Chaddesley Corbett, Mamble and Bayton, Rock, Tenbury, Martley,
Abberley, and two or three other places in this county, are famous for
the longevity of their inhabitants. Perhaps a larger number of very old
people can be enumerated in the neighbourhood of Martley and the Berrow
hills than in any other given space in the kingdom. The late incumbent
of Chaddesley, who was himself nearly 90 years of age, buried, in 1813,
Sarah Yates, at the age of 101; and in 1841 he did the same service for
Elizabeth Young, aged 103. At Feckenham, a Mrs. Eadee died, in 1802, at
the age of 103. At Abberley, Mary Bagnall died, in 1836, aged 102; and
the venerable rector of that parish, the Rev. F. Severne, is _only the
tenth incumbent_ since the beginning of Elizabeth's reign--a period of
about three centuries! The grandfather of the present rector held the
living 48 years, his father a similar term, and he himself bids fair to
imitate the longevity of his ancestors. Two of his predecessors who,
as he also does, held the incumbency of Kyre, held that living between
them for 108 years! The Rev. G. Williams, of Martin Hussingtree, but
recently deceased, held that living from the year 1790; and it is
said that some ale brewed when he was first inducted was only drunk
out (at the rate of a bottle per annum, at the audit) just prior to
his decease--an instance of longevity quite as remarkable as any
now being enumerated. The parish of Strensham has had only three
rectors in a century and a half. Betty Palmer, who was born at Rock,
died in 1782, aged 113; she had a sister and three brothers: Richard
lived to be above 100, and their father and mother to 102 and 103. At
Mawley, Jane Corkin was living, in 1710, at the ripe age of 126. A
man died at Coreley, in 1849, aged 107 years 7 months. Mrs. Perkins
died near Tenbury, in 1810, aged nearly 105. Mr. Mapp, of Shelsley,
is, I believe, living in his 94th year; and the burials, in 1853, of
old people between 80 and 100 years of age, at Rock and the vicinity,
were remarkable. At Alvechurch is an inscription to Joseph Davies,
who died in 1831, "who for nearly 70 years assiduously fulfilled the
office of clerk of this parish with a distinct, pleasing, melodious
voice, and inoffensive life, till within a few days of his death." A
Mrs. Elizabeth Bourne died at White Ladies Aston, in 1812, aged 106.
At Bredon, for the whole term between 1813 and 1846, the greatest
number of deaths occurred between the ages of 70 and 75. The celebrated
Countess Dowager of Coventry died at Holt in 1798, aged 96. At Henwick,
near Worcester, a person died recently who remembered the coronation of
George III, and others are still living there between 90 and 100 years
of age. There is a saying:
"All about Malvern Hill
A man may live as long as he will."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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