Genealogical Oddities

Joseph White, a puddler at the iron works, of 44 Rockcliffe Road, Middlesbrough. He took more to drink than was good for him yesterday and whilst in a dazed condition walked into Cannon Street police station in mistake for his own home. Fined ten shillings or seven days in prison.

[North Eastern Daily Gazette, c.1903]


Yesterday morning the body of Alexander Griffiths who hung himself Monday last at Temple Back was, agreeable to law, buried in the cross-way upon Totterdown Hill and a stake drove through his body. A report having prevailed that the woman with whom he had long kept company had sold his body for dissection, the mob, upon the cart's arrival, grew very riotous, threw dirt and insisted on the coffin being opened to see if the body was there. When they found the body intire they suffered the officers to perform their duty unmolested. 

[Felix Farley's Bristol Journal, 20th January 1770]


13th March 1800. In the present great scarcity of bread flour Major Gibson orders the battalion for the future to appear upon parade without hair powder till further orders.

[from the 'Orderly Book for Captain Clark's Company, Whitby Volunteers']