Some Newspaper articles about Longtown and its people
From the Carlisle Journal (CJ) and the Carlisle Patriot (CP) newspapers
1848 - 1850
February 5th 1848 CP
Mr G Blaylock of Irthington, late sergeant of her Majesty’s Regiment, was elected master of the Longtown Union Workhouse on Monday last, in the room of Mr Routledge, deceased.
December 16th 1848 CP
Ball at Longtown
On Thursday night last a numerously and respectably attended ball came off at the Grahams Arms Inn, Longtown at which many of our townspeople were present. Mr Orre conducted an excellent quadrille band and dancing was kept up with greatest spirit till an early hour next morning. Altogether the entertainment went off with considerable éclat.
March 31st 1849 CP
Fire at Rosetrees
A very destructive fire took place at Rosetrees in the parish of Kirkandrews on Esk on Tuesday morning, about nine o’clock. The dwelling house and dairy (a thatch building) belonging to Mr Edward Gibbons, farmer, was totally destroyed in a very short space of time: the flames spread so rapidly and everything was so dry after the long draught that it was almost impossible to save any portion of the furniture; indeed the part that was saved was literally torn out and considerably damaged... Mr Gibbons is a brother of Mr Fergus Gibbons, grocer, in the Green market, Carlisle.
September 22nd 1849 CP
A Gratifying Circumstance
Mr Plenderleath, the registrar of Longtown, informs us that within the whole of his district, containing between 7000 and 8000 inhabitants, not a single death has occurred during the past 15 days.
January 12th 1850 CP
Longtown Ball
This annual reunion was held at Wednesday last at the Graham’s Arms, Longtown, and was numerously and respectably attended. An attractive programme, a good band and an excellent supper completed the pleasures of the evening, and if any were there without enjoying themselves, it was nobody’s fault but their own.
January 12th 1850 CP
The Rev Wm Graham of Arthuret, in addition to his daily and hourly gifts of charity, has distributed 11 tons of coals to the labourers of Longtown, who are out of employment on account of the inclement season of the year.
February 2nd 1850 CP
Netherby Rent Audit
On Tuesday last, on the occasion of the half-yearly rent audit, Sir James Graham entertained about eighty of his tenants at the Grahams Arms, Longtown. The Right Hon Baronet presided and Mr Brown, the steward, occupied the vice chair, Capt. Graham RN, the Rev W Graham and Mr F Graham, Sir James’s son, were also present. There was the usual Old English hospitality, and Sir James was very affable and in buoyant spirits...
He met his tenants with pleasure; it was indeed a duty where an adverse cloud seemed to hang over agriculture. He could not but remember that in 1822, when the management of the estate devolved upon him, that then, as now, there were complaints, not only of low prices, but heavy local burthens. Matters soon righted, and doubtless would do the same now: at all events, all the rates were much reduced and habits of economy had grown up. None of his tenants had made an application to him for a reduction of rent. In saying this, he must not be understood as having, from that fact, drawn an inference that his tenants were prosperous, all he meant was, they had taken a view of the present state of agricultural prices similar to his own - that they were under a cloud which would only be of a temporary duration, and that they had the reliance upon him that when the proper time arrived, he would meet them in a state of equity...(account of the present state of agriculture)
With regard to the question of rents and to the system of making per centage reductions, he held it to be bad in principle. It was destructive of the independence of the tenant, and placed the good and bad farmer on the same footing, and in fact operated as an inducement to indolence. He would rather wait the result of the present measure, and if the effect should be to reduce prices permanently, it would then become the duty of landlords to meet their tenants in a spirit of fairness, and make such a readjustment of contracts as would be just towards all. He had not asked for increased rents in 1847, when prices far exceeded ordinary calculations, and the tenants had shown equal forbearance towards him...
February 16th 1850 CP
Gig Accident and Persevering Resolution
On Tuesday last Mr Ellwood Brockbank, timber merchant of this city and Mr J Bell, auctioneer, were driving out to attend an extensive sale of timber, the property of Sir James Graham, in the woods of Netherby, and as they were proceeding along the road, a little beyond Longtown, the horse suddenly fell to the ground as if dead, when the two gentlemen were with great violence pitched out of the gig. Mr Brockbank escaped unhurt; not so with Mr Bell, for he had his left shoulder dislocated and received various minor bruises. Fortunately Mr Gibbons of Burnfoot, one of Sir James’s farmers, and other parties who were on their way to the sale, came up at this moment, and rendered assistance. Mr Bell was placed in another conveyance, and driven back to Longtown, suffering great pain.
Some time elapsed before surgical aid could be obtained. At length Mr Rome, surgeon, arrived, and he very skilfully reduced the dislocated joint. Mr Bell, in a moment, forgot his agony; he at once exclaimed “All is now right, I am now able to attend the sale”... they then drove off to the Inch farm, where intending purchasers were anxiously awaiting their arrival, and about half past one, the melodious sound of “Draw up, draw up!” echoed through the woods, and Mr Bell opened the sale with a short apology for the detention caused, and commenced his work as if nothing had happened to him.
February 6th 1850 CP
Births
At Peth near Longtown on the 11th inst, Mary, the wife of Charles Irving, ploughman to Sir James Graham Bart, of three daughters which along with their mother are all doing very well.
May 4th 1850 CP
A Prolific Cow
At Longtown on Tuesday last, a cow belonging to Mr Geo Elliot of the above place, at three births produced six calves, being two each birth in succession. The whole are living viz 5 heifers and 1 bull, which must be considered an extraordinary circumstance by breeders of cattle.
May 25th 1850 CP
New Post Office
We understand that a new post office has just been established at Miss Graham’s, Westlinton, on the Longtown Road. This is a great convenience to the persons residing in that neighbourhood, and they are indebted for the boon, we believe, to the influence and kind offices of J Teather Esq of Alstonby.
June 1st 1850 CP
Longtown Sports
These sports came off on the Race Course on Thursday the 23rd ult. Handbills had been widely circulated throughout Cumberland, the borders of Dumfriesshire and Roxburgh, intimating that various sums of money would be awarded to wrestlers, foot racing, the high leap, hound race, sack race and various other sports. The day was favourable except towards the evening, when the hound race came off, the company had to put up with a heavy shower of rain, which did not in the least dismay the company. It was calculated by competent judges that there would be at least 6000 on the ground.
The sports commenced with wrestling; there were 64 entries for the prize, which was won by John Irving of Brunstock, late of Carlisle; John Ivison came second and W Carruthers of the Nook and Thomas Waters of Walton Mill were the two thirds.
Sir James Graham Bart and son, soon after the commencement of the wrestling, entered the ground and remained till nearly the close of the sports, apparently taking great interest in them. Sir James was so satisfied with the wrestling that he handed in a sovereign to be divided betwixt Ivison, the second, and the two thirds, Carruthers and Waters; his son also contributed liberally to the fund. The wrestling was of a very superior style, as the dons of Carlisle were present to contend against the borderers. The best of order was kept.
High Leap 4ft 10 ins
Wm Carruthers 1
Walter Palmer 2
R Little, Newcastleton 3
John Palmer 0
R McAllister 0
J Tinning 0
Dog Race
George Hope, Coathill, Rattler 1
Isaac Thomlinson’s Tippler 2
Wm Routledge’s Royal 3
Mr Wightman’s Carless 4
Sack Race
John Palmer, Peters Crook 1
John Graham, Longtown 2
A Barnes, Oulton 3
J Ragin 4
Race by young girls for a gown piece. Only one competitor from the border - No Go.
Foot Race
Richard Wright 1
James Mc Donald 2
James Huggan 3
John McAdam 4
Edward Donaldson 0
Thomas Irving 0
At the close of the sports, Mr Robert Wright, the sole getter-up of the sports, was chaired from the ground into the town, and was attended by a large concourse of persons. Umpires for the wrestling, Mr W Kirkup, Carlisle, Mr Walker and Mr R Forster, Longtown.
July 27th 1850 CP
The Electric Light - Public Exhibition
(After a lecture to the Carlisle Athenaeum by Mr Staite)
On Wednesday night, by permission of the Dean, Mr Staite publicly exhibited his light from the turret of the Cathedral Tower, an elevation of 160 feet. The batteries were placed at the western entrance to the transept, and the wires were carried to the apparatus on the outside of the tower. The turret was found in practice to be a most inconvenient place. It was not possible to elevate the apparatus as to stand clear of the stone work, and the iron work of the vane staff presented serious obstructions, and prevented the employment of the parabolic reflector as to throw the light in proper force upon surrounding objects. The day, too, was an exceedingly wet one, up to a late hour in the evening... (Thousands of people congregated in the streets to see Mr Staite’s light come on at 10 o’clock, and it could be seen as far away as Kirklinton Church, where a party with the Rev Bell viewed it from the steeple).
October 26th 1850 CP
Brackenhill Coursing
On Tuesday last the tenants of Perry Standish Esq were treated to a day’s excellent coursing on that gentleman’s extensive estates in the neighbourhood of Brackenhill Tower... a sharp hoar frost had crystallised the whole face of nature, but this effect was soon dissipated by the warm influence of the sun which acted beneficially on the ground and rendered it peculiarly favourable to the running of the greyhounds.
The party drew up at the dog-kennels of “Dennis” the keeper, about three miles distant from the tower. Here the hounds were entered to the number of twenty, and a small stake fixed upon to preserve order in the fields. In the first field several hares were started and by the time the party reached its extremity, three courses had been run. Most of the greyhounds were in excellent condition, but the hares, though they were very plentiful, did not appear to be in good condition for running, as generally speaking they became easy prey to their pursuers...
So many hares were caught that it became a burthensome task to carry them over the fields, and one of the party was requested to lighten his labours by leaving them at the house of Mr Jardine of Halburn... Shortly after the dead quarry had been deposited at the farm, four youths from Longtown called upon Mr Jardine, stating that they had been paid 6d each to take the hares to Brackenhill. The unsuspecting farmer gave up the game, and was rather astonished to find that he had been “done” when the rightful owner sent to demand his own. As soon as the trick was discovered, the man who had had charge of the hares proceeded to Longtown and in the course of the evening returned to the tower with seven out of eight of them, where the young thieves had turned them into cash. The lads are supposed to be well known, but in consideration of it being Mr Standish’s wedding day, they were not prosecuted...
December 14th 1850 CP
The Arthuret and Kirkandrews Friendly Society, which was established in the year 1783, was under the necessity (owing to the late Act of Parliament prohibiting Savings Banks holding funds of Societies not incorporated or enrolled in the terms of the Act) by a large majority of its members, 59, it was agreed to break up the society and divide its funds, each member of three years standing and upwards receiving £3 15s, which amount was paid over to each by their President, the Rev Wm Graham, rector of Arthuret.
Their worthy president presented each member with a ticket to dine at his expense at Mr Forster’s, the Bush Inn, Longtown. Mr Tinning of Chapeltown acted as chairman at the dinner. It may be worthy of remark that Robert Graham of Oakshawhill was the only member living who entered at the commencement of the club. He is now in his 95th year.
