Below are a selection of events for August 1861 showing what was happening around George Borrow and his family. The Borrows lived in 22 Hereford Square, Brompton, London, from September 1860 until George finally left in the second half of 1874.
The page for the 1861 gives a bit more background and links to pages explaining the sources and other months/years.
This is an on-going effort, and is expected to be updated. David would especially link to thank the wonderful staff at Kensington Local Studies for all of their help in researching this.
| August | ||||||
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 1 | 2 | 3* | ||||
| 4* | 5* | 6 | 7 | 8* | 9 | 10* |
| 11 | 12* | 13* | 14* | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 18 | 19* | 20* | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24* |
| 25 | 26 | 27* | 28 | 29* | 30 | 31* |
3.—The West London Observer understood that Noel House and grounds, corner of Gloucester Road, Kensington, had been purchased by Mr. Cubitt for £30,000, who was intending to build “first-class” houses on it.
3.—Mr. Watson, surgeon dentist, 3 Devonshire Terrace West, Brompton, was advertising his services for all “diseases and irregularities of the teeth” between 10 and 4. Artificial teeth upon moderate terms, established 30 years.
4.—Rev. Robinson, officiating clergyman at St. Stephen’s, Shepherd’s Bush, after an excellent sermon, complained that in monthly collections £8 would be collected from the rented pews, but only £2 from the free pews, and a debt £62 had been incurred so far. He “commented strongly on the illiberality of the ... free side.”
4.—At around 8 p.m. George Smith, a little boy, was seen in Mr. Rubigall’s onion field, Gloucester Road, pulling up four onions. When caught by police constable Buck, he broke down crying. Fined half-a-crown.
5.—Around midnight fire broke out in Mr. Peat’s the bonnet-maker, the Grove, Broadway, Hammersmith. Two omnibus drivers, Benfield and Martin, seeing the fire, broke down the door from the yard to the workshop and worked to extinguish the fire. Neighbours joined in, then the fire engines arrived, and by 2 a.m. the fire was under control. Nobody was injured, but there was great destruction.
8.—Police constable Woodbridge, in St. John’s Road, Notting Hill, in the afternoon, saw Charles Marshall a “little boy, son of a Gentleman” throw two stones at a little boy who was bowling a hoop upon the pavement. There had been many complaints about boys throwing stones in the neighbourhood. Fined 5s.
10.—Chiswick ratepayers in favour of the abolition of church rates were asked to attend the meeting in the School Room when the “annual burthen” of the church rate for the coming year would be set.
12.—Elizabeth Hawkins, 22, Broom Lane, Fulham, daughter of a highly respectable man, was charged with shoplifting a ribbon, 6s., from Mr. Burletson’s shop, 198 King’s Road, Chelsea, on the 6th. Many witnesses (including doctors and ministers) were brought by the defence to show Elizabeth had “an abstraction of mind” and wasn’t responsible for her actions. Discharged but family not to let her go out alone in future.
13.—Robert Burger, a milkman in the employ of Mr. Trigg, Chelsea, was charged with not paying the turnpike toll at Mr. Wiggin’s toll gate (Waltham Green?) He had paid a toll earlier in the day, but later had a different horse on his cart, and a new toll was demanded which he refused to pay. Fined 1s. and 16s. 6d. costs.
14.—The North End, Fulham and West Kensington Philanthropic Society would hold a benefit at Cremorne Gardens when admission would be only 3s., 1s. for the gardens only.
14.—The inquiry into Kensington Workhouse continued. Last week their were numerous allegations included vermin on the sheets, young inmates being shown indecent pictures, prostitution, theft of provisions etc. This week the main allegation was that the matron had attempted to poison the schoolmaster’s wife (Mrs. Bernal). A powder, later proved to be white arsenic, was found on her plate on 6 November 1860.
19.—At Battersea, at 6 p.m., the “Female Blondin”, saluted by 9 guns, started a 2000 feet tightrope walk on a rope suspended over the Thames to Cremorne. She got within 250 feet of Cremorne before having to descend because “some mischievous persons” had interfered with the guy ropes.
19.—George Goddard, aged 15, an African “boy of colour” from Gambia, was charged with stealing books from Mary Edwards, 6 Alexander Terrace, Westbourne Grove. Mary’s brother had brought George from the Gambia a few years ago and he lived with the family. George ignored the trial and said he wanted to return to the Gambia. Two months hard labour then deportation.
20.—The great Fete of the Foresters (freemasons) took place at the Crystal Palace. Attendance figures were not given but they had been increased since 1860 when 67,928 attended. Officers from Shepherds Bush, Chiswick, Hammersmith and Kensington were among those managing the day.
24.—The Grand Russian Cirque regretfully advertised to the gentry and inhabitants of Hammersmith that owing to the large audiences attending in the East End of London, they would now not be visiting Windsor Castle Field until the 2 September.
27.—One of the houses in Richmond Terrace, near Shepherd’s Bush toll-gate, fell down in the evening with a large crash injuring two workmen, one seriously. They had been engaged that afternoon in demolishing the house to make room for the West London Extension Railway.
29.—Thomas Robinson, aged 70, a Wesleyan Minister, 18 Cumberland Terrace, Paddington, was charged with indecently assaulting Sarah Scott, 45, Portland Road, Notting Hill. Sarah wasn’t present having left with the “gentleman who bailed out the prisoner.” Discharged.
31.—There were 1,159 deaths in London this week, as against 1,257 in the previous week. Deaths from diarrhœa were 167, 147 of which were children; cholera claimed 11, typhus 28, and whooping-cough claimed 40 children. There were 2 deaths from sun-stroke.
31.—Edward Nethercleft, bricklayer, plasterer, slater &c., Queen Street, Hammersmith was again reminding the inhabitants that after 20 years of employment with E. Millwood and Son, he’d taken on the business and was desirous of their patronage.