Welsh Journals

Dec. 2, 1896. BYE-GONES. 479 Army, who occupied important positions in our great Indian Empire, and to whose memory an imposing statue is erected in the city of Madras. The late Mr Conway had had many remarkable experiences, in his long and varied life, and hum¬ orous and interesting was his relation of many of these. Possessing a keen sense of humour, and a vivid power of portrayal, his conversation was most enjoyable, and at the same time instructive, especially as his wit never descended to sarcasm or satire, his broad Christian charity being more marked even than his other brilliant attainments. He wag first introduced to Church Stretton by his many years' friend the late Colonel Smythe of Trysull, who was much attached to the place. [This was many years ago, but finding the purity of the air peculiarly beneficial to his health, he finally took up his residence here. He was in those days in the habit of taking long pedestrian excursions, round and about this interesting and beautiful neighbourhood, and his name became a household word for a radius of many miles, not only in the houses of the county gentry, but in the farmhouses and cottages scattered about the hills and valleys of the Shropshire Highlands. For some time these walks have had to be abandoned, but tlhey were replaced by equally long drives in all weathers. Even so lately as within a fortnight of his death the familiar carriage with its majestic occupant was seen rolling slowly along the road near Church Stretton. During last and preceding winters, his charity to the poor in supplying coal, food, and clothing, was unbounded. Many are the widows and helpless aged ones, whose homes (have been kept over their heads because "Mr Conway pays the rent," and more than one struggling and well-nigh fallen tradesman or agri¬ culturist has been set on his feet by the noble aid of this broad-minded Christian gentleman, and many a burden in the form of a doctor's bill has been removed by the same generous hand of him who knew and appreciated the proverbial forbear¬ ance of the country doctor. Most of his liberality was dispensed in so quiet and unostentatious a manner, that much doubtless was known only to himself and the recipient of his generosity. In politics the deceased was a Liberal, and supported the Irish policy of Mr Gladstone, to whom he bore a striking physical resemblance; but differ¬ ences in politics and religion were unknown quan¬ tities to him, when a good deed was to be done. In fact he looked on himself as simply the steward of his possessions. The funeral took place at the Church Stretton Cemetery, on November 16th, and was the first conducted here under the Burials Act. The offici¬ ating minister was the Rev J. Rhys-Lewis (Con¬ gregational) who for some years had acted aa private chaplain to the deceased. DECEMBER 2, 1896. NOTES. TURNPIKE ROADS. Continued (Nov. 25, 1896). WAGES.—The extract following shows the wages of the Surveyors. At the Bowling Green in Oswestry, Sept. 28th, 1769, Mr Edw. Barrett, Turnpike Surveyor, for the road leading from Oswestry to Chirk, being very infirm and unequal to the frequent attend¬ ances necessary for the repairs of the said Road, Ordered that John Swinnerton, of Pentreclawth, Labourer, be appointed Deputy Surveyor on the said Road, at twelve pence per day, from ye 1st of Nov. to Candlemas, and on ye other part of ye year fourteen pence for his labour, with a power of engaging proper Assistants to carry on the Repairs of the said Road. J. P.-J. {To be continued). MURDERS AND MANSLAUGHTERS IN CHESHIRE.—The following is from Letters and papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII., vol. 13, part 1. (1538), p. 523 :— 1411. Bishop Rowland Lee to Cromwell. Of late 1 sent your Lordship a bill of such mur¬ ders and manslaughters in Cheshire, which would not be found till this Council set the same forward. Though at the late assizes many bills, well sup¬ ported, were put unto the " greate enqueste," yet, contrary to their duty, they have found murders to be manslaughters, and riots to be misbehaviour. This Council have committed the said " greate enqueste " to ward for their lightness. As I think suit will be made to you of my hard dealing herein; to have that country in order, punish¬ ment must be done. But I will follow your mind in the same. By the common law, things so far out of order will never be redressed. Give cre¬ dence to the bearer herein. I beg you send me a warrant for a stag in the forest of Wyer, which the bearer will send me. Castle of the Welshe Poole, 18 July. Signed. Pp. . Add. i Lord Crumwell, lord Privy Seal. Endd. Ed. ASS1GNATS IN NORTH WALES. KEN- YON MSS. Continued (Nov. 25, 1896). Peter Whitehall Da vies to Lord Kenyon. 1792, December 19. Broughton.—" I take the liberty_ to trouble your Lordship with another letter, in which I have inclosed an assignat, made payable at Bersham Furnace, endorsed ' Gilbert Gilpin'; I am informed he is the first clerk of Mr Wilkinson, whose sister married Doctor Priestley. With what view Mr Wilkinson circulates assignats, is best known to himself. It appears to me that good consequences cannot arise from their being made currant, and that very pernicious effects may. Mr Wilkinson, at his foundry at Bersham (where, I am informed, he has now a very large number of cannon), and in his coal and lead mines, employs a considerable body of men. They are regularly paid every Saturday with assignats. The Presby¬ terian tradesmen receive them in payment for goods, by which intercourse they have frequent opportunities to corrupt the principles of that description of men, by infusing into their minds the pernicious tenets of Paine's Bights of Man, upon whose book, I am told, publick lectures are delivered to a considerable number iu the neigh¬ bourhood of Wrexham, by a methodist. The bad effects of them are too evident in that parish." Note in the handioriting of Chief Justice Kenyon. —" This letter occasioned the Act of Parliament,