REMINISCENCES OF OLD SHEFFIELD

                     SAMUEL SCANTLEBURY. p. 7.
Mr. Samuel Scantlebury died at Chicago, U.S., the 31st December, 1874, aged 74.
He was born 1st September, 1800.

                     EARLY BANKERs. p. 9.
There is still standing in the Hartshead, immediately above where the Red Lion'
Inn crosses the passage, a poor house occupied by a working jeweller. The door
opens out of the Hartshead, and the window in the side looks out into
a little yard. In the wall over this is a stone with the inscription- 	
                           H.
                     HASLEHURST & SON,
	                      1783.
           
              MR. HALL OVEREND AND THE RESURRECTIONISTS.
	                     p. 45.
   LEONARD: Mr. Hall Overend was an enthusiast in the cause of surgical science,
which in his day was carried on amid great disadvantages and hazards, since the
law provided only for the dissection of criminals who had been hanged, and the
supply was altogether inadequate for the medical schools. This gave rise to the
horrible practice of employing "resurrection men" to disinter clandestinely
bodies which relatives supposed had been borne to their last home. Mr. Overend
established the Sheffield Medical School, and was its mos' zealous promoter. The
duty of obtaining " subjects " rested mainly upon him, and he carried it out
with characteristic vigour and success. None but a man standing so high as he
did, professionally and socially, could have sustained himself against the
prejudice which the suspicion of the employment of " resurrection men " 'brought
upon him, for not only were the feelings of families grievously wounded, by
fears or realities, but there existed an ever-smouldering popular indignation,
which the slightest incident might any day have caused to break out in riot and
outrage. Besides this, was the constant risk of the capture or injury of some of
the agents employed, or the search of the premises of the school, which might
have resulted in the discovery of some body capable of being identified. It
certainly was not a subject favourable to the humour of Hood's lines,
representing the ghost of a departed wife as coming to her husband's bedside and
saying ~ 

        The body-snatchers, they have come,
        And made a snatch at me;
        It's very odd that kind of men 
        Can't let a My be."

Mr. Hall Overend had not even the benefit of that rule of political economy that
occupations are highly paid in proportion to their disagreeableness and danger.
Both in money and in mental anxiety and worry, he lost largely by the war he
waged against antiquated law in' the interest of science and humanity. The
students had the "subjects" for the mere sum paid to the men who procured them,
while the sacrifices and costs of Mr. Overend himself were utterly unrequited.
There wore rumours that Mr. Overend personally took part in the lifting of
bodies and their conveyance to the medical school, and it was a popular belief
that his death was hastened 'by injuries received in one of these nocturnal
expeditions. It was improbable enough that a gentleman over 50 years of age,
whose days were intensely occupied in a most laborious practice, could
personally give up his nights to the labours, risks, and exposure incident to
body-snatching; but 1 had the opportunity lately of conversing with a surgeon,
in his student days one of the young gentlemen, of the most respectable families
in the neighbourhood, who sought the advantage of being Mr. Overend's pupils.
This gentleman holds in unbounded honour the memory of his old master, and on my
naming to him the rumour I have mentioned, it gave rise to a very interesting
conversation, which perhaps I had better record in its original form of
dialogue.
		DOCTOR: Mr. Overend did not go out, but he knew what was done, and on
almost the last occasion when we brought in a body, he happened to be in Church
street, and was in a state of extreme perturbation lest the constables should
search the house and find it. 1 satisfied him at last by showing that the body
could not be identified.
        LEONARD: What sort of men were employed in this work?
		DOCTOR: There were two men employed, but we pupils were active
accomplices, planning the operations, keeping watch, giving signals, drawing off
the watchers, and carrying away the bodies. When we had got a corpse in the
bottom of the gig, or dressed up in cloak, bonnet, and veil, supported
between two of us, we were not long in driving to Sheffield. Mr. Overend kept
good horses, and anybody who tried to catch no after we had got off, must have
looked sharp.
		LEONARD: I suppose you did not often venture on the town grave yards 2
		DOCTOR: No; unless there was some special reason for it, in the
singularity of a case. 1 remember a deformed woman who had died in childbirth.
We were very anxious to examine her, and we got her. But we preferred the quiet
village churchyards- most of these within 12 or 14 miles were visited at times. 
		LEONARD: When your men got to work on a newly-filled grave, they would
soon get at the body
		DOCTOR: Well, not always. They sometimes found obstacles put in their
way, or graves made deep. 1 remember one case where the men had excavated, and
came back to us saying there was neither body nor coffin there. We had to
* it up for a time ; but we were so sure that we tried again, give
and we found that the sexton, when he had gone low enough, had made a sort of
cave along one side of the grave, and the coffin had been pushed in there.
		LEONARD : You would not like now to run such a risk as you did then 2
		DOCTOR : Oh, the excitement totally overbore the risk. You will quite
understand how the expeditions would arouse the adventurous spirits of young
medical students, who had to plan and conduct them. The greater the difficulty
the more we tried to overcome it. Most of the adventures were of our own
planning.
        LEONARD : How did you go about them?
		DOCTOR: We went out " prospecting," to borrow a word unknown then. When
we heard of a death in one of the villages, one or two of us would go out for a
country walk, with a piece of bread and cheese in our pockets, and a silver coin
or two, not of the largest. We rested in a little village alehouse, and of
course we must look at the church or copy curious epitaphs in the churchyard.
Sextons were usually communicative. We ascertained where some poor body was to
be buried in a day or two, perhaps saw the sexton at work, noted the points it
was necessary to watch, marked the line of retreat, and settled the best time to
come. When the time arrived, we walked to the place by different ways, and the
gig dame after, to diminish the risk of its being observed waiting.

		LEONARD: Of course it would be a great object with you, when you had
rifled a grave, to have it filled up so as to show no trace of disturbance, but
you must sometimes have had to escape in a hurry.
		DOCTOR: Oh, yes. I remember one very funny case. It happened in a
village that had been infested by fowl-stealers, who had made the people very
vigilant, and we knew several of them kept their guns in readiness loaded with
slugs. All had gone right with us. The night was dark. We had got the body
removed to a little distance, and the men were rapidly completing the grave,
when unluckily the sky cleared and the moon shone out. A young couple had been
married that day, and lived in a cottage overlooking the churchyard. The bride
happened to get out of bed during the night, just too soon for us, and to look
out of the window. Of course she shrieked when she saw us, and her cry brought
her husband to the window. She screamed "Shoot! shoot!" and if we had seen the
husband turn from the window and come back again, we should have supposed he had
got his gun, and have expected a charge of slugs. Of course we could not stay to
finish the work, though we got clear off with the body. We had a narrow escape
at another village where the church and the rectory were adjacent. Instead of
finding all quiet at the usual time as we expected, we perceived that some of
the rectory family were up. The rector had gone out to dinner, and besides the
servants in the house, a man was in the out premises, waiting to assist the
coachman in putting up the carriage horses. We were just ready to be off, when
the carriage came up, but we had to bring away a fellow pupil, whom I had put on
the rectory yard wall, where he lay to watch. Our usual mode of signalling was
by throwing stones in the direction of the party to be warned, but in this case
our watcher was too far off, and 1 had no chance 'but to run across the rectory
lawn and bring him away. On another occasion a strict watch had been set over a
grave. We got the watchers into the public-house, and so entertained them with
our songs and stories that our object was accomplished quietly, and we left the
watchers boasting what they would have done if the body-snatchers had dared to
come there.
		WRAGG : I think I can tell a story how one of the two professional
resurrectionists once got into trouble. About the year 1830, a young man died of
consumption and was buried in Bradfield churchyard, close to the cast end of the
church. Some one near the church hearing a gig, and the feet of a horse pacing-
about, got UP to learn the cause of so unusual a noise, and saw what was going
on in the church. yard. Those in the gig made a precipitate retreat towards
Sheffield. One man was caught in endeavouring to make his escape from the
churchyard, in which he would have succeeded, but his course was impeded by a
deep snow drift. This man suffered twelve months' imprisonment.

                         CAMPO LANE. p. 46.
	Mr. Hunter, in an unpublished MS., says:- "In this name (Campo lane) is
preserved the memory of the ancient game of camping or.. foot ball, which was
known by this name, camping, in the time when the Promptorium was compiled, and
is still in use in that sense in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. See the
Promptorium in Mr. Way's edition, p. 60, and the Eastern Counties Glossaries, by
Moore and Forby. * * The ' Campar field' occurs several times in the returns of
their Sheffield estates by the Dukes of Norfolk, under the Acts 1 and 10 Geo. L,
compelling Roman Catholics to register their estates with the Clerk of the
Peace. This proves that there was once a field in Sheffield appropriated to this
sport, and what more probable than that it was the open space now called
Paradise square ? Campo lane, so called, as leading to it-in full, the Camper
field lane."

                     CHARLES SYLVESTER. p. 46.
	See "Local Notes and Queries" (Sheffield Independent, Doe. 14, 1874).

                     DANIEL WHEELER. pp. 53, 54.
	For further particulars of Mr. Wheeler's life, see a Note by Mr. T. 0.
Hinchliffe, in 'I Local Notes and Queries(Sheffleld Independent, July 1, 1875).
The date of Mr. Wheeler's departure for Russia is there given as 1818, and his
return 1832. He died in New York, June 12, 1840, aged 69.

                  EARLY SHEFFIELD PRINTERS. pp. 78, 79, 107.
The following is from Mr. Hunter's MSS.
	" The first book I have met with, published at Sheffield, is Bagshaw's small
12mo. De Spiritualis Pecei, &c,, by Novill Symmons, 1708. This Mr. Simmons seems
to have been of a family well known in the annals of printing as purchasers of
Paradise Lost, and as printers of the works of many of the Noncon. Divines in
the latter half of the 17th century. They were of Worcester and London. See in
the works of Baxter, or in Bexter's Life of Sylvester, an apology for himself
touching some remarks which had been illiberally cast upon him as having by an
exorbitant demand for his works contributed to bring ruin upon his printer,
Nevill Simmons. This Mr. Simmons seems to have settled at Sheffield in
consequence of his marriage with a lady of that place. He had many children, one
of them a dissenting minister of some eininence, and another who succeeded to
his business, and at the time of his death was post-master in Sheffield. Many of
the family are buried in the chancel of the parish church there, but Mr. Simmons
the elder's name does not appear among the rest who are upon the plate. I am
therefore inclined to think that he was not buried here, but that the Nevill
Simmons, who died in 1722, and is buried in Wakefield churchyard, is this
gentleman.
	" John Garnet, who had been a soldier, began printing here 39 years ago,
that year the hospital was first taken down, but never printed a newspaper.
Lister set up in opposition to him; he gave out and died at Dronfield.
	I The first newspaper printed in Sheffield was called the Sheffield Weekly
[Journal]. The first number was published on Tuesday, 30th April, 1754. Revel
Homphrey was proprietor and printer. 1 know not how long it existed.
Ward began the Sheffield [Public Advertiser in 1770]
	In 1787, Messrs. Gales and Martin issued another weekly paper, under the
title of 'the Sheffield Register.' The partnership was soon after dissolved, and
the paper continued with great spirit by Mr. Gales. It became one of the prints
obnoxious to Government in the darkest days of Mr. Pitt's administration, and
the editor not being very careful of his conduct with respect to political
affairs, found it convenient to retire to America, and thus escaped a
prosecution and conviction with his friend Redhead Yorke. This was in the year
1794. Mr. Montgomery, who had been for some time his foreman, took up the paper,
and published it under the title of the 'Iris,' or Sheffield Advertiser for the
northern counties. He has conducted it upon the same principles on which Mr.
Gales did, and once suffered imprisonment for a paragraph which appeared in it.


	Ward gave up his paper in 17[93], when another was sat up, professing a line
of politics opposite to those of the Register, printed by Northall under the
title of the Sheffield Courant. This paper had not a long existence.
	" From this time to 1807 the Iris was the only newspaper published in
Sheffield. In consequence of a quarrel between the Editor and a printer in the
town, 'The Sheffield Mercury' was set up in opposition to it. The first number
was published by Wm. Todd, on Saturday, March 28th, 1807."

                EBENEZER ELLIOTT'S MONUMENT. P. 85.
	Removed for the purpose of re-erection in Weston Park, July 1st, 1875.

                       ANGEL STREET. P. 98. 	 
	While these sheets have been passing through the press, the whole of the
property mentioned at the top of p. 98 [" where is now Mr. Carter's, shoemaker,
there was an obstruction in the road. It was at the bottom of the Angel yard,
and Mr. Wormall's shop is part of it"], from the Angel gateway up to Messrs.
Cockayne's has been demolished to make room for the expansion of that firm. In
the process of destruction the workmen, on the 30th April, 1874, laid bare the
upper side wall of the shop until then occupied by Mr. Wormall, next above the
Angel inn, exposing for a short time to daylight a fragment of an old Sheffield
house. The front was modern, but the side wall exposed was built of rubble
stone, as was the fashion in Sheffield, and was much decayed. There were several
old windows, of more than ordinary size, with stone stanchions, years ago
bricked up, the style of which suggested that the building was erected in the
17th century. An old chimney still remained, built with large dressed stones.
Was this part of the projecting building mentioned on p. 98 as being altered by
Mr. Walker 2
		There is a suspicion that the first Sheffield Theatre was up the Angel
Inn yard, behind the property above referred to, and now used as stabling.
HOUSES IN PORTOBELLO. P. 155.
		The two houses hero spoken of as ',yet standing," have Just been
demolished (June, 1875).


                     MADAM FELL, P. 184.
	See "Local Notes and Queries" in the Sheffield Independent for July 6, 1874.

                     MR. JOHN SPENCER. pp. 186, 190.
	Mr. Spencer died at Masbro' Cottage, Masbro', November 24th, 1874, in his
84th year. He deserves to be remembered as a worthy relic of what we may almost
call mediaeval Sheffield. A Sheffield manufacturer of the old school, he
retained knee breeches, stockings, and shoes, together with the vernacular in
all its purity; but he yet had something of refinement both in language and
manner. When urged to push his trade by sending out more travellers, he would
reply with a confident smile-" Nay lad; we'll put in a bit better stuff if it be
possible, and have a bit better workmanship, and that'll sell Spencer's files,
without more travel. lers." Many of his quaint and shrewd sayings are commonly
quoted by his old associates, workmen, and neighbours. He lived on terms of
hearty familiarity with his workmen and poor neighbours, and was known among the
urchins of Peacroft, for whom he always had kindly words and looks, as "Daddy
Spencer." Straightforwardness, urbanity of manner, and kindness of heart were
his characteristics. As a boy Mr. Spencer commenced working as a file cutter, at
the early age of seven years. When he was 17 years old his uncle, who was a file
manufacturer, died, leaving him the business, which he, under the guidance of
his mother, carried on. Being in London when the war between this country and
France was brought to a close, and being unable to obtain any orders owing to
the badness of trade, Mr. Spencer determined to cross the Channel and try what
he could do in France. He succeeded in gaining customers, and there are houses
in France who gave Mr. Spencer orders nearly sixty years ago that still continue
to do business with his sons. Mr. Spencer was a man of great industry. It was
his invariable rule to manufacture a good article, and to treat his workmen with
kindness, and when depression came, instead of taking advantage of the times, he
kept his men on full work, and stocked the goods until there was a revival, when
he soon cleared off his accumulation of stock. Having himself experienced the
difficulties of travelling on horseback, carrying his patterns in saddle bags,
before there were even coaches, Mr. Spencer knew fully the value of improved
means of communication, and he accordingly threw himself heartily into various
schemes. to this end when the times were ripe. He was an active promoter of the
' 'Humber Steam Ship Com. any," which, every Tuesday and Friday night, ran light
oats, drawn by several horses, to Thorne, and thence by steam to Hull., London,
and other places. in 1836-6, Mr. John Spencer was Master Cutler. Ilia term of
office was a very important and exciting year, abounding in jointstock schemes
of all sorts. As we had then no mayor, the Master Cutler was by courtesy the
authority to call and preside over public meetings; and the Reform Act of 1832
appointed him Returning Officer.' .The first bill for the Sheffield and
Rotherham line (of which Mr. Spencer was a warm supporter) had been lost, and it
was resolved to apply again; the North midland scheme was brought forward , and
a great effort, which many of the supporters of the Sheffield and Rotherham
helped to defeat, was made by Mr. Spencer and others to secure sheffleid a
station on the main line. The carrying of the line by Masbrough was followed by
various schemes for im   the tion of Sheffield, and prospectuses for lines to
Manchester position also to Goole and Hull were issued. Mr. Spencer may, indeed,
he credited with the initiation of the Sheffield and Manchester railway. He
pressed the subject upon the late Mr. T. A. ward, Mr. Deakin, and Mr. E. Smith,
when it was decided that if the manufacturers of Manchester would co-operate
with them they would form a company to start a railway between the two towns.
Mr. Spencer immediately put himself in communication with the Sidebottoms and
other influential gentlemen of Manchester, and with what success the traffic
upon the railway now testifies. In the year in which Mr. Spencer was Master
Cutler, the Company over which he presided, the Town Trustees, and the Church
Burgesses had the honour to present an address to the Duchess of Kent, on the
occasion of her visit, with the Princess Victoria, to Wentworth House; and Mr.
Spencer also presided as returning officer at Mr. John Parker's reelection for
the borough, on the occasion of his becoming one of the Lords of the Treasury.
Mr. Spencer continued to carry on successfully the business in Pea croft until
the year 1849, when he gave it up to two of his sons. On retiring from business
Mr. Spencer went to live on an estate he had at Masbro', where he died.