January 6th 1886

Arthur Newman a labourer from Belchamp St Pauls was charged with obtaining from William Pearson of Belchamp Otten, 1 gallon of beer, 1 ounce of tobacco and 4d worth of bread and cheese by false pretences. William Pearson said I live at the Green Man, Belchamp Otten, on the 23rd the prisoner came into my house and asked for the goods saying they were for Samuel Fairbanks who is a customer of mine, I saw Fairbanks and applied to him for the money, he denied giving the prisoner authority to get the things for him. Committed.

January 13th 1886

Essex Quarter Sessions. Charles Newman of Belchamp St Pauls pleaded guilty to stealing a hen from William Wright of Belchamp Walter, (Eyston Hall?). The chairman said in sentencing him to 12 months, said you have many previous convictions which in consequence you have handed down to your son who is in the dock with you. Arthur Newman aged 16 pleaded guilty to obtaining goods by false pretences from William Pearson at the Green Man at Otten Belchamp, the chairman said they would deal with him as leniently as they could and hoped he would turn away from his previous life. 3 months

January 20th 1886

Bulmer. Sudbury Gospel Temperance Union. Under the auspices of this Union a capital meeting was held in the Congregational chapel in this village on the 18th inst, the chapel was filled with an attentive audience. Mr J.H.Hurlington was a good chairman, Messrs Rash, Harden, Hills, Shorten and Weekes gave a brief but telling address about their own experiences as working men to show they would be able to do their work better without intoxicating drink than with it, they urged their fellow men to adopt total abstinence, three pledges were taken at the close of the meeting.

February 10th 1886

Bulmer. There was a crowded meeting of the inhabitants of this village which was held in the schoolroom on Monday evening last. Colonel Burke was in the chair and the Rev H.Lakevic of Castle Hedingham addressed the meeting, this able lecturer first gave an address on Disestablishment and what it meant, questions were put to him from different parts of the room and the answers he gave were equally successful, it is with good reason to think not a few of those present had their eyes opened for the first time to the gross and monstrous proposals of the Liberationists as regards the church and they went away suitably impressed.

March 3rd 1886

Sudbury Petty Sessions. Charles Leeks, Charles Felton, Benjamin Scott and Robert Eady, lads of Sudbury were charged with assaulting on the Melford road William Andrews a captain in the Salvation Army. 10s each with 10s costs each, some sympathisers in the court paid the fines. On Wednesday evening as Mr George Cant of the Lion Inn at Melford in company of Mr B.Hurst the organist when near the conduit the horse fell, both occupants were precipitated on to the ground with Mr Cant breaking his arm, Mr Hurst was unhurt.

March 24th 1886

Advert. Several hundreds of bushels of Magnum and Bonom potatoes for sale. Apply Samuel Taylor at Hundon Hall, Clare. A church defence meeting was held in the schoolroom at Wickham St Pauls on Tueasday last to hear an address by Mr Wheeler from Colchester, a workman, proceedings commenced by singing “The church is one foundation”, the Rev Cecil Deedes introduced Mr Wheeler to the meeting, he said as he is a working man and they might listen to him, he then proceeded to view the dangers that threatened the church. Died on January 6th at Coburg, Melbourne, Australia, from a kick by a horse, John George Portway the 3rd son of the late Peter Portway of Gt Samford.

March 31st 1886

Advert. “Jumbo” a Suffolk horse bred by and the property of William Byford of Court farm,Glemsford, he is coming 6 years and stands 16 hands, he has good feet etc, and winner of numerous prizes, he will travel the neighbourhood and will stand at Stonehouse farm in Glemsford at £1 5s for each mare, grooms fee included, money to be paid to the groom, no business on Sundays. Also “Benbow” and “Clinker” a 3 year old and a 5 year old. Glemsford. We regret to hear that the trade in this place is very depressed, the hair and silk weavers especially are finding employment very slack and in the coconut manufactury there is a perceptible diminution in the number of workmen and fewer are working full time, the work people are opening their eyes to the fact that prison labour is very much interfering with their work.

April 7th 1886

Lt Yeldham. On Wednesday March 17th, Mr Wheeler of Colchester gave an interesting lecture on church defence in the school room of this parish.

April 14th 1888

Clare. Last week, a boy was employed by Mr Hicks on a field at Clare Hall to scare birds, he was provided with a pistol, the field adjoins Mill Lane, two men named Mason and Bruty better known as “Harlech and Duck” were walking along the lane, as the men came up to him the boy said “Duck I’ll shoot you” Bruty threatened the boy severely and told him not to attempt such a thing, the boy however pointed the gun at Bruty when it unexpectedly went off striking Bruty in the face and head, Mason was also struck in the face, the boy not expecting the explosion was knocked down, the trio were terribly scared and could not speak for some time, they called at the first convenient place for a glass of spirits, the landlady on seeing them exclaimed “Harlech what is the matter with you” he replied “I don’t know, I think I have been shot and I am feeling almost dead”, the potent draught soon revived them and they congratulated themselves on their narrow escape as the pistol could easily have been loaded with stones or peas which is usual with some boys.

April 21st 1886

Groton. On Monday evening several men were playing “ten pins” at Groton Fox when Charles Goymore asked Norrie Gant to give him one his “round arms”, which he did rather to the discomforture of Goymore for the ball struck something then it hit Goymore full in the face, it was feared he was badly hurt but it turned out not too bad only two black eyes.

April 28th 1886

A smoking concert to clear off the debt of the Sudbury cricket club will held in the assembly rooms at the Rose and Crown on the 6th of May, we understand the committee have engaged a professional for the season and a good list of matches has been arranged.

May 26th 1886

Bocking. A terrible occurrence took place at High Garret, Bocking, when a youth named Charles Porter aged 15 the son of Solomon Porter the horse slaughterer fell into a copper of boiling fat and was so severely injured he died the same day.

June 16th 1886

Advert. The Sudbury Aerated Waters Company having taken the factory lately occupied by Messrs Grover and Allen are now prepared to supply genuine aerated waters of the greatest purity, a trial order is respectfully solicited. N.B. bottles and cases branded “Grover and Allen” are now the property of the company. Letters addressed to offices at Sudbury Brewery will receive prompt attention.

June 16th 1886

Pebmarsh. Freehold detached properties (land tax free) for sale known as Spoons Hall, Blue Pale and Hoblets farms with homesteads and cottages, 226 acres in Pebmarsh, the farms are well roaded, 3 miles from Halstead. Messrs Driver will offer for sale at the Mart, Tokenhouse Lane, London on the 22nd of June.

June 22nd 1886

Finchingfield. Col..Brise of Spains Hall who farms a large quantity of land and has a large number of sheep, on Saturday May 8th his shepherd turned the flock on to some new clover and in a short time 21 had blown and died. William Sargent, labourer was charged with trespassing in search of game at Bulmer, Henry Griggs said I am bailiff to Mr King at Bulmer Kitchen, I saw Sargent set a trap in the Dog Pit. £1 with 15s costs. Benjamin Gaskin a hawker, late of Ashen, was charged with turning his horse into a field of barley the property of G.Deeks. 14s damages.

June 30th 1886

Inquest at the King’s Head, Ballingdon, on Henry Gaskin aged 68 a hawker who was injured by a horse at Melford fair and died a few days later. Henry Gaskin said deceased was my father, he lived at Colchester when he was at home but never had a house, he lived in a travelling van, he was at Melford fair, I heard there was an accident there, I went to his van and spoke to him, he never answered, the same night he was moved to his van in the Kings’ Head yard. John Albon said I live at Bridge Street Rose and Crown at Melford, I am a dealer and help my mother in the public house, on Thursday last at about 5 o’clock I was in my cart near the Lion Inn at Melford when a horse came galloping along from the hospital way, it reared up and jumped over the deceased and knocked him down and knocked him into the road, the horse had a bridle on, there were a great many people about and horses, the horse appeared to have been left to do what it liked, the horse’s legs fell on the deceased, it appeared he was trying to get out of it’s way, he was picked up and taken to his van. Accidental.

July 7th 1886

Advert. Came astray, a donkey, if not claimed on or before the 14th of July the animal will be sold by auction to defray expenses. Apply Joseph Sillitoe, Borley, Sudbury.

July 7th 1886

On Tuesday evening last there was a large important meeting of the Conservative and Unionists Friends at Foxearth to hear the views of Mr Brewis the candidate, on the Irish question, the meeting was held in a large paddock adjoining the village street and the speakers addressed their audience from waggons placed at the upper end near some trees from which floated the Union Jack, Mr Gardiner of Borley displayed a large yellow rosette while his wife and daughters wore blue and tri-colour ribbons. When Mr Brewis drove into the village he was stopped near the school and his two horses were taken out and the carriage was drawn to the place of the meeting amid loud huzzah’s of the hundreds of labourers who had assembled to hear the candidate, a knot of radicals from the neighbourhood had assembled and tried to interrupt the proceedings and after the meeting they groaned and hooted as Mr Brewis and his friends drove away. The chair was taken by Colonel Palmer from Liston Hall, among the company were the Rev Fisher of Liston, Rev Bull of Liston, Mr J. S. Gardiner, S.St Clere Raymond, E. Gardiner, G. Chickall, F. Wayman, D.Offord, D.Gardiner, W.Gardiner, Ambrose, Westropp, J.Offord, A. Silver, G.Eagle, C.Branwhite, Sidey, J.Chickall, C.Ray, R.Bear, J.Coe, H.Fitch, J.Richold, J.Robinson, J.Aprile.

July 28th 1886

To be sold under a distress warrant, Liston Water mill with household furniture—black pony—pony trap—millers cart—harness—portable 8 hp engine—stack of hay and other effects of Mr Harry Steel. Sarah Jackson the wife of Joseph Jackson an engine driver from Foxearth appeared in court with a baby in her arms, she was charged with assaulting Henry Kemp at Foxearth, the complainant said he was 10 years old and was playing with Mrs Jackson’s son aged 8, they were playing touch when they got to grumbling and Mrs Jackson’s son threw stones at him, the defendant came out and knocked his head against a wall, he bled a good deal and he went to Mrs Maxim who dressed his head. 2s 6d and 17s costs. Brad Radley, labourer was charged with assaulting Joseph Sillitoe, a beerhouse keeper of Borley, complainant said at about ¼ past 11 they were coming up the hill at Finch Hill and the defendant who was walking beside him struck him with a stick, I had a conversation with him but did not think he would strike me, we had been to a meeting to hear Mr Gardiner speak, I said “I don’t know what we shall do if we have 30,000 Irish over here as there is not enough work now for us, I said if the farmers were to thresh the corn like they used to with a frail there would be more work, he then knocked me down. 2s 6d with £1 3s costs.

August 11th 1886

Alphamstone. A young man names Messent arrived in this village on Monday evening having walked all the way from South Woolwich a distance of 50 miles, he had come to Alphamstone to visit friends.

August 25th 1886

For sale at Lt Yeldham a freehold Inn known as the Horseshoes with a blacksmith’s shop—small paddock—skittle green—pig sties, lately in occupation of Joseph Barker, deceased who for many years carried on a good business as blacksmith and innkeeper. N.B. this is the only public house in the village, also four tenement cottages. Cricket. Foxearth v Pebmarsh—Foxearth-86 and 66-Pebmarsh-22 and 22.

September 6th 1886

Hedingham Petty Sessions. Renewal of licences. An anonymous complaint has been made against a house in Borley but Supt Elsey there was not sufficient evidence, the Clerk said “not sufficient evidence, how do you sustain that” the Supt said there is jealously concerned. In granting Charlotte Corder of Gestingthorpe a licence, the Rev Foster said complaints have been made to me about people drinking from horses and carts and donkey’s and carts and causing a nuisance.

September 15th 1886

Sudbury. The Rev John Williams rector of Christ Church, Westport, Connecticut,U.S.A.,and a friend were in Sudbury for three days last week to examine parish registers for information about Mrs Elgin Hanford who left this town on April 10th 1635 to sail to America in a vessel named the “Planter” with Nicholas Travice as master, Mrs Handford’s maiden name was Hathery, the parties are concerned to ascertain the name of her husband, Henry Parker.

September 15th 1886

A vagrant was charged with stealing a jacket from Frank Marsh at Wickham St Pauls who said I am a labourer in the employ of Mr Gardiner at keeping sheep, I laid my jacket down at the edge of a ditch as usual when I returned in the evening it was gone. 1 month hard labour.

October 20th 1886

Melford. On Tuesday evening Joseph Arch addressed a body of persons chiefly labouresr in the yard of the George Inn, Mr Gostling was in the chair, Mr Arch urged the labourers that unity means strength. On Friday morning an old man named Murtin of Lt Yeldham was working in a barn for Mr Bowyer when he suddenly dropped down dead, it was deemed unnecessary to have an inquest.

November 17th 1886

George Web a thatcher of Stradishall was charged with using a dog to search for game at Hundon. 5s with 11s costs.

November 17th 1886

Alphampstone. Three horses for sale—a bay gelding 7 years 16 hands—a chestnut mare, 3 years, good worker---chestnut gelding aged. Apply C.Tokley of Coppens farm, Alphampstone.

December 8th 1886

On Saturday night last a barley straw stack, the produce of 17 acres standing in a field at Liston, the property of H.Westropp was burnt to the ground, being near to Melford a large number of people were soon on the spot, it no doubt was wilful.