Dickson

Sir David William Smith, 1st Baronet

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The name, signature and reference ‘D.W. Smith’ frequently occurs within Dickson, Archer & Thorp paperwork from the 1820s and 1830s; particularly in relation to transactions involving the Duke of Northumberland (Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke). In a letter, discovered amongst paperwork covering the purchase of premises in Walkergate, Alnwick by the Duke, ‘D.W. Smith’ was referred to as ‘Sir’ and ‘Baronet.’  So, who was D.W. Smith?

David William Smith was the son of Colonel John Smith and his wife, Anne.  Born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, he joined his father’s regiment, 5th Regiment of Foot, as an ensign in 1779.  He married his first wife in 1788 and rejoined his father’s regiment at Detroit in 1790 (at that time, Detroit was still under British rule).  Smith served on the land board in the Hesse District (named after the Hesse region of Germany and subsequently part of Quebec) in 1791 and 1792, was Acting Deputy Surveyor General in 1792 and Surveyor General of Upper Canada in 1798.  He resigned from the army and, in 1792, was elected to the first Parliament of Upper Canada (part of British Canada established in 1791 to govern the central third of the lands in British North America) representing Suffolk and Essex, and went on in 1796 to be elected for the 3rd Riding of Lincoln.  Smith became a Member of the Executive Council of Upper Canada in 1796 and in 1800 was elected to the Legislative Assembly representing Norfolk, Oxford and Middlesex, becoming Speaker from 1796-1801.

An influential and wealthy man, he owned 20,000 acres of land in Ontario, was an established politician, businessman and known to be fair-minded.  He was even the author of the snappy-titled book: “A Short Topographical Description of His Majesty’s Province of Upper Canada in North America to which is annexed a Provincial Gazeteer”!

It would appear he was well-respected, and yet he turned his back on Canada and returned to England in 1802 where he became Land Agent for the Duke of Northumberland and was made a Baronet in 1821. Whether he left Canada due to some political disagreement or his health is unclear, however he did frequently suffer from fever and correspondence within the Dickson, Archer & Thorp collection does often refer to his health. With correspondents wishing him better and, in one letter, describing himself as being “too weak” to become embroiled in lengthy arguments.  These documents were dated between 1827-8, although Smith did not die until 1837.

We would like to thank the volunteer who has kindly cataloged and researched D. W Smith’s correspondence, their blog is a fascinating insight into an engaging character.

James Forster’s Crime

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In the winter of 1855 Messrs. Smith and Appleford were executing a series of contracted works on Alnwick Castle. During the works large quantities of lead went missing and James Forster, a mason working for Messrs. Smith and Appleford, was accused of the crime. He was incriminated by a great quantity of lead found buried in his garden “under suspicious circumstances” by a policeman named P.C Marshall. Following a further search James was also charged with stealing a wedge and piece of zine from his masters.

Alnwick Castle, 1866

James was 54 years old at the time of the theft. He had a wife, Marjory, and two children, Jane aged 19 and William aged 9. James was prosecuted for the theft by Hon. A Liddell and defended by Mr Blackwell. The contractor’s foreman and blacksmith were called to identify the wedge and piece of zine recovered from James’ person, but neither could positively confirm whether these were the missing articles. On this count James was found not guilty. He was then tried for “stealing three stones and a half weight of lead from the roof of Alnwick Castle, the property of his Grace the Duke of Northumberland.” According to newspaper reports “the lead in question was lying on the roof of the Castle, tied up in bundles, and the prisoner was observed by the foreman of the masons to go to one of the bundles and cut off a piece of lead, which he placed in his left jacket pocket.” The foreman immediately reported this to the contractors’ overseer and James’ premises were searched by PC. Marshall that same day. James was sentenced to six months hard labour for this crime.

Alnwick Castle

In 1861, six years after the theft, James and Marjory were residing in Clayport Street with their unmarried daughter Jane (now a dress maker) and Marjory’s mother Jane Spours (aged 80). Jane the elder was listed on the 1861 census as being an Innkeeper from Ellingham. She was also familiar with the law, having been fined in 1857 for keeping her public house open and “selling exciseable liquors during prohibited hours on Sundays.”

Alnwick, 1827

The Forsters had been living in in Clayport Street since at least 1841, where they are listed in the census alongside their four young children:

Martha, then aged 12.

George, then aged 10.

John, then aged 8.

Jane, then aged 6.

Also living in the street in 1841, although not in the same property, was the 60 year old Jane Spours.

Another Forster child, who died in 1841 and most likely before the census, was Robert Spours Forster. He was less than a year old when he became the first Forster to be placed within their family burial plot in Alnwick. In 1849 George Forster, James’ eldest son, also died and was buried in the plot. He was followed in the same year by a third child, Eleanor Forster, who was seven years old. Martha, the Forster’s eldest daughter, became the fourth child to go to the grave young, dying in 1851 aged twenty-two. She was followed by her paternal grandmother, Ann Forster, aged eighty. Finally, in 1863, Jane Spours, the ever-present matriarch, was buried in the plot aged eighty-four.

Having such a large family to feed, and losing so many children in quick succession, may have driven James’ to extreme lengths – including stealing from his own employer. James and Margery’s death dates are not clear, but they were interred in the family plot with their children and mothers.

 

This blog was inspired by a document found within the Dickson, Archer and Thorp papers outlining the crimes of James Forster. We would like to thank the volunteers who have cataloged and researched this piece.

 

William Reavelley and William Weddell, 1764

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Bond for  (illegible) with interest

William Reavelley

             To                   }

William Weddell

   Dated the 4th August

   1764

Know all men by these presents that I William Reavelley of Long Witton in the County of Northumberland Gentleman am held and family bound to William Weddell of Alnwick in the said County Shoemaker in One Hundred Pounds of lawful money of Great Britain to be paid to the said William Weddell or his certain attorney his Executor Administrators or Assigns for which payment well and truly to be made I bind myself  my Heirs Executors and Administrators firmly by these presents Sealed with my seal dated the fourth day of August in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty four.

The condition of the above written obligation is such that if the above bound William Reavelley his Heirs Executors Administrators do and shall well and truly pay or Cause to be paid unto the above named William Weddell his Executors Administrators or Assigns the full sum of fifty pounds of lawful money of Great Britain on the fourth day of February next ensuing of the said obligation with lawful interest for the same then the said Obligation to be void or else to be and remain in full force and virtue.

Sealed and Delivered                                                                William Reveley*

being first legally stamped  }

in the presence of us

George Selby

 Edward Cook

 

* Reavelley is also written as Reveley in the document.

We would like to thank the volunteer who carefully transcribed and researched these documents. This particular item comes from a very rich sub-collection within the larger Dickson, Archer and Thorp collection, giving us a fascinating view of a bygone time.

 

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