The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-08-20 00:00:00

periencing."

The Mark Lane Express of Monday says
The results of the wheat harvest, so far, have been
on the whole very considerably below are expecta-
tions formed of them. It would seem that the wish
has been father to the thought and expression with
respect to the bulk of the crop estimates y et published.
From all the late districts come doleful accounts
of the presence and rapid increase of mildew, whilst
for the present harvest work is suspended on account
of the copious rainfall which has occurred during
the week. Fodder crops of all kinds have had
their position materially improved by the change
in the weather, and this has resulted in an increase
in the value of store sheep by about 3s. a head.
On the other hand, straw is short, bay is very scarce,
and root crops are—at the best—very uncertain; the
prospect is not, at present, in favour of anything like
a bulky.ctore of winter keep. In the earliest districts
the sowing of stubble turnips has been made a feature
of the week's work, but no dspondence can be placed
on crops of this kind. Fodder crops and aftermath
grass are particularly scarce, and the rains have come
too late to affect the position of graziers materially.
Markets are overstocked with half-fed beef, and the
nnmber of ewe tegs on daily sale to the butcheiis indi-
cative of short keep and hard times.

The Melbourne Argus of
.July 4 states that the pros,
pects of the gold mining industry in the colony are of the
most cheering description. The total exports since the
beginning of the year were 175,528 ounces, against 92,414
ounces in the corresponding period of last year.
Mr. It. Laycock, Liberal member for North Lincoln-
shire, died suddenly at Eastbourne on Sunday morning.
Feeling somewhat unwell, mr. Laycock left London on
Saturday for a few days rest, complaining of a pain in the
stomach. At six o'clock on Sunday morning Dr. Jeffrey, of
Eastbourne, w.as called in, as the hon, member's symptoms
becaine alarming, and in two houis the hon member expired.
A servant who had accompanied him left Eastbourne shortly
after the death to convey the intelligenee to Mrs. 'Aycock,
i
who had remained n London. Mr. Laycock, who had sat
for North Lincolnshire, since the general election in 1880,
was 43 years of age. lie was the eldest son of Mr. Joseph
Laycock of Low Gosworth gall, Northumberland.—The
Times of Tuesday said—" It has not been deemed necessary
to communicate with the coroner with respect to the sudden
death of Mr. Laycock. Lle was attended by his medical
man previous to his departure from London, and it is fully
e
xpected that his death will be shown to have been due to
natural causes. His father died only a very short brae ago at
Harrogate with equal suddenness."

SUDDEN DEATH OF THE EARL OF
GAINSBOROUGH.

The Earl of Gainsborough died suddenly in London
at about ten minutes to eight o'clock last Saturday
morning. He had been present at the sitting of
the House of Lords on Friday night, and had
voted in all six divisions on the Land Bill against
the Government. He was anxious to return to
Exton-park, his country seat, near Oakham, early on
Saturday, and while driving along Tottenham-court-
road, on his way to the Midland Railway Station,
with his son-in-law, Mr. A. H. Bellingham, M.P.,
said that they would lose the train if the cabman did
not drive faster. Mr. Bellingham leant out of the
cab window to urge the driver to go faster, when he
felt his lordship press against his side, and on turning
round saw that he was in a fainting condition. He
was taken to University College Hospital, where,
however, he died. In the evening his lordship's
body was removed to his chambers in Chandos-street,
Cavendish-square.
The deceased, Charles George Noel, second earl of
Gainsborough, of the present creation, was the eldest
son of Charles Noel, first earl, who was better known
to the world by his former title of Lord Barham.
His mother was Elizabeth, daughter of the late Hon.
Sir George Grey, and a cousin of Earl Grey. He
was was born in the year 1818, and was educated
at Trinity College, Cambridge. He was returned
to Parliament in 1840 as one of the members for
Rutlandshire, but his career in the House of
Commons did not extend beyond that Parliament.
He served, however, as high sheriff for that county
in 1849, soon after which time he became a convert
to the Roman Catholic faith. He was lord-lieu-
tenant of Rutlandshire, a magistrate for Gloucester-
shire, in which county also he owned property at
Campden; and he was for many years in the Leices-
tershire Yeomanry Cavalry, of which regiment he
became lieutenant-colonel in 1878. He succeeded to
the title on the death of his father in 1866. He was a
zealous member of the Church of his adoption, by
whom his loss will be extensively regretted. Lord
Gainsborough married, in 1841, Lady Adelaide Har-
riet Augusta Hay, eldest daughter of William George,
17th Earl of Erroll, and granddaughter of King Wil-
liam IV., but was left a wi 'ower in 1867. His lord-
ship's titles of Earl of Gainsborough, Viscount
Campden, and Baron Barham, together with the Noel
baronetcy, devolve on his elder son, Charles William
Francis, Lord Campden, who was born in 1850, and
was formerly lieutenant in the 10th Hussars.

On Tuexday Dr. Danford Thomas held an inquest
at No. 11A, Chandos - street, Cavendish - square,
London' respecting the death of the Earl of Gains-
borough.
Mr. A. H. Bellingham, M.P., said that the deceased
earl was his father-in-law, and hejwas aged sixty-three.
He had repeatedly had attacks of gout. Of late it was
noticed that he looked flushed. His lordship did not
have fainting fits. The witness and the deceased, who
was an early riser, left their house at five minutes to
eight on Saturday to catch a train at St. Pancras
station at ten minutes past eight, he having previously
been running about a good distance for a cab. On
getting into the cab the witness noticed that the earl
was out of breath, and if he had not been particularly
anxious to catch this train he should have asked him
to stop till the next train. The deceaaed when in
University-street expressed a wish for the cabman to
drive quicker, and when the witness put his head out
to tell the driver to go faster the deceased touched him
on the shoulder and said something, after which he
fell down in the bottom of the cab insensible. He was
taken to the University College Hospital, and the
doctor said life was extinct.
Georgina Carley, housekeeper to the late Earl,
stated that on Saturday morning at six she called his
lordship, and he got up and had his breakfast. She
did not notice anything unusual with him. He went
for a cab, and not getting one the deceased came
back exhausted through having been running about
after a cab.

Joseph Campbell, house steward, stated that he had
noticed that the deceased when he had taken any
exercise soon got out of breath.
Dr. James William Bond, resident medical officer
of the University College Hospital, stated that when
he examined his lordship he found that he was dead.
He thought that the cause of death was syncope, from
failure of the heart's action.

The jury returned a verdict of "Death from natural
causes."