[list-cumbria] Cumberland Pacquet - 20

[Nev Ramsden]

Whitehaven  - March 2 - 1775.



The petition of the Merchants and Traders of this town to the House of Commons respecting the American affairs, is presented by Henry Fletcher Esq. and referred to the Committee on the London petition.



Saturday last was buried at Bridekirk, Mrs Sarah Westray of Broughton, aged 110; what is very remarkable, about two years ago she bound up several sheaves of corn in the harvest field.



Monday [of this week] Mr. Joseph Ashley of Brigham, in company with Mr. Thomas Benson an eminent attorney of Cockermouth, set forward on their journey to London, to take possession of a very considerable estate now devolved to the former. It is said to be worth nigh £2,500 per annum.

[ That is £512,000 per annum in 2024 according to the Bank of England money calculator ]



Last Friday was buried at Workington, Elizabeth Walker, aged 83 years. Same day died there Edward Griffi, aged 86 years; a person greatly respected by his neighbours.



One night last week the, the master and mistress of the Seven Stars Inn at Wigan in Lancashire being gone out to spend the evening, left the Ostler and two women servants in the House; about six o’clock, the Ostler told the girls that he was that evening to visit some of his acquaintances; that they might lock door, and if he did not come in about ten o’clock, they were to go to bed. Accordingly he left them; but about eight o’clock there was a knocking at the door; on enquiring who it was, they were answered that he was a soldier who wanted lodging; the girls then informed him there were ony two left in the house, and they had orders not to open the door. The soldier however insisted on being admitted, telling them he had a ballet [billet?] for that house, upon this they opened the door, got him something for supper, after which he went to bed. About ten, as the ostler did not appear, the girls went up to their lodging room, but before they had put out the candle they imagined they heard some body breaking into the back part of the house; they listened some time and were confirmed in their suspicion by actually by actually hearing some people in the closet where the plates etc, were kept. They ran into the room where they had lodged the soldier, being under some doubt of the integrity of their guest were agreeably, disappointed in finding him fast asleep. They immediately awoke him, and informed him of their suspicions. Not in the least intimidated; he arose and dressed himself, telling the girls not to be afraid, nor make the least noise, assuring them that from his situation he could, upon equal terms, could counter half a dozen: then having charged his musket and pointed his bayonet, he ordered one of them to follow him down stairs, holding the candle over his shoulder. Just as they came to the head of the stairs, they heard some person sharing a knife on one of the steps, and about the middle of the stairs, they met the ostler coming up with a large knife in his hand; he attempted to strike the soldier with it, who in the scuffle?? ran him through the body, and he fell dead on the spot. The soldier then ran into the kitchen where he found two other men, unarmed; they attempted to escape, but he declared if they persisted in it, he would run one of through the body, and shoot the other. He then ordered the girls to run out and alarm the neighbourhood, which they did; the two surviving villains were next morning carried before the Magistrate who committed them to Lancaster gaol; they are to take their trials the ensuing assizes. The master of the Inn, it is said, offered to purchase the soldier a discharge, but on his refusing to the service, he complimented him with twenty guineas.



A piece of ingenious villainy was practised a few days ago in the neighbourhood of Cockermouth; two or three shapers having observed a cart with a sack in it containing about two bushels of corn, stop at the door of a public house in that town, one of them took an opportunity of pulling out the pin which slackened one of the wheels; by the time the cart had got a quarter of a mile out of town, the wheel came off; the driver ran back to get some-body to assist him in replacing it, while the sharpers who had walked on the other side of the hedge – made off with the corn.



A number of counterfeit guineas are now circulating in Manchester; they are extremely well executed, only the G in Gratia is badly made; they are dated 1774, and weigh five penny weights – eight grains, in air, tho’ their intrinsick value is no more than nine shillings and six-pence.



During the last storm it is supposed that several vessels were wreck’d on the coast of Galloway – Near Kirkmaden five corpses shockingly mangled have come ashore; and at low water the masts of a vessel are to be seen from the land, but nothing is yet discovered that can inform what the vessel is.



Ralp Gowland, Esq, and Serjeant Adair, elected members for Cockermouth, in the room of Fletcher Norton and George Johnson Esqrs have taken their seats in the House of Commons.



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