29th October 1836

Lectures on French History

Yesterday Mr.Tarver gave his second lecture on French History, which, like the first one, was exceedingly well attended, and appeared to give great satisfaction. His third lecture will be delivered on Friday next. The interest that these lectures appear to excite in Eton and its neighbourhood on that side of the water induces us to hope that Mr.Tarver will be prevailed upon to repeat them in Windsor, where we are sure they would be - as they deserve to be - held in the same estimation , and that many persons would derive a variety of useful information from those interesting details of French history which that gentleman embodies in his addresses.

The annual dinner of the Windsor and Eton Cricket Club, which took place at the Swan Inn on Tuesday, was attended by nearly 70 members and their friends; the room was tastefully decorated, and hung with variegated lamps, banners and evergreens. The dinner, which consisted of every delicacy in season, was served up in a style that reflected great credit upon the worthy landlady, Mrs.Lillywhite; and upon the removal of the cloth, various loyal and appropriate toasts were given from the chair. The company was, during the evening, delighted with some excellent singing. The chair was taken by Mr.J.Thompson, and at the breaking up every one seemed highly gratified with the evening's entertainment.

Coach Retarder

Last Friday and Saturday the new vehicle Retarder, for regulating the speed of coaches, was again exhibited on the Castle Hill, to Lord Elphinstone, Colonel Bowater, and others of His Majesty's Household, who expressed their surprise and approbation of its effects. The invention is certainly, as was lately expressed by the Earl of Denbigh (Master of the Horse to the Queen), a most decidedly clever one.- who added, that it ought to be compulsive on all stage coaches to have it.

The Registration Act

At a meeting of the Board of Guardians of the Windsor Union on Tuesday last, Mr.Wm Cole Long, the Clerk of the Board, accepted the office of Superintending Register; Mr.W.Towers was appointed Registrar for the Windsor District; and Mr.C. Brown, of Egham, for the Egham District.

Eton Union

Mr.C.P.Barrett has been elected Clerk to the Board of Guardians of Eton; in the room of Mr.Long, who resigned.

Sheep Stealers

We congratulate our neighbours upon the result of the investigation of the case of sheep stealing in the parish of Iver, which has for several days occupied the attention of the Magistrates at Eton. William Moss, labourer, his wife and daughter, Thomas and William Moss, his sons, and Charles Church, all of Iver, have been committed to prison, under very strong suspicion of having stolen two sheep from Joseph Littleboy, of Fulmer. All the circumstances were detailed by Thomas Moss. William Church, one of the gang , has absconded: his was in custody, but escaped from the Iver constable. Three sheep have lately been stolen from Mr.Nash, and two from Mr.Gough, of Langley; as the parties concerned in these felonies are well known there is little doubt but they will soon join their companions at Aylesbury, and property will be more secure. If the beer-houses were visited by persons of respectability, and complaint made to the Magistrates of their being open at all hours of the night, instead of being shut at nine o'clock, as the law requires, crime, which has lately increased so much, would be diminished, vice would be checked in its course, and the morals of the lower orders improved.

Ludicrous Scene

On Saturday last a singular scene occurred opposite the market-place in Windsor, at which , being market day, there was no lack of spectators. In the afternoon a britska [?], with servants and postillions in green and gold liveries, stopped at the principal silk mercers's, and a shopman came forth to attend. After some time the attention of the passers by was attracted by the loud voice and angry gesticulations of a most singular looking and very old lady in the carriage, who was abusing the shopman in the coarsest manner. The cause, of course, remains a mystery; nothing but her harsh and gross epithets being intelligible. The other occupant of the carriage, a young lady in deep mourning, then interposed to prevent the shopman from resenting it; but his forebearance was rewarded by the old person hitting him on the face with the parcel he had sold her; and the carriage drove off, with one lady in a fury and the other in tears, amidst the laughter of the crowd. No further explanations could be elicited, but as the liveries were recognised to belong to the Hon.Col. W ------, M.P., it is supposed the violent old lady was the Dowager Countess of C -------, who is staying with the Hon.Mrs. W------, close to Windsor. This scene, which was witnessed by some of the party staying at the Castle, was reported at a dinner there, and caused much amusing speculation.

---