[From Manx Quarterly #13 1913]

"One Hundred Years Ago."

Extracted from " The Manks Advertiser" of May 10th, 1813*; chosen and edited by W. Cubbon.

Married on Sunday, March 28th, by special license, by the Rev Thos. Howard, Mr Samuel Harris to Miss Margaret Redfern, daughter of Mr John Redfern, of Douglas. [The bridegroom was the [father of the] late High-Bailiff Harris, and the bride the daughter of the proprietor of Redfern's Hotel, in the Market Place.]

Married April 9th, at St. George's, by the Rev Mr Christian, Mr Francis Matthews, merchant, to Miss Alicia. Forbes, second daughter of the late Edward Forbes, Esq., of Douglas. [The bridegroom was one of the Matthews to whom the present owners of Glen Mooar, German, are intimately connected. The bride was a sister of the distinguished Professor Edward Forbes, who at the age of 39 years became Professor of Natural History at Edinburgh University. The Forbes family lived in Lord-street, in a house now demolished, on the site of which is Mr Hales, the tailor's shop. The house was a commodious one, with " two parlours, a drawing-room and ten bed-rooms, with storerooms, cellars, and every convenience required for a complete, comfortable family house, with stable and yards in the rear."]

Died on April 5th, at Bishop's Court, the Right Rev Claudius Crigan, D.D., Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, aged 74 years; the last 29 of which he presided over the diocese.

The Collector and Comptroller of this port (Douglas), accompanied by a number of Revenue Officers and a Constable, made a general sweep on Thursday night among the stills which have been lately erected in this town and neighbourhood for the purpose of illegal distillation, We under stand they have already seized six stills, with a number of utensils, spirits, etc.; and a search has been going on in the country. Later: We are just informed that a party of the Military are gone off to the assistance of the Revenue Officers. [" The Military" referred to were The Manx Fencibles of the period; there being a Northside and a Southside company.]

SUNDAY SCHOOLS.-A Methodist Sunday-school, for the religious education of both sexes, and of all denominations, was opened in Douglas on Sunday, May, 2nd. -A Sunday-school was also opened at the Independent Chapel, Atholl-street, on Sunday, under the direction of the Rev Mr Haining. [Mr Haining was the first pastor of the Congregational body in the Island. He was the author of the first guide book to the Island in the year 1822. The wife of the Rev David Inglis is a descendant of this Mr Haining, who wielded a considerable influence in the social and religious life of the town in his day.]

Died on April 30th, at his house, Howside, Douglas, Sir John Morshead, of Trenant, Cornwall, baronet; late member of Parliament for Bodwin; Lord Warden of the Stanneries, and High Steward of the Duchy in Devon and Cornwall; and Colonel of the Cornish Miners.

DOUGLAS LIBRARY.-The committee having a sum of money to lay out in the purchase of books, request proprietors will send in to the Librarian a list of such books as they wish to recommend. The committee request all proprietors whose subscription of twelve shillings, due 29th March last, is in arrear, to pay the same to the treasurer within 10 days, otherwise their naanes will be posted up in the room. -Lewis Geneste, Jnr., secretary. [The library, which was a private one, was much, frequented by half-pay officers resident at that time in the town. It was situated at the foot of the then new Pier, now called the Red Pier, near the site of the Steam Packet Company's cargo sheds. The librarian was Mr George Jefferson, the editor of the "Advertiser."]

Whereas different depredations have lately been committed (particularly on Sundays) on the farm, fences, plantations and gardens of the estate of Kirby, the property of Colonel Mark Wilks, Governor of St. Helena; notice is hereby given that any person or persons who shall be found trespassing in the future on the above estate will be prosecuted. Parents who have children going that way are requested to caution them against going into the garden or plantations, otherwise they must be accountable for the damage they do. N.B.-It is expected that gentlemen who want to see the improvements going on will call upon the gardener to shew them. [Colonel Mark Wilks, who was the son of the Rev James Wilks, Rector of Ballaugh and Vicar-General, who translated several books of the Bible into Manx, was a Lieutenant Colonel holding a high position in India. He had just married, as his second wife, Dorothy Taubman, of The Nunnery, daughter of the Speaker of the House of Keys. He had purchased in the Spring of 1813 the estate of Kirby. A few months later he was offered, and accepted for three years only, the Governorship of St. Helena, and two years later he had charge of Napoleon in that Island. Colonel Wilks, who was Speaker of the House of Keys for 16 years, was a fine Manx Gaelic scholar, and attributed the ease with which he mastered Oriental languages to his knowledge of his mother tongue.]

George Harold informs his friends and the public that he has established a hat manufactory in Duke-street. A fair price given for rabbit and hare skins. N.B.-An apprentice of respectable connections wanted.

M. Torrance, No. 1 Thomas-street, Douglas, informs the ladies of the Island of her sale of ladies' straw hats, bonnets, feathers, and tortoiseshell combs. Potatoes now fell at Whitechurch so low as 1s 6d a bushel.

The parents and guardians of the children under the Rev Mr Phillips are respectfully informed that in the absence of Mr Phillips (which will be only for a few days), a friend comes voluntarily forward to superintend the school, from the hours of from 10 to 1, and from 2 to 4.

To be sold by auction on 12th May, one lot of the Methodist Friendly Society's New House pleasantly situated in Atholl-street. Also another lot, of the yard adjoining the said house, fronting the street, below which will be a house stead for building and yard. At the same time will be let the large room, well adapted for a school or reading-room. For particulars apply to John Quirk, bellman. It would he interesting to learn where in Atholl-street the Methodist Friendly Society's New House stood. A couple of weeks after the above sale, the " Methodist Club," doubtless identical with the above, held its anniversary meeting, which probably included the inevitable procession through the town.]

The crisis, which must decide the freedom, or slavery of the Continent, is rapidly advancing. . . Bonaparte has great talents; he has great resources at his disposal. On the other hand, the slaves of his power and the victims of his ambition have made no use of those talents, those means, but to gratify an insatiate ambition. . . In Germany his troops desert their positions as soon as the Russians make a serious demonstration.

He has declared his Consort Regent as the chances of his returning are rather against him. . . But we dare hazard the prediction that the breath will not be many days out of his body when his Maria Louisa, as well as they Mock King of Rome, will be dispossessed of their trappings of supreme power. . . The Russian Army in Germany is to be increased to 350,000 men.

The Lady Elizabeth, packet, sailed from hence for Whitehaven on Monday last, and returned with two mails on Wednesday evening; since then we have been favoured with papers via Liverpool, from which it appears that report states that Bonaparte has made an overture of peace, offering to restore the Continent nearly to the same state in which it was placed by the Treaty of Luneville.

Who does not see that there can be no security till France is bereft of all the fruits of her iniquitous aggressions.

We trust that the ensuing campaign will show to the world that Bonaparte does not owe the deterioration of his affairs to frosts and snows only, to chances and accidents, as he pretends; but that the same Providence which humbled him under the Northern blasts, has destined also to complete his humiliation under the arm of awakened patriotism.

* The " Manks Advertiser" was printed and published by George Jefferson, of Duke-street, Douglas. It was a 4-page paper, folio size, 4 columns on each page. Price, 3d. British.