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'Newport
First Stop' - 100 Years of News Stories Newport
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1862
N.G. 4th May, 1862 During the fire which broke out at Mr Corner's shop in Commercial Street on Sunday evening, Mrs. Jackson of Park Place, who was among the crowd of spectators in front of the premises, had her pocket picked of a purse containing four sovereigns and some silver, the thief was not detected.
A very swaggering Yankee Captain, off a ship in the port, was inspecting firearms in the shop of a ship's chandler in Commercial Road. Not contented with uttering a string of abusive epithets towards this country, he began to brag of the execution he could accomplish among the Britishers, with the excellent weapons he was handling. A valiant son of Newport happened to call at the shop, overheard the language, and the expressions of the sanguinary skipper, and taking up a couple of cutlasses that lay near, he introduced himself, and politely offered one to the fire-eating Captain, asking him to try what he could do with it. Immediately a change came over the spirit of his dream, and he was scarcely able to stutter out an apology, in consequence of the nervous trepidation with which he was seized.
Hannah Hunt was charged with being drunk and disorderly on Saturday in Commercial Street. P.C. Hall stated that he was called to the Salutation to remove the defendant, as she had broken a jug and glass. He had great difficulty in removing her, and her conduct induced a crowd of several hundred persons to collect around. Her husband had been in the house and had endeavoured in vain to persuade his wife to go home. Fined five shillings.
Mr. Miller was charged with permitting persons of notorious bad character to assemble in his beer house, the Sailors Return, Commercial Road. The defendant's daughter who is virtually the landlady of the house appeared to answer the charge. P.S. Bath deposed that he visited the house on Wednesday night about eleven o'clock and found six prostitutes in the house with several men, with cups of beer before them. It was the practice of such females to assemble in the house and music was constantly played for their entertainment. Defendant said, to the evident amusement of the Court, that she was much obliged for what Sergeant Bath had done. She did not require the girls in her house at all. The Chief Superintendent proved two previous convictions during the present year. Mr. W. James, surgeon, on being sworn stated that he lived opposite the defendant's house and that the general conduct of the girls in the house and outside was disgraceful and proved such a nuisance that he was compelled to vacate his front apartment. The defendant was fined five pounds and costs and in default of payment to be imprisoned for one month.
A valuable institution in connection with the Catholic Church in Newport - a Burial Society for the poor who for a halfpenny contribution per week secure for their dead a wood coffin, a shroud, a private grave, a Gothic headstone, a pall and the use of 24 funeral dresses; the pall being beautifully decorated with crimson and having the inscription in deep Gothic lettering "Eternal Rest grant to them Oh Lord and let Perpetual Light shine upon them". The family of the deceased are thus relieved from all expense, and the Catholic poor are held to be without excuse, if they get into pecuniary difficulties on account of death. On Tuesday afternoon we observed the funeral procession of a young girl. The male and female mourners were all becomingly dressed in mourning cloaks, hat bands, bonnets and veils (very nun-like) etc.; and a striking feature in the procession was a dozen young girls, all arrayed in white, with white veils covering their heads and falling nearly to the ground. The public were naturally surprised at the spectacle, the cause of which we have thus explained.
A most lamentable occurrence, which resulted in the death of a man named Thomas Powell, took place on Wednesday evening last, at Pillgwenlly. The deceased was in the employ of Mr. Charles Jordan, iron founder, one of whose daughters had that morning been led to the hymeneal altar. The workmen were naturally desirous of celebrating the event, and adopted the common practice of firing cannon at frequent intervals throughout the day. At about seven o'clock while the deceased was standing as a spectator, one of the pieces exploded and a fragment struck him in the bowels, causing death in a very short period. The deceased was about 37 years of age and has left a widow and two young
children. After the accident the Rev. F.S. Fox was sent for, and remained
in prayer with the deceased until the time of his death. [ Back ] |
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'Newport
First Stop' - 100 Years of News Stories Newport
Past |
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