William Goodwin of Street Farm, Earl Soham.

Diaries dated from 1785-1810. Vol. 3.. HD 365/3.

Transcribed by Mrs. J. Rothery of Earl Soham, August 2001

The following Miscellany of Occurrences Persons and Curiosities was began in the Year 1785 by Wm. Goodwin of Earl Soham Surgeon and is intended as an Universal repository and Chronology.

Extract for 1805 to 1810

Newspaper cutting on Longevity with handwritten date of 1807

Mar 1807 The total Abolition of the African Slave Trade is at length happily accomplish’d - It was brought forward before Parliament 15 years ago by Mr Wilberforce member for Yorkshire, and resisted by our good folks, till this time, when the Foxite administration completed the destruction of that Trade in human blood carried on by Christians for Centuries; destroying, and murdering many millions of unhappy Africans -

Cowper on the Slave Trade says - I would not have a Slave to till my ground, to fan me when I sleep, and Tremble when I wake, for all that Human Sinecures bought and Sold, have ever Earn’d

Profit of ye Bank for In’t and doing business for Government is upwards of one Million a year -

A man died in Scotland aged 131 years

130 Thousand Seamen voted for ye year - 15-000.000 Expence for ye navy -

Forty Millions sterling have been paid for Corn brought to England in the last 15 years

How vain must be our vaunted Agricultural superiority

200 millions of Property are yearly insur’d in England and 70.000.000 in Ireland

A poor man’s wife in Yorkshire was deliver’d of 5 Children at a birth -

Longevity … (1/2 a page)

By Revenues and Charges of the E. India Company laid before parliament it appears

The Revenue in 1806.7 was 14.847-239

Charges 16-618-410

Deficient 1.936-771 £s

Wh. shows how little they prosper who deal in a nefarious warface and plunder -

The Company have borrow’d 2.000-000 and owe about 35 millions -

Aug 1807 War with Denmark Twenty sail of the Line and 30.000 Troops, are sent to Copenhagen to Bombard our friends and destroy Their navy, "unless they put the city and Their fleet into our possession" This modest request They refus’d, and our Troops amounting to 20.000 and upwards effected a Landing - erected Their batteries and Bombarded the Fity containing 100-000 Souls, 3 Ddays and nights, throwing likewise the new invented fiery Rockets, wh. burnt the City and nearly destroy’d It, beating down 2000 houses and leaving not more than 600 uninjur’d, - 2000 Danes were kill’d, immense numbers wounded and totally ruin’d. The City capitulated ye 6^th of Sep’tr to Ld. Cathcart and Admiral Gambier. Thus has ende our warfare against an unoffending and neutral City and people; our Relations and friends, without the smallest Cause for such cruelty on Their part; a Cruelty and Barbarity, that outrages every part of History Antient or modern -

(Margin note: ) The English left Denmark at ye. End of six weeks

The fruits are 21 sail of the Line, many frigates - Gun boats etc. etc. coming home - The possession of Copenhagen, its Batteries Arsenals - Ammunition and the Island of Zeland; and The eternal disgrace of this Nation

Lost coming home 2 Men of War and many Transport, with upwards of 4000 men - The Expedition to destroy the poor Danes cost this Country 4 Millions -

Newspaper cutting re Baltic Expedition dated Sept. 9^th 1807

Oct 1807 Newmarket was more numerously attended than ever known, to see the long expected foot Race between Wood and Barklay, and the Battle between the celebrated Gulley and Gregson from Lancashire - Gulley had most science - Gregson most strength, being six feet 2 inches high and well made -

May 1808 a second battle between Gulley and gregson took place this month for 200 Guineas - an immense concourse attended - The battle lasted near an hour, and was won by Gulley easier than before, who beat Gregson to a mummy -

(Pencil entry in a different hand) Gulley became a "Member of Parliament" afterwards. He sat for "Pontefract and still(?) (1835) = ? (looks like gold)

Colquhoun on the subject of Paupers - says the net annual Income of this nation from Agriculture - manufactures - commerce - Colonies and fisheries is the enormous Sum of 222-000-000 Sterling - and that one Million of Paupers receiv’d parochial aid, and those in workhouses earn only 4 shill’gs a head a year - Legal assessments and private benevolence are taken at 8 millions a year for the poor -

The No. of licens’d ale houses in Eng. And wales is 50-000 -

About one in 5 or 9 are paupers vagrants or Theives

Paupers receiv’d out of workhouses cost 3.3.6 a head, Those supported in Them cost 12.3.6. each a year.

16 millions are spent yearly in 40-000 Alehouses, by two millions of Labouring poor and that 3 out of 4 paupers who receiv’d relief in 1803 were reduc’d to the necessity of Intemperance -

1808 British Navy in Commission - 790 ships

Total Building - in ordinary etc are 1112 fighting ships, of wh. 261 are of ye Line.

Corruption pervades every department to a shamefull degree witness Ld. Grenvil’s family receiving pr Annum

Duke of Portland 30.000

Ld. Melville 25.000

Ld. Arden 35.000

Ld. Kedesdale 4.000

All Sinecures 175.000

To support ministers with Thousands of others, sucking devouring and laughing at the people oppress’d by Taxes to maintain Their Luxuries and Dissipation -

Dec’r 1807 Russia has declar’d war ag’st England Portugal and Denmark have done the same, confiscating every thing belonging to the English - Every avenue to Trade abroard, is clos’d ag’st English men - Letters and goods - 100-000 Letters fill’d with Eng. Bills are stopt, the value immense, and the ruin to the Merchants inevitable

We are now in actual war with all Europe (& Turkey) Sweden excepted, (but as expected to join France) & Thus all Those powers we have supported with men and money have turn’d against us -

The declaration of Portugal was only a pretence to deceive the French -

60-000 Pipes of Portugal wines are annually imported here - Duty on each 50£s - Total yearly duty 3-000-000£ and Do. On French and Spanish 1.000.000 - now all lost -

The Royal family consisting of the Queen - Prince Regent and 13 others, quited Lisbon, with about 40-000 of Their subjects (including Soldiers and Sailors) in 8 sail of the Line - 4 frigates - Corveets etc. and about 40 Transports, bound to the City of Rio de Janario in the Brazils, there to establish a Kingdom of the Braganzas with the wreck of Their European property - They carried away immense quantities of Treasure, were escorted by 4 Eng. Men of War and escap’d from Lisbon on ye 28^th of Nov. 1807, the day before the French Army enter’d ye City -

France

Is now united with Russia - Austria - Prussia - Denmark Naples - Holland and all Italy and Germany against England

Napolean has created 27 Rmperors Kings and potentates and has a batch of 10 more in Embryo as here anex’d

(Newspaper cutting entitled King Making)

Jan’y 15^th 1808 Wind N.W. blows a gale and being spring Tides all the Marshes from Baudsey to Yarmouth are completely drowned - 60 Thousands Acres said to be under water, from numerous breaches in the sea walls and much stock lost - Damage to Ships and on shore immense.

Feb 12^th 1808 The most inclement night and Morning almost ever known with high wind - sharp frost and immensity of Snow - all the Roads block’d up The Posts and Stages stopt and no intercourse between our Towns - 20 Labourers opening Roads in this parish several days -

15^th Frost very intense indeed

Madam Cataliny an Italian singer at the opera house, last year made 16.700 in this Country, converting her notes into Sterling gold by the folly and vanity of the people

An Eeel was taken at Yarmouth in Norf’k which measur’d 6 feet long and 21 inches round, weighing 43 pounds

Oct 1807 Revolution in Spain

The Prince of Austuras heir to the Throne, disliking the conduct of the queen, with the prime minister the price of the Peace, united with the disaffected to change the Government and, Dethrone his father. He was detected, apprehended, thrown into confinment, and afterwards pardon’d -

Mar 1808 The French march’d large Armys into Spain, and withdrew the Spanish troops to Portugal - whilst this was doing the Prince rais’d a fresh commotion, seiz’d the King and Queen, and compell’d his father to resign his Crown to him usurp’d his Authority, and actually reign’d as Ferdinand ye 7^th - a few weeks - In wh. time the prime minister was thrown into a dungeon loaded with Irons etc - During this Revolution all was uproar - confusion - mobbing and even murdering at Madrid -

May 1808 Bonaparte arrive(d) at Bayonne in his way to Madrid - The new king Ferdinand appeals to him and solicits a confirmation of his Royalty - The old King Charles ye 4^th makes his appearance at the same moment - lays claim to Bonaparte’s humanity shews him, He abdicated his Throne to save his own and his Queen’s Life from his cruel Son; obtains Bonaparts good wishes; is reinstated to his Crown - gets his cruel Son dethron’d - reinstates his prime-Minister, to power, and sends his Son into exile - What a subject for a Tragedy? - The French troops occupy Madrid and the Spanish nation is as completely in ye power of Bonapart as Portugal or any other conquer’d country -

May 1808 Spain

The old King Charles ye 4^th has formally abdicated his Throne and resign’d his Crown into ye hands of Napoleon, as has his three Sons all Their rights and Titles successors to their Father - The King - Queen and the above 3 princes and all the Royal family of Spain (Don(blank) the King’s brother excepted) are carried into France, There to Live in splendid misery as state prisoners as long as Their deceiver and Tyrant shall judge convenient to himself and his crook’d policy -

A general rising en Masse is taking place in many parts of Spain to resist and if possible overcome the French Army and rescue Their Country from Their Tyranny and oppression - We are to assist Them with their money etc. etc -

A deform’d Dwarf only 25 inches high was deliver’d in a workhouse in ye west of England of a dead female child that measured 22 inches and a half - being only 2 and ½ inches shorter than its mother -

Miss (blank) 88 years of age was married to a lad only 17 years old -

Stocks

3 pr. Cents - 67

Mark Lane

Smithfield June 1808

Beef as high as 12 shil.gs a stone of 14 lb - mutton 9d and 10d a lb -

June 1808 Spain

This fine Kingdom is given by Napoleon to his brother who is translated from Naples and proclaim’d King of Spain by the name of Joseph Napoleon the name all the Bonapartes take

King Joseph enter’d his Capatal City of Madrid ye 20 of July and was driven from It on ye 1^stof Aug’st by the Patriotic Army, having first plunder’d the Palace of the Regalia, plate, Cash and valuable as well as all the Churches - The day He enter’d Madrid, the French Gen’l Dupont and 21-000 Troops were taken or kill’d by Castanos the commander of the Spanish PatriotThe French armies in Spain have been all beaten by the Spaniards and lost in kill’d and prisoners at least 60-000 men -

Newspaper cutting dated Tuesday July 5 1808 giving prices in the London Markets and Foreign Intelligence from the Dutch papers - Proclamation of the new King of Spain…

On the back amongst other info. Haymarket Theatrical Register - plays to be performed

Further newspaper cutting giving details of Square Miles, Population and Armed Force for various countries (dated 1808)

Hot Weather

July 12^thTher. in ye shade near London 87 deg

13^th Do. Do Do 90 Do

14^th Thursday o Do 96 Do

Newspaper cutting: The weather (heat as above)

This last said to have been the hottest day ever known in Eng’d. Men and many horses died from heat - The Hot Sunday in 1790 was only 83 Deg The average heat of the West Indies is about 82 of the human blood 96

July The King of Sweden our last ally, to whose assistance we sent money by Wagon loads Men of war, and 20-000 Troops, quarrel’d with our General and put him under arrest, but by good fortune He escap’d disguised in a Cart, got his Troops on board our ships, and ran home to England -

Oct 1808 Bounaparte and ye Emp. Of Russia… (almost a whole page)

Also small newspaper cutting re above subject

Dec’r 31 30-000 more Troops and immense quantities of Artillery are now going to Spain - from England

Dec’r 4^th 1808 Spain

Napoleon after repeatedly beating the Spanish Patriots… (whole page)

Oct 19^th 1805 German War… (1¼ pages)

Oct 21^st 1805 The greatest Naval Victory England ever gain’d was obtain’d over the united…(1¼ pages)

Ld. Nelson was kill’d in the middle of the battle by a musket ball fir’d from the round Top of the St. Trinidad, that enter’d his chest and kill’d him in a bout ½ an hour, to the great grief of the English nation - Two more of our Captains fell and many brave Tars - The French Ad’l Villeneuve and two other Admirals were taken - Ad’l Gravina who commanded the Spanish Ships got into Cadiz with ye remnant of the Enemy’s Ships -

Four of which have since been taken by Ad’l Strachn off Ferrol, after 3 hours hard fighting - They consisted of 3 74s and one 80 In the grand naval Battle off Trefalgar 1500 English were kill’d and wounded and far more of the Enemy

Germany

The French under Their Emperor as commander in chief and many other…(1/2 page)

Nov 12^th Vienna

The finest City in Germany was this day enter’d…(1/2 page)

The Russians under General Kutuo??? Beat a division of French under Mortier near Vienna wh. is the first advantage gain’d by the Allies this last six Weeks

Italy

The French army under General Massena has every where beaten the Austrians under the arch-duke Charles, - The numbers kill’d and taken by the French in ye first 6 weeks, including ye wounded is not less than 100 thousand in Germany and Italy besides a prodigious quantity of Canons muskets and Ammunition etc -

England is sending a great number of troops to Italy and Germany not forgetting Wagon loads of money; 20 of wh. with six horses to each started lately from ye Bank -

5^th This day a public Thanksgiving was commanded by our pious rulers for the late naval Victory gain’d with the loss of much blood and consequent Ruin to hundreds of families -

In Vienna… (1/2 page)

The Russians…(1 page)

The extraordinary success of the French Arms in Germany… (1/4 page)

Dec’r 2^nd 1805

Battle of Austerlitz… (3 1/2 pages)

Bavaria and the upper Palatinate… (1/4 page)

The Elector of Wirtemberg… (1/3^rd page)

Jan’y 1809 The Sun this month will be 191-733-750 miles from our Earth, and The moon 221-591 miles - wh. is suppos’d will produce uncommon high Tides.

Plunder of India The treasure taken by the English Army under Gen. Wellesly at Anamadghur - In specie 4 Hund. Thousand Sacs (?) of Rupees or 4 millions Ster. Convey’d in 400 Tumbrils each drawn by 12 bullocks - nine thousand Camels laden with Silks and muslins - Sixty Thousand bullocks laden with Rice - and Two thousand Elephants - a large Cannon…(another ½ page)

Jan 21 Parliament was this day open’d by Commission and the Speech read by ye Ld. Chancellor - It boasted of our late victories on the Continent, and pretended an ardent desire for Peace, hinting the want of more money from the People -

Mr Wm. Pitt after being prime minister more than 20 years died of a broken heart, from the mortification of seeing all his projects fail to pull down or lessen the power of France

He was uncommonly great in debate, was personally an honest man and accomplish’d a plan of a sinking fund to pay off the national debt but was unsuccessfull and imprudent in making and conducting wars, was profuve (?) of the public money, increased the corruption of the commons and lessen’d the liberties of the people - He was a Son of Ld. Chatham and 46 years of age

The new Ministry..

Ld. Grenvile lst Ld. Of the Treasury

Ld. Henry Petty Chanch. Of Excheq’r

Mr Erskine Ld. High Chancellor with a peerage

The Hon. Ch. Fox Sect. Of State

Lord Spencer - home Do.

Mr Windham Sect for Colonies…(further 2/3rds of page)

Old Ministry also given (1 page)

Margin note: This new ministry completes the most extraordinary Political revolution ever known and is generally compos’d of the Enemies to Mr. Pitts Systems and Polities (? Policies)

Mr Pitt Died in Debt 80-000 pounds had only 10-000£ assets, yet made a will when dying to give His Physician 1000£s for a few weeks attendance and to give his Ser’ts double wages - The people are saddled by Parli’t with half his debts and 10s in the pound will be lost by his Creditors. The King his Master is 150-000£ minus to be paid by Johnny Bull - what excellent examples these, set by the great and good!

Meux ye Brewer has a Cask - compos’d of 314 staves of Oak 2 & ½ Inches thick, Iron hoops 56, each from one to 3 Tons, It will contain 20 Thos. Barrels of porter, and cost Ten Thousand pounds and 4 years building -

50 Thousand Tons of butter are yearly consum’d in London and made within 50 miles of ye City

Margin Note: Cows supplying London with milk are 8500, yearly value 481.666£s

Mar 1806 Another Gt. Naval Victory

Admiral Sr. Jno T Duckworth persu’d a division of ye French fleet to the West Indies… (2/3^rdpage)

There has been taken and destroy’d of the Enemies Ships of the Line 109…(1/3^rd page)

Mar 1806 Prince Joseph Napoleon brother of Boniparte has enter’d Naples… (2/3^rd page)

Margin note: He was hail’d King of Naples by ye Joyfull acclaimations of ye People

June 1806 Prince Louis Napoleon another Brother of Bonipa(r)tes is created King of Holland with great Revenues and Power Thus all the rlatives of Napoleon ye 1^st, are made Kings and Potentates.

An agreement is enter’d into between England and France to exchange man for man -

Eng. Has 18-000 prisoners

France about 7.000

11.000 balance in Eng’d

Budget for 1806

Ld. Henry Petty Ch. Of Exchequor

Loan 20 millions borrow’d to pay the In’t of which Taxes are laid on

Pig Iron to 500-000£s

Tea to 70-000

Appraisements 60-000

Permanent on wine 500.000

Additional War Taxes

Income Tax doubled to ten pr. Cent from 6/1/2 and no exemptions - Tobacco Sugar etc etc taken to raise six mill’s

1^st Lottery for 1806 taken by Richardson & Co at 17£. 18s. 9D pr. Ticket - profit to Government 7.18.9 each -

Ld. Henry Petty Chanc’r of the Exchequor declar’d in ye house of Commons that the unsettl’d Acc’ts of public money amounted to ye enormous Sum of four Hundred and fifty five millions Sterling about equal to the national Debt - Hail Pitt & Co. dissipation and Anarchy

Intended but abolish’d New and cruel Tax on all Housekeepers brewing beer for every man keeping a 4 wheel’d carriage 1.1.0 on every male and 10/6 on every female - Keepers of a Livery Ser’vt 15/ and 7/6 each as above If no ser’ts paid for, and assess’d

Taxes - 5/ and 2/ for a License of

ye 1^st Class the No. is 12.000

2^nd Do 50.000

3^rd Do 360.000

4^th Do 320.000

On Time

Time, empty form, by fancy wrought

Thin, subtle, flying, airy, Thought

What shall we thing of Thee?…(2/3^rd page)

The new Ministry are daily boasting of Their aeconomy and savings for ye People - but grants to the Kings Son and daughters additional pensions of 5000£ pr annum each who before had very large incomes and paid no Taxes. What inconsistency!

Aug 1806 The prince of Wales’s Stables at Brighton cost 200-000£s building -

Five monsters were convicted of Sodomy (?) at Lancaster assizes out of 22 to be tri’d for ye same horrid offence

O’ Tempore, O’ Manners

Margin note: one a man of large Est. 62 yrs. Old

Bonaparte has Establish’d a Confederacy of the princes of Germany in his Interest…(1/2 page)

Sep 1^st 1806 Fox has been twice Tap’d etc. and 60 pints of water taken away He was allow’d to have been the most able Politician in Europe - an advocate for Peace - an Enemy to ye American and the fatal French War, and an honest man a friend to his Country and all its fair Liberties

His funeral was attended by 160 Carriages of ye Nobility etc and an infinity of People, whose Silence and Tears manifested Their unfaing’d Sorrow -

The Grease in Horses cur’d in Arabia by poulticing with Egyptian Henne (Lausonia Incremis Linn) Socotrine aloes in powder and vinegar

Drury Lane play house receiv’d 60-000£ last season and expended 57.000 amongst Their actors - fiddlers etc. jail Luxury What is ye Expence of all our public entertain’g

4^th Coalition in Germany - The Queen of Prussia and a faction persuaded the King to make War with France join’d by Russia…(almost 3 pages)

Oct 1806 Napoleon and his Generals have hunted the King of Prussia an ye remains of his Army…(1 page)

Bonaparte has ordain’d that all ye English and all their property wherever found, in the power of ye French to be taken Emprison’d or confiscated - The same terrible manefesto, is publish’d in Holland and England declar’d by France in a state of Blockade

Nov’r 17^th 1806 Prussia at the battle of Jena Oct. 14. 1806…(1/2 page)

Nov 1806 Magdebourgh, Sttettin, Hamelen and all the strong places in Prussia… (1 page)

Dec’r 1806 Poland will now become the seat of War The French are now at Posen…(1/2 page)

26^th The uncommon mildness of ye winter has allow’d of warlike operations in Poland - The French have uniformly driven the Russian and Prussian armies in all their Skirmishes -…(1/2 page)

(2 pages on Prussia, Poland, Russians)

Jan 30^th 1807 Budget… (2 pages)

Newspaper cutting dated Jan 16^th 1807 "The Army"

Small cutting re "Taxes"

Total of the Army with the Militia… (¼ page)

The whole number of the Army en masse liable to serve by ballot under ye new training Act for Eng. And Wales is 800.000 of wh. 550 are liable to serve for Suffolk-

It is Calculated that the Annual Expenditure of this Kingdom, of all descriptions of its People is the enormous Sum of 1360 Millions Sterling - a Tax of one pr. Cent on the whole would raise 13 millions a year and upwards -

Ld. Warwick’s new Idea of Taxing Expenditure. Of all the Classes in the Kingdom - He takes ye whole No. of ye People at 12.500.000…(1/2 page)

Horses paying Duty in great Britain are 1.178-000 said to consume the produce yearly of 7.000.000 of Acres, and that 8-000.000 of people consume the production of 21.000.000 of acres, including 12.000.000 for grass - meat -

Sr. Gilbert Heathcott has sold his Fox hounds - His celebrated Hunting Stud sold at Tattersals from 360 to 52 gs each 28 horses sold for 4495 Gs

June Ye Expedition to Edgypt cut off by ye Turks - The greatest part of 5000 men sent, kill’d and taken -

The Expedition to Calabria of 2000 men kill’d or taken

1807 The Expedition to retake Buenos Aires in South America fail’d (2½ pages)

Atmospheric air is compos’d oxygen or vital air 27 parts of arotic or deadly air 73 Do - (check this writing)

Oxygen is the acidifying principle in all nature -

Water is a compound of Oxygen and Hydrogen airs and is capable of being compounded and decompounded at the pleasure of ye Chemist.

Ap. 1807 Total and unexpected change of ministers has taken place

The King Turning the late ones out with out ceremony, on acc’t of Their wishing to allow Catholics to rise to high Commands in the Army and Navy

The new ministry are

Duke of Portland 1^st Ld. Of Treasury…

Margin Note: chiefly Those that were in power a few months ago the refuse of Pitt’s administration

Pencil note in a different hand:

X this was supported by the Country but a very different cause indeed, it was a "Petticoat"!!

The late Foxite administration Dissolv’d the Parl’t.wh. met last Nov’r The new Pittite Do. Has done the same, after it had sat only 5 months -

The County of York has been severely contested for a 15 days Poll between Mr. Wilberforce - Lord Milton and Mr Lascelles - The 2 former won - The contest cost 1000£s an hour for 15 days amounting to 336.000£ - …(a few lines)

Peace on the Continent was ratified at Tilsit July 12.1807, between the Emperor Napoleon - Alexander of Russia and the King of Prussia …(2+ pages)

Martello Towers are building on many parts of our Coasts, that are suppos’d most liable to Invasion - 4 or 5 are now began at Baudsey and one at Albro(a) etc They cost from 10 to 40 Thousand each and are an excellent Job for the minister’s friends, if They prove of no other service - an imence one is building at Harwich, has 700 men employ’d, will contain 1500 men, and cost more than two millions Sterling - It takes 3 yrs. to Build it

A 74 Man of War contains 17 Hundred and fifty Tons and cost building the Hull only 33£s pr Ton, upwards of 56 Thous. Pounds - Riging - Masts Guns, etc etc. as much more - They formerly cost about 1000£ a Gun - now 2000 Do -

Portugal has been in possession of the French… (2 pages)

Feb 1809 Oporto and other parts of Portugal are taken and occupied by the French.

May 1809 Sr. Arthur Wellesly and ye English have driven the French from Oporto etc.

Loose papers at the back of the diary

July 1809 The National Debt is now 567 million. The annual Expenditure last year was 72 mill’s - this year upwards of 82 Do - and increasing with rapid strides…

Died at Stamford in Lincolnshire Mr Daniel Lambert in his 40^th yr - He weigh’d 52 stones ll lb …

Died in a workhouse at Liverpool a female pauper aged 124 years.

Nov. 1809 Rogues sometimes disagree - The Min??? are all to pieces - Ld Castelragh and Can??? (the side of the sheet is no longer readable (1/3^rd page)

Dec’r 1809 Mark Lane

Wht high as 110-120 pr. Quarter

Barley Do. To 56

Tick beans To 44

Oats to 42

Stocks

3 pr Cents Consols - 70

Butter pr Firkin 70-72

Beef and Mutton 8d and 9d

Pr. pound - Pork 10d

Feb 1810 - Total army to provide for is 372-000 men - Expense 16 millions £s

Bank of England paper in Circulation amounts to 21 millions Ster. Country Do. Suppos’d Ten Times as much Silver and Gold Coin almost annihilated

At Mr Grosses Sale Oct. 1810 at Cap (could this be Capel - side of paper worn) in Suff’k the Horses sold as under

Newspaper cutting giving prices of cattle sold by Mr Charles Colling of Ketton, near Darlington - Bulls, Bull Calves, Cows, Heifers and Heifer Calves. Total sale raised 8485£ from Ketton farm of not 300 acres

Miss Fanny Henchman youngest Daughter of Mr. H. surgeon at E. Soham - Eloped for Gretna, with a Mr Blake a surgeon just out of his time, and without property - Miss H. was 18 years old and left a tender father and friends Saturday … 18. 1810 to Their great regret as They had taken unusual Case to bring up to Religion and Virtue(?) (paper badly torn.)

Spain 40 Thousand british Troops, Horses and foot were landed in Spain about the beginning of Nov’r 1808… Corunna…1809…Lord Wellington…1809…July 1810 (5 pages)

Revolution in Sweden (1 page)

Trial of Duke of York (3 pages)

Bank of England has 18 Millions circulating in Their notes nearly equal to all the Gold and silver in the kingdom - 1809

Interest of National Debt 31 millions pr. Annum

Fires in London

Sep’tr 1808 Covent garden Theatre was burnt to the ground with all its scenes etc in a few hours - many Lives were lost amongst the Firemen. It began about midnight and was suppos’d to have been occasion’d by firing a pistol in the play of Pizzarro - It is now Nov’r rebuilding and is to be finish’d by Sep. 1809 and will cost 150-000£s Open’d Sep. 18 - Is very magnificent - a great riot from raising ye pit to 4/ and boxes to 7 - - some damage Done

Drury Lane House was totally consum’d by Fire ; March 1809 in 3 hours, It began in ye night no play had been acted that Even’g how it happen’d is all conjecture. It had been built only 15 years was very large and magnificent, and cost 170-000£s

A Third part of St. James Palace was burnt Down Ap. 1809 - The fire occasion’d by a servants Candle accidently

Newspaper Cutting: Gives great detail of the opening of New Theatre, Covent Garden on Sept. 18 1809. handwritten note on side: "2 Million of bricks were laid in constructing house, wh. is highly admir’d

New War between Austria and France (1 page)

May 21^st & 22^nd A severe Battle on the Danube… (+ newspaper cutting)

Further seven pages on War + Holland - Aug’st 1809 - all very frail

To the printers of the Ipswich Journal

Gentlemen

The most extraordinary Case perhaps ever seen in this Country I have this Day been an Eye witness of - It is of a poor Woman in the parish of Dalinghoe near Wickham market in this County whose name is Mary Bradcock and from whose Lips receiv’d the following surprising Relation - In the severe Winter of 1783 She was taken with pains in most of Her Limbs which She attributed to Cold and the Rheumatism when walking across the House she trip’d her foot against a brick and was much surpriz’d to find Her leg broken near the Ancle - before She got perfectly well of this fracture She fell with Child and growing infirm and weak was assisted by Her Husband in getting out of Bed when Her left Thigh bone snap’d in pieces without any accident but Its own weight against His Back - She was safely Deliver’d after wh. Her left Arm was broken near the Shoulder by reaching iIt over an assistants neck to get up - This likewise form’d a Callus and got well, after wh. Her right Thigh Bone broke as She laid in Bed being high up, the same a 2d time near the knee, and afterwards Her Collar Bone. Her right Arm has met with the same misfortune by lifting a pint Bason of a Table - She now lies with the 3d Fracture of Her right Thigh wh. happen’d last Sunday from being gently rais’d up in Her Bed at or near the same part of It close to the Knee, wh. was before broken and callous’d - The Bones are permitted to grow together of Themselves without any other assistance than bathing and gentle Bandage as an extension would endanger breaking Them into Twenty pieces - This woman is 32 Years old of a Delicate Lax fibre, fair complection and pale Hair, has been towards 8 children, and always liv’d a sober life and never took Medicine of the mercurial or any kind but has enjoy’d general a pretty good state of Health - Before the Bones break She always has a very considerable pain in the part some weeks, wh. increases till they snap and chiefly goes off a few Days after, and the callous forms in 5 6 or 7 wks as usual - The Curious, Humane and Charitable have a singular opportunity of exercising Their Phylanthrophy at a small expense by inquiring of Mr. J (orS) Thompson of Charsfield who will direct em to Her Cottage A hopeless misery and want

The Extraordinary fragility of Bones in the Case of Mary Bradcock of Dalinghoe near Wickham Market in Suff’k which you favor’d the Public with last Year, has been render’d more singular since by a variety of uncommon circumstances, which I beg the liberty of troubling you with as they are curious and interesting, at once displaying the power of God and frailty of Man - permit me to recapitulate the heads of Her Case, as they apear’d previous to Aug’st 1785; She had then been confin’d to her bed near 12 months suffer’d 8 fractures of the principal Bones without any external Causes had all those fractures reunited with a seemingly firm Callus, and was, pregnant with her 9^th Child. From the above time, She went on very well, was deliver’d of a male healthy Child, and being enabl’d to live freely in consequence of the charity of a generous public, regain’d a better state of health than She had known for some time before. All last Spring she continu’d in good Health and Spirits, complaining only of flying pains about the Bones - The beginning of April last She again fell with Child, but had no alarming Symptoms till August, when the pain in her bones increas’d rapidly, and Those which had been broken last year, began to separate where They had been united with as great or even more pain than what first caus’d Their breaking - indeed she suffer’d excruitiating pain several days previous to the dissolution of the Callus, became continually feverish in consequence of the irritation and declin’d hastily in Health and appetite - violent pain now seis’d fresh parts of her bony system which after continuing only 6 or 7 days caus’d new fractures in parts that had not before suffer’d the like, viz 3 Ribs left arm in Two places, right Arm above and below the Elbow, making together 7 new fractures since Aug’st 1786, which with the 8 that happen’d last year and the dissolution of Their union this, amounts taken in toto to 23 fractures this unhappy Woman sustain’d in the course of about 2 years and a half and all without any violence and chiefly whilst confin’d to her bed - permit me to notice that in 1785 the pain continu’d weeks before the fracture took place, now only a few days were sufficient for that purpose - She laid perhaps the most deplorable object ever seen all the last Autumn with scarcely a whole bone in her body or indeed any Bone at all, for towards the conclusion of the Catastroph They seem’d daily to dissolve and at length became as soft as wax and could be bent with the slightest touch or peirc’d through with a common needle - She died the 19^th of last month and so extremely soft were the Bones that even those of Her Arms could be cut through with a small pen knife, much easier than a Ligament. The Bones of the Skull had not escap’d the general devastation, They could readily be indented with the pressure of the finger the back Bone likewise came in for its share of the sufferings - One Arm complete is preserv’d for the inspection of the curious in the neighbourhood previous to its being sent to Town where Her Case is now publishing to be sent to continent - Mary Bradcock was 34 years old when She died and had only a few weeks to go of her tenth Child, was born of Scrophulous parents, known to have been so several generations back, but the disease in Them was confin’d to the glandular parts, and how far her extraordinary sufferings might be owing to an acrimony of that kind falling on the bones must be left to the more learned of my bretheren to determine; She never had any of that disease externally. She was all her life fond of Animal food but never had opportunities of indulging in it to excess was never turn’d in Bed for the last 12 months nor able to lift up a hand or foot but laid constantly on her left side. She retain’d her perfect senses to the last, was very much emaciated but without spot or blemish of the Skin or fleshy parts.

Wm. Goodwin

17

(see also Volume 1 August 5^th 1785)