Tom Spring’s Early Years

Tom Spring was 5 feet 11 inches and a half, and his fighting weight was 13 stone 2 lbs.

At the age of 17 he entered the ring at Mordiford to fight a man by the name of Hollands.  It was described as a most desperate battle, and after one hour and twenty minutes Hollands had to give up the contents – Tom Spring was declared the victor.

Two years later, he took on a man called Henley who had challenged him for £3 a side.  This fight also took place at Mordiford, and lasted for eleven punishing rounds with Spring emerging the victor.

There was little chance to prove his skills initially, but one day the 11th Duke of Norfolk who lived at the nearby Holme Lacy House, heard about Tom and his prowess and decided to invite him to fight at one of his lavish lunch parties as entertainment for the assembled guests.

Tom Spring and Tom Cribb

Tom took on every opponent in front of the Duke and his guests, and was reportedly never beaten; at the same time he was gaining valuable experience and improved his technique even further. Then in 1814 the All England Bare Knuckle Champion, Tom Cribb, arrived in Herefordshire on a sparring tour and Tom Spring managed to effect a meeting……the two formed a strong friendship and Tom Cribb happily passed on a great many hints and tips to further improve his fighting techniques. When Cribb retired from the ring, Tom Spring quickly earned the title of Champion and became known as “Light Tapper” Spring due to his delicate hands. He held the title between 1823 and 1824, with few challengers.

Tom Spring and John Langan

The most famous of his fights were with John Langan, an Irishman who was much heavier than Spring and also slower in the ring. Some 30,000 spectators turned up for their first match at Worcester Racecourse in 1824, but unfortunately the grandstand was not up to the task and many people were injured when it collapsed. The fight itself went on for a crippling seventy seven rounds, and finally even the bloodthirsty crowd were sickened and bayed for it to be ended. Spring’s hands were badly injured, and Langan was a complete mess! A few months later they met again in Chichester , although Spring’s left hand was still virtually useless he gave Langan another pasting – it was a testament to his kind character that instead of flattening Langan when he was done for, he merely pushed him to the ground.

Tom Spring and the Fair Play Club

Bare knuckle fighting was an extremely popular spectator sport, especially for the higher echelons of society…indeed, King George IV was so enamoured of the sport that at his Coronation he invited 18 prize fighters to act as ushers, and Tom Spring was one of them. He was highly thought of because not only was he an excellent fighter, but he was also a thoroughly nice chap.

Bare Knuckle fighters began to earn themselves a bad reputation with unruly behaviour by fighters and punters alike. All people connected with the sport thought so highly of the retired Tom Spring that On 25 September 1828, he was elected as the first treasurer of the newly formed “Fair Play Club”. A set of rules was established to include the supervision of fights “to preserve peace and order in the outer ring” and “to ensure fair play to the combatants”. Spring was able to employ boxers to uphold the rules and to ensure there were no ring invasions.

A sad end for Tom Spring

When he retired at the pinnacle of his success, he moved with his wife and children to London and then deserted them when he took over the tenancy of the Castle Tavern, Holborn. His wife died in a workhouse, and it is reported that soon afterwards in 1851 Spring succombed to the excesses of drink and died himself.

However, he was very highly thought of, and his behaviour was always exemplorary, and despite the fact that the Castle Tavern was known as a “fighting house” Tom strongly discouraged any throwing of fists, saying that “blows are ugly and sometimes expensive;  therefore talk about fighting as much as you please but not a blow shall pass while I can prevent it”.

He would send those intent on fighting a few miles out of town, and the Castle Tavern rapidly gained a very good reputation.

After his death in August 1851, his name was soon more or less forgotten until in 1951 the Tom Spring Memorial Committee was formed by a Herefordshire Police Sergeant – A.V. Lucas and a memorial was funded for West Norwood in London where Tom was buried. There is now also a memorial at Tom’s birthplace near Woolhope.

By Philip Halling, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9171982

This is a representation of what the memorial looked like, but the original one is sadly worn beyond repair.

Three Cups Presented to Tom Spring

The Hereford Cup

– an urn shaped piece of plate inscribed “To Thomas Winter Spring of Fownhope, in the county of Hereford, this cup was presented by his countrymen of the land of cider, in token of their esteem for the manliness and science which, in may severe contests, raised him to the distinction of champion of England.  1823″

The Manchester Cup

Presented at Manchester in April 1824 and similarly inscribed as above, with the addendum that an additional reason is the esteem in which they held his private character.

The Tankard

In 1845, leading men in the sporting world wanted to present a testimonial to Spring and £500 was raised to buy a tankard of vast dimensions and weight, together with a purse which was given to him after a dinner at his house.

The shield on the tankard was inscribed “Presented by public subscription to Thomas Winter Spring, ex Champion of England, in testimony of the sincere respect in which he is held for his pure and honourable conduct, during his long and unblemished career in public and private life.”

1851 – Wessington Court Household

Shortly after the above census was taken, the Booth family left the estate and many of the contents of Wessington Court were put in an auction on 15^th September 1851:

“Costly town made furniture in rosewood and mahogany;  lofty four post and French canopy bedsteads, clothed in moreen and chintz;  hair and wool mattresses;  feather beds;  mahogany winged wardrobes;  chests with drawers;  wash hand and dressing tables;  telescope dining tables;  Spanish mahogany sideboard with marble top;  mahogany side tables;  dining room chairs with loose seats;  sofas stuffed with horse hair;  library tables;  Brussels carpets;  Druggetts;  cocoa fibre matting and Dutch carpets;  splendid carved oak furniture, comprising sideboard, sarcophagus, sofa, chairs and tables;  oil paintings in gilt frames by Carlo Dolce, Backhuysen, Brughel, G. Morland, Vangoen, Bort, Stork, Campion.

Handsome model fenders with stags and chains, rosewood drawing room furniture, handsome china vases, chimney glass in gilt frame, chintz and moreen window curtains;  dinner, breakfast and coffee services of china;  kitchen requisites, barrels, tubs, garden tools, saddles and bridles, single harness, a George the 4^th pony phaeton, a well built dog cart by Collins of Oxford.  Four well bred short horn cows.”

I think that such a list makes it possible almost to imagine how the house would have looked at the time.

Thomas P. Williams bought the estate, but in 1859  went on to rent it out, selling much of the contents, as follows:

“Elegant and costly furniture, including a magnificent suite in walnut.  Spanish mahogany and rosewood made to order, carved oak cabinet, plate chimney glass, splendid piano forte, arabian bedsteads etc.  Also, double and single barrel guns, a superior swiss rifle;  air gun;  brace of high bred pointers;  horses;  full sized clarence and dog cart, phaeton, harness, one pig and other valuable effects.”

At one point in the 1860s, the MP for Herefordshire, Mildmay and his wife, stayed at Wessington Court and when forcibly reminded of the plight of the poor in that area,  Mrs. Mildmay lost no time in distributing food and clothing which was gratefully received.

In 1862 the Wessington Court estate was put up for sale and was described as a substantial Mansion, planned with great taste and beautifully placed on a hill with wonderful views.

1871 – Wessington Court Household

1881 – Wessington  Court Household

1911 – Wessington Court Household

The singer Roger Whittaker lived from some time in half of the Wessington Court house.

Churches of Woolhope

• St. George's Church - Woolhope

  The church of St. George is elevated on a small hill in the middle of the village, and was built in the 12th century.

  

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People of Woolhope

• Tom Spring

  Tom Spring (born Winter) – Bare knuckle fighter and Champion
  Tom Spring was born at Witchend near Woolhope on 22nd February 1795 and became a butcher in his father’s footsteps, although he was interested in boxing from a very early age, being coached by his enthusiastic father and grandfather. During any free time he diligently trained, and was soon to develop a style of boxing that turned him into a formidable fighter, and although he was not a massive “hitter”, and had delicate hands, he was so light on his feet with such rapid reactions that he quickly became rather good.

  Tom Spring’s Early Years

  Tom Spring was 5 feet 11 inches and a half, and his fighting weight was 13 stone 2 lbs.

  At the age of 17 he entered the ring at Mordiford to fight a man by the name of Hollands.  It was described as a most desperate battle, and after one hour and twenty minutes Hollands had to give up the contents – Tom Spring was declared the victor.

  Two years later, he took on a man called Henley who had challenged him for £3 a side.  This fight also took place at Mordiford, and lasted for eleven punishing rounds with Spring emerging the victor.

  There was little chance to prove his skills initially, but one day the 11th Duke of Norfolk who lived at the nearby Holme Lacy House, heard about Tom and his prowess and decided to invite him to fight at one of his lavish lunch parties as entertainment for the assembled guests.

  Tom Spring and Tom Cribb

  Tom took on every opponent in front of the Duke and his guests, and was reportedly never beaten; at the same time he was gaining valuable experience and improved his technique even further. Then in 1814 the All England Bare Knuckle Champion, Tom Cribb, arrived in Herefordshire on a sparring tour and Tom Spring managed to effect a meeting……the two formed a strong friendship and Tom Cribb happily passed on a great many hints and tips to further improve his fighting techniques. When Cribb retired from the ring, Tom Spring quickly earned the title of Champion and became known as “Light Tapper” Spring due to his delicate hands. He held the title between 1823 and 1824, with few challengers.

  Tom Spring and John Langan

  The most famous of his fights were with John Langan, an Irishman who was much heavier than Spring and also slower in the ring. Some 30,000 spectators turned up for their first match at Worcester Racecourse in 1824, but unfortunately the grandstand was not up to the task and many people were injured when it collapsed. The fight itself went on for a crippling seventy seven rounds, and finally even the bloodthirsty crowd were sickened and bayed for it to be ended. Spring’s hands were badly injured, and Langan was a complete mess! A few months later they met again in Chichester , although Spring’s left hand was still virtually useless he gave Langan another pasting – it was a testament to his kind character that instead of flattening Langan when he was done for, he merely pushed him to the ground.

  Tom Spring and the Fair Play Club

  Bare knuckle fighting was an extremely popular spectator sport, especially for the higher echelons of society…indeed, King George IV was so enamoured of the sport that at his Coronation he invited 18 prize fighters to act as ushers, and Tom Spring was one of them. He was highly thought of because not only was he an excellent fighter, but he was also a thoroughly nice chap.

  Bare Knuckle fighters began to earn themselves a bad reputation with unruly behaviour by fighters and punters alike. All people connected with the sport thought so highly of the retired Tom Spring that On 25 September 1828, he was elected as the first treasurer of the newly formed “Fair Play Club”. A set of rules was established to include the supervision of fights “to preserve peace and order in the outer ring” and “to ensure fair play to the combatants”. Spring was able to employ boxers to uphold the rules and to ensure there were no ring invasions.

  A sad end for Tom Spring

  When he retired at the pinnacle of his success, he moved with his wife and children to London and then deserted them when he took over the tenancy of the Castle Tavern, Holborn. His wife died in a workhouse, and it is reported that soon afterwards in 1851 Spring succombed to the excesses of drink and died himself.

  However, he was very highly thought of, and his behaviour was always exemplorary, and despite the fact that the Castle Tavern was known as a “fighting house” Tom strongly discouraged any throwing of fists, saying that “blows are ugly and sometimes expensive;  therefore talk about fighting as much as you please but not a blow shall pass while I can prevent it”.

  He would send those intent on fighting a few miles out of town, and the Castle Tavern rapidly gained a very good reputation.

  After his death in August 1851, his name was soon more or less forgotten until in 1951 the Tom Spring Memorial Committee was formed by a Herefordshire Police Sergeant – A.V. Lucas and a memorial was funded for West Norwood in London where Tom was buried. There is now also a memorial at Tom’s birthplace near Woolhope.

   

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  By Philip Halling, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9171982

   

  This is a representation of what the memorial looked like, but the original one is sadly worn beyond repair.

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Three Cups Presented to Tom Spring

  The Hereford Cup

  – an urn shaped piece of plate inscribed “To Thomas Winter Spring of Fownhope, in the county of Hereford, this cup was presented by his countrymen of the land of cider, in token of their esteem for the manliness and science which, in may severe contests, raised him to the distinction of champion of England.  1823″

  The Manchester Cup

  Presented at Manchester in April 1824 and similarly inscribed as above, with the addendum that an additional reason is the esteem in which they held his private character.

  The Tankard

  In 1845, leading men in the sporting world wanted to present a testimonial to Spring and £500 was raised to buy a tankard of vast dimensions and weight, together with a purse which was given to him after a dinner at his house.

  The shield on the tankard was inscribed “Presented by public subscription to Thomas Winter Spring, ex Champion of England, in testimony of the sincere respect in which he is held for his pure and honourable conduct, during his long and unblemished career in public and private life.”

   

   

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News from the Past Woolhope

• Woolhope News from the Past

  Manslaughter, and inebriate tries to commit suicide

  1847 – PMT Causes Suicide of Woolhope Woman

  Susannah Parsons, a 23 year old woman from Woolhope had been working as a servant of Mr. Winter of the Shirehall, Hereford;  she was known to suffer from periodic tummy troubles, and was frequently bad tempered or irritable.  (Ring any bells ladies?  Sadly at the time it didn’t)

  Susannah had had a relationship for some five years with Edward Jeffries, a porter at the Infirmary but it was somewhat rocky with many rows – sometimes they didn’t speak to each other for six months, but she readily admitted to her sister and others that the rows were her fault because she could not control her temper at times, and that Edward was blameless.

  Susannah’s Boyfriend Breaks Her Heart

  Just before the tragic event, Susannah and Edward  had not argued, but previously he had told her that he had plans to go to Liverpool in search of more lucrative employment……something she did not take well.  Susannah wrote Edward a letter with her thoughts:  (the spelling mistakes are left in but I have inserted one or two commas and full stops to make it more readable.)

  “Dear Edward – I have taken the liberty of writing a few lines to you hopeing you will pleas to comply with my request,  I beech you to think no more of going to sea, I pray you will not go for my sake for I shall break my heart to think that I have been the cause of your leaveing your father an mother an native country.  I cannot bear it, I beech you to forgive me and renew our friendship again and then we shall be both happy again.  Only think of whare you are going to prpas if you once go to sea you may not see land again.  Dear Ed. pray pity me and do not go I pray and beech you, we have been acquainted so long now that if any one have any claim upon your affections surly it is me.  Pray pardon me and do not go for if you do I shall never foregive myself.  Pray send me an answer that I may know your deturmed will, so good by at present from your ever affectionate,

  Susanna Parsons

  Susannah’s body is Discovered

  One evening not long after, she was seen in the kitchen of her employer, having returned from an errand;  shortly afterwards, she left the house saying that she would not be long but she never returned.

  Later than night, a policeman named Richard Morgan, was doing his rounds when he noticed a shawl and bonnet close to the Castle mill pond, and he immediately went for assistance and a drag net.  Susannah was found and removed from the mill pond but she was dead.

  The Inquest

  The policeman tried to find somewhere to take her, and after being refused at many different houses, the body was taken to the Lamb Inn, St. Owen’s street where the inquest was held. It transpired that poor Susanna had suffered greatly with PMT, (although of course at this time it was not a known condition and was described in somewhat different terms) and it was this that caused her to be depressed and irritable each month.  At the time of her suicide, she was afflicted badly.

  The jury returned a verdict of “Temporary Insanity” – a phrase which might well send any modern woman suffering from PMT into a rage!

  1846 – Lambs Vegetable Compound

  “An effectual cure for all descriptions of worms that infest the human body;  indigestion;  nervous diseases, bilious or liver complaints;  all cases of fits arising from internal irritation;  impurities of the blood;  early stages of consumption etc.*

  This miracle cure was said to be mild and easy to digest.

  In 1846 a Woolhope woman began to take Lambs Vegetable compound, and rather disgustingly passed a tape worm measuring several feet in length.

  She had suffered dreadful indigestion, and doctors were unable to help her but the miracle cure left her completely well.   Apparently.

   

  1859 – Murder or Manslaughter at Woolhope?

  George Bull, a deaf and dumb man, was working at the Hop Yard farm in Woolhope when an altercation occurred which resulted in his death.

  A witness to the incident was a lad named George Hookly, who said that he and George were in the fields earthing up potatoes, working some distance apart, when he noticed another man, Joseph Collings,  arrive and go up to George Bull.  He proceeded to make signs to him, ordering him to put lime on the potatoes before earthing them up, and a dispute appeared to blow up.

  George Bull was the first to pick up a weapon, a hoe,  and he struck Joseph with it several times before Joseph found his own stick and began to trade blows.  Eventually, George fell to the ground but Joseph continued to beat him savagely around the head.

  The witness, George Hookly, was too frightened to become involved but two men quickly came into the field and Joseph walked off towards the house.  The two men found George Bull very bloodied about the head, and eventually he was taken into the house and a doctor was sent for but he died shortly afterwards.

  The Post Mortem

  At the inquest, Mr. J.G. Morris a surgeon from Hereford, who carried out the post mortem, said that he found a bruise on the right elbow and that the left side of the head;  the right eye, and the upper part of the head were very bruised and swollen, and that there was a wound behind the ear.

  He removed the scalp to expose the bones and picked out 15 or 16 loose pieces of bone that had been driven into the brain;  a large amount of blood had effused beneath the scalp and the lining membrane of the skull was ripped to shreds with the brain “much smashed”.  He could scarcely believe that death had not been instant.

  A verdict of manslaughter was recorded, and Joseph was taken to Hereford county gaol, where he ate and drank and behaved as if nothing had happened.

  1866 – Illegitimacy

  Henry Hodges, a blacksmith from Much Marcle was ordered to pay 5s a week to help support the illegitimate child of Mary Ann Garston of Woolhope.

  1888 – Woolhope Churchwarden shoots his Charwoman

  James Williams, an 80 year old farm owner at Woolhope and a parish churchwarden, was charged with shooting  Ellen Carless with intent to cause grievous bodily harm;  Ellen was over 60.

  Ellen had known James for around 37 years, and since he had lost his wife in 1884, Ellen had more or less looked after the house.  She was supposed to be paid 1s a week but had not received all of the money, and when she asked him about it, he threw dirty water all over her.  Then he fetched his gun and shot her.  At least this was Ellen’s version of events.

  Later, shot was recovered from her thigh by a doctor.

  A witness, William Knapper who also worked for Mr. Williams, said that he was close to the house when he heard Ellen say “take that you old brute”, and he saw her take two buckets of dirty water and throw them over James Williams.  Then James told her to leave his property or he would blow her brains out, and she replied “you do it”.  Then there was the sound of a shot.

  The defence for Williams claimed that the gun could have gone off accidentally, and that he was only moving the gun because he knew that Ellen could be violent;  the other possible scenario was that he only intended to frighten Ellen.

  It has to be said that Ellen did not report the incident, and it was only after the doctor had seen her that the police became aware of it.

  Williams was committed for trial and the jury believed the defence.  He was acquitted.

  1890 – Child Fatally Burnt at Woolhope

  Mrs. Witherstone, the wife of a waggoner employed by Mr. Turner, a farmer, was baking in the bakehouse one morning and had left her four children in the kitchen.

  She was alerted by sudden screams, and she found that her three year old son William Thomas Witherstone was in flames.  He had been playing with the fire and his shirt caught alight;  his mother immediately pulled the garment off but William had been very badly burnt.

  He lived for some time, no doubt in extreme pain, but eventually died from exhaustion.

  1899 – Woolhope Man Attempts Suicide at Weston Super Mare

  David Marshall West, a clerk of Woolhope, tried to kill himself on 7th June 1899 by leaping from the pier at Weston super Mare – a height of around sixty feet.  The tide was strong at the time, and the water was some eight feet deep at the spot. He had never been to Weston before this.

  David had separated from his wife;  he used to keep a public house in Hereford but as he was unable to control his own drinking the license was taken from him and he went to Liverpool to live with his brother in law.

  David decided to plead guilty, but had he not, the jury might have thought that it was just an accident.  However, David was really sorry for what he had done, and admitted that it was down to drinking too much, this also being the reason why his wife had thrown him out.

  Emma West, David’s wife, was willing to give him another chance and said that she would control his intemperance (not easy I would have thought given that she herself was now the landlady of the pub!) and taking this into account, the Chairman bound David over for £10 to be of good behaviour.

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Buildings of Woolhope

• Wessington Court

  Wessington Court, Woolhope
  The original house was 17th century, built before the Reformation, and much improved by the Gregory but it was demolished and rebuilt in the 19th century by Henry William Booth.

  1851 – Wessington Court Household

   

  Henry William Booth	35	Landed Proprietor	b. Stanstead Abbotts
  Augusta Hope Booth	36	Wife	b. Monmouthshire
  Mary Georgina Booth	13	Daughter	b. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
  Alice Elizabeth Booth	7	Daughter	b. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
  Frances Agnes Booth	6	Daughter	b. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
  William Cowper Cooper	40	Visitor, Magistrate and Barrister	b. Middlesex
  Georgina Cowper Cooper	40	Wife of above	b. Monmouthshire
  W.P. Cowper Cooper	14	Son of above	b. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
  Mary Dawes	40	Governess	b. Clarendon, Wiltshire
  Louisa Haville	35	Housekeeper	b. London, Middlesex
  Margaret Francis	30	Nurse	b. Brampton Bryan, Herefordshire
  William Pawley	40	Butler	b. Devonshire
  Phebe Smith	25	Cook	b. Guiting Power, Gloucestershire
  Kitty East	17	Nursemaid	b. Guiting Power, Gloucestershire
  Alice Turner	39	Housemaid	b. Lugwardine, Herefordshire
  George Bowler	27	Coachman	b. Wiltshire

  Shortly after the above census was taken, the Booth family left the estate and many of the contents of Wessington Court were put in an auction on 15^th September 1851:

  “Costly town made furniture in rosewood and mahogany;  lofty four post and French canopy bedsteads, clothed in moreen and chintz;  hair and wool mattresses;  feather beds;  mahogany winged wardrobes;  chests with drawers;  wash hand and dressing tables;  telescope dining tables;  Spanish mahogany sideboard with marble top;  mahogany side tables;  dining room chairs with loose seats;  sofas stuffed with horse hair;  library tables;  Brussels carpets;  Druggetts;  cocoa fibre matting and Dutch carpets;  splendid carved oak furniture, comprising sideboard, sarcophagus, sofa, chairs and tables;  oil paintings in gilt frames by Carlo Dolce, Backhuysen, Brughel, G. Morland, Vangoen, Bort, Stork, Campion.

  Handsome model fenders with stags and chains, rosewood drawing room furniture, handsome china vases, chimney glass in gilt frame, chintz and moreen window curtains;  dinner, breakfast and coffee services of china;  kitchen requisites, barrels, tubs, garden tools, saddles and bridles, single harness, a George the 4^th pony phaeton, a well built dog cart by Collins of Oxford.  Four well bred short horn cows.”

  I think that such a list makes it possible almost to imagine how the house would have looked at the time.

  Thomas P. Williams bought the estate, but in 1859  went on to rent it out, selling much of the contents, as follows:

  “Elegant and costly furniture, including a magnificent suite in walnut.  Spanish mahogany and rosewood made to order, carved oak cabinet, plate chimney glass, splendid piano forte, arabian bedsteads etc.  Also, double and single barrel guns, a superior swiss rifle;  air gun;  brace of high bred pointers;  horses;  full sized clarence and dog cart, phaeton, harness, one pig and other valuable effects.”

  At one point in the 1860s, the MP for Herefordshire, Mildmay and his wife, stayed at Wessington Court and when forcibly reminded of the plight of the poor in that area,  Mrs. Mildmay lost no time in distributing food and clothing which was gratefully received.

  In 1862 the Wessington Court estate was put up for sale and was described as a substantial Mansion, planned with great taste and beautifully placed on a hill with wonderful views.

   

  1871 – Wessington Court Household

  Burchall Helme	35	Retired from Army	b. Standish, Gloucestershire
  Mary Helme	24	Wife	b. London
  Evelyn Helme	1	Daughter	b. St. Georges, London
  Susannah Helme	63	Widow, Visitor	b. Walthamstow, Essex
  Harold Helme	21	Visitor	b. Stroud, Gloucestershire
  Emily Collyer	21	Visitor	b. Hertfordshire
  Margaret Barrow	49	Visitor	b.Lancashire
  John Knight	36	Butler	b. Norfolk
  Thomas Hancock	28	Coachman	b. Devonshire
  Henry Stovell	16	Footman	b. Surrey
  Ellen Tomsett	24	Cook	b. Challock
  Eliza Goodgame	33	Housemaid	b. Oxfordshire
  Sarah Weston	23	Nurse	b. Hertfordshire
  Elizabeth Jones	18	Kitchenmaid	b. Kinnersley, Herefordshire
  Susan Jackson	16	Housemaid	b. Herefordshire
  Sarah Telling	55	Lady’s Maid	b. Cirencester, Gloucestershire

  1881 – Wessington  Court Household

  Ann Jane Keates	50	widow	b. Everton, Lancashire
  Gertrude Mary Keates	22	Daughter	b. Liverpool, Lancashire
  Lucia Frances Keates	19	Daughter	b. Liverpool, Lancashire
  Lucy Burdock	34	Lady’s Maid	b. Surrey
  Elizabeth Cross	14	Kitchenmaid	b. Woolhope, Herefordshire
  Lucy Grocock	20	Kitchenmaid	b. Leicestershire
  Mary Ann Patterson	23	Housemaid	b. Yatton, Herefordshire
  John Stainsby	23	Footman	b. Yorkshire
  Margaret Moody	35	Housekeeper	b. Salop
  George Fiander	35	Butler	b. Dorset

   

  1911 – Wessington Court Household

  William Kendal	45	Caretaker	b. Ferryside, Carmarthen
  Ellen Maud Kendal	42	Wife	b. Devonport
  Arthur James Kendal	17	Son, farm labourer	b. Hereford

  The singer Roger Whittaker lived from some time in half of the Wessington Court house.

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1847 – PMT Causes Suicide of Woolhope Woman

Susannah Parsons, a 23 year old woman from Woolhope had been working as a servant of Mr. Winter of the Shirehall, Hereford;  she was known to suffer from periodic tummy troubles, and was frequently bad tempered or irritable.  (Ring any bells ladies?  Sadly at the time it didn’t)

Susannah had had a relationship for some five years with Edward Jeffries, a porter at the Infirmary but it was somewhat rocky with many rows – sometimes they didn’t speak to each other for six months, but she readily admitted to her sister and others that the rows were her fault because she could not control her temper at times, and that Edward was blameless.

Susannah’s Boyfriend Breaks Her Heart

Just before the tragic event, Susannah and Edward  had not argued, but previously he had told her that he had plans to go to Liverpool in search of more lucrative employment……something she did not take well.  Susannah wrote Edward a letter with her thoughts:  (the spelling mistakes are left in but I have inserted one or two commas and full stops to make it more readable.)

“Dear Edward – I have taken the liberty of writing a few lines to you hopeing you will pleas to comply with my request,  I beech you to think no more of going to sea, I pray you will not go for my sake for I shall break my heart to think that I have been the cause of your leaveing your father an mother an native country.  I cannot bear it, I beech you to forgive me and renew our friendship again and then we shall be both happy again.  Only think of whare you are going to prpas if you once go to sea you may not see land again.  Dear Ed. pray pity me and do not go I pray and beech you, we have been acquainted so long now that if any one have any claim upon your affections surly it is me.  Pray pardon me and do not go for if you do I shall never foregive myself.  Pray send me an answer that I may know your deturmed will, so good by at present from your ever affectionate,

Susanna Parsons

Susannah’s body is Discovered

One evening not long after, she was seen in the kitchen of her employer, having returned from an errand;  shortly afterwards, she left the house saying that she would not be long but she never returned.

Later than night, a policeman named Richard Morgan, was doing his rounds when he noticed a shawl and bonnet close to the Castle mill pond, and he immediately went for assistance and a drag net.  Susannah was found and removed from the mill pond but she was dead.

The Inquest

The policeman tried to find somewhere to take her, and after being refused at many different houses, the body was taken to the Lamb Inn, St. Owen’s street where the inquest was held. It transpired that poor Susanna had suffered greatly with PMT, (although of course at this time it was not a known condition and was described in somewhat different terms) and it was this that caused her to be depressed and irritable each month.  At the time of her suicide, she was afflicted badly.

The jury returned a verdict of “Temporary Insanity” – a phrase which might well send any modern woman suffering from PMT into a rage!

1846 – Lambs Vegetable Compound

“An effectual cure for all descriptions of worms that infest the human body;  indigestion;  nervous diseases, bilious or liver complaints;  all cases of fits arising from internal irritation;  impurities of the blood;  early stages of consumption etc.*

This miracle cure was said to be mild and easy to digest.

In 1846 a Woolhope woman began to take Lambs Vegetable compound, and rather disgustingly passed a tape worm measuring several feet in length.

She had suffered dreadful indigestion, and doctors were unable to help her but the miracle cure left her completely well.   Apparently.

1859 – Murder or Manslaughter at Woolhope?

George Bull, a deaf and dumb man, was working at the Hop Yard farm in Woolhope when an altercation occurred which resulted in his death.

A witness to the incident was a lad named George Hookly, who said that he and George were in the fields earthing up potatoes, working some distance apart, when he noticed another man, Joseph Collings,  arrive and go up to George Bull.  He proceeded to make signs to him, ordering him to put lime on the potatoes before earthing them up, and a dispute appeared to blow up.

George Bull was the first to pick up a weapon, a hoe,  and he struck Joseph with it several times before Joseph found his own stick and began to trade blows.  Eventually, George fell to the ground but Joseph continued to beat him savagely around the head.

The witness, George Hookly, was too frightened to become involved but two men quickly came into the field and Joseph walked off towards the house.  The two men found George Bull very bloodied about the head, and eventually he was taken into the house and a doctor was sent for but he died shortly afterwards.

The Post Mortem

At the inquest, Mr. J.G. Morris a surgeon from Hereford, who carried out the post mortem, said that he found a bruise on the right elbow and that the left side of the head;  the right eye, and the upper part of the head were very bruised and swollen, and that there was a wound behind the ear.

He removed the scalp to expose the bones and picked out 15 or 16 loose pieces of bone that had been driven into the brain;  a large amount of blood had effused beneath the scalp and the lining membrane of the skull was ripped to shreds with the brain “much smashed”.  He could scarcely believe that death had not been instant.

A verdict of manslaughter was recorded, and Joseph was taken to Hereford county gaol, where he ate and drank and behaved as if nothing had happened.

1866 – Illegitimacy

Henry Hodges, a blacksmith from Much Marcle was ordered to pay 5s a week to help support the illegitimate child of Mary Ann Garston of Woolhope.

1888 – Woolhope Churchwarden shoots his Charwoman

James Williams, an 80 year old farm owner at Woolhope and a parish churchwarden, was charged with shooting  Ellen Carless with intent to cause grievous bodily harm;  Ellen was over 60.

Ellen had known James for around 37 years, and since he had lost his wife in 1884, Ellen had more or less looked after the house.  She was supposed to be paid 1s a week but had not received all of the money, and when she asked him about it, he threw dirty water all over her.  Then he fetched his gun and shot her.  At least this was Ellen’s version of events.

Later, shot was recovered from her thigh by a doctor.

A witness, William Knapper who also worked for Mr. Williams, said that he was close to the house when he heard Ellen say “take that you old brute”, and he saw her take two buckets of dirty water and throw them over James Williams.  Then James told her to leave his property or he would blow her brains out, and she replied “you do it”.  Then there was the sound of a shot.

The defence for Williams claimed that the gun could have gone off accidentally, and that he was only moving the gun because he knew that Ellen could be violent;  the other possible scenario was that he only intended to frighten Ellen.

It has to be said that Ellen did not report the incident, and it was only after the doctor had seen her that the police became aware of it.

Williams was committed for trial and the jury believed the defence.  He was acquitted.

1890 – Child Fatally Burnt at Woolhope

Mrs. Witherstone, the wife of a waggoner employed by Mr. Turner, a farmer, was baking in the bakehouse one morning and had left her four children in the kitchen.

She was alerted by sudden screams, and she found that her three year old son William Thomas Witherstone was in flames.  He had been playing with the fire and his shirt caught alight;  his mother immediately pulled the garment off but William had been very badly burnt.

He lived for some time, no doubt in extreme pain, but eventually died from exhaustion.

1899 – Woolhope Man Attempts Suicide at Weston Super Mare

David Marshall West, a clerk of Woolhope, tried to kill himself on 7th June 1899 by leaping from the pier at Weston super Mare – a height of around sixty feet.  The tide was strong at the time, and the water was some eight feet deep at the spot. He had never been to Weston before this.

David had separated from his wife;  he used to keep a public house in Hereford but as he was unable to control his own drinking the license was taken from him and he went to Liverpool to live with his brother in law.

David decided to plead guilty, but had he not, the jury might have thought that it was just an accident.  However, David was really sorry for what he had done, and admitted that it was down to drinking too much, this also being the reason why his wife had thrown him out.

Emma West, David’s wife, was willing to give him another chance and said that she would control his intemperance (not easy I would have thought given that she herself was now the landlady of the pub!) and taking this into account, the Chairman bound David over for £10 to be of good behaviour.