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'Newport
First Stop' - 100 Years of News Stories Newport
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1847
Merlin. 24th April, 1847 The Irish in Newport A poor Irish woman was this week begging from door to door with the corpse of an infant in her arms. Several cargoes of Irish people have been sent back to Ireland from this port during the week. Hundreds yet remain in a starving condition; and Hill Street, in which the Relieving Officer resides, is daily crowded by whole families, who present the appearance in general, of famished and diseased men, women and children.
On last Sunday evening, during divine service, the congregation were alarmed by the sudden illness of the Rev. Henry Wybrow. The Rev. gentleman, near the close of his sermon, had just enunciated the sentence, "Sin is the element of a wicked man; but the disease of a spiritual one," with the action of uplifted arms, when his head suddenly declined upon his shoulder, and he fell in the pulpit. Several females screamed, and the men turned pale, it being supposed that their pastor had sunk in death. Dr. Young instantly rushed up the steps followed by Mr. Birch and others who bore him to the Vestry and under the anxious eye of Dr. Young, Mr. Wybrow partially recovered and was conveyed home. We are happy to state that the Rev. gentleman was seen out in his carriage the following day and is quite recovered.
On Monday evening, a load of hay was left upon a waggon in Pentonville; and before the inhabitants of that quarter had retired to rest, they were alarmed by a blazing fire in the street. On rushing out, it was found that some person had maliciously ignited the hay, which burned furiously, defying all attempts to save the property, which was nearly all consumed. We hope the perpetrators of this wanton and perilous act may be discovered and visited with condign punishment.
On Tuesday evening last, the inhabitants of the town were startled from their fire sides by noises, and shoutings and boisterous laughter of some three hundred men, women and children, who were careering down Commercial Street at a startling pace, in the midst of whom might be seen, elevated across a pole, with his legs tied below, and held up on each side by stalwart "navvies", a wicked member of the "profession" who had broken the fifth commandment, at the expense of his late master's marital rights; and in this summary way, the friends of the injured husband were avenging the wrongs of his house. Down commercial Street and up by Canal side where they proposed dipping him - but wanting more fun - up High Street and around in cruel triumph they bore this inglorious martyr to illicit love; every now and then giving his unlucky carcase an extra lift which brought his physiognomy in contact with the pole and injured his chief facial organ, that the "claret" smeared his face. When near Bane's Well the pole on which he was carried broke in twain and after great addditional struggles, he was taken to the railway stables and there the fun was declared over. Thus they served the transgressor with advice to be a better boy - and he toils on now at his spade and barrow "a sadder but wiser man." It was intended to have exhibited his frail inamorata on a ladder the ensuing evening; but perhaps she had wisely betaken herself off. [ Back ] |
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'Newport
First Stop' - 100 Years of News Stories Newport
Past |
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