Social England under the Regency, Vol. 2 (of 2)Ashton, John
History
Social England under the Regency, Vol. 2 (of 2)
Ashton, John
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century; Regency -- England
Smuggled whiskey has, it is said, fallen
recently 4s. or 5s. a gallon."
"November 28th. One night last week, some smugglers displaced the
layer of a tomb in the Churchyard at Fareham, and deposited therein
several large kegs of contraband Spirits; but certain officers being
on the watch, they had an early resurrection."
This rifling the tomb was infinitely better than that of those
ghouls, the body-snatchers, or resurrection men. In _The Morning
Chronicle_ of the 23rd of November is reported a "Riot and
Combination amongst the Resurrection men. Tuesday evening (18th
November) the inhabitants of Canterbury Square were extremely
alarmed, in consequence of a riot, which assumed the most alarming
aspect, having taken place at the house of Mr. Millard, beadle to the
dissecting room of Guy's Hospital, whose family were attacked by a
desperate gang of resurrection men, namely, Benjamin Crouch (Captain
of the gang), James Hollis, William Naples, Patrick Garneth, Peter
Hannagan, Israel Chapman, and several others, who were proceeding to
acts of violence, and threatening destruction to the family of Mr.
Millard, in consequence of his infringing on their profession, by
employing men ignorant of their art in procuring subjects for the
numerous students at the Hospital.
"Their vengeance, it appears, arose from the circumstance of two
or three persons having been employed by the surgeons to procure
subjects on one occasion, which came to their knowledge, and they
were determined to be revenged on the beadle, who was not at all
concerned. The inhabitants having collected, the rioters announced
that their allowance must be raised from four guineas to six; that
they would allow fourteen days for an answer, and, unless their
demand was complied with, they would pay the beadle a more severe
visit: at the same time wishing it to be made known that they could
command trade, bad as the times were; and, in the Country, their
payment was no less than £20, on some occasions. The mob became
exasperated, and, but for the interference of Mr. Millard, would
have torn them to pieces. They, however, got clear off, and Mr.
Millard applied to the Magistrates at Union Hall, where he procured a
warrant for their apprehension. Some of the party were held to bail,
a few weeks ago, at the complaint of Mr. Ashley Cooper, for a similar
offence."
"October 21st. MARLBOROUGH STREET.--It was stated, yesterday, that
a most extraordinary affair happened at Mr. Brooke's, The Theatre
of Anatomy, Blenheim Street. On Sunday evening, a man having been
delivered there as a _subject_ (a technical name for a dead man for
dissection), in a sack--who, when in the act of being rolled down the
steps, to the vaults, turned out to be alive, and was conveyed, in a
state of nudity to St. James's Watch-house.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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