Stratford Guild REVIEW of 14 May talk 'Strange Tales from the Salisbury Journal 1769'

There is nothing more enticing than a date as a heading for a dissertation by an historian. The date in this case was not enough to provide an automatic supply of complete information. It needed proper dedicated research by Ruby Moody for her to present a charming talk.

There had been previous news publications in Salisbury, dating back to around 1704 at least, but they had failed. William Collins founded the Salisbury Journal successfully in1729, later taken over by his brother Benjamin Collins and continued by his son Benjamin Charles Collins. It covered agricultural and commercial interests as well as national and international news. More people, especially men, were able to read by then. (As usual this talk was held in what is always known as the Reading Room, in effect the village hall. In those days girls were less well taught and were not expected to read and write fluently, heaven knows why. In many villages there was a reading room, but for men.) In addition to producing his broadsheet newspaper Benjamin Collins wrote books including children’s books and sold them in his shop in Fisherton Street. He also wrote restaurant reviews and sold quack medicines. In this, he was a true entrepreneur.

To give us an appreciation of life in the second half of the 1700s Ruby extracted interesting items from the various issues of the Journal published during 1769. Paper was taxed heavily by the page, hence the broadsheet size. Advertisements helped pay for the printing. Amongst a plethora of adverts there would be some for apprentices. In the 18th century an apprenticeship would be to a master usually for seven years; there would be no pay, he would not be allowed to marry or enter a public house. Occasionally an apprentice would run away and be punished and family fined on his return. We were shown an example of an advertisement seeking information about a runaway apprentice. It was noted that if someone else took the apprentice on there would be a fine. Henry Fielding and Benjamin Franklin advertised in the Salisbury Journal. Scientific discoveries were of great interest at this time. This was, after all, the Age of the Enlightenment.

The collection of news was very different from now. London provided it via the London Gazette but news from abroad had to be collected by visiting the ports, especially Portsmouth and Southampton. Salisbury was very well placed for this. National and international news was only available this way. Newsworthy in this age was of course crime: highwaymen, robbery and theft. Jonathan Bowland robbed the post in Rutland and spent the proceeds on clothes in London. For which crime he was hung. Public hanging was a horribly popular spectacle. Medical men needed to understand anatomy so fresh bodies were stolen from graves in the night. Who was to know? Obviously they had to be fresh. A novelty was the invention of a horseless carriage, servants pedalled hidden in the front. Servants were cheaper than horses. One was advertised to Winchester and back but was a failure. A fire in Wilton destroyed 25 houses. Money was collected to start a fire fighting service, presumably a supply of water on a cart, precursing our emergency service. Mr Collins could print lottery tickets and sell them. People would get together and buy them as a group. A state lottery paid for the British Museum as well as other important buildings. Many of the items reported reflected or anticipated life today but not the story of an old man who hid in a loft for 30 years, until he was 90, to avoid creditors. However a man sold his wife at Wayhill Fair for £20, but there has to be more to that story!

There was some informal discussion with the speaker at the end reflecting the enthusiasm her talk had generated. The chairman thanked Mrs Moody to the applause of the audience.

Charles Villiers