February 7th 1798

To be sold at Park Farm, Melford. The live and dead stock of the late James Coe.

February 7th 1798

T.Rhodes begs to inform friends and the the public that he has taken the Ram Inn at Melford.

February 7th 1798

Chadacre Hall at Shimpling to be lett. It is surrounded by a paddock which is completely paled, 22 acre walled garden, dove house, stabling for 13 horses, bricked dog kennels for 20 couples of hounds, ponds well stocked with fish. All about 40 acres in the centre of Sir William Rowley's hunt.

April 25th 1798

There was an inquisition at Melford on Joseph Johnson who fell down dead in the street in a state of intoxication.

May 9th 1798

On Sunday evening last there died at the Swan Inn at Sudbury, James Hanson late Coronet and surgeon in the Surrey Fencibles.
He was on a journey from Bristol to Bury to visit his mother, he was taking coffee at the above house when he a seizure in the stomach which proved fatal.

May 9th 1798

The hounds of Sir William Rowley have killed 50 brace of foxes this season.

May 16th 1798

To be sold at the Black Lion in Melford. A desirable farm situated in Cavendish. Freehold Manor Farm, now in occupation of Mr A.Partridge, farmhouse, cowhouse, stabling, 136 acres. Also freehold house in Cavendish with 15 acres.

June 23rd 1798

Two men of suspicious appearance were apprehended at Cambridge on Friday last. They had been quarrelling with some hay makers near the town, on examination by the Mayor, they said that they lately came from Ireland and on being searched, upwards of 1200 pounds was found on them, information was sent to London on their examination and one turned King's evidence, They admitted that they and three others had robbed a stage coach in Ireland and had escaped and were making their way to London and that the three others were now at large in Cambridgeshire.

June 23rd 1798

Yesterday fen'night died the Rev Edward Pemberton M.A.
rector of Upwell in the Isle of Ely and of Foxearth in Essex and formerly of Kings College, Cambridge.

September 26th 1798

To be sold by auction, all the valuable household equipment of the late Rev Edward Pemberton, deceased, at the Parsonage House in Foxearth. Consisting of bedsteads with dimit calico and other hangings, choice goose feather beds, mattreses, super fine blankets, quilts, counterpanes, floor and bedside carpets, several mahogany chairs, pier and dressing glasses, linen, plates, china, 8 day clock, good mangle, kitchen requisites, fowling pieces, setting and fishing tackle, dairy and brewing utensils, beer casks, 3 milch cows, part stack of old hay and 18 tons of this years growth, well got up, 9 tons of clover, useful bay road gelding 7 years, 5 year old mmare, chariot with harness, a fine Suffolk sow, 2 year old hogs, 7 shoats, harvest waggon, half tumbril, 2 ploughs, harrows, rolls and other implements.

June 27th 1798

Yesterday se'nnight there died in his 100th year of his age, William Jennens Esq, of Acton Hall near Melford. He was reputed to be the richest commoner in England, his property exceeding two million pounds sterling and there is reason to apprehend he died inestate, though it is thought an unexpected will was found amongst his papers in which he devised some comparitively inconsiderable legacies to gentlemen in the neighbourhood. Lord Curzon's family was expected to be the inheritors of his immense property and his lordship visited Acton and gave orders for the funeral, he then set out for the house of the deceased in Grosvenor Square in London to discuss if possible a testamentary instrument. King William was his godfather, during the long period of his existance he remained a bachelor and more given to penuriousness than hospitality, of course his accumulations magnified even beyond his power of computation, he is reported to have kept 50, 000 pounds in bankers hands for sudden emergencies and never drew out the dividends of his funded property till half a year after they were due.
He served as High Sheriff for this county in the year 1756.

July 4th 1798

On Friday last the remains of William Jennens of Acton were interred in the family vault at Acton Church, there was much funeral pomp, the body was conveyed in a hearse decorated with escutcheons and four mourning coaches with several private carriages with neighbouring gentlemen who followed the procession. On opening the family vault, the coffin of his father and mother was found, the coffin lid showed that his father was 98 years old when he died. (The rest of the report was undecipherable (G.H).

August 1st 1798

The late Me Jennens of Acton was the son of Robert Jennens who was aid-de-camp to the great Duke of Malborough, his grandfather, Humphrey Jennens, was an ironmaster at Birmingham.

August 15th 1798

The Rector of Acton the Rev Umfreville being dangerously ill, Mr Jennens had asked him what nature his illnes was, on further inquiry he found his fortunes were deeply involved in debt and he could not extricate himself and he was sinking into his grave, Mr Jennens discharged his debts and restored him to his family.(This also was difficult to understand as the print is very faded)(G.H).

July 25th 1798

At Brentwood Fair there was a large shew of cattle of all kinds, 14 pounds a head being refused for prime Irish Oxen and 12L was made on the best of North Wales runts which came very fresh. Both Fife and West Highland kind sold the best.

August 22nd 1798

There was an inquisition at Glemsford on George Byford aged 11 years who fell in a well and drowned.

October 3rd 1798

A few days since the Rev Thomas Seabrook of Cavendish married Miss F.Brewster, daughter of Mr R.W.Brewster, gent, of Otten Belchamp.

October 10th 1798

To be sold at Garraways Coffee House in Charge Alley, London. Desirable residence and freehold farm called Chaplins, situated in Otten Belchamp, Essex, 5 miles from Sudbury, 54 miles from London, consisting of 226 acres of pasture, arable and woodland, also two cottages, now in possession of James Hall on a lease which is unexpired, let at 199L per annum.
Also at Garraways. Valuable freehold farms called Chilton Hall and Motts near Clare. Chilton Hall is let at a yearly rent of 233 pounds for 125 acres with farmhouse and recently erected barns. Motts is adjoining 94 acres with farmhouse and buildings lately let at 100 pounds per annum also blacksmiths shop and two cottages which are let at 3L 14s.

December 19th 1798

Inquisition at Boxted on an infant called James Game aged 10 found drowned in the river. Supposed fallen in and drowned.

January 2nd 1799

The frost in Bury has been most severe, on Thursday and Friday night the temperature dropped below 0, water froze in bedrooms even where fires were burning day and night.

February 6th 1799

On Friday night, Messrs Catchpole and Hazel's stage waggon overturned on Ballingdon Hill and it was with great difficulty the same was extricated from an immense quantity of snow which it had fallen in.

February 6th 1799

Inqisition at Hundon on the body of John Hale who died in a public house at Saffron Walden. When the corpse was being conveyed into the church for the burial service, one of the attendants discovered bruising and other marks on the body upon which the minister directed an inquiry into the cause of death, the body was examined by Mr Martin of Haverhill and Mr Edmonson of Clare who discovered deceased had violent contusions of the loins, in the course of evidence it was dicovered that a few hours before he died he mentioned a recent fall on the Thursday before, he had been to a house drinking and had an unlucky blow from a person he had been in dispute with and had fallen against a screen in the tap room. The jury heard from about 20 witnesses before delivering a verdict of accidental death.

April 24th 1799

Mr J.Newman of Pighwick near Colchester asserts that by using a drill plough instead of broadcasting there is a saving of 9 gallons an acre thereby a man who by the old method sows 100 acres he throws away what would maintain 8 poor families for a 100 weeks.

May 1st 1799

To be sold at Garraways Coffee House at Change Alley in London. Desirable freehold estate called Lays-Wasps and Radfords situated in Newton and Cornard-253 acres, near to Sudbury where the river Stour is navigatable. Let to John Piper on lease which expires at Michaelmas next at 145 pounds per annum.

July 10th 1799

An artillery driver having for some offence had been sentenced by a court martial at Colchester to be flogged and handed over to the sea service, a midshipman and two sailors arrived early on Wednesday morning to receive him but the soldiers in the barracks assembled and after severely beating the poor tars enabled the prisoner to escape which occasioned much tumult.

September 11th 1799

At Horringer Fair on Wednesday last there was the greatest quantity of sheep ever remembered, it is computed that not less than 120, 000 were penned on the green. They in general sold lower by 2s a head, many were driven home unsold.

September 25th 1799

On Saturday last a servant lad of John Brewster, aged 18 of Melford and his brother aged 15 had been stubbing in a gravel pit belonging to Sir Harry Parker, they returned to the pit after having loaded a cart to fetch their cloaths and tools, the earth caved in on them covering the youngest lad up, the youngest being much cut and bruised, the other lad who was midway enclosed in gravel had his collar bone broken but managed to reach his brother and by scraping the gravel away from his head he preserved his life. A third brother was working in the adjoining field heard their cries and ran to the farmhouse for assistance from the harvest men who happily released both boys.

October 2nd 1799

To be sold by auction. That truly valuable herd of dairy cows of William Dennis of Colts Hall, Cavendish, consisting of 18 beautiful cows of the true Suffolk breed and a capital bull, likewise some useful cart-colts and horses.

October 2nd 1799

There came astray on the premises of John Adams at Foxearth, a pale red poll'd cow, aged, the owner can have the same by paying expences, but if not claimed will be sold to pay expences.