16 August 2014

Amazing what you find.....

Yesterday I had a trip to the new sorting/delivery office in Cambridge (yes, I know, it's a rock and roll life). Said office has now moved to the other side of the city, on the old Cattle Market site, so it's now only one bus ride for me but I had forgotten how far it was from Cherry Hinton Road to the back of the site (virtually on the railway line) where the office now is.....!

However, it was worth it for the item which awaited me (once they'd found it) and the surprise package (scuse the pun) which I found on the wall:


More soon.

5 August 2014

A felon in the family.....?

Ah, those newspapers...... the Stamford Mercury from 30th November 1835 suggests a rather unpleasant character on the outskirts of the Culpin family.  I haven't yet discovered if he was caught!

FELONY - TEN POUNDS REWARD

WILLIAM CULPIN, labourer, is charged upon oath with ROBBERY and brutal ATTEMPT to MURDER.  He was born at Warmington, near Oundle, is about 5 feet 4 inches high, 22 years of age, rather stout and robust, a bad walker, knees rather bent, toes turned out, keen eye, prominent cheek-bones, flat nose with expanded nostrils, wide mouth, upper lip rather turned up, hair with a curl of two at the temples, hoarse voice, and a peculiar twirling of certain muscles of the face when eating or talking.  Had on light cotton cord smallclothes, drab gaiters (the bottom button mostly undone), blue and white shirt.


Any person apprehending the said William Culpin, lodging him in any of his Majesty's gaols, and giving notice thereof to Mr Bristow, constable, Peterborough, shall receive the above reward.

More soon.