WEST BRITON AND CORNWALL ADVERTISER 19 SEPTEMBER 1851 MASONIC FESTIVAL OF THE PROVINCE OF CORNWALL The annual meeting of the freemasons of this Province was held at Redruth on Tuesday last, in honour of the revival in that town of the Druids' Lodge of "Love and Liberality." The weather was extremely auspicious, and as the time approached for the Brethren to walk in procession, an immense concourse of people congregated in the town. There was a goodly attendance of the brethren from different parts of the county. They first assembled at the Druids' Lodge-room at soon after eleven o'clock, the Director of Ceremonies, Brother HEARD, marshaled the procession, the Brethren, about eighty in number, appearing in full Masonic costume, and wearing the different orders and jewels to which they were entitled. The whole route of the procession, from the Lodge- room to the parish church of Redruth, was excessively crowded with spectators. The Brethren proceeded to church in [an impressive ceremonial assemblage, with all Masonic symbols carried separately.] The Lodge then went in procession to the banquet, which was served in the Town Hall. This is a very fine and spacious hall which has been erected at Redruth, we understand, by the public spirit of one of the inhabitants, the town having been previously unprovided with any such convenience for public accommodation. It was very suitable for this Masonic banquet; there were on every side decorations of evergreens and flowers, and a display of the flags of all nations, symbolical of Masonic universality, the whole having an extremely beautiful and imposing effect. The banquet was served by MR. ANDREW, and laid out in a most elegant and superior style; it comprised every delicacy of the season, and the dessert and wines left nothing for the most fastidious to desire. It should also be added that the Provincial Grand Master, SIR CHARLES LEMON, sent a noble buck for the occasion, and a handsome dessert. Between seventy and eighty of the brethren sat down to dinner, the D.P.G.M. Brother ELLIS presiding, having Brother BOASE for his Senior Warden, and Brother CLARKE acting as Junior Warden for Brother CLYMO, who was prevented by illness from attending. On the removal of the cloth, the toast of "The Queen" was drunk with nine times nine, the band playing the National Anthem. The toast of "The Duke of Cornwall, Prince Albert, and the Royal Family," was also drunk. In giving the toast of "The Queen," the D.P.G.M. remarked that it was hardly necessary to ask any body of Englishmen to drink that toast, much less any body of Freemasons, for they would all recollect that apart from her position as the sovereign of these realms, she was the daughter of a Brother Mason, the Duke of Kent. After this toast the Director of Ceremonies and the Stewards admitted the ladies, who had shown the interest they felt in the occasion by very numerous applications for tickets of admission. They were received with loud applause by the Brethren, and the room being speedily filled, as many as possible were accommodated with seats. They were invited by the brethren to partake of wine and dessert, and shortly afterwards the D.P.G. M. called on the brethren to fill their glasses whilst he proposed to them, amidst loud cheering, "The health of the Ladies," then proceeded at some length to pass a high eulogium on the virtues and beauties of the ladies. Brother BOASE, of Penzance, humouously begged to be considered a woman for two or three minutes, then returned thanks for the ladies. After this, Signor Jacobowitch sang in his peculiar style, accompanied by Madame Jacobowitch on the harp, and Von HARTMAN on the violin. The D.P.G.M. thanked the Signor, and also the ladies for their attendance, but said they had Masonic business to transact, and must now request all but brethren to retire. The ladies having left the room, the Lodge was regularly tyled, and the following Masonic toasts were drunk - [the Grand master of England, the Officers, another to Sir Charles Lemon, and several more - including the ladies yet again. The meeting was then adjourned, and everyone departed with a feeling of goodwill.] TRURO SCHOOL - Recitations of the pupils took place at the school-room, for medals given by the Earl of Falmouth, and prizes offered by the head Master, the REV. A. J. W. MORRISON. The umpires for awarding the medals were MR. P.P. SMITH, DR. PADDON, the Chaplain, (REV. G. L. CHURCH) and the Mayor of Truro, MR. BASSETT. [All prizes listed were only shown as last name, then place in the order, ie., Wynn, first, Bryant, second.] WINN was commended for the accuracy with which he delivered seventy stanzas from Macaulay's "Lays of Ancient Rome," but having gained a prize last year in this class, he was precluded from obtaining one on this occasion. [The prizes for the classics were books, and the examiner, REV. JOHN HARDIE, of Kea, told the boys they must attain a higher level next year if they wished to be rewarded. They were also examined in English Literature, Mathematics, and French.] WEBBER also received a book for encouragement, and LORY for diligence and good behavior, and for on two occasions reciting well. In the afternoon, at four o'clock, the old pupils and friends of the school dined with the Head Master at Pearce's Royal Hotel. THE DISTINS' CONCERT - These celebrated artistes performed at the Assembly-Room, Truro, on Thursday evening the 11th instant. The concert was partly instrumental and partly vocal, and the music of a high class, consisting principally of selections from favourite operas. The improved sax-horns on which the Messrs. DISTIN perform are splendid instruments, and their execution on them may be pronounced perfect, and leaving nothing to be desired. The quartette from "Belisario" with which the concert opened, was performed by Mr. Distin and his three sons; the grand fantasia commencing the second part of the concert, were greatly applauded, and occasionally an encore was kindly responded to by the performers. A selection from Donizetti was performed on the new patent euphonic horns with splendid effect. .. The vocalists were Mrs. Theodore Distin, and the Messrs. Distin, excepting Mr. Distin, sen. Several of the vocal pieces were favourably received, and they agreeably varied the entertainment. ... Respecting the excellence of their performance we cannot do better than to quote the opinion of the celebrated composer Meyerbeer, given when they performed at Berlin in 1846: "Never have I heard wind instruments played with so much splendor, purity, and precision; to add to this, that nothing equals the grandeur of their style." PENZANCE VESTRY MEETING - On Friday evening last, a vestry was held in the Guildhall, Penzance, for recommending to the Guardians a fit and proper person to make and collect the poor-rtes and to fill the office of assistant overseer, &c. After some discussion several candidates were proposed, and the Chairman declared that the votes of the meeting had fallen on MR. CHARLES MATTHEW VIBERT. MESSRS. R. HOSKING, M. COLLIVER, and J.B. COULSON were nominated a committee to assist the overseers in examining the accounts of the late overseer. NEW PATENT - In the list of new patents lately granted, we observe the name of MR. DRAKE, of St. Austell, for improvements in constructing ships, and other vessels, and in propelling ships or other vessels. FOWEY PASSAGE - For some time past, the inhabitants of Fowey and neighbourhood have enjoyed the convenience of a quick transit to Plymouth by CRART's omnibus, superseding the old van; and the proprietor, for the purpose of dispatch, has employed a boat to take the goods from Bodinnick slip to Fowey quay, a great saving of time when compared with landing at the ferry slip at the Fowey side. A dispute has existed between the occupier of the Fowey ferry and Crart, in consequence of demanding a toll for using the slip, which is the terminus of the Queen's highway on that side of the river. On Thursday the 11th instant, on Mr. Crart's arrival at Bodinnick, he was met by a solicitor and three constables, who forbade him to pass without paying toll, which he refused. The gate, which is at the head of the slip, was chained. Crart unhung the obstacle, and passed over, being advised that such a barrier was a public nuisance; he used his boat as before, and here the matter rests for the present. There is no table of tolls fixed up at the ferry-house, and it is unknown that any Act of Parliament exists enforcing payment, or whether it rests on mere invasion of public right. The omnibus is the means of bringing custom to the ferry house, and all parties are benefited by the convenience of a quick transit to Plymouth; and Crart insists that not employing the ferry boat, but paying a man of his own, no sum can be legally demanded. VESSEL FOUNDERED - The schooner "Friends," of St. Ives, STEVENS master, with coals from Wales for Penzance, struck on the Rundle Stone Rock, at eight o'clock on Wednesday evening last, and went down in deep water immediately after. The master and crew, four in number, escaped in the boat, but with loss of all their clothes &c. The wind was easterly when the accident happened, and the weather thick and hazy. LAUNCESTON COUNTY COURT - This court was held before MR. W. M. PRAED, on Wednesday last, there were thirty-five cases entered for trial. LAURENCE ROWE v JOHN UGLOW: Plaintiff is a tailor of Launceston, and a jockey; defendant is proprietor of the mail coach between Launceston and Plymouth, also the owner of a racing mare. Defendant employed plaintiff to ride his mare at the last Plymouth races; defendant took plaintiff to Plymouth for the purpose of riding the mare at the races in August last, but on arriving at Plymouth, plaintiff discovered another person had been engaged to ride the mare, hence the present action arose. Plaintiff sued defendant for GBP 1.13s. for expenses &c. in going to Plymouth. The case created great laughter, and occupied some time. The tailor jockey it appeared only charged 2.6d. per day, for five days, for his loss of time. His Honor considered it a very moderate charge. The amount was made up as follows: five days, at 2.6d. per day, 12s.6d; expenses at Plymouth, 17s.6d; coach fare, back, 3s; total, GBP 1.13s. Judgment was given for plaintiff with costs. BODMIN COUNTY COURT - The Earl of Fortescue v. Billing - This was an action brought in this court by the Earl of Fortescue, who was represented by MR. G. B. COLLINS, of St. Columb, against MR. BILLING of Port Isaac, for whom MR. T. COMMINS appeared in court, to recover GBP 50, the amount of dilapidations said to be due on certain fish cellars at Port Isaac, the lease of which had expired. The action was brought in the August court, when the Judge deferred judgment, which he delivered at the last sittings. There were four objections raised to the action on the part of the defendant. First, he alleged that the title was in question, so as to deprive the court of its jurisdiction. But it having been shown that an action of ejectment had been brought and possession proved under it by the sheriff, this was at once overruled. It was secondly contended that the lease making no mention of the cellars, which had been erected subsequently to its date, defendant was not bound to repair; there being, however, a general covenant to repair, the Judge held it to apply to all buildings erected during the tenancy, and quoted several cases supporting that view. Thirdly it was suggested that defendant was wrongly sued as assignee, he having become possessed as executor of the original lessee, but it was held on the principle of Freeman v. Morrison, Bingham's new cases, that he was rightly sued as assignee and that having so entered and taken possession, he was liable for dilapidations in the same manner as any other assignee. It was fourthly contended that defendant should have been sued jointly with his brothers, who were co-executors; but the Judge considering that the 68th section of the County Court Act, expressly provided for this, held that the defendant was individually liable, and gave judgment accordingly for GBP 50 damages. The case was one of some interest and importance to the public. PICKING POCKETS - On Thursday the 11th instant, a large concourse of spectators assembled at Hayle Foundry, to witness Cooke's equestrian performance. There were observed amongst the crowd some light-fingered gentry, in the act of stealing from the pockets of some of the females. Police officer, WESTCOTT, on the railway station, who was on the spot, having succeeded in securing one of the gang, brought him before the REV. U. TONKIN, of Lelant. The fellow there described himself as WILLIAM HUGHES, of London, and not being able to give a satisfactory account of himself he was immediately committed to Bodmin gaol. ILL-TREATING A HORSE - On Friday last, EDWIN MILLS, of Mevagissey, was charged before MR. E. COODE, jun., of St. Austell, with beating and ill-treating a horse, and the offence being proved, he was fined 5s. and 16s.6d. costs. TRURO POLICE - On Friday last, JAMES COOMBES, of Bristol, labourer, was charged with stealing a shirt, pair of stockings, black neckerchief and other articles, the property of NICHOLAS HODGE, assistant-overseer of the parish of Kea. He was in company with RICHARDS, who, as stated in our last paper, broke into MR. HODGE's house on the 7th of July. He was committed for trial at the next sessions. On Tuesday last, CATHERINE STEPHENS, of Blackwater, (aged seventeen years of age), was apprehended for stealing from the dwelling-house of SARAH HOOPER, in the parish of Kenwyn, a skirt, petticoat, chemise, apron, &c. The robbery was effected by getting into the window of the house in the absence of the inmate. She was committed to take her trial at the ensuing sessions. FALMOUTH POLICE - On the 12th instant, before MR. TICKELL, and MR. CORNISH, a seaman named ANDREAS YUNDERSON, one of the crew of the "Sarah Margaretta," of Norway, was charged with smuggling twenty-eight pounds of tobacco, and pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to a fine of GBP 100, or six months' imprisonment. The fine not being paid, he was sent to prison. JOHN BREWER, summoned CAPTAIN WARREN, for an assault on him; the case was proved and a fine of 5s. with 10s. expenses was inflicted and paid. ACCIDENT - On Thursday evening the 11th instant, as the REV. P. PARSONS, Wesleyan Minister, St. Mawes was returning from his appointment, his horse started at some gipsy tents, near the road, between Trewithian and Tregear. He was thrown off, and his head severely cut. After lying there nearly an hour, he was found and removed to the house of Mr. E. H., HILL, where every kindness was shewn to him. He was afterwards conveyed to his own residence. DEATH OF A LUNATIC - On the 5th instant, an inquest was held at the County Lunatic Asylum, Bodmin, on the body of THOMAS MICHELL, who was found by one of the keepers early in the morning quite dead. He had taken the bed-sheet and fastened it to a square opening over the door, used for ventilation, and placing the other end of the sheet around his neck, he had hanged himself. The man was seen by the keepers between the time he went to bed (about seven o'clock), and the morning, no less than eleven times. The medical superintendent said the deceased had never shown any suicidal disposition, and according to his (the superintendent's) impression, he was one of the most unlikely patients to have committed such an act. The jury considered it to be one of those cases which ordinary vigilance could not have prevented, and that all proper attention had been given. The verdict returned was, "died by hanging, being of unsound mind." CORONERS' INQUESTS - The following inquests have been held before MR. JOHN CARLYON, county coroner: On the 12th inst., at Perranwell, on the body of a new born male child, which was found on the preceding Wednesday by some little boys on Greenwith Common, near Mount Pleasant. It was found wrapped up in a bit of worsted cloth and then placed in a bag and deposited in a conduit, near a hedge on the common. There were no marks of violence about the body, but from the cord not having been tied and other circumstances, considerable suspicions of its having been got rid of in an unfair way were excited. MR. BOYLE, surgeon, who was examined at the inquest, was of opinion that it had never breathed. No suspicion could be formed as to the mother of the child, and the jury returned a verdict of "found dead." On the same day at St. Ewe, on the body of LOUISA ANN COMMON, aged two and a half years, who caught her clothes on fire, on the preceding Tuesday morning, during the temporary absence of her mother, who had left the house only a few minutes, and was so burnt before the fire could be extinguished that she died on the Thursday morning. Verdict, Accidental Death. On Monday the 15th instant, at Skinner's Bottom, in the parish of St. Agnes, on the body of THOMAS SKINNER, mariner, aged twenty-one years. It appeared that deceased and a person called MATTHEW BLIGHT, and two boys, went to bathe on Saturday at Towan Porth, about one o'clock. Matthew Blight was the only one who could swim, and from his evidence it appeared that as he was swimming out to sea, he looked back and saw the deceased in distress; he turned and swam towards him, but the out-haul was so great that he was obliged to give up the attempt to save him, and had enough to do to get ashore. It was survey-day at Tywarnhayle Mine near St. Agnes, and several of the miners rushed to the spot and got down a boat and went out to the assistance of deceased, but he had sunk, and was observed by THOMAS GARLAND, on the cliff, washing in near the shore. Garland immediately stripped and went in and took out the body dead, about half an hour after it had disappeared from the surface of the water. Verdict, accidentally drowned. On the same day, at Truro, on the body of SAMUEL BRYANT, aged twenty-three years. Deceased was an ostler at the Dolphin Inn, and, on Wednesday fortnight, he was drinking there with some German women and another man; they left the house together in the course of the afternoon, and nothing more was seen of Bryant until the following morning, when he and the man with whom he had been drinking were seen up in the loft and were supposed to be sleeping. The strange man then went away, no one being able to tell who he was. Deceased was allowed to remain there, and he continued in the same state until Thursday evening, when he was removed into the Dolphin Inn and put into bed; it was supposed that he was still labouring under the effects of liquor; but, as he continued in the same state until the Friday afternoon, his brother had him removed to his house at Mill-place, near the Mill-pool, and sent for DR. PADDOM, who visited him in the evening, and ascertained from the symptoms, that he had received an injury on the upper part of the spine at the back of his head; and treated him accordingly; but neither the deceased nor any one else could give any account of anything that had happened, and after lingering till the following Thursday, he died. >From the evidence given at the inquest, it would appear that in attempting to get up into the loft, he must have fallen down from the ladder, which was a very dangerous one. The jury returned a verdict of "accidental death," and requested the coroner to see the landlord of the inn, and request him to get a safer means of access to the loft. On Tuesday, at Truro, on the body of THOMAS JENKIN, carpenter, aged sixty-eight, who was following his usual occupation in the morning, and died very suddenly in the afternoon of that day. Verdict, "visitation of God." On the same day at Mylor, on the body of JOHN CORNTHWAITE BOWMAN, aged thirty-seven years, surgeon in the Royal Navy. It appeared that on Monday, the deceased went out shooting, having with him two dogs - a large Newfoundland dog, and a kind of terrier. As some men belonging to Tregew farm were going into the house to dinner, they saw him near, and after they had entered the house, heard the report of a gun. On their going out on the farm after dinner, they found him near a hedge on the farm, lying on his back, a corpse, the two dogs lying by his side, and resisting the approach of any stranger. The gun was lying by his side, and the whole of the right side of his face was so shattered that it was impossible to recognize a feature. It would appear from the evidence of the persons who had examined the spot, that the deceased must have slipped his foot in attempting to get over the hedge, while holding the gun by the barrel in his right hand, and that in putting it down hard on the ground to keep himself up, the concussion must have caused the gun to go off, discharging the whole contents obliquely into his head through the right jaw and cheek. The gun was loaded with small shot, some of which were afterwards extracted from the peak of his cap, which was blown off at the time of the accident. It was a double-barrelled gun, and the left hand barrel, which did not go off, was found to be full cocked; so that it is probable the other barrel had also been full cocked. Verdict, "accidental death." The following inquests have been held before MR. HAMLEY, coroner: At Tintagel, on the body of ANN MARTYN, an old woman. She lived with her daughter and son-in-law, and slept in the same room. On the son getting up in the morning, and not hearing her move, he went to the bed and found her dead. She was quite cold, and was supposed to have been dead some hours. Verdict, died of natural causes. On the 15th instant, at Quethiock, on JOHN WIDGER. He was a mason, and was working in the outhouse of a farm belonging to MR. AIRE, a farmer. Mr. Aire's son went into the outhouse for some purpose, and saw deceased lying on the ground on his face. He got assistance, raised him up, and found he was dead. He had gone up on a ladder into the loft above, and was supposed to have got on some loose straw under which was a hole, through which he must have slipped and fallen on his head. Verdict, accidental death. On the 16th instant, at the parish of St. Columb, on THOMASINE VERCOE, a child 11 months old. The mother, who is a widow, lived in a cottage on the Goss Moor. She took the child to bed with her as usual. A short time after, she thought there was something the matter with her, and before she could call a neighbour, the child was dead. Verdict, died from natural causes. Julia Mosman, OPC for St.Austell,Charlestown, and Treverbyn Website at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~staustell W. Briton newspaper transcripts at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~wbritonad Please visit the OPC website at http://cornwall-opc.org

I trust that 'nine times nine' doesn't mean 81 toasts, does anyone know the significance of it? (In a Cornish-Gen context of course). Possibly an interminable number of 'hurrahs'? It would account for the 'feeling of goodwill' if it was toasts. Also thanks to Julia and transcribers for the information on the death of John Cornthwaite Bowman. Peter -----Original Message----- On the removal of the cloth, the toast of "The Queen" was drunk with nine times nine, the band playing the National Anthem. ....... The meeting was then adjourned, and everyone departed with a feeling of goodwill.]