A History of Horncastle Part 20

His first official act was to hang a man named Francis Horry, at Lincoln, who murdered his wife at Boston, in 1872; his last was to hang a man, James Burton, at Durham, who murdered his young wife, aged only 18, from jealousy. On this occasion the man fainted on the scaffold, and got entangled with the rope under his arm, and Marwood had to lift him in his arms to get him disentangled, and then drop the unconscious man down-a painful scene. {155} This was only about a fortnight before his own death. Among his last executions was that of Charles Peace, a notorious burglar, who shot a man at Banner Cross, near Sheffield. In May, 1882, he went to Dublin to execute the perpetrators of the Phnix Park murders, three Fenians, who shot Lord E. Cavendish, and his secretary, Mr. Burke.

In his last illness, which was short, it was suspected that his health had been in some way injured through Fenian agency, and a post mortem examination was held by order of the Home Secretary, but a verdict was returned of "natural death." Mr. Henry Sharp, Saddler, of the Bull Ring, was one of the jury on this occasion.

Marwood's wife was, for some years, ignorant of her husband's official occupation, as he generally accounted for his absence by saying that he had to go away to settle some legal question. Visiting the slaughter-house of a neighbouring butcher, he observed to him that he could "do" for men as the butcher did for cattle, because the men whom he had to deal with were themselves "beasts."

Some of Marwood's official paraphernalia are still preserved at the Portland Arms Inn, Portland Street, Lincoln, where he generally stayed at an execution. The late Mr. Charles Chicken, who resided in Foundry Street, Horncastle, had a rope 1-in. thick, given him by Marwood, with which he had hanged six or seven criminals. Other ropes used by him are in Madam Tussaud's exhibition, in Baker Street, London, where there is also a bust of himself. He used to exhibit his ropes to foreign horse-dealers, who attended the great August Fair at Horncastle, at a charge of 6d. each. There was recently a portrait of Marwood, in crayons, in a barber's shop, 29, Bridge Street, drawn by J. S. Lill, postman, but this has now disappeared. Marwood's favourite dog, Nero, and other effects were sold by auction, after his death in 1883, by Mr.

W. B. Parish.

Other Horncastrians whose lives, or circ.u.mstances, were more or less exceptional, may be here also briefly noticed.

HENRY TURNER.

Mr. Henry Turner, about the middle of the 19th century, was a corn and coal merchant, and also land agent for Sir Henry Dymoke, Bart., of Scrivelsby Court. He occupied the house at the corner of South Street, next the water side, then a private residence, but now the shop of Mr. F.

Stuchbery, Ironmonger. He married the widow of Arthur Thistlewood, a native of Horsington, noted, in his later years, as the leader of the "Cato Street Conspiracy," which proposed to a.s.sa.s.sinate the ministers of the government, in London, when attending a dinner at Lord Harrowby's residence, in February, 1820. The plot was discovered and frustrated, and Thistlewood, with others of his guilty confreres, was executed on May 1st in that year. Mrs. Turner was the daughter of a butcher, named Wilkinson, whose shop was situated in the High Street, where is now the shop of Mr. Uriah Spratt.

MARTIN BROWN.

Mr. Martin Brown, grandfather of Mr. W. H. Brown, Plumber and Glazier, of Church Lane, was in the early part of the 19th century captured by the press gang in Horncastle, and made to serve in H.M.S. Mars, in the war with Napoleon. In one contest his s.h.i.+p was lashed to a French man-of-war, to fight it out, and his captain was killed. He survived to tell the story till 90 years of age, with scarcely a day's illness, until his death, Nov. 9th, 1866. He lies buried in Holy Trinity churchyard, his wife, who predeceased him by several years, being buried in St.

Mary's churchyard, on the south-east side.

CAPTAIN SHEPHERD.

Captain Shepherd, an old naval officer, lived many years, and died, in Union Street, now called Queen Street. He had had many voyages and experiences, which he was fond of recounting to his many friends. He had brought home many trophies and curiosities; among other things he gave an Indian bow, made of sugar cane, and poisoned arrows, to the present writer, when a boy.

MISS FRANKLIN.

In the next house to Captain Shepherd resided Miss Franklin, sister of the great arctic navigator, Sir John Franklin. Much interest was taken in Horncastle in the fate of Sir John, when absent on his last polar voyage, and considerable sums were raised, more than once, among the residents in the town, to a.s.sist Lady Franklin in sending out vessels in search of her husband, under the command of Captain Leopold MacClintock and others. We have mentioned elsewhere that a public dinner was given to Sir John, at the Bull Hotel, just before he sailed for the last time to the north.

In connection with this it may be added that the son of another great arctic explorer, Sir John Ross, used to visit friends in Horncastle, and is still remembered. Sir John Ross sailed in search of Sir John Franklin in 1848, but was unsuccessful.

EDMUND KEANE.

Edmund Keane, the Tragedian visited Horncastle with his company, in the first half of the 19th century, and acted in a large building, which is now the warehouse of Mr. Herbert Carlton, Chemist. The mother of Mr.

Henry Sharp, Saddler, and the late Mr. Henry Boulton, of St. Mary's Square, among others, witnessed these performances. In connection with this, it may be added, that Mr. Charles Keane, Actor, son of the above, sent two nieces to be educated at a ladies' school, kept by Mrs.

Nicholson, Bank Street, Horncastle, and on their leaving he made her a present of a valuable pianoforte.

AMBROSE LANGLEY.

About 30 years ago Robert Langley kept an inn in South Street, called the "Coach and Horses," on the premises now occupied by Mr. Crowson, Grocer.

His son, Ambrose Langley, became a noted footballer, in Horncastle and neighbourhood. He afterwards left the town and joined the Grimsby Town Football Club; subsequently he went to Middlesborough, Yorks.h.i.+re, playing for the Ironopolis Football Club. He afterwards joined the Sheffield Wednesday Football Club, which team he was with eight years, being captain three years; playing in the final for the English Cup, for that team, when they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers by two goals to one, in 1896. Leaving Sheffield Wednesday he became manager of the Hull City Football Club, which position he now (season 19078) holds.

CAPTAIN SURGEON SMITH.

Captain Surgeon Smith, son of a draper, Mr. Walker Smith, who occupied, about 25 years ago, the shop near the Post Office, on the south side of the High Street, now occupied by Mr. Redmore, enlisted as a private in the Army Hospital Corps; and, afterwards, pa.s.sing all examinations with credit, he rose from the ranks to become medical officer in the corps; an exceptional instance of such promotion.

HENRY ALLENBY.

Henry Allenby, son of a fellmonger, Mr. Richard Allenby, residing near the Wong, and having a tanyard on the Lincoln Road, became an a.s.sistant chemist at St. Albans. Afterwards coming under notice, in a chemist's shop in London, he was selected to accompany the Duke of Edinburgh in his tour round the world, in H.M.S. Galatea, as dispenser to the expedition.

This was in 1866; and in this capacity he visited India, j.a.pan, China, Australia, &c.

JOHN SCHOFIELD.

Mr. Robert Schofield, Landlord (in the middle of the last century) of the Saracen's Head Inn, Bridge Street, Horncastle, had a son, John, who left Horncastle for London, and became a member of the Stock Exchange, where, from small beginnings, he became so successful in business, that he eventually married a daughter of Bishop Blomfield, of London.

MISS ROBINSON.

The Rev. W. Robinson, Vicar of Wood Enderby and Wilkesby, in the middle of the 19th century, like several other clergy, who at that time had no country residences, lived in Horncastle. His daughter, happening to be of the same size and figure as Queen Victoria, was for several years engaged in the Queen's service, as a living model, on whom were "tried"

all dresses intended for the Queen. In return for this she received, as a perquisite, her Majesty's cast-off dresses, from the sale of which she realised an acceptable income. It is said that, through her, on the marriage of a lady friend, the dresses of both bride and bridesmaids were all royal attire. It was generally understood that this appointment was due to the representations, in her favour, of Miss Annie Dixon, the artist (herself a native of Horncastle, mentioned elsewhere), who was at that time a _grata persona_ with the royal family.

JOHN CUSSONS.

Mr. John Cussons, son of the late Mr. John Cussons, Baker, in the Bull Ring, and nephew of the late Mr. David Cussons, Printer and Bookseller, High Street, Horncastle, ran away before his apprentices.h.i.+p had expired, and went to America, settling in the Confederate States. He there espoused the Confederate cause against the Federals, and took a leading part in the civil war, commanding Confederate forces in several important engagements. Since that time he has visited Horncastle, and has published a history of his military operations. He now resides on his own property, at Forest Lodge, Glen Allen, Virginia. His last publication, in 1908, is _Jack Sterry_, _the Jessie Scout_. He is also the author of _A Glance at Current History_, _The Pa.s.sage of the Thoroughfare Gap_, _Some Modern Pillars of State_, _Principles of Cryptiography_, _a.s.similating the Indian_, &c.