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GOSSIP IN THE FIRST DECADE OF VICTORIA’S REIGN
GOSSIP IN THE FIRST DECADE OF VICTORIA’S REIGN
By John Ashton author of “ Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne ” illustrated by reproductions from cartoons and other drawings london HURST AND BLACKETT, LIMITED 13, Gt. Marlborough St., W. 1903 All rights reserved Printed by Kelly’s Directories Ltd. London and Kingston . Decorative flower...
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PREFACE.
PREFACE.
I have written this Gossip not only for the edification of those to whom a portion, more or less, may be news, but for those who, like myself, have lived through the whole of Queen Victoria’s reign, to whom the remembrance of things, almost forgotten, may bring pleasure and excite interest. The items, herein displayed, have been gathered from many sources, and their authenticity is guaranteed by giving the name of the authority whence they were taken, in very many instances ipsissima verba , as
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CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER I.
Decorative flower The Queen’s Accession—Proclamation—Funeral of the King—The Queen and social functions—Mr. Montefiore—Amusing letter—Electric telegraph—Knocker wrenching—Amusements of the young aristocracy. King William the Fourth was as sincerely fond of his niece, Alexandrina Victoria, as he cordially detested her mother, and he earnestly hoped that she might obtain her majority, which took place on the 24th of May, 1837, before he died, for he had a horror of the Duchess of Kent having even
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Petition to Her Majesty for Preserving the Royal Stud at Hampton Court.
Petition to Her Majesty for Preserving the Royal Stud at Hampton Court.
By Thomas Hood . I. Liege Lady , all the nation’s in high dud- geon that Lord Melbourne’s brains should be so muddy As to advise you sell your royal stud , Which to preserve, should be your royal study. II. Poor nags you would not in your stable find, Like cavalry of Evans called De Lacey, No! I do rather hope your royal mind Is naturally fond of something racy. III. Pray, what has Hampton done that you should trounce ill- naturedly its prancers and its sport? You have a breed of
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CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER III.
Destruction of Royal Exchange—Sale of the salvage—Spring-heeled Jack and his pranks—Lord John Russell’s hat. As a sad pendant to the Civic festivities at the close of 1837 comes the destruction by fire of the Royal Exchange on the night of the 10th of January following. It was first noticed a little after 10 p.m., when flames were observed in Lloyd’s Coffee Room in the north-east corner of the building, opposite the Bank, the firemen of which establishment were soon on the spot, as well as many
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CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER IV.
Lords and pugilists—Penny “Gaffs”—Steam between England and America—A man-woman—Designs for Nelson Monument—A termagant—Scold’s bridles, &c. I must give another police case, as showing the manners and customs of the jeunesse dorée of this period. Times , 19 Feb.: Marlborough Street .—On Saturday, Samuel Evans, better known as “Young Dutch Sam,” a pugilist, was brought before Mr. Conant, charged with having committed an unprovoked and violent assault on policeman Mackenzie, C 182, and Lor
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CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER V.
Thom, the religious fanatic—His riots and death—Delusions of his followers. From the earliest ages of Christianity pseudo-Christoi , or false Christs, existed. Simon Magus, Dositheus, and the famous Barcochab were among the first of them, and they were followed by Moses, in Crete, in the fifth century; Julian, in Palestine, circa A.D. 530; and Screnus, in Spain, circa A.D. 714. There were, in the 12th century, some seven or eight in France, Spain and Persia; and, coming to more modern times, t
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CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VI.
The Queen’s Coronation—The Carriages—The fair and festivities in Hyde Park—The Marquis of Waterford’s drive—His pranks at Melton Mowbray—Steam carriages—Dog carriages—Grand dinner at Guildhall. The next event which occupied the public attention was the Queen’s Coronation, which took place on the 28th of June. It was, like the “Half Crownation” of William IV., a much plainer affair than that of George the Magnificent, the walking procession of all the estates of the realm, and the banquet in Wes
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CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VII.
Genesis of “The Charter” - L. & N. W. Railway opened to Birmingham—Overland route to India—A bold smuggler—Bull baiting—Visitors to the Queen—“The Boy Jones.” Probably nearly all my readers have heard of the “Chartists,” but it is equally probable that few know when the agitation commenced, and the reason for its existence. The “Charter,” as it was called, was the Radical outcome of the Reform Bill of 1832. For a time, after the passing of that Bill, the land had peace, for all reasona
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CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER VIII.
Death of Lord Norbury—Birth of photography—Experimental street pavements—Forecast of the Queen’s marriage—Sad story of Lady Flora Hastings—Story of a climbing boy—Van Amburgh—Embanking the Thames—Victoria Park—Robbery of gold dust. In a book, professedly of Gossip, politics should be strictly kept in the background—but at this time Ireland was seething with sedition. Still I should hardly have adverted to it, had not the deliberate and brutal murder of the Earl of Norbury, on 1 Jan., set all to
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CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER IX.
Queen Elizabeth’s Statue—The Ladies of the Bedchamber—The Queen hissed at Ascot Races—Land at Melbourne—Sunday Trading—New way of paying Church Rates. Times , 25 Ap.—“The workmen engaged some time since in taking down an old public house adjoining St. Dunstan’s Church, in Fleet St., discovered in one of the cellars the ancient stone statue of Queen Elizabeth, which formerly stood in the nave of the old church. The parochial authorities have resolved to place it on the east end of the church, fr
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CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER X.
The Eglinton Tournament—Sale of Armour, &c.—The Queen of Beauty and her Cook—Newspapers and their Sales. The Earl of Eglinton had a “bee in his bonnet,” which was none other than reviving the tournaments of the Age of Chivalry, with real armour, horses and properties; and he inoculated with his craze most of the young aristocracy, and induced them to join him in carrying it out. The preliminary rehearsals took place in the grounds of the Eyre Arms Tavern, Kilburn. The last of these cam
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CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XI.
The Chartists—Their going to church—Dissolution of the Convention—Approaching marriage of the Queen—The Queen and lunatics—Raid on a Gaming House—Act of Penance. This year Chartism was rampant and very militant. On 1 April there were riots at Devizes, on 3 May, seven men were arrested at Manchester for drilling, and, on the 25th of that month a great meeting was held on Kersall Moor, four miles from Manchester. On 4th July there were very serious riots at Birmingham, and again on the 15th. On
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CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XII.
Commencement of Penny Post—Postage Stamps—Prince Albert’s allowance—The Times comments on the Marriage—Royal Wedding Cake—Louis Napoleon’s duel—Nelson Column—Noblemen’s servants—Uproar at the Italian Opera House. The most important event in the beginning of this year was the inauguration of the Penny Post on Jan. 10. At the end of 1839, an uniform postage rate of 4d. per letter was tried on Dec. 5, which was so successful that the present penny postage was established, one feature of which, the
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CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIII.
The Mulready Envelope—Plans of Royal Exchange decided on—Fire at York Minster—Queen shot at by Oxford—Oxford in Bedlam—Scientific Agriculture—Electro-metallurgy—Embossed envelope—Sale of Louis Napoleon’s effects. On the 1st of May, the Post Office issued the long expected postal envelope designed by W. Mulready, R.A., and the opinion of The Times may be taken as the expression of most people’s feelings about it. Times , 2 May.—“We have been favoured with a sight of one of the new stamp covers, a
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CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XIV.
Lord Cardigan and the “Black bottle” case—Lord Cardigan’s duel with Lieut. Tuckett—Steam to India—Nelson Column—Mormonism—“The Boy Jones”—Napoleon’s body transferred to France. About this time the Earl of Cardigan made himself particularly conspicuous before the public, and the commencement of it was the famous “black bottle” question, and I well remember that that useful utensil was, for many years, called a “Cardigan.” My Lord was Colonel of the 11th Hussars, “Prince Albert’s Own,” and it so
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CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XV.
Death of Scott, “the American Diver”—Prince Albert’s ducking—Monster cheese—“The Boy Jones”—“Tracts for the Times,” Tract XC—Earl of Cardigan flogs a soldier on Sunday—Dispute as to the discovery of Electric Telegraph—Sale of Shakspere autograph—The Census—Astley’s burnt—Behaviour of “gentlemen.” The first bit of gossip of this year was the tragic death of Sam Scott, “the American diver,” who was born at Philadelphia, and, at an early age, entered the American navy. His extraordinary courage an
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CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVI.
Story of an Irish informer—Steam Cars—Sale of Vauxhall Gardens—First Jewish Baronet—New Railways opened—High tide—Fire at the Tower—Birth of Prince of Wales—His patent as such—The Thames at length tunnelled—Antiquities found in Royal Exchange. We have known something about Irish crime, but the following true tale takes a lot of beating. On the last day of the Clonmel Assizes, in July, Judge Torrens heard a case of arson, in which the prisoners, who were four in number, were all acquitted, after
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CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVII.
Foundation of Royal Exchange laid—Medal connected therewith—Father Mathew’s miracle—Christening of the Prince of Wales—King Edward VII.—Hard work of the King of Prussia—The Earthquake in London—The Queen drinking “grog”—Photography-Talbotype—Sale at Strawberry Hill—Presents to the King of Prussia. The first event of note in this year was the laying, by Prince Albert, of the foundation stone of the Royal Exchange, on 17 Jan., with all the pomp at the command of the City authorities. The usual co
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CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Royal “Bal Costumé”—The Queen shot at by Francis and by Bean—Duke of Cambridge’s star—Chartism—Income Tax—Female Chartist Association—A gipsey trial—Closing of the Fleet prison—Married in a sheet—Enormous damages in a gambling case. There was a great flutter of excitement over the Queen’s Fancy Dress Ball, which took place in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace on 12th May. Its leading feature was the assembling and meeting of the two Courts of Anne of Bretagne (the Duchess of Cambridge) a
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CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XIX.
Murder of Mr. Drummond—Rebecca and her Daughters—Spread of the Movement through Wales—Its End—Rebecca Dramatised—Rebecca in London. The year opened badly, with the assassination of Edward Drummond, Esqre., the private secretary of Sir Robert Peel. Walking quietly down Parliament Street, he was suddenly fired at by a man named Daniel McNaughton. Poor Mr. Drummond did not die at once, but lingered for a few hours. It was believed by very many people, myself among the number, that it was a polit
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CHAPTER XX.
CHAPTER XX.
Gretna Green parsons—Number of marriages—Chinese indemnity—Thames tunnel—The aerial machine—Treasure trove—Accident to Mr. Brunel—Arkwright’s will—Secession in the Scotch Church—The “Gent”—Shakspere’s autograph. At this time, Gretna Green marriages were in full blast (they were only made unlawful in 1856), and we learn from the Carlisle Journal , copied into the Times of 20 Feb., something about the Parsons: “We observe by announcement in some of the London papers, that some worthy gentlemen in
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CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER XXI.
Exhibition of cartoons—A duel—A monster—Gambling—The “Albert Hat”—Nelson’s statue—Fun thereon—Soldiers’ savings banks—A post boy and Lord Mayor’s show—M. Jullien and his orchestra—Prince Albert as a farmer—George IV.’s Statue—Ojibbeway Indians. The public exhibition of Cartoons for the frescoes for the new Palace of Westminster, took place in Westminster Hall, on 3 July. There were 140 subjects altogether, varying in size from 15ft. to 10ft. square, none being admitted over, or under those stan
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CHAPTER XXII.
CHAPTER XXII.
A child for sale—Trial, &c, of Daniel O’Connell—General Tom Thumb—His visit to the Queen—The Polka—How to dance it—“Jullien’s Grand Polka.” The Times of 19 Jan. copies the following from the Worcester Chronicle : “ A Child for Sale .—The following extraordinary letter was received, a short time ago, by a gentleman in the neighbourhood of Tewkesbury, from a person residing here. The letter is dated from a certain court in this town, but we omit the precise locality, and the writer’s name
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CHAPTER XXIII.
CHAPTER XXIII.
An English dinner—Consols at par—The “Running Rein” case—Other frauds—Royal visitors—Opening letters by Government—Duke of Wellington’s Statue—Barry on the Thames—Visit of Louis Philippe—Guano—Queen opens Royal Exchange—Lord Mayor hissed. As the length of time between this date, and the present writing is great, and our social habits have somewhat changed, it may be interesting to some of my readers to hear a Frenchman’s account of an upper-class dinner. It is taken from the Constitutionel , th
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CHAPTER XXIV.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Murder by Tawell—Curious story—King William IV.’s Statue—Visits by the Queen—Testimonial to Rowland Hill—Breaking the Portland Vase—Sad end of William Austin—Sale of Van Amburgh’s stud—Hungerford Suspension bridge—Accident at Yarmouth—An Excise case—Beginning of the Railway Mania—Sailing of Sir J. Franklin. This year begins badly—with a murder—which I should not chronicle, were it not that it was the first case in which the electric telegraph lent its services for the detection of a crime. A ma
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CHAPTER XXV.
CHAPTER XXV.
The Queen’s Costume Ball—Copper Coinage of William IV.—New Oxford Street opened—Sale of Napoleon’s relics—Story of Nelson’s coat—Visit of King of the Netherlands—Railway speculation—Hire of newspapers—Reverse of fortune—Prince Albert and his taxes—Waghorn’s overland route. The Queen gave a Costume Ball, at Buckingham Palace, on 6th June, which was a magnificent affair, and gave plenty of food for conversation. Every guest had to appear in a costume appropriate to the period of English history b
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CHAPTER XXVI.
CHAPTER XXVI.
The Railway Mania—Deposit of plans. The accompanying illustration from Punch (18 Oct.) justly holds up to ridicule the Railway Mania, which might then be said to have been at its height. It is called “ The March of Speculation .—‘This is the young Gent, as takes my Business, Mem. I’m agoin’ into the Railway—Director Line myself.’” As a proof of this Madness, see this paragraph: “Oct. 25. During the past week there were announced, in three newspapers, eighty-nine new schemes, with a capital of
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CHAPTER XXVII.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Collapse of the Railway Mania—Sheriff’s Officers—Hudson, the Railway King—First “Ethiopian Serenaders”—The Nigger Minstrel Craze—Commencement of Irish Famine—“The Battle of the Gauges”—Railway Surveyors—Suicide of Haydon, the painter. Although the collapse of the Railway Mania really began in 1845, its effects were not fully felt until the commencement of this year, when 10 per cent. on Railway Capital had to be lodged with the Accountant General, within seven days from the assembling of Parliam
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CHAPTER XXVIII.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
The last Post Office Bellman—The “Corn Law” Act—Sir Walter Scott’s monument—The Irish famine—The Duke of Wellington’s statue—Gun cotton—Introduction of ether—Model dwelling houses—Baths and Wash-houses—Smithfield Cattle market—“The Bull Fight of Smithfield”—The first submarine telegraph. The Illustrated London News , of 27 June, gives us “ The Letter Carrier’s Last Knell .—We have just lost another of what poor Thomas Hood called, ‘Those evening bells.’ The Postmaster General having issued his
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CHAPTER XXIX.
CHAPTER XXIX.
Medals for Army and Navy—Grenville library—Day of fasting—“Binding of Satan”—Suspension of transportation—New House of Lords—Jenny Lind— Bunn v. Lind —“Jenny Linden”—Death of O’Connell—Story of the Duke of Buccleugh—Abolition of Eton “Montem.” At this time, at all events, we did not plaster our soldiers with medals for every trifling deed of duty, and it was not until January of this year, that a Commission was appointed to decide upon the medals which were to be presented to the officers and me
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