February 1876 News – The Courts, Curiosities and the Macabre.
Local News
Sudden Death in Derry – The Londonderry Sentinel 1st February 1876
An inquest has been held into the death of a man named James M.Laughlin, aged 60, who was found dead in his own room in Long-tower.
The deceased was an unmarried man who lived alone in a small room. Others lived in different rooms in the same property. The victim, James McMaughlin, was last seen by a neighbour who called in give him a meal of warm potatoes and meat. Mary Collins, living in an adjoining room where she could usually hear Mr McLaughlin moving about, realised that she had not heard any movement for an extended period of time. Mentioning his seeming absence to her neighbours, they went to his room to investigate and found the deceased sitting dead at the table.
Dr. Corbett, called to the scene, declared that the deceased had probably died of suffocation with a portion of food found in his windpipe. The victim appeared to have been heavily intoxicated at the time.
The inquest jury returned a verdict to the effect that James M Laughlin met his death by choking while eating his dinner.
Accident in Castle Place – Northern Whig 2nd Feb 1876
A man named Hugh McCormick “was driving a spirited horse down Castle Place, when it became unmanageable“. McCormick fell from the horse suffering injuries serious enough to require hospitalisation in the Royal Hospital where he remains under treatment.
Inquest into a Death on King Street – Northern Whig 2nd Feb 1876
On 1st February, a young boy name Christie found the a woman lying unconscious in King Street. The woman was brought to the Royal Hospital but she was found dead on arrival.
Dr McCrea examined the deceased and concluded that this was death by natural from natural causes. The jury concurred with his conclusion.
The Courts
Belfast Petty Sessions – Belfast Morning News 7th Feb 1876
Street Fight
Sub-Constable MCabe brought Joseph Rateliffe and John McCloskey to court, charged with disorderly conduct by fighting on the previous day in Ballymacarrett.
The offence was proved, and the prisoners were each fined 10s and costs.
Drunk & Disorderly
Ellen Goodwin, an elderly woman, was brought to the court charged with drunk & disorderly behaviour in Winetavern Street, Belfast. Accordingly, she was sent to jail for one month.
A man, Benjamin Montgomery, was also brought to the court for drunk & disorderly behaviour in North Street. With 13 previous convictions on record, he was also sent to jail for a month.
Sub-Constable John Hanna brought William Sherry before the court for being drunk while in charge of a horse and cart on the previous day in Victoria Street. He was fined 20s and costs or a fortnight in jail.
A Case of Destitution – The Ulster Examiner and Northern Star 21st February 1876
Michael Fox, a boy ten years of age, was brought before the Court by the Rev. Father Greene, and an application was made to have him sent to the Industrial School. Father Greene told the court that the boy had come to him begging on several occasions. The boy’s mother had died the year before and the father’s whereabouts were unknown. Father Greene stated that the boy was in a destitute state, having neither a home nor visible means of support.
When questioned, Michael confirmed that his mother was dead and that, soon afterwards, his father deserted him, heading to Cork in the company of another woman.
A gentleman, knowing of the boys circumstances, said that the father had been a spinning-master working in Jennymount Mill and in Savage’s mill, earning £3 10s per week. Nothing was known of him since his disappearance.
The boy was sent for six years to the Milltown Roman Catholic Industrial School, and the police were instructed to look for his father and compel him to contribute towards his son’s maintenance.
Belfast Petty Sessions – Belfast Morning News 8th Feb 1876
The Belfast Morning News reported on the case of “a stalwart-looking individual, who appeared slightly erratic in his mind”, brought before the Court in the custody of Sub-Constable Michael Dowling. He was charged with being disorderly in Donegall Street the previous evening.
The constable stated that that the accused had been leaning against a wall in Donegall Street about 8:15 on Sunday evening across the road from the new chapel. When a passer-by stopped to ask what he was doing, the accused told him to “go to hell” before striking the victim on the breast with a clenched fist and then attempting to kick him.
Questioned as to the reason for his aggression, the accused stated that his “hand had slipped” causing laughter in the court.
The accused was fined 20s and costs, or 14 days imprisonment.
Other News
Babes in the City- The Londonderry Sentinel 1st February 1876
On the 1st February the Londonderry Sentinel carried a story, originally reported in the San Francisco Chronicle of two “babes” lost in the city.
Early Christmas morning, when Officer Courneen was patrolling Montgomery Street, he “stumbled upon two mites of humanity who were aimlessly toddling along, with their little hands imbedded in tiny pockets, and their little faces blue with cold“.
The officer asked the two children if their mother knew they were out. One of the boys, obviously frightened, readied himself to run off but his companion held him.
As described in the San Francisco Chronicle, the little man then straightened up, and almost dislocated a miniature neck in attempting to gaze the officer in the eye unflinchingly before adding “We ain’t got no mother.”
Asked about the whereabouts of their father the boy stated that they had no father and no home and that they were looking for a box to sleep. The officer tucked a boy under each arm and proceeded to the police station and presented them to Captain Douglas as “lost“.
The little spokesman gave his name as Amos Axton, and related that their mother had died in Santa Cruz three months ago. Their uncle, William Kirby, brought them to this city, and on Thursday afternoon had left them at the corner of Eddy and Powell Streets, promising to return in a few minutes, and bidding them await his re-appearance.
They lingered there until nightfall, but their uncle failed to return, and the youngsters wandered about the city until a late hour, when they found an empty dry goods box, and in it they made a bed for the night.
San Francisco Chronicle
The young boys had since spent 2 days wandering the city, sleeping rough and living solely on crackers. As they were dressed in excellent clothes, and presented a neat appearance it was obvious that they were not from a poor background.
In the absence of any further information the captain instructed the officer to take the boys to prison where theyld be fed pending an investigation into the circumstances of their abandonment. .
Murder at the ‘Spelling Bee’ – The Newtownards Chronicle 16th February 1876
Spelling competitions became very popular in the mid-19th Century as dictionaries began to standardise spelling by establishing the “correct” spelling of words – replacing the variations that existed previously.
Seen as a useful educational activity, spelling competitions were actively promoted to adults and children alike. Competition at these spelling contests became fierce with some contestants attempting to memorise the dictionaries of the day. (The term “Spelling Bee” emerged subsequently from America and was widely adopted in local newspapers).
The Newtownards Chronicle, on 16th February, reported on the death of a miner named Samuel Donley, from Shotton Colliery, County Durham arising from injuries received at a “spelling bee”.
It was reported that a group of miners & workmen were in a public house in Shotton Colliery when a spelling match was suggested. Eager to indulge in this popular activity a “spelling bee” was promptly arranged.
In the course of the proceedings, Donley and an opponent, James Tait, argued strongly over the correct spelling of the word “Hibernian”. Tait insisted that there was a “g” in the word, while Donley denied that this was the case. The anger was such that, on exiting the public house, Tait threw a brick at Donley hitting him on the side of the head.
Donley was taken home and examined by Dr Wilson who said that he had sustained a fractured skull with little chance of recovery. Donley died a short time later.
Tait was arrested by Police-Constable Machin initially on the charge of feloniously wounding Donley. Following Donley’s death, this was raised to a charge of wilful murder.
A murder trial is to be scheduled.
As an Aside – Other Notable Hobbies, Curiosities and Horrors of the Time
The craze for “Spelling bees” was far from the only fad to catch the attention of the public. Improved mass communication, growing middle-class wealth and increasing foreign travel opportunities made the 19th century an era of comical, bizarre and even macabre fads…
The Alexandra Limp
Alexandra of Denmark was the bride of the Prince of Wales. She was adored by the public and was also a societal and fashion idol. Beloved by the young ladies in society, every action of Alexandra was promptly adopted by many.
In 1867, following severe rheumatic fever, Princess Alexandra developed a very pronounced limp. Such was her popularity that young women in society started to imitate her limp.
Initially this was simply walking with a limping gait. Soon, the more adventurous ‘improved’ their limp by wearing mismatched shoes with differing heel sizes. A variation emerged quickly involving the removal of one heel from a pair of boots/ shoes. Fashionable society was awash with limping maidens suffering for their fashion.
Businessmen were quick to note the opportunity afforded by this fashion and mismatched shoes were manufactured for sale in shops.
What did ordinary people make of it all? Not a great deal, if this 1869 report from the North British Mail is anything to go by. “A monstrosity has made itself visible among the female promenaders in Princes Street,” it seethed. “It is as painful as it is idiotic and ludicrous.”
C. A. Asbery
Ultimately, this craze proved to be short-lived.
Croquet
The second half of the nineteenth century saw Croquet emerge as a popular pastime in society. It appeared to be the perfect family activity for those with the land & money to stage it and had the benefit of involving male and female players alike.
Some problems quickly emerged relating to female players. Ladies skirts of the day billowed outwards and nearly touched the ground. As a result ladies found it difficult to see and hit the ball. Some uncharitable men, on the losing end of a game, suggested that the ladies used the cover of their skirts to manipulate the ball to their advantage. When skirts were changed to be more form-fitting with lengths raised to ankle-level many societal and religious leaders raged against this attack on modesty, describing it as shamefully flirtatious. Again the fad proved short-lived.
The Bicycle Controversy
In a similar vein, the invention of the pneumatic tyre and safety bicycles created the opportunity for many young ladies to take up cycling. An immediate problem emerged as the length and style of ladies skirts & dresses meant that they could easily become entangled in the bicycle wheels.
The consequent adoption of “safer” clothing i.e. divided skirts, knickerbockers/ bloomers outraged many in society. Those adopting these new ‘disgusting’ fashions were mocked, barred from public places or, on occasion, had stones thrown at them while cycling.
Medical objections were also suggested with some doctors warning of “bicycle face” (a supposedly permanent strained, flushed expression from exertion and wind).
Mesmerism, Fortune-telling and Seances
In the latter part of the the 19th Century death and the occult became the subject of morbid curiosity and fascination. Mesmerism, Fortune-telling and seances became popular and, indeed, continue to this day. It is suggested that they provided comfort for the bereaved..
Animal Taxidermy
Animal taxidermy took a strange turn with stuffed animals dressed in human clothing and posed as though engaged in human activities (eg at a dinner table or playing sports).
Other fads were much more bizarre
Headless Portraits
In the 1880s photography was widely popular and enthusiastic photographers looked to stretch the bounds of their art. Early ‘special effects’ proved particularly popular with the introduction of gruesome ‘headless’ portraits. Many were keen to indulge in this new fashion…
Post-Death Portraits
The emergence of photography offered another photo opportunity… post-mortem. Those losing a family member – husband, wife or child sometimes took the opportunity to have a photograph taken of their loved ones before burial. This was intended to provide a way to remember the deceased.
Things took a darker turn though, certainly to modern eyes, when the practice was extended to the point that the body of the deceased would be posed and photographed with living family members. Children would be photographed sitting beside (or on the knee of) a deceased parent or holding hands with a deceased sibling.
Mummy Unwrapping
With the rich taking full advantage of travel opportunities and foreign ‘finds’, society’s fascination with the dead took an even weirder turn.
Rich party hosts took to procuring a mummy from specialist auctions or Egyptian sources. They then hosted Mummy unwrapping parties.
As the name suggests, the party attendees were witness to the host taking the bandages off the mummy.
At the height of “Egyptomania” these ‘unwrappings’ became widely popular and were sometimes performed before audiences of thousands.
Link to Previous Monthly News
Previous monthly news stories can be viewed here Monthly News of 150 Years Ago
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