Below are a selection of events for August 1865 showing what was happening around George Borrow and his family. The Borrows lived in 22 Hereford Square, Brompton, London, from September 1860 until George finally left in the second half of 1874.
The page for the 1865 gives a bit more background and links to pages explaining the sources and other months/years.
This is an on-going effort, and is expected to be updated. David would especially link to thank the wonderful staff at Kensington Local Studies for all of their help in researching this.
| August | ||||||
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 1* | 2* | 3* | 4 | 5* | ||
| 6 | 7* | 8* | 9* | 10* | 11 | 12* |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17* | 18 | 19* |
| 20 | 21* | 22* | 23* | 24* | 25 | 26* |
| 27 | 28 | 29* | 30* | 31* | ||
1.—Members of the Berkeley Amateur Dramatic Club made their debut appearance at Oakley Hall, Chelsea, where they performed Moncrief’s farce The Spectre Bridegroom; The Bragging Bravoes of the Brigand Band by Messrs. Bird and Wright; etc. The well-filled room enjoyed the evening immensely. [cn 6 Aug]
2.—At 4 a.m. the mutilated body of Daniel Salkilld, 45, of 60 Charlotte Street, Shoreditch, a master bricklayer, was found near Green Lane Bridge on the Hammersmith and City Railway. It appears Daniel was crossing the line to get to Notting Hill Station. He left a widow and two children, the eldest a cripple unable to work. [wlo 5 Aug]
3.—At the Kensington Board of Guardians a letter was received from Croydon Union who were intending to bind a poor boy to Mr. W. Brown, shoemaker, 5 Earl Street, Kensington. They sought information and Mr. Edmonds would make inquiry. [wlo 5 Aug]
3.—John Beal, a builder of Tregunter Road, Brompton, was summoned by Alfred Horwood, Fulham Road, for keeping a large unmuzzled, ferocious dog. Beal was building (houses?) in Walnut Tree Walk and set his dog on Horwood’s children. Beal claimed dog never left premises, case dismissed. [wlo 5 Aug]
5.—The Chelsea News had received the report of the Chelsea, Brompton and Belgrave dispensary, established 1812, at 14 Sloane Square. Patients increased to 3289 with 249 midwifery cases, 1261 casual aid. St. Luke’s and other churches had raised funds, and Charles Lloyd Norman had presented them with 12 bottles of port wine. [cn 5 Aug]
5.—“Railway” at Rist’s Library, Kensington was “about to commence an English Railway” and had a vacancy for a pupil. An intelligent youth would need to provide a modern premium and would be engineer and surveyor. [wlo 5 Aug]
7.—On a fine evening with a slightly breeze from the north-west, Mr. Delamarne made a second ascent from Cremorne Gardens in his sailing balloon which drifted off in the direction of Sydenham. [cn 12 Aug]
8.—A splendid specimen of Lilium Auratum of Japan, having twenty nine blooms, was exhibited by the Royal Horticultural Society, at their fortnightly exhibition at South Kensington. [wlo 12 Aug]
9.—The Hawaiian Queen paid a visit to the Duke of York’s School where she was greeted by the school band, under John Wilson, bandmaster, playing God save the Queen. Around 500 boys paraded for the Queen who departed delighted with what she saw. [cn 12 Aug]
10.—The annual Thames National Regatta would take place and the Metropolitan and Great Western Railway were advertising their frequent trains to Hammersmith Station, and then a five minute walk to Hammersmith Bridge for the best view. [wlo 5 Aug]
10.—Messrs. Wigmore and Whittick, having completed construction of the North End Sewer, West Brompton, celebrated with an excellent dinner at the Bell and Anchor, Hammersmith Gate. Around 30 were present to hear the toasts and speeches. [wlo 12 Aug]
12.—James H. Green, auctioneer, valuer and estate agent, 72 King Street, West, Hammersmith, offered his services for railway compensation cases, especially given “the several railways passing through Hammersmith and Fulham”. [wlo 12 Aug]
12.—Hipolite Drux Wagner was charged at Westminster Police Court with breaking into Brompton Roman Catholic Oratory and stealing £8 from boxes marked “souls in purgatory.” P.C. James Thomas was in Cottage Place, Brompton Row at 4 a.m. when he heard glass breaking, and after a struggle apprehended Wagner. [cn 19 Aug, cn 26 Aug]
12.—All parishioners were asked to help prevent the desecration of Kensington Churchyard by a proposed improvement, which would be similar to the unhappy disgrace of 1851. Names to Admiral Deacon, 12 Leonard Place. [wlo 12 Aug]
17.—After the funeral of Mr. Parkes in a vault in Kensal Green Cemetery, it was thought that a man smoking a pipe accidently started a fire which spread throughout the vaults but wasn’t detected until the following day. The bodies of those escaping the flames were placed in new coffins and crowds attended on Saturday/Sunday to see the strange site. [wlo 26 Aug]
19.—A Lancashire Sewing Machines (without Table or Treadle) was to be sold for 50s. Apply 3 Elizabeth Street, Hans Place, Sloane Street (money wanted). [cn 19, 26 Aug]
21.—In accordance with the agreement of the Cow-keepers and dairymen at their meeting held in the Bolton Abbey, Lonsdale Road, the price of milk would increase to 5d. per quart. [wlo 19 Aug]
22.—The Chelsea Regatta for landsmen, watermen and apprentices was rowed for money prizes, a coat and badge &c. H. Blake won the apprentices’ race followed by C. Cole, J. Levitt, C. Healing, W. Goodall and W. Trowers. All were fine races. [wlo 26 Aug]
23.—Kensington Vestry were read a letter from the Metropolitan Board of Works agreeing to that Kensington High Street would be widened and that plans were made and a forthcoming bill was in progress. The Vestry congratulated themselves on pressing for this. [wlo 26 Aug]
23.—Fanny Barry, who had been “acquainted” with a private (soldier) in the Blues for three years, and sold all of her things to find him money, was knocked down by him on Wednesday afternoon. That evening she took laudanum in front of the solider at the Sun Music Hall, Knightsbridge. She was taken to St. George’s Hospital, was revived, and stood trial for suicide on Friday. [wlo 26 Aug]
24.—Edwin Avery, Clerk to the Kensington Guardians, advertised for a master tailor and a master shoemaker, to be single men and live in the workhouse, at a salary of twenty guineas per annum with rations, lodging, washing etc. The work would also involve teaching the boys their trade. [wlo 16 Sept.]
26.—Spacious vaults were to let in Brompton. Apply to Mr. Jannaway, General House Furnisher, 154 Brompton Road. A Lancaster Sewing Machine (with or without treadle) was for sale for 50s. (money wanted), apply 3 Elizabeth Street, Hans Place, Sloane Street.[cn 26 Aug]
29.—Michael Ryan, Sergeant-Major of the South Middlesex Volunteer Corps, was charged with wounding Henry Brown in the head with a thick, heavy stick, at Crown, North End. Once Brown removed his many bandages, no bruise was evident, and Mrs. Fox, the landlady said Brown and forced the door, broken windows, and Ryan was acting in self-defence. Case dismissed. [wlo 2 Sept]
30.—Mr. F. A. Kemmer, a photographist, 5 Clifton Place, West Brompton, was awoken in bed when he heard a window broken. John Elliott, a baker, “a little excited”, had done it with a broom, insisting his wife was in the front parlour, which she was not. At the trial Elliott’s wife said he “was not right in his mind”. Mr. Ingham “remanded the madman”. [wlo 2 Sept]
31.—J. Cockerrell, Secretary of the Royal Horticultural Society, South Kensington, wrote to the newspaper to thank the band of T. division of Police for performing the previous Saturday. Their admirable performance gave great satisfaction to the large crowd assembled. [wlo 9 Sept.]