Welcome to another issue of The Newport Cornucopia where we dig through the newspapers archives for interesting news articles and adverts. All articles are posted verbatim and most headlines are original (headlines in quotes are my own).
On "Malpas Court" and its Surroundings
A Trip to Chinatown
A Trip to Chinatown was a popular musical comedy which once held the record for the longest-running Broadway musical in history after 657 shows from November 1891 to August 1893. According to the advert for the show at the Lyceum it featured 'three hours incessant laughter'.
Newport Gas Light
To the Editor of the Monmouthshire Merlin.
Sir,—Will you be kind enough to allow me to enquire of the proprietor of the Gas Works, through the medium of your very valuable journal, when he intends giving us a better light. I am not a very good writer by the best light, but I have had letters lately brought me of my own to read, and I have found much difficulty in deciphering them and I cannot attribute it to any other reason than the badness of the gas.
I am, Mr. Editor, your obedient servant,
Newport, Dec. 26, 1839.
A NORMAN.
— Monmouthshire Merlin, 28th December, 1839
'A Complaint About Late Delivery of the Monmouthshire Merlin'
To the Editor of the Monmouthshire Merlin.
Sir,—I have been a reader of the Monmouthshire Merlin, from No. 1, to No. 555, and would wish to continue one, but unless you can give us an earlier delivery next year, than we have had during the one now closing, I shall decline taking it.
During the early days of its publication, before your Monmouth contemporary appeared as a blue light in our county—or a Guardian came to take care of the Conservatives—or you were aware what unceasing activity would be called into action by the times—the Merlin made its appearance in our town always before Saturday noon.
We are now seldom favoured with its perusal earlier than four in the afternoon,—sometimes six in the evening and last Saturday's paper was not delivered before Monday.
I feel exceedingly mortified that our County Paper, possessing so much talent in its literary, should be so lamentably deficient in its publishing department. I have a right to attribute blame to any person, but with whosoever it may lie, pray let us have an early delivery. Let the Merlin be a breakfast companion in every Abergavenny family, during the ensuing year—and if, before the end of it, you do not find the sale greater than it is at present, then blame...
Abergavenny. Dec. 26.
A CONSTANT READER.
A Response from the Merlin
[Last Saturday morning, our carrier left his papers for the Abergavenny Mail, at the Beaufort Arms Hotel. Ragland, at eleven o'clock ;—upon investigation we learn that the parties neglected to send them forward — We thank "A Constant Reader," and assure him that, after the 4th of January, we shall return his kind wishes by letting him have the Merlin with his toast at breakfast, every Saturday morning.]
— Monmouthshire Merlin, 28th December, 1839
'Mayor Recommends Man Becomes Teetotaller'
Peter Lee was charged with being drunk and disorderly in the streets; also with committing a great deal of damage in the station-house when locked up there for the night. The Mayor recommended prisoner to become a teetotaller, and that would save such scrapes as the present.
Men sit down to drink a pint of ale without any intention of getting drunk, but when they finish the pint they fancy another, and that introduces a quart, and so they become intoxicated and mad.
Such men must be either teetotallers or drunkards, and he would far prefer to see them the former. The prisoner was convicted in £1. penally and costs.
— Monmouthshire Merlin, 11th June, 1842
'Stealing a Cask'
David Thomas was charged by William Ball with stealing a cask from his premises in Cross-street, on Monday night last. It appeared by the evidence of Mr. Ball, who is a painter and glazier, that about a quarter past eleven o'clock on the night laid, he was in the street, nearly opposite his yard, when he observed the prisoner rolling a cask out into the street, and taking it into a piece of waste ground opposite when he went up and charged him with the theft, when prisoner ran off and made his escape. He was apprehended next day. Prisoner, in his defence, said that he was drunk at the lime. Committed for trial.
— Monmouthshire Merlin, 11th June, 1842
Bathing in the Canal
Stevens, a boy, was charged with bathing in the canal near the town. The boy admitted the charge. The Mayor said that this is an offence of common occurrence at this period of the year, numbers of persons being in the habit of bathing in the canal, in the immediate vicinity of the town.
It is a scandalous custom, and must be put an end to.
He would not punish the defendant on this occasion, although it was in the power of the magistrates to inflict a very serious punishment; but he hoped this public warning would be sufficient to deter other persons from offending in a like manner. The prisoner I was dismissed but the Mayor wished it to be understood, that any person brought up on a similar charge, would not be dealt I with so leniently.
— Monmouthshire Merlin, 11th June, 1842
'Mayor Gives Vagrant Shilling to Leave Town, Vagrant Spends it in the Pub'
James Price was next placed at the bar, charged with vagrancy. The prisoner was a wretched and loathsome-looking being, upwards of 72 years of age, presenting a painful instance of the misery, the suffering, and the degradation which await on idleness, improvidence, and profligacy.
The Mayor stated that within a few days he had given the prisoner a shilling, to enable him to leave the town and go to Bristol, of which place he was a native. Instead of doing so, however, he went immediately to a public-house, and got drunk on the only shilling he had in the world.
His Worship, at the time, was not aware of the character of the prisoner, but he had been since informed, by a gentleman who knew him well, that he was a hopeless and incorrigible old profligate his feeble and emaciated condition alone prevented him from sending him to the treadmill. He was therefore dismissed for the present, but his Worship gave directions to the officers to take him into custody if he did not instantly quit the town.
— Monmouthshire Merlin, 11th June, 1842
Unjust and Unstamped Weights
Charles Kerslake, of High-street, Pill, was charged with having in his shop four unjust weights. The Deputy Town Clerk appeared for the prosecution. Inspector Jones proved the case. Fined 5s including costs.
James Hockey, charged with having nine unjust weights in his possession. Fined 5s including costs.
Sarah Exton, a greengrocer, whose cart the inspector stopped in the street, was charged with having in her possession three unjust weights. Fined 5s including costs.
— Monmouthshire Merlin, 5th July, 1878
'Land and Property For Sale in Saint Brides'
Published in the Monmouthshire Merlin in 1842 was an advert for a 319 acres of land along with some buildings. 14 lots in total are advertised many of which are meadows and pasture land. It mentions occupiers of the land along with names of the fields many of which are in Welsh. 12 of the lots are also subject to 'trifling chief rents'.
Two of the properties mentioned in the advert are still there today and described below.
Saint Brides Great House
The first lot was for the 'capital mansion' called the Saint Brides Great House. The house is still there today and is called Ty Mawr Farm.
The location of the 'Great House' on Lighthouse Road. Today it's called Ty Mawr Farm.
The May Pole
Lot 6 was listed as an 'old-established and well-frequented public House called the May Pole'.
A beer house is shown on the tithe map from around the time and the occupier is a David Turberville so is likely to be the pub mentioned.
The house is in the same location as on the tithe map and the sign on the house says 'Church House Inn' so likely to have once been the May Pole mentioned in the advert.
It also mentions a new chapel which is now a house although the tiny graveyard still exists today.
Newport Riots — Reward
An advert from the Monmouthshire Merlin for a reward for two people involved in the Chartist Riots. The reward of £10 per person equates to around £880 in today's money.
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