General

The Angel Inn, Alnwick: A History

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This poster, announcing the auction of Alnwick properties, was one of several thousand items belong to an Alnwick firm of solicitors, Dickson, Archer and Thorp, which are now held at the Northumberland Archives. When I first saw the poster I was intrigued and decided to try and discover the history of the inn, as I knew that it no longer existed. Could the Angel Inn have been a coaching inn? If so, it could have an intriguing story.

 

Angel Inn Auction Poster. REF: NRO 11343/B/DAT

Cockfights and Innkeepers

The starting point of my research was a search of local newspapers prior to the date of the auction. Each search took me further back in time, with the earliest being an announcement of lost property in the Newcastle Courant, published on the 22nd October 1726;

 “Lost in Newcastle, or upon the road between that place and Morpeth, last Tuesday afternoon, a sack with three Holland shirts in it, two of them ruffled, the other a plain one, all of them marked in the neck, with the letters ‘J.G.’ whoever brings them to Widdow Greys at the Angel in Alnwick, to Mrs Smith at the post house in Morpeth, or to the printer of this paper, shall be well rewarded for their trouble.”

 This announcement gave me the name of the innkeeper of the Angel Inn, a widowed lady called Grey. Another published issue of the Newcastle Courant, on the 3rd June 1727, confirmed the owner of the Angel Inn to be Mrs Grey when it ran an article about the forthcoming horse races that were due to be held on Alnwick Town Moor. After listing the details of each race it stated that, on the morning of each race day, there would be “cock fighting at Mrs. Margaret Grey’s at the sign of the Angel.” Prize money for each ‘battle’ was to be two guineas [£2 and 10 pence] and forty guineas [£42] for the main battle. Both of these articles, and my later findings, confirmed my thoughts that the Angel Inn was indeed a coaching inn. Margaret Grey died in December 1730 and was buried in St Michael’s churchyard, Alnwick on the 19th December.

After the death of Mrs Grey, the Angel was taken over by a Daniel Craster. The 22nd May 1731 publication of the Newcastle Courant announced details of the horse racing to be held and that entries for the ‘Sheriff’s Plate’ race were to be submitted at ‘Mr. Daniel Craster’s, at the sign of  the Angel, on Thursday 8th Day of July’. Daniel continued to run the inn until late 1734. The Newcastle Courant dated the 22nd November, advertised that the Angel Inn was to be let immediately or from May 1735. The offer was taken up instantly by a Mr. Cooper Wheeler who ran the following announcement in the next issue of the Courant:

“This is to give Notice to all Gentlemen, and Others, traveling to and from North-Britain, that the Angel in Alnwick, a well accustomed Inn, formerly kept by Mr Craister, is not taken by Mr Cooper Wheeler, from the Bull and White Hart in Newcastle upon Tyne, where all Travellers may have suitable Conveniency, and good Usage.”

Cooper Wheeler continued to run the Angel, and hosting cockfights, until his death in July 1745. He was buried at St Michael’s on the 10th July.

After the death of Mr Wheeler, the inn was tenanted by Mr Charles Wilson who continued to provide the same services as previous innkeepers until his own death on the 2nd June 1749. He was buried at St Michael’s on the 4th June. The tenancy of the Angel was taken on by his widow Catherine Wilson, but ended when she died suddenly on the 30th September 1749. She was buried at St Michael’s on the 2nd October.

The next innkeeper of the Angel Inn was a Mr James Robertson who ran several announcements in the Newcastle Courant to inform travellers that he was continuing to provide hospitality and stabling. James was also a ‘surveyor of land’ and ran an announcement in the Newcastle Courant in July 1755:

A         L          N         W        I           C         K

JAMES ROBERTSON, SURVEYOR OF LAND

Having been brought up to that Business, and had much Experience therein, under his Father, and in his own Practice for himself, humbly begs Leave to acquaint all NOBLEMEN, GENTLEMEN &c. who have Lands to survey, lay out, or divide, that they may have such Business carefully and accurately done, and neatly planned, at very moderate Prices.

By their obedient Servant,                                      JAMES ROBERTSON

N.B. The said JAMES ROBERTSON keeps the ANGEL INN, in Alnwick aforesaid, where Noblemen, Gentlemen, &c. who please to make Use of his House, may be assured of good Accomodations

From their obedient Servant.

 As you can see, he also announced that he ‘keeps the Angel Inn in Alnwick’ as well.

Joseph Turnbull

Nothing more has been found on James, but it is known that he was no longer the innkeeper of the Angel Inn by November 1760 as the Courant yet again ran an announcement on the 22nd November to say that a Mr Joseph Turnbull was the new innkeeper. This announcement is shown below.

J    O      S        E       P         H         T          U         R         N         B         U        L          L

Late Servant to the Right Honourable the Earl and Countess of Northumberland;

Having fitted up the ANGEL INN, Alnwick, Northumberland, with new Furniture, &c. begs the Continuance of the former Customers; and all who are pleased to favour the said Inn, may depend upon being accommodated in the genteelest Manner, by

Their most obedient humble servant,

JOS TURNBULL

N.B Neat Four-wheel’d Post-chaifes, able Horses, and careful Drivers, on the least Notice.

As you can see in the announcement, he declares that he was ‘late servant to the Right Honourable Earl and Countess of Northumberland’. This statement was intriguing and after research it was found that Joseph was a noted player of the Northumbrian pipes and in 1756 had been appointed ‘Piper to the Countess of Northumberland’. A portrait of Joseph hangs in Alnwick Castle with a copy held by the Morpeth bagpipe museum. The Newcastle Courant dated the 16th October 1773 also reported that on Wednesday, 6th October 1773, ‘his Grace, the Duke of Northumberland, and Earl Percy, dined along with the Justices for the County of Northumberland, at the Angel Inn in Alnwick, and next day, the Justices, Grand Jury, Gentlemen of the Law, etc., dined at the castle with his Grace.’

In addition to providing hospitality to travellers Joseph carried on with the tradition of hosting cock fights, and announcing these in the Newcastle Courant:

To be  F         O         U         G         H         T          for,

At Mr Joseph Turnbull’s Pit, at the Angel Inn, at Alnwick, on Monday the third of May next; ONE HUNDRED POUNDS, by Stags, four Pounds, two OUNCES the highest.

On Tuesday the fourth of May, ONE HUNDRED POUNDS, by Cocks, four Pounds four Ounces the highest.

On Wednesday the fifth of May, ONE HUNDRED POUNDS, by Cocks, Stags, and Blenkards, four Pounds four Ounces the highest; to weigh and enter on the Saturday before.

On the 9th April 1775, Joseph died as a result of falling off his horse and fracturing his skull. He was buried at St Michael’s on the 12th April, the same day that his newly born daughter, Sarah, was baptised.

It isn’t known who looked after the running of the inn immediately after Joseph’s death, it may have been his widow, Elizabeth. What is known is that the next innkeeper of the Angel was a Mr John Dodd but this appears to have been a temporary appointment as the tenancy of the Angel was offered the following year. A description of the inn appeared in a ‘to let’ announcement in the Newcastle Courant of the 21st September 1776. The inn is described as “consisting of two large dining rooms, fifteen other fire rooms, two exceeding good cellars, a convenient brew-house, and brewing utensils, stabling for above thirty horses, a chaise-house, a garden, and other conveniences.”

In response to the vacancy announcement a local man, Thomas Bell, applied and was granted the tenancy of the Angel. He and his wife, Mary, carried on providing hospitality to travellers until he died on the 12th April 1784. He was laid to rest at St Michael’s on the 15th April. Mary, his widow, continued as innkeeper. By November 1787, a ‘to let’ announcement appeared in the Newcastle Courant for someone to take over the tenancy as from the 12th May 1788. Research has failed to find anything concerning who took over the tenancy in 1788 but an announcement in the Newcastle Courant dated the 5th June 1790 shows “The creditors of Mr Robert Smart ……. are requested to meet at the house of Andrew Henderson, known by the sign of the Angel, in Alnwick.” Mr Henderson may well have taken the tenancy as from May 1788 but research has failed to confirm this. Various announcements in the Courant record that he was still the innkeeper in July 1791.

The next known innkeeper was a Thomas Salkeld but the date when he took over isn’t known. Research has found an announcement in the Courant dated the 14th March 1795, which states that there will be a public auction “at the house of Mr Thomas Salkeld, the Angel Inn, Alnwick.” The Courant carried further announcements in the years to follow showing that Thomas was the Angel’s innkeeper until George Coxon took over in 1805. The Newcastle Courant dated the 6th July of that year announced that he had taken over the Angel Inn “lately occupied by Mr Thomas Salkeld.” The announcement went on to say “that he assures those who may favour him with their support that no endeavour shall be wanting on his part to render the accommodation agreeable.” George Coxon continued to be the licensee of the Angel until Whitsun, 1814 when he took over the nearby Star Inn. He placed an announcement in the 1st June 1814 issue of the London Courier and Evening Gazette in which he thanked clients and friends for their custom whilst he occupied the Angel Inn.

Edward Cummings

An auction announcement in the Tyne Mercury, Northumberland and Durham and Cumberland Gazette, published on the 16th May 1815, tells us the name of the owner of the Angel Inn at this time. He was an Alnwick merchant called James Elder who had earlier been declared bankrupt, hence the sale of his property and goods. The second sale lot was the Angel Inn and the announcement read; “Lot 2nd. All that well frequented inn adjoining Lot 1, called the Angel Inn, now in the occupation of Mr. Edward Cummings, under a lease for seven years from Whitsuntide 1814.” The inn was described as “consisting of three parlours, a kitchen and a bar on the ground floor, with a cellar below part of the same, a dining room, a large pantry, four lodging rooms on the first floor and five lodging rooms on the attic storey. Also a brew house, five stables with hay and corn lofts above, a yard and a large building formerly used as a cock pit and now partly fitted up as a stable.”

Edward Cummings purchased the inn for the sum of £1005. With the purchase he became the owner as well as the innkeeper of the Angel Inn. It is known from the Dickson Archer and Thorp collection that Edward Cummings had borrowed money to effect the purchase, including borrowing £600 by way of a mortgage from a Joseph Nicholson.

A town map of Alnwick by John Wood, published in 1827, clearly shows the location of the Angel Inn, Edward’s new property, on the town’s Fenkle Street. A portion of the map is shown below.

A map showing the location of the Angel Inn, 1827

In addition to the inn, Edward was also one of the proprietors of a coach service known as ‘The Wonder Coach’ which ran between Berwick and Newcastle on a daily basis.

Edward continued to own and run the Angel until his death in June 1838, he was buried in St Michael’s churchyard on the 19th June. William Gibb, one of Edward’s executors and also an agent for Edward’s bank, placed an announcement in the Newcastle Journal on the 21st July 1838 that the Angel Inn was to be let with immediate effect. Applications had to be submitted to Mr Gibb by the 24th July. The successful applicant was George Adcock who previously worked as a cook at the Queen’s Head Inn, Newcastle. George ran the Angel until May 1840. The Newcastle Journal, published on the 7th March, announced that the proprietor of the Angel Inn, Mr John Clark was seeking a new tenant to take over the inn at Whitsuntide.

The cover letter found with Mary Cummings’ Last Will and Testimony (wife of Edward Cummings) REF: NRO 11343/B/DAT

Auctions and Bids

This new tenant was a local man called William Archbold, as confirmed by both the 1841 and 1851 Census records. William continued to run the Angel until his death on the 10th January 1853. He was buried in St Michael’s churchyard on the 12th January. His widow, Elizabeth, continued as innkeeper until a William Elliott took over circa September 1855.

William Elliot was taken to court in March 1856, as the Alnwick Mercury dated 1st April records “William Elliott of the Angel Inn, Alnwick, was fined thirty shillings (£1 – 50 pence) for selling beer in his house before half past 12 o’clock in the forenoon of Sunday, the same not being as refreshment to travellers.” Looking at the 1861 Census, it is found that William was still the innkeeper of the Angel. Intense research has failed to find any further information between 1861 and 1869, it is possible that William Elliott continued as innkeeper of the Angel.

The Alnwick Mercury, published on the 15th May 1869, announced that John White, previous the innkeeper of the nearby Half Moon Inn, had taken over the tenancy of the Angel. In the following month the Angel Inn, the Angel Brewery and two other properties were put up for auction. The auction poster confirmed that John White was the innkeeper of the Angel. The auction was held on the 23rd June at the nearby Star Inn. The successful bidder for both the inn and the brewery was a local man called William Patterson. He paid £605 for the Angel Inn and £555 for the Angel Brewery. Mr Patterson retained John White as the innkeeper. December 1873 saw various newspapers announcing that the Angel Inn and brewery were to be let again and applications were to be submitted to his solicitors, Messrs Dickson of Dickson Archer and Thorp. The successful applicant was the current innkeeper, John White.

Landlords and Landladies

February 1876 saw the Angel Inn and Brewery once more put up for sale. The Alnwick Mercury published on the 12th February announced that both were to be sold by private contract. Offers in writing were to be received by W. & W. Dickson, Solicitors, by the 26th February. The new owner of the Angel was a Ralph Watson of Morpeth. By Whitsuntide, the Angel had a new innkeeper called Mary Ann Ross. She had replaced John White who had moved to the Blue Bell Inn. However, Mary Ann did not stay long, in May 1878, the licence was transferred from her to Charles Crawford, who had been the innkeeper of the Mason’s Arms.

On the 4th October 1879, Charles found himself in front of the Alnwick magistrates, the charge against him was “permitting drunkenness on his licensed premises on Wednesday, 3rd September last.” After hearing the evidence, the magistrates found the case proven and Charles was fined £5 and ordered to pay costs. Orders were also given that his licence should be endorsed.

Ralph Watson, the owner of the Angel, died on the 12th May 1879. His two sons, Ralph and George William Watson were his executors and eventually they put the Angel up for auction once more. The Alnwick Mercury published on the 8th January 1881 carried an announcement that the Angel was to be sold by public auction on the 13th January. The inn was described as “consists of a large bar, two rooms, two kitchens and other conveniences on ground floor, with six good rooms above. Connected therewith is very extensive cellarage and ample stabling.” The successful bidder and new owner of the Angel was George Stott Smart, a master brewer and wines and spirits merchant who had premises on Clayport Street.

By the 12th May 1881, the Angel had yet another change of innkeeper, his name was James Gowenlock and his tenure was for four years. In the 21st March 1885 issue of the Alnwick Mercury, George Smart announced that he was seeking a new innkeeper.

The successful applicant and new innkeeper was John Forster who took over on the 12th May. The first mention of John Forster as the Angel’s licensee was in the Alnwick Mercury dated the 11th July 1885 which reported on a court case against a Thomas Wakenshaw who had refused to leave the Angel when asked to do so by John Forster. It was alleged that Wakenshaw had drunk twenty five glasses of ale. Wakenshaw was found guilty and fined twenty shillings (£1). If he failed to pay his fine he was to serve fourteen days in prison.

Watered Whiskey

It is not known how long John Forster remained at the Angel but at some stage a Robert Wilson became the landlord and remained as such until William Anderson took over. The transfer of licence between Wilson and Anderson was granted by the magistrates on the 3rd August 1889.

The Morpeth Herald newspaper dated the 25th October 1890 revealed that William Anderson had been in front of the Alnwick magistrates on the 18th October. The charge against him was that on the 23rd September 1890, he sold watered down whisky. Reading the report, it would appear that there had been some concerns that this had being going on for some time. The report states ‘William Anderson, innkeeper, Angel Inn, Alnwick, was summoned for selling one pint of whisky which was adulterated with 30.3% underproof of water to Police Superintendent Rutherford’. The report goes on to say that Anderson offered the whisky from a bottle but the superintendent requested that it was to be sold from the barrel. When given the whisky, for which he paid two shillings for (10 pence), Superintendent Rutherford told Anderson that it was going to be sent for analysis. He then divided the whisky into three, one part was given to Anderson, one part retained by Rutherford and the third part was sent to the county analyst. The analysis proved that the whisky had been watered down by 30.7%. The charge was proven with Anderson fined twenty shillings (£1) and ordered to pay costs of ten shillings and sixpence (521/2 pence) and the analyst’s fee, also ten shillings and sixpence. During his appearance in court, Anderson told the magistrates “I have not taken over £3 pound a week, so I cannot do a very big trade. In fact, I am leaving the house through that.”

It would appear that Anderson left the Angel soon after with his replacement being a Robert Anderson. The 1891 Census confirms that Robert was indeed the Angel’s innkeeper as does an entry in the 1894 edition of Kelly’s Directory for Northumberland.

At an unknown date a John Wright became the landlord of the Angel and at the Alnwick Petty Sessions held on the 2nd May 1896, the licence was transferred to a James Armstrong who was described as a miner from Radcliffe.

A Final Chapter

When George Smart, the Angel’s owner, died on the 23rd January 1895 his widow, Jane Ann, became the owner. In addition to the Angel Inn, Jane Ann Smart also owned the Robin Hood Inn which was also on Fenkle Street. In September 1899, she applied to the Alnwick Brewster Sessions for the licences of the Angel Inn and the Robin Hood Inn to be removed and merged into one and to be granted to the premises immediately adjoining the Robin Hood. The reasons that she gave was that she wished to provide a small hotel to cyclists and tourists to Alnwick who could not afford to stay at the better class hotels in Alnwick. Despite objections from a number of people, including the owners of the nearby Nag’s Head Hotel and the Star Hotel, the magistrates granted Jane Ann’s application.

Due to Jane Ann’s plans, the Angel Inn closed its doors for the very last time sometime in 1900 and ended over 200 years as a coaching inn.

 

This piece has been researched and produced by a volunteer working on the Dickson, Archer and Thorp Project. We would like to thank him for his work.

Execution of George Hunter

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Extracted from Morpeth Herald on 1 April 1876.

On the Tuesday morning at 8am George Hunter, a miner aged 23 underwent the extreme penalty of law within the walls of Morpeth Goal in accordance with the sentence of death passed by Baron Bramwell at the last assizes for the county for the murder of William Wood at Dinnington. This was the second execution that has taken place within the walls of the prison in less than 3 months when Richard Charlton, was hung for the murder of his wife on the 23 December 1875. George’s hanging was the second since the introduction of the Act for executions being performed in prisons was passed. The last public execution took place on 17 March 1847 when James Welsh and George Matthews were hanged for murder.

George Hunter and the murder victim William Wood were both miners, the former working at Burradon Colliery and the later Dinnington Colliery. They were on friendly terms at about 2pm on 9 December they together with two other miners called Thomas Arnott and Robert Scouler went on a shooting expedition. Hunter, Arnott and Scouler all had guns, Wood didn’t. Things were friendly all afternoon. At 5pm they went into Carr Gate public house in Dinnington and were later joined by two other men Sampson Mead and Thomas Thorn. The Landlady Mrs Bell served them 7 or 8 pints and when they left they were sober “As far as she could judge”. Apparently Scouler was teetotal and drank no beer. They were all friendly and amused themselves by drawing puzzles.

Shortly after 10pm they left the house and walked along the road towards Dinnington Church. The ground was covered in snow and the deceased threw a snowball at Thorn. The men were met in the road by the schoolmaster George Stoker who had been going around the district obtaining signatures for a petition to the Home Secretary in favour of a reprieve for Charlton who had been condemned to death at the Winter Gaol Delivery for the murder of his wife at Gardeners House near Dinnington. He was in Morpeth Gaol awaiting execution. He asked the men if they would sign his petition and all consented. Mr Stoker left the men and a little further along the road Mead and Thorn parted and went to their homes. Arnott and Scouler walked along the road together with Hunter and Wood a little further behind. Arnott then tells this in his own words “When I got to the school I heard Hunter say if you don’t stop heaving or clotting I’ll fire.” I heard Wood reply “You would not fire Geordie?”. About half a minute after that I heard the gun. Scouler and I stopped and Hunter came up to us and asked me for a powder flask I said “What have you fired at Geordie?” He said “I fired at Willie” I said “You don’t mean to say you have fired at Willie, George?” He said “I have Tom” I said “Have you hit him?” He said “Yes”.

Scouler and I went back along the road and left Hunter standing by the school. Wood was lying on the road between the corner of the road and the churchyard wall. He was lying on his elbows and knees with his face in the snow. A witness Christopher MacDougal, a Mole Catcher of Dinnington was coming out of his house and he heard a man say 2 or 3 times “Take a shot” someone replied “Geordie are you not going to fire” and soon after heard the shot. Mr Allan Walker was sent for and on examining the body found a great many shot wounds in the left shoulder and chest and the cause of death was haemorrhage from wounds. He took 48 shot corns from various parts of Wood’s chest. A policeman was also sent for and apprehended Hunter who was still lying on the road, he had to be lifted up and taken to the Police House and would not speak. The following day he was charged with murder at the Moot Hall he replied to the charge “I cannot mind anything about it”.

At the trial Mr Blackwell defending Hunter endeavoured to show that the gun might have gone off accidentally and Hunter was entitled to acquittal. Mr Bramwell in summing up pointed out that according to Hunter’s own statement the gun was intentionally fired at Wood without provocation and said “How are the jury to deal with the evidence they have heard and find a verdict in favour of the prisoner? I do not know”. The judge further said “It was a sad thing to think that a man for a momentary act, bitterly repented of perhaps ever since should be in danger of undergoing a very severe punishment. It was necessary that a person who possibility was in no danger of repeating an offence of this sort should be punished in order that his punishment might deter others.”

The jury was out for 45 minutes and returned the verdict of guilty with a recommendation of mercy on account of his previous good character and also in consequence of the slight provocation he received (snow thrown at him). We wish to strongly recommend mercy. The judge passed the sentence of death in the usual terms, but would forward the recommendation of the jury and the notes to the Home Secretary. The prisoner was taken immediately to Morpeth Goal in the charge of the Governor Mr Wookey. In the meantime the reports were sent to the Home Secretary and it is understood these reports were very unfavourable as regards to Hunter’s previous character. It was shown that he had twice previously shot at people and only days before he shot Wood had a quarrel with another man and threatened to shot him if he had a gun. The Home Secretary armed with this information saw no reason to allow mercy.

Preparations for his execution began and even Hunter assumed he would be spared the death penalty until he was told otherwise on the Sunday evening. Hunter was attended night and day in the condemned cell by a warder, but from the Sunday evening an additional one was in place with him. He was visited by his parents and two brothers a brother in law, an uncle and aunt and 4 cousins. The visit did not last long and few words were spoken the final leave taking was deeply affecting to all. To the unhappy man himself, it was extremely painful for unlike Charlton who was executed in Morpeth goal and who was fully prepared to die and wished for the hour of his release Hunter clung to life. Marwood the executioner arrived ta Morpeth Station on Monday evening at 6.15pm. He was met by Mr Wookey and was taken to the gaol without having attracted much attention either at the station or the prison gates.

On Monday night Hunter sought his pillow for the last time and slept well. He rose soon after 6am and dressed himself in the clothes he wore for his trial. He appeared in low sprits. He could not face his breakfast other than he did partake of a little tea. Outside the weather was very wet and changed to snow and sleet soon after 7.00am. At 7.45am the prison bell began to toll to let all know that there was 15 minutes life left for the doomed man. At 7.50am Hunter was taken from the chapel to a dark cell where the body of the prisoner was demanded for execution. Marwood then placed the main strap round the body of Hunter and attached small straps round his arms and wrists all the time the prisoner had his eyes fixed on the floor and was holding a small pocket handkerchief in his left hand. At about 6 or 7 minutes to 8 he was moved in the direction of the scaffold. Hunter seemed weak and down in sprits as he took his last walk and shed no tears. In height he appeared about 5ft 7”, medium build, respectful looking with a dark complexion, dark whiskers and small black moustache. Marwood placed Hunter under the fatal beam. No words were spoken. Marwood with skill which only experience in such a dreadful calling can bestow strapped the legs of the victim and drew the white cap over the face and adjusted the rope carefully whilst the rector read the service in a low voice. Once ready the lever was pulled and the two doors fell with a clanging sound. As Hunters body went down it gave two or three movements and soon was over. At two minutes to 8 the black flag was hoisted on the court house to inform the public the deed had been done. The prison bell tolled till 8.15am. At 9 am the body was cut down and examined by the surgeon and placed in a coffin and on the breast plate of the coffin were the words:-
George Hunter
Died March 28th 1876
Aged 23 years

No reporters were admitted. There was a rumour that the execution was bungled and the condemned man suffered more than generally was the case and that one person fainted. Whether this was true we will not know. We have been given to understand that Marwood experienced some difficulty in adjusting the rope, due to the way Hunter kept his chin down. Another report states that Hunter shouted “Murder” three times. The body of the prisoner was interred in the north east side of the prison near where the remains of Charlton were buried, the coffins placed end to end.

The Meeting, Marriage and Parting of Ways – “All bigamies are heartless”

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Whilst trawling through newspaper articles for references to William Procter the younger and his future wife Isabella Young Gilchrist to include in our recent blog we uncovered a national scandal involving the Gilchrist family, bigamy, adultery and divorce. This research shaped our second blog in the “The Meeting, Marriage and Parting of Ways” series, which uses the Dickson, Archer and Thorp papers to open up and explore the intimate relationships of nineteenth century Northumbrians.

 

A solicitor’s handwritten instructions placed on the front cover of a marriage settlement between Isabella Gilchrist and the Rev William Procter (subjects of our previous blog.) REF: NRO 11343/B/DAT

 

A National Scandal

The scandal which awarded the Gilchrist family national notoriety related to the bigamous marriage of Isabella’s younger sister, Georgina, and a Mr William Henry Stainthorpe. William Henry was born to John and Mary Stainthorpe and christened in Hexham on the 15th September 1839. Like his father before him William Henry pursued a legal career, eventually becoming a solicitor. Georgina, sometimes referred to as Georgine in contemporary documents, was the daughter of Thomas and Margaret Gilchrist. Her father had been the Town Clerk for Berwick Upon Tweed and, having been born in 1841, she was the youngest of six daughters.

It is likely that William Henry and Georgina were first introduced whilst William was serving his articles in Berwick Upon Tweed, under the instruction of a Mr Sanderson, in the late 1850s. It is also likely that William Henry was known to Georgina’s older brother Thomas Gilchrist, who was also operating as a solicitor in Northumberland at the time.

Youthful Love

From the very start the young couple experienced opposition to their relationship. Georgina’s mother was initially against the courtship as she believed her daughter was too young to be engaged. But only a few years later on the 3rd December 1862, when Georgina was of age, the couple defied their families and married at St Clement Danes in London. Georgina’s sister, Isabella Young Gilchrist, witnessed the ceremony and subsequently testified to the legitimacy of the marriage in front of a Liverpudlian court.

A “Two-Wife” Man

Following the ceremony at St Clement Danes the couple lived together in London until October 1863 when Georgina fell pregnant and returned to her mother in Berwick Upon Tweed. Whilst retrospectively reporting on the scandal The Berwick Journal noted that the move was not caused by;

“any disagreement or any apparent want of affection, but his inability to support her; and she herself thought it would be better for her to live with her mother until such times he should be in a position to take her to his house.”

Their daughter, Mary Harriet Georgina Stainthorpe, was born on the 27th February 1864. Georgina noted in her divorce documents that she heard less and less from her husband upon her return to Berwick and, following the birth of their daughter, their communication ceased altogether. At the same time, according to subsequent news reports, William Henry had made the acquaintance of Mary Louisa Allin whilst working in Plymouth. He wrote letters to Miss Allin and her mother informing them of his intention to court, and subsequently marry, Mary. In these letters he made no reference to, or disclosed, his actual marital status.

In 1867 William Henry moved to Liverpool to take up the position of managing clerk in a solicitors firm. He then returned to Plymouth to bigamously make Mary his wife on the 20th April 1867 at Charles’ Church. The newly married couple then moved to Liverpool and set up home in no. 34 Egerton Street. William Henry had now completely deserted his first wife with a new baby and no money, but his lies were about to catch him out…

Lies in Court

Towards the end of 1867 Dr Clay, husband to one of Georgina’s sisters, was also living in Plymouth. He had heard about Mary Allin’s recent marriage through his friend Captain Julian. The Captain was married to Mary’s sister and both men became suspicious when they realised a series of similarities between their respective brother-in-law’s. Both men shared the same name, had the same occupation and appeared to match the same description. The suspicious men therefore took a letter, signed by William Henry, and compared it to his signature in the London marriage register.

Upon finding a likeness between the handwriting the men raised the alarm and both wives were instantly informed of the truth. William Henry was taken into custody to stand before a Liverpudlian court charged with bigamy. During the court case a Mr Cobb provided the defence, whilst Mr Samuel appeared for the prosecution.

The case was great fodder for the local and national press. Court reporters described William Henry as being;

“fashionably attired; … about 26 or 27 years of age, and a person of good appearance and address. He seemed greatly agitated, and was evidently affected at the degrading position in which he was placed.”

Mrs Isabella Proctor, previously Young Gilchrist, was sworn as a key witness in court. She attested to a number of damning claims against William Henry, thus proving his infidelity;

“It was there (Berwick-Upon-Tweed – her hometown) I became acquainted with the prisoner. I think it was the winter of 1860. To the best of my knowledge it was at Berwick-on-Tweed that he became acquainted with my sister. Between that time and the spring of 1860 he was introduced to our family, and visited at my mother’s house. It was about that time that he became engaged to my sister. She was twenty years of age at the time. In 1862 I received an invitation from my mother to go to Ashford, near Windsor, to London, to be present at the marriage of my sister… She was married to the prisoner on the 3rd December 1862 at St Clement Dane. I signed the register as one of the witnesses. My sister is still alive. I saw her yesterday morning. She is residing in Berwick-on-Tweed with my mother. She has a child living with her…. I always heard my sister speak in strong terms of affection for her husband.”

Several further witnesses were also called to stand alongside Isabella; including the policeman and detective who had arrested William Henry, a Berwick-based vicar and Captain Julian.  Mr Cobb tried to argue that the first marriage had ended in mutual separation, and that his client knew nothing of little Mary’s birth or the witnesses stood before him. Yet the prosecution sarcastically remarked that “he cared to know nothing at all about it.”

William was refused bail and the judge remarked that it was a “very heartless case.” He was subsequently sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for his crime.

Divorce and Forgiveness

In light of the scandal Georgina chose to pursue a divorce. To receive a divorce Victorian women had to provide a reason; with bigamy and adultery widely accepted as grounds for separation. But reason alone was not enough, as proof also had to be submitted before the court. This was often off-putting for women who did not wish their personal business to become public scandal. But Georgina’s marriage, and her husband’s indiscretions, had already become national news and she had the evidence of a court case to promote her argument. Thus, following the case, Georgina delivered a divorce petition to the courts providing both adultery and bigamy as her reasoning. She also requested to maintain sole custody over their child. Her petition and request was granted by the court at the end of 1867.

It would have been understandable for Mary Louisa to have also walked away from her relationship with William Henry. Being his second “wife” the marriage was never legally binding. But she stayed with him and, following his release from gaol, she re-married him on September 28th 1869 in Kentish Town.

The Stainthorpe’s moved back to Northumberland, and in 1871 can be found living in William’s home town of Hexham. During this period William is listed as a solicitor awaiting a position or, in layman’s terms, unemployed. In September 1872 the couple had a son, Percival John, in the parish of Tynemouth but the child died less than a year later. What happened to the couple after this is a mystery, but we do know that William’s first child, Mary, chose to retain his surname before marrying in 1891.

 

We would like to thank our volunteers who have tirelessly worked to transcribe the original marriage settlements found within the Dickson, Archer and Thorp Collection.

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