, sustained all; Tory objections 8, sustained 5 lost 3 - Tory claims 4, gained 1; lost 3. Thus the Liberals marked off 9, kept on the list 3, and kept from the list 3, whilst the Tories marked off only 5, and added only 1, giving a majority of 9 to the Reformers.
Egham, Nov 11
On Tuesday last an inquest was held at the White Lion Inn, in this town, before
Mr.Carter, Coroner for Surrey, on the body of
Thomas Fox, who died suddenly in an outhouse of that Inn, on Sunday last. It appeared that the deceased, who was a miserable looking object, went to one of the ostlers of the White Lion Inn on Saturday night, and asked to be allowed to sleep in the stable. The ostler replied that he could not do so without the permission of his master, and the deceased went away, but it is probable that he passed the night in one of the outbuildings; for in the morning, he was seen in the yard, eating a crust of bread. In the afternoon, about three o'clock, as the ostler went into the coach house, he saw the deceased lying on the ground, and on going up to him, discovered that he was dead.
Mr.Gilbertson, the Surgeon, was instantly sent for, but his assistance was of no avail. On searching his pockets, a pass was found, from which it appeared, that on Saturday afternoon, he received one shilling and three-pence to pass him from Staines to Bagshot on his road to his native place, Modbury in Devonshire. The Jury returned a verdict of "Died by the visitation of God."
We perceive by the Hereford Journal, that our highly esteemed neighbour,
Col.Salway will come forward as a Candidate for the borough of Ludlow at the next election.
Kingston, Nov 11
On Wednesday last,
Mr.Schofield, timber-merchant, of this town, was elected Mayor.
On Thursday a public meeting was held in the Town Hall, at which the necessary arrangements were entered into, for forming a friendly society to ensure some provision for the aged and infirm poor.
Incendiary Fires
We regret to learn that the fiendish spirit of incendiarism has made its appearance in the neighbourhood of Windsor. On Sunday morning last, about four o'clock, an old and trustworthy servant of
Mr.Agar's, at Warfield, in the name of
Chambers, who sleeps on the premises, was awoke by his wife telling him there was a fire. He instantly arose, and on looking out of the window he discovered a large wheat rick in flames. The alarm was instantly given around the neighbourhood, and a great number of persons hastened to render all the assistance that was in their power, but all their efforts were insufficient to prevent the destructive element from communicating with an adjoining rick, and both were entirely consumed. The farm buildings were, however, most miraculously saved. Two engines, one from Windsor which was dispatched with post horses, and another belonging to
Lady Malcolm, were on the spot as soon as possible, but the flames had obtained too great an ascendancy to permit of their being of any service. The loss amounts to about £300, but we are happy to say that
Mr.Agar is fully insured in the Norwich Union Fire Office. The authors of this calamity (for there appears no room to doubt that it was the act of one or more incendiaries) remain at present undiscovered, but a reward of 100gs is offered for their apprehension, and we hope the inquires that are making will soon bring them to that punishment which so heinous a crime merits.
On Sunday morning a similar diabolical act, although not so destructive as the above, occurred in a field near Egham, in the occupation of
Mr.Willis, of Englefield Green. Between two and three o'clock, a barley rick of about 30 quarters, standing alone in the field, was discovered to be on fire, and notwithstanding the exertions of the people who were soon collected thither, the flames spread so rapidly that it was entirely destroyed. There is no doubt that this also was the act of an incendiary.
On Sunday last, about five o'clock, a fire was discovered in the stack-yard of a farm belonging to
Sir Thomas Hare, Bart., and occupied by
Mr.Henry Lemmon, situate at Shuldham, near Downham Market, and in a short time the produce of three large wheat stacks was entirely consumed. The fire did not extend itself, the stacks being in an isolated situation. We are happy to add the whole were insured to their full value, although there can be no doubt the fire was the diabolical act of an incendiary, there being no house near to have occasioned the mischief.