The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-01-06 00:00:00

BWANAGE.

FRAGMENTS OF 1879 AT SWANAGE.

At the very beginning we find our lifeboat at Poole,
having rescued gallantly the crew of the ketch Effort,
which ran ashore in Studland Bay. In the same month
the memorable American frigate Constitution, having
set rail from Havre the day previously, paid an unex-
pec.ed visit to our dangerous neighbour "Old
Harry," and again our lifeboat rendered good service.
Within a very few days, on February 7th, the
Norwegian vowel, Annie Margretta, also left Havre
and became • totrl wreck on the Bollard, very neor
the spot at which the Constitution corn- a•hore. Mr.
Hibba, of the "White House," hospit ibly enter-
tained the shipwrecked mariner,. The fouls ro.e or
freely in the • Mead" that the congestion was made
to rend the Web at in to rescue the brewer's family.
They were. however, left 1. the flood and their fate.
since it was almost believed that the drowning of
human beings would rouse even the Ri:ht Honourable
the Earl of Eldon somehow to abate the height of the
water and the depth of its savoury settlement. In
February Herston was for the first time in the world's
history lit with gas, to the credit of our Local Board
On Tuesday, the 11th, Thomas Cole was killed by the
brrken mast of the Annie Sl•rgretta, jamming him
nzainst a rock, in Durleeton Bay. On Friday, the
14th, our oldest male inhabitant, Mr. Francis Hay.
som, died.
March fragments are few but pre:lone. The well
was finished which supplies the water for our first
town pump, and posts were fixed to the narrow wat
which someone thought should be called a "street.
An action-at-law is still proceeding concerning these.
April yielded the Local B raid election-
-0 ill i ngh am ... ... 315
Spencer
Edmunds ... 97
Giving emphatic testimony against a clique more
pushing than popular. Mr. Nat White was appointed
rector's churchwarden in the room of his father, who
had served so many years in that office. George Burt,
Esq., J.P., who was during most of the year acting
also as Sheriff of London and Middlesex, was re-
elected perish warden, having generously introduced
many valuable improvements during his first year of
office. The Rev. W. H. Start and Lieut. Brodie re•
instituted the Cricket Club, which did fair work
during the season.
In May the new row of houses in King Alfred's-
oleo, were inhabited, Swanage becoming so much
larger. A Swanagian young lady eloped from Ware-
ham ; and many steamers with few passengers called
at our pier during the month.
July brought us an unusually small number of
visitors, in fact the whole season was short and
unprofitable. The Local Board, by arrangement with
Mr. F. Burt, carried out usefid improvements near
Ivy House. A Rower show was held in the National
Schoolroom, and met with great success.
August was a noisy month among the riff-raff, folly
justifying • remark from the Wareham Bench that
tiwaaage was "the most drunken town in Dorset."
During the month the Rev. F. A. Warmington wai
recognised by the neighbouring churches aa the new
Congregational minister. The Rev. John Leach was
removed from this to the Primitive Methodist circuit
at Aylesbury. after four years' successful work and
catholic interchange of services among other denomin-
ations, who greatly esteemed him, and still feel his
loss,

Is September the Rev. J. Clegg retired from the
Wesleyan Methodist circuit, altar two years' labour,
and was succeeded by the 'Rey. Phillips, whose
utinietry ie highly valued in the &enomthatlon. The
=, bald on the Bth, was a greet encore. An
ern fish, captured by Mr. -Head, proved an
event of the season. P.C. Freeborn, alter seven years'
appreciated peace-keeping, was removed to fitalbridge,
and the P.C. of Stalbridge, whom earrioss there were
as greatly valued, came to take us in charge. The
choral dem, which, under Mr. Roe, does such good
work through the year, gave a successful concert on
behalf of the Shipwreckei Mariner's Society, which
during the year has been a great boon to shipwrecked
sailors, tossed on our cruel. if hoopitshis, coast,.
In October, a strange manner of luring truants
to school which has not succeeded was adopt. I by the
National School on the 20th. Mr. A. Normal fell
over some steps, dying from the effect of the fall on
Nov. 2nd. The inquest hair not been held yet, though
be Is not the first who has fallen at the same spot.
Mr. H. J. Vye died on October 31st, one of our most
successful tradesmen.
In November the Mowlem Institute received the
usual amount of ingratitude from the people who use
It most; we cannot give the reason'
, and the National
Schools were filled at last by the aid of the policeman.
Our parishioners—some of them —call that • red-letter
event, as the school has nevtr been so full as when
under compulsion.
On the 16th oar oldest female inhabitant, Miss
Wiltshire, died at the age of 72, thus this year our
eldest couple were taken from us, who had lived next
door to each other for a long time.
December has teen the lighthouse really taken in
hand, sorely not an hour too 800E4 and boxing-night
was duly celebrated by hoc itality, harmony, and
hard-work in enjoyment by all tiers a.
We cannot remember • year iii which business
fluctu.tei so much, Iting.edablished houses coming to
grief (even the publicans moving like quickeilver), and
weary tradesmen seeking brighter spheres; Flashes
have Flickered ominously for lack of news, nearly
aptuttering out (thoudt • real, live, if not quite
original, weekly, has been started, and yet astonishes
the " Nati, es ''' by its determined and devoted ex-
istenoe) nothing seems to have preserved a jolly and
unfailing ammo save the frequent tea meetings of our
numerous places of worship, and the audacity of
horses in this hilly region, which run aw ty every
week, smut' their vehicles, and unharm es their
uninjured selves, crumb* and coursers. adding greatly,
we think, t the "1879 fragments of Swanage."

101:ECAST FOR SWANAGE.---1880.
The is ,spect brightens an in • small town any extra
work. t-11 on the trades favourably. There will be
the erection if the lighthouse, and the Bour.emuuth
Co., wh have bought 12 acres at £2OO an acre, so WO
are informed, intend building • new town In our
opini..n the Pit) for a new town is Whitenliff way.
There shielded from the east wind, the new swanage
would more than eclipse Bournemouth. We know no
better site in England Capitalists, what of it?
Concerning the important question—the weather—
we have received the followim, communication
Obserestory, Christmas Day, 1879.
My ancient friend Lucis,—Father is gone out and is
evidently hod in the f ar. We expect be has made
tracks towards "fogless Swamis*" (ride Report• Del-
• I will try and decipher the scrawl he intended
to "loin" c Ty for you.
.TosCoRT—Changeable, fair, foul, and frost.
I:AVAST—Fair, stormy, and frosty.
Mann -Uncertain, prolonged frost, or change to
much wet.
Aram —Sh .wers to geniality,
MAT—Much rain lonerolly.
_ .

JUXR—(ienill to very wet."'
JULY -Very wet to fine.
AEGUIST —Much rain to fair.
&renters—Fine ti changeaqe.
Ocr.ara—Showery, fair, foul.
NOVEMSKII—MitI, uncertain. snow and storms.
DEcenesa—inow and storms, mild Christmas, and •
chsvore to grew the new veer.
The fiott wool applies to the- wily part of the month,
the other expreseions to the f .Ilowing weeks in order.
I SID, my ancient.
Yours wretchedly,
tVeather Clerk. jus.
Wear. sorry to give such a forecast. We feel sure
it in, on the whole. too correct, and means that we are
not at the end of th.• series of showery summers and
wretched winterr. If we were farmers or lodging.
house keeper., we should mi:rate to more genial
cli,,es, for the formed applies to England only.
After getting through another hoot of bad weather,
they may well wish tear, that I:481 gees the close of
this dispensation. Forrcist or ll.,thina shall keep
an from evico.r ly wialiing all our r a 'Lapp). New
Year.