The Foxearth and District Local History Society
1856 Suffolk Free Press newspaper archive

January 3rd 1856

On Monday afternoon two men employed by Mr Slater of Stansfield were retuning from Bury, each driving with a load of coal, when decending Langley Hill at Hawkedon they observed the Rev Oakes approaching and attempted to jump off from the shafts but the man with the hinder waggon fell to the ground and the wheels went over him fracturing his right thigh. The Rev gentleman had him kindly removed to his home.

January 10th 1856

Joseph Brown of Glemsford, for stealing a quantity of barley and three pints of beans, the property of Mr Ambrose, farmer of Glemsford. As he had previous convictions, 4 years hard labour.

January 17th 1856

Glemsford.
The following letter has been received by John Howard of Glemsford from his son an artilleryman serving with our army in the east, Scutari Balaklava.

 Dec 9th 1855
Dear father and mother, I received your letter while in Eupatoria, hope you are both well, after we left Scutari, Balaklava, we went to Eupatoria where we stopped for about nine weeks and we then went out to face the enemy several times, we are now in winter quarters at Scutari, in barracks, not quite as comfortable as in England but better than tents, give my love to all my friends, goodnight and God bless,
 your affectionate son

 John Howard.
C. Troop Royal Horse Artilley,
Scutari

January 17th 1856

William Gurling, labourer of Lawshall, wasa charged with being on Sunday, 30th of December 1855, in a wood called Thrifty wood with a gun. £2.

January 24th 1856

A woman named Everard of Hartest has on three successive births been delivered of twins, all the children are well.

January 24th 1856

Frederick Patten 13 and his brother George Patten aged 18 have been charged with stealing three horses and a cart and other articles from Thomas Houlden, a horse dealer of Earls Colne, who deposed George Patten has been in my employ for two months, Frederick, his brother, has been in the habit of coming to see him, I left home on the Tuesday morning to go to Nayland, when I returned home the horses and a cart and other articles were gone, George Ketley, a labourer also in the employ of the prosecutor, said on Thuesday evening last, the prisoner and myself groomed the horses and when we finished we went to the prosecutors house and had a pint of beer. Committed for trial.

January 24th 1856

Thomas Boughen of the White Hart Inn at Clare was charged with knowingly harbouring one William Rose a police constable while on duty. 20s and costs.

February 7th 1856

Glemsford. A letter from Canada has been received by an inhabitant of Glemsford from his son in Upper Canada.

Dear Father and Mother,
Just a few lines to let you know I am well thank God, hope you are the same,

I wrote to you last February, I am surprised you never got the letter, I have got a wife now and a son of 5 weeks, I am hired for a year at £62 10s a year with a free house, wood and the use of four cows and all the fowls and one acre of land. I am on the place alone as my master is a Scotchman and he has gone home for one year so he has left me in charge, we had pretty god crops this year, wheat is 10s a bushel, barley to 6s, oats to 4s 6d, butter is 1s 3d a pound, pork is 7 ½ dollars for 100 lbs,

Give my respects to Rev Coldham, Charles Copsey and Fred Gridley and my brother William and his wife, there is news here about a war between the U.S. and Canada, if that happened we shall have to take our rifle to protect our country,

Please sent me word in your next letter how England and Russia are getting on with their struggle, your affectionate son and daughter,

George and Margaret Chatters
.

February 7th 1856

There was an accident on Friday 25th, a party was shooting in Long Plantation upon Melford Hall Estate when a little boy, son of John Humm who was employed to beat the bushes, not being observed by the sportsmen he was severely wounded, 27 shots had lodged in different parts of his body, we are happy to learn there is every chance of recovery.

February 7th 1856

Glemsford. A plot of ground near Fair Green, the property of Mr Dowman of Sudbury being divided up into convenient patches for building was last week sold under the hammer and knocked down at something over £1 per rod, on one parcel it is expected a new school will be built shortly.

February 21st 1856

On the night of the 11th inst the game larder at Ousden Hall was entered and a quantity of pheasants, hares etc were stolen.

March 6th 1856

Joseph Eaves, a labourer aged 9 years was charged with setting fire to a barley stack worth £300 the property of Henry Skingsley of Wakes Colne, defendant said he was bird scaring and his mother had given him five lucifer matches to make a fire while he was having his dinner near a stack, he struck one on his smock and it lighted and he threw it down and it lighted the stack. Acquitted.

March 20th 1856

Died at Hamilton, Canada West, C. Ambrose, formerly of Chelmsford.

April 3rd 1856

A man named Drury living at the Wash, Halsted was returning from Yeldham when he though he heard something strange in the hedge, he endeavoured to discover what it was when he was attacked by a large adder which fastened onto his hand inflicting a severe wound , on reaching Halsted he went to Mr Sinclair, surgeon who found it necessary to cut a piece of flesh from his hand, it is hoped he is out of danger.

April 3rd 1856

The execution of Emma Musset who was sentenced to death at Sudbury for the murder of her child at Nayland is fixed for Wednesday the 23rd.

April 17th 1856

Inquest at Cavendish on the body of John Ambrose, butcher of Cavendish, deceased had spent the night in the White Horse Inn which he left at about 10, nothing was seen of him until next morning when a man named Clarry going to work at 5 when passing a piece of water nearly opposite the inn when he saw deceased in the middle of the water on his hands and knees with his head just under the water. Found drowned.

April 24th 1856

Glemsford.
On Sunday last, the Rev Coldham made a solemn remembrance from his pulpit which illustrates the wise man's opinion, the incident which he made the subject was the sudden summons of an old soldiers wife out of this world,

Death came in a moment to Suky Ford, she was a useful bit of goods, preferring the outdoors as long as she had the strength, a few years ago she lost a leg by a threshing machine and the authorities provided her with another one but as it was not like her old one her occupation was abandoned, nobody could accuse her of despondency, "she knows nothing of that" and died a ripe old age.

As a girl she worked out doors a great deal with her spinning machine which was the custom in Glemsford in those days when wool halls were as common as factories are now. The old soldier, her husband survives at 76, he ran the gauntlet through the Peninsular campaigns,

He described his first action when they landed in Tagus Bay on Friday, August 18th 1808 to join Sir John Moore, they were harassed on the Saturday night when they lay in their bedroom which was a large vineyard, they had also slept in a field of gourds.

The first morning they got up he fell down as shot, it was from the ship's motion, on the Sunday morning they were aroused by the music "to arms", the enemy were 3-4 miles off, 15000 to 20000 of them, when the bugle began to play we moved forward like a fox hunt,

"
I got no damage and liked soldiering. "

May 1pan class="th">st 1856

Glemsford. On Monday afternoon a body of a new born infant was found by a little boy secreted in a ditch besides Hobbs lane , the body was tied in a piece of wrapping, we understand a gang of gypsies were in the lane a few days previous.

May 8th 1856

Inquest at the Cock Inn at Glemsford on a new born female infant, it appears a boy named Hartley saw what he supposed a bundle of rags lying in a ditch about a fortnight ago, he was driven away by a gipsy woman, on Monday last accompanied by another boy they found a body. Open verdict.

May 8th 1856

Eliza, wife of William Adams of Stanstead was charged by Thomas Alston of breaking and carrying away a part of a dead fence. 1s with 1s 6d costs.

June 5th 1856

Halsted Police Court. Alfred Coe was charged with having trespassed by turning three donkeys into a wood belonging to Basill Sparrow of Gosfield causing damage to trees. 9s 3d.

June 5th 1856

On Tuesday a large number of people assembled at Hill Farm at Stambourne, the premises of Mr Getwood to celebrate the jubilee of the Rev Spurgeon who has attained the 46th year of his ministry in the village.

June 12th 1856

Judith Wickes, a women of Gestingthorpe was charged with leaving her three children chargeable to the parish of Gestingthorpe. 1 month.

June 19th 1856

Halsted. The following is the balance sheet of Mr Piper of Colne Engaine for 1855, this is the 11th year without ploughing and wheat after wheat. Expenditure rent--£2-tithes 7s-rates 3s-hoeing £1 15s-sowing 7s-seed 1s-thrashing 14s-reaping £1 2s -manure nitration of soda-£2-Total £6 9s
Receipts 9 sacks of wheat £6 9s-and at £17 per load £15-16s-straw about 2 tons £2 5s-chaff 9s -Exepnces £8 9s-Clear profit £10 1s.

June 19th 1856

On Friday evening a considerable alarm was caused by a bullock being driven through Sudbury to Mr Brock's slaughterhouse, in it's infuriated state two women from Ballingdon narrowly escaped injury

June 19th 1856

Thomas Allen of Hundon, a blacksmith, was charged with being drunk in Clare church. 5s with 2s costs.

June 19th 1856

Thomas Frost, the landlord of the Harrow Inn at Lawshall was charged with harbouring three police constables while on duty. £5. with 8s 6d costs.

June 19th 1856

Charles Lilley of Melford was charged with an offence the details of which are not fit for publication.

June 26th 1856

At Great Cornard a third celebration of the peace took place in this parish, it was provided by a number of neighbouring farmers at Upper Tye farm, after tea the number was increased to 200, dancing and other entertainment was kept up till a late hour when all quietly retuned home, tea was served well by Mrs Spearman.

June 26th 1856

On the 20th inst the celebrations of peace at Glemsford was of great and lively interest, Clare band attended, the children of the Sunday and day schools numbering about 180 sat down a plentiful supper of roast beef and plum pudding, after an interval of three hours the old and middle aged people were entertained to tea, every heart seemed light.

June 26th 1856

Cavendish fair passed off without incident if death and his ghastly train had not laid their bony fingers on several deficient ale mugs and nut measures and carried them off to the discomforture of the dealer who attempted to use them during the fair.

June 26th 1856

At Hedingham Magistrates, Thomas Cranfield a labourer of Lt Yeldham was charged with violently assaulting his wife Sophia Cranfield on the 23rd inst. 3 months and to keep the peace at the expertation of the sentence.

June 26th 1856

Sarah Wilkinson of Gt Yeldham summoned James Richardson a farm steward of Poslingford for support of her illegitimate child. 2s per week.

June 26th 1856

There was a Confirmation service at Glemsford (for the first it is believed) in the parish church on the 21st inst when 74 persons were administered.

July 24th 1856

Halsted. Inquest at the police station on Joseph Root aged 34, deceased had recently returned from the Crimea wounded. Arthur Alston said he saw deceased last Saturday evening at about 8 in the evening near the brick kilns, he asked for a light for his pipe but I told him to go home as I had seen him before drunk, Robert Bragg said I knew deceased, as I was retuning from Braintree a man named Wiffen was standing in the road, he said " There is a man lying in the ditch", I pulled him out, we left him sitting against a gate. Found dead.

August 7th 1856

At Hedingham magistrates court, William Smith of Water Belchamp a carter, charged James Rippingale and Reuben Walford of the same place with assaulting him. Dismissed.

August 14th 1856

Thomas Bishop, George Felton and James Felton, labourers of Gestingthorpe were charged with having on the 8th of August assaulted Thomas Simmons of the same place,

It appears that August 9th was a wet day and the defendants were not able to work they went to the public house which they call the "Kicking Dickie" to have a little beer, Simmons said it was about 12 when they got there,
"Thomas Bishop the two Feltons and I also my brother, I and my brother left about 7 in the evening, when we got about 5 rods away the defendants came running after us and knocked us down, I have never had angry words with them at any time, they were "freshy" not drunk. There were about 14 of us there and we "shoed" a few colts, we drank about 32 quarts of beer between 14 of us, my hat was rent, I did take someone's hat off, I did not offer to fight anyone.

 Adjourned for 14 days.

August 14th 1856

Inquest at Poslingford on Frances, wife of Thomas Martin, who committed suicide by cutting her throat with a razor, Ann Bowyer said for the last fortnight she had been attending to the deceased's household affairs as she did nothing only walk about saying "oh dear what shall become of me", on Wednesday morning she told deceased she had to go home to see her son who had recently returned from the Crimea to see if he was well enough to get up. Cut her own throat while deranged.

September 4th 1856

BALLINGDON BREWERY NEAR SUDBURY
THOMAS FOX, brewer, hop merchant, desires to inform his friends and the public he has large stocks of ale at 8s 6d a gallon or 24s a barrel etc etc.

October 2nd 1856

Halsted. On Thursday last as Mr Joseph Nott, farmer of Pebmarsh was driving to Halsted when opposite Mr Cornell's, the plait merchant, in Head street, he unfortunately ran over a little girl aged 2 who was standing in the road, she was not badly injured.

October 2nd 1856

Joseph Taylor of Belchamp St Pauls to Springfield gaol for 3 months on a charge of deserting his wife and family to be chargeable to the parish

October 2nd 1856

Upwards of 30 sheep have lately been mangled and killed in the neighbourhood of Melford and Lavenham by dogs, Messrs Westropp, Mills and Coe are among the sufferers.

October 30th 1856

Fanny, wife of William Cranfield of Lt Yeldham was summoned for taking a quantity of wheat from a field in Lt Yeldham in occupation of Mr Goodchild before it was properly cleared.

November 1st 1856

For sale at Glemsford at the Greyhound Inn on November 3rd. 10 nearly newly built cottages situated in the best parts of Glemsford. Lot 1 will be 5 capital cottages newly built with detached stables and cart sheds situated on Fair Green, 2 low rooms and 2 chambers, each with good gardens, in occupation of William Fenn and others and producing annual rent of £22, also 5 new cottages opposite the Crown Inn containing 2 low rooms and 2 chambers, in occupation of Sarah Good and others.

November 6th 1856

Halsted Fair on Wednesday was supplied more than previous years with Welch yearlings which sold from £3 10s to £7, there were very good lots of Welch runts and a good supply of Irish Shorthorns, those belonging to Mr Simpson, 50 in number having walked from Walden the previous day were not in attractive condition. Mr Hunt of Earls Colne had a good show of implements.

December 11th 1856

Robert Coe, a lad of Halsted, was charged with stealing a pad of bread form Joseph Everitt, baker of Halsted. 14 days and a whipping

1857 Suffolk Free Press newspaper archive

January 8th 1857

Glemsford.
Extract from a letter from New Zealand (Canterbury Settlement) to friends in Glemsford.

Dear Cousin, to hear from England is a pleasure, we are like children at school when a parcel or letter arrives from England, it causes great excitement, lately has arrived a thrashing machine from England, it is a boon to the settlement as wheat is reduced to half the price, it is now 3s to 5s a bushel, the present great depression may bring wages down, it is a great blow to a young colony,

T
here are no drawing rooms here, butter is 1s 9d a lb, wages for a married couple are £80 to £120 a year, flour is 2s 9d a pound. A windmill 60 ft high has been brought from England and is being fitted up in Christchurch, it thought a great risk owing to the strong winds in the spring,

My mare came to the ground the other day while scrambling through a river bed, you want us to send you a photograph, that is easier said than done, I met a photographer the other day but he has taken up a sheep run.

Fanny Harrison. January 1
st 1856

January 15th 1857

John Mumford was charged with assaulting John Smith of Liston in the Globe public house at Sudbury, complainant said he went to the Globe to refresh himself with his brother, Mumford was in the tap room, he asked me if he knew him, he replied no nothing, he then attempted to drink complainant's beer but was prevented, he continued to annoy him and when they left he followed them to the door and tore complainant's frock coat, he then attacked complainant in a savage way. £2.

January 29th 1857

Bulmer. We are informed that Mr Alston has lately killed a Dorking fowl which was only three months old, after being stripped of it's feathers it weighed 6 lbs 14 ounces.

February 26th 1857

Fire was discovered in a cottage in Bridewell Street,Clare on Thursday morning, it appears that a child of about 4 set fire to some straw lying in the bedroom when the mother was lighting a fire in the keeping room, speedy assistance was rendered.

February 26th 1857

Glemsford. On Saturday last the remains of Mr Jeptha Twinn were carried to their last resting place, they were followed by whole parish, as a tradesman, neighbour and parent he won for himself the enduring testimony as "peacemaker" which may be safely written on his grave.

March 12th 1857

Among 108 passengers to New Zealand on the good ship Martaban which sailed from Gravesend to Auckland were Robert and Sophia Cooper from the neighbourhood of Alphampstone whose brother ans sister emigrated last year.

March 19th 1857

Halsted. At the police court on Friday, Mary Ann Green, a prostitute was charged with making a disturbance on the Market Hill, defendant said she was sorry but 3 or 4 others were with her as they left the Lamb Inn. 28 days hard labour.

March 26th 1857

Pentlow. The poor lad, George Ince whose accident we reported a fortnight ago has died from lockjaw.

April 2nd 1857

Sale at Walter Belchamp, To blacksmiths and others, on the premises near the Bells Inn, the stock in trade and working tools, a velocipede, 2 store pigs of George Smith, blacksmith who is about to remove to Cavendish where he will take another business.

April 16th 1857

The Ebenezer chapel was opened at Otten Belchamp on Tuesday evening week, Mr Simpson, the minster of Walter Belchamp chapel was requested to officiate but he objected to do so as he considered the erection has been founded upon malignant rather than spiritual motives, the chapel is close to the house of the Rev Dawson who is unremitting in his clerical duties and is highly respected as a gospel minister, the decision of Mr Simpson was not to be shaken and the desk was at length occupied by a labourer, William Coller of Gestingthorpe.

April 23rd 1857

At the Corn Exchange at Sudbury, Mr Henry Russel will give his entertainment entitled "every day life in America", Mr Russel will relate his adventures and sing several compositions. The second part of the entertainments will consist of a series of sketches entitled "Negro Life", commencing at 8 o'clock. Reserved seats 3s-front-2s-back seats 1s.

April 23rd 1857

There was some old English hospitality on Thursday last on the occasion of the marriage of the Rev T.S.Bence, brother of E. S. Bence of Kentwell Hall at Melford. A ball and supper was given by the latter to their servants and tradesmen, dancing commenced at 8 in the evening in the noble dining room, the Misses Bence gracefully tripping through the maze of dances, at 12 the visitors, 55 in number, were ushered into the Old Hall where arrangements had been made by Mr Morris the butler and seated round three tables in which were placed desirable old English fare of roast and boiled beef, ham, chicken and a profusion of jellies, pastry etc which did credit to Mrs Steggall, the housekeeper, dancing was kept up until a late hour when the party separated each highly gratified at the hospitality given.

May 7th 1857

Melford Cricket Club. The playing season has commenced, a meeting will be held at the Bull Inn on Monday the 11th at 8, persons desirous of joining will oblige by sending their names to J.G.Steed, secretary.

May 14th 1857

Tilbury. James and William Smith, brothers, labourers were charged with stealing two pieces of timber valued at 2s the property of James Spalding Gardiner of Borley. 6 weeks under the Justices Act.

May 14th 1857

Little Yeldham. The national school recently opened on the 15th ult in this parish to is contain 60 pupils

May 28th 1857

George Ruggles of Castle Hedingham was charged with

May 28th 1857

John Nott was summoned for assaulting John Suttle, both parties applied for permission tp settle the matter out of court. Granted.

June 4th 1857

John King was charged with stealing the sheet from the bed he slept in the previous night from the Sun beerhouse at Melford, the property of Ambrose Copsey, the prisoner stated he was from Sprowston near Norwich, he has the appearance of a discharged soldier and has the letter D pricked out twice under his left armpit.

June 4th 1857

Bures. An old fashioned house occupied by two labourers on the off-hand farm of Mr Joslin was burned to the ground, it is supposed to have originated from a lighted wad fired by a young man named Roberts who had been sparrow shooting, the wad landing on the thatched roof.

June 11th 1857

On the 26th of March, Mr Price, Inspector General of the penal settlement in Victoria was brutally murdered by convicts at Williamstown, excitement among the convicts became exceedingly great after the murder, the greatest insubordination was aboard the hulk Success and the warders were unable to control the prisoners, it was deemed necessary to place the War Steamer Victoria with shotted guns along side the Success, had the mutiny gone any further orders would have been given to fire into the hulk.

June 18th 1857

Edward Stribling of Melford was charged by his father Frederick Stribling with assaulting him, the chairman said to the young man however bad his father's conduct was he was entitled to protection from his son instead of blows. 10s with 7s 6costs.

June 18th 1857

Harriet Downs, a diminutive half clad dirty looking individual, late of Gestingthorpe, was charged with putting privy manure on the door and window of Mrs Newman, weaver of Bullock's lane in Sudbury. George Piper proved the dirty trick the delinquent having done this several times, Inspector Whitecombe said the prisoner tried to strangle herself in gaol, the prisoner who was said to be a prostitute did not deny the charge. 1 month.

July 9th 1857

Castle Hedingham. John Dixey, labourer of Lt Maplestead was summoned to show cause etc etc why he should not support the illegitimate child of Charlotte Simmons of Gestingthorpe.

July 9th 1857

A warrant has been issued against Eliza Smith for leaving her illegitimate child chargeable to the people of Gestingthorpe, she was liberated on taking her child from the workhouse.

August 13th 1857

Inquest at Lt Stonham on James Battram the elder and James Battram the younger, father and son, the latter was aged 9 years , they were both in the employ of John Bloomfield, farmer. Stephen Hall, carpenter, said he was at work in Clockhouse road, Lt Stonham, at half past four he saw Battram and his son in one of their master's waggon's, one of the labourers was on the fore horse the other on the thiller, the horses were galloping, I heard a crash, I saw Battram and his son lying on the road, they were removed to Battram's house, the younger one was insensible. Accidental Deaths.

September 3rd 1857

Died at Buinzong, Victoria, Australia, of colonial fever, the 3rd son of Mr B.Gillingham, late of Lavenham.

September 3rd 1857

Lavenham.. Example to labourers. On Friday, Mr G.Mumford of Lavenham Hill farm entertained his harvestmen and their wives and one child from each family to a substantial hot supper at the Lion Inn, about 70 individuals partook of roast beef and plum pudding etc, after the cloth was removed toasts were drunk and songs sung till about half past one o'clock when all departed in peace, Mr Mumford was highly gratified at the manner of the way the whole party behaved themselves, the restraining influence was the presence of a kind and intelligent master had on the labourers, we think must oftener be used at the close of harvest preventing intoxication which generally accompanies these events among the rural population.

September 10th 1857

Important sale at Acton Hall, Sudbury. 31 horses-a splendid hunter-steam engine-80 ounces of plate and jewellery, property of Mr Charles Green on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the 23rd 24th and 25th of September.

September 10th 1857

Stone House Farm, Gt Yeldham to be sold on the 23rd of September at the White Hart Inn. On the same day, a beer house with two tenements near the Great Oak in occupation of T.Metson and others.

September 10th 1857

Mary Risby, wife of Thomas Risby and her sister in law were charged with stealing wood out of Linhedge Wood at Melford.

September 17th 1857

Clare. On Monday night thieves entered the house called Hermitage, occupied by a poor man named Perry and stole ½ sack of flour, the police are on the alert..

September 17th 1857

William Moye, an innkeeper of Halsted was charged with driving a stage coach without a licence, James Dzeizer, excise officer, said Moye had a licence to run between Halsted and Braintree but he saw him on the Gosfield road which was not a direct road, he said I was on the look-out for him. Dismissed.

September 24th 1857

Cricket. Halsted v Brundon. Halsted-S.Taylor 8 and 7-W.Warner 8-3-Goldston 6 -G.Maxwell 1and 30-L.Maxwell 1 and 33-C.Portway 0 -E.Haiden 2-T.Jackson 2-S.Bryant 2 and 2-T.Linsell 0-Moore 2. by two wickets 36 and 79. Brundon-C.Goody 23-A.Coe 1-T.Nice 0-W.Mumford 0-F.Alexander 1-W.Poley 2-F.Messent 0-C.Cardinall 0-G.Mumford 0-Leake 0-Whorlow 1.

October 1st 1857

Gestingthorpe. The Lord Bishop of Rochester has signified to the Rev Mr Elwes his disapproval of the proceedings at the harvest home at Gestingthorpe and cautioned him not to introduce similar irregularities again within the church of that parish in controversion of the Act Uniformity.

October 1st 1857

Wakes Colne. Yesterday week as Hannah Petchford was employed untying sheaves for to feed the threshing machine at work at Mr Kempton's farm she thoughtlessly put her feet in the hopper when sitting down to rest and the horses suddenly started up and her leg became entangled in the machine, she sustained a compound fracture and was taken to Essex and Colchester hospital.

October 8th 1857

On Thursday evening last as Thomas Firmin of Goldingham Hall, Bulmer was passing through Ballingdon on the way home after Sudbury market, the moon which had been shining brightly became obscured and Mr Firmin who is far advanced in years unfortunately pulled on to the wrong side of the road just as Mr Hibble the greengrocer was approaching, the shaft of his cart being driven into the chest of Mr Firmin's very valuable horse and caused it's immediate death.

October 8th 1857

Hinckford Agricultural and Conservative Club held a ploughing match at Castle Hedingham. !st class-ploughing-Samuel Raymond for Mr Joshua Glasscock-1st prize of £2 -2nd of £1 5s to Robert Scrivener for Mr Robert Firmin-3rd of £1 to William Wilkerson for Mr T.Brown. Thatching 1st prize to Thomas Argent of Tilbury for Mr J.Pudney, £1-Length of service 42 years to Daniel Barrel of £1 5s of Otten Belchamp for Mr Pratt-Females Susan May for Mr J.Barnes, £1 5s-Horsekeeper to James Cranfield of Otten Belchamp for H.Baker.

October 22nd 1857

Letters to the Editor.
Sir, on passing through Belchamp St Pauls the other day I saw posted up in various places placards of infamous character threatening to kick Michael Keaveny, the police officer of this parish and warning the public to beware of him,
I believe these placards were set forth by some drunken disorderly persons well known in this parish and the adjoining parishes and I believe Keaveny to be a diligent officer much respected by the parishioners, I feel it is my public duty to hold up against such abominable language.

Yours respectfully,
 a Fox that can run.

October 29th 1857

Cavendish.
The Congregational Dissenters of Cavendish have just erected on the site of the old Chapel a new handsome place of worship, the Chapel will be opened for public worship in about six weeks. Mr Mills of Sudbury has satisfactorily carried out the plans and specifications in a manner far exceeding his contract.
A heavy fall of rain last week flooded some houses in the vicinity of the Chapel with several inches of water in them.

December 17th 1857

Liston.
During this last fortnight of November the quietitude of the inhabitants of Liston rectory was sadly disturbed by strange unusual knockings which were heard in various parts of the mansion which sometimes appeared to come from the roof and sometimes from different rooms in the house.

W
indows were broken and casements rattled, sometimes the foundations of the house seemed shaken. The Rev Fisher and family were of course annoyed and a watch was set but to no purpose, the sounds continued, at length the nuisance became unbearable and the police constable of Foxearth, P.C.Edwards, was called in endeavouring to put a stop to it

For several days it baffled the shrewdness of the officer but being no believer in ghost stories he went to work on the convictions that the sounds proceeded from someone who had not yet "shuffled off this mortal coil" accordingly he kept a close eye on the domestics and his suspicions fell upon a girl named Deeks of about 14 years. It was noticed that the sounds generally occurred when she had the occasion to go to some part of the house when she would be alone, she would rush back exclaiming "did you hear that noise".

At length his suspicions were amply verified having observed her going into one of the rooms, he followed her noiselessly and when there was a rapping he saw the shadow of her arm commenced in corresponding motion upon the opposite wall, when she came gliding out of the room he met her, she was pretending to be alarmed and enquired "did you hear that". By reply he said "yes I did and you did it"

It was an accusation she did not long attempt to deny, her master was informed of the discovery and experiments were tried out in other parts of the house and the same effects were produced. The mansion is somewhat antiquated and the divisions of the walls are in places hollow being composed of wood panelling, the girl had discovered what had escaped general observations that striking on hollow walls in different parts of the house would have remarkable varied sounds and effects.

It is supposed she used to vary her performances occasionally by slyly lifting up the sash of a window and stepping onto the lawn and throw a stone or two through some of the windows, no motive can be ascribed for her pranks, the Rev gentleman and his lady are remarkably kind and indulgent to all about them, the girl was dismissed at once and conveyed home to her parents and the removal of the cause of the rapping had ceased in Liston Rectory and usual quiteitude is restored.