Cottage Capers

On this day in history….27th December 1836

On this day in history : 27th December 1836 – The deadliest avalanche to be recorded in the United Kingdom occurs – not in Scotland or Wales, as would be expected – but in the South East of England….

Oil painting in the Anne of Cleves House Museum

The West Sussex market town of Lewes is situated in a gap within the South Downs, on the River Ouse…. It is surrounded by hills – including to the east Cliffe Hill, rising to 164 metres above sea level….

At the foot of Cliffe Hill lies South Street….and at the time upon which lay ‘Boulder Row’ – a row of workers’ cottages – or ‘poor houses’, owned by South Malling Parish….

The winter of 1836-37 was very severe throughout the whole of the United Kingdom, with heavy snow and freezing temperatures, accompanied by gale force winds…. It had started snowing in the Southeast on Christmas Eve and was particularly heavy over the South Downs…. The snow persisted for the whole of the Christmas period – along with strong winds, which caused snowdrifts – some over 10ft high…. A huge snowdrift, reported as being over 20ft deep, formed on the top of Cliffe Hill, with an overhanging ledge – or ‘cornice’ – at the cliff edge….

Worried passers-by informed the inhabitants of Boulder Row and advised them to leave their homes…. But for reasons only known to them the residents chose to stay….most likely they had no other place to go in the sub-zero temperatures…. Even when on the 26th of December a large mass of snow fell from the cliff top on to a timber yard below – destroying it – they refused to leave….

The inevitable happened at 10.45 am on Tuesday the 27th of December…. The cornice collapsed – causing an avalanche of snow to crash towards Boulder Row beneath…. Witnesses reported that the cottages appeared to be struck at the base by the avalanche – which then broke above them like a huge white wave, completely burying them….

A rescue operation lasting several hours was mounted by the townsfolk…. Seven survivors were pulled from the snow and wreckage – and taken to the local workhouse for treatment…. Among them was a two-year-old child, Fanny Boakes; the white dress she wore that day can be seen in the Anne of Cleves House Museum, in Lewes…. A further eight people lost their lives, having died from suffocation or hypothermia….

The victims were buried in an unmarked, communal paupers grave in South Malling Parish Churchyard…. A fund was set up by the townsfolk to raise money for the families of those killed – and also for a memorial plaque – which is situated on the north wall of the church….

South Malling Church

Memorial tablet : Photo credit Russ Arno – Atlas Obscura

Where the Boulder Row cottages once stood a public house can now be found…. Built in 1840 ‘The Snowdrop Inn’ was named in commemoration of the disaster….

The Snowdrop Inn, showing the cliff behind

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….26th December 1871

On this day in history : 26th December 1871 – Boxing Day is officially recognised in Britain as a Bank Holiday for the first time….

British in its origins – (but celebrated in other Commonwealth countries, such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada) – there are numerous theories as to how it gets its name….but none are definitive….

Some believe it dates back to the Middle Ages, when serfs were given ‘Christmas boxes’ by their lords….

Certainly in the days of being ‘in service’ servants were expected to work on Christmas Day…. Boxing Day was traditionally their day off….and their masters would usually give them a Christmas box to take home to their families…. In recognition of their service throughout the year they would be given small gifts, possibly some money and leftovers of food from the Christmas meal…. It could be called their ‘Christmas bonus’….

Victorian depiction of early C19th Christmas celebration – “Christmas Comes But Once A Year” by Charles Green

It was also the customary day for tradespeople to collect their ‘Christmas box’…. On the first working day after Christmas they may have been given a gift of money, or similar, by their customers by way of showing appreciation for their services during the year…. Some of us still choose to thank our refuse collectors, milkmen and postmen in this way….

A customer asking for a Christmas box from a dentist that he regularly visits; the dentist retorts that he can have a tooth pulled for free… Wood engraving after [L.S.] – Image : The Wellcome Collection CC BY-4.0

Another theory as to why we call it ‘Boxing Day’ comes from when Alms boxes were placed in churches during the period of Advent…. Parishioners would donate what they could afford and the collections would have been distributed amongst those in need the day after Christmas…. December is also the feast day of St. Stephen ~ the first Christian martyr and known for his acts of charity….

St. Stephen by Carlo Crivelli – Public domain

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….25th December 1950

On this day in history : 25th December 1950 – The ‘Stone of Scone’ – also known as the ‘Stone of Destiny’ – is stolen by Scottish Nationalists from Westminster Abbey – where it had been for 650 years….

Coronation Chair with the Stone of Scone, Westminster Abbey – Cornell University Library via Flickr

The oblong block of red sandstone, weighing 458lb (208kg) is said to have been captured by King Edward I as ‘spoils of war’ in 1296…. He took the stone from Scone, near to Perth…. The stone, a powerful, ancient symbol of the Scottish monarchy had been used in the coronation of Scotland’s kings for centuries…. Edward I had it taken to Westminster Abbey – and incorporated into his own throne…. Most British sovereigns have been crowned upon it ever since….

On Christmas Day 1950 four Scottish students – Ian Hamilton, Gavin Vernon, Kay Matheson and Alan Stuart – removed the stone from the Abbey….during the process the stone broke into two pieces…. They buried the larger piece in a field in Kent….but a few days later dug it up again and took it back to Scotland…. A short while later they also brought back the smaller section and the two pieces were given to a senior Scottish politician who had the stone professionally repaired, by stonemason Robert Gray….

Replica of the Stone of Scone at Scone Palace – Aaron Bradley CC BY-SA 2.0

Meanwhile, the British government had launched a major search for the stone but were unsuccessful in discovering its whereabouts…. On the 11th of April 1951 the Stone of Scone was left for safekeeping by the Church of Scotland on the altar of Arbroath Abbey…. The police in London were informed – and the stone was returned to Westminster Abbey…. At the time it was rumoured that a copy had been made and the one returned was not the original….

In 1996 it was decided that the Stone of Scone should be returned to Scotland…. It now resides alongside Scotland’s Crown Jewels – the ‘Honours of Scotland’…. The only time the stone will ever leave Scotland now is when it is needed for the coronation of future kings and queens of the United Kingdom….

Illustration of the Stone of Scone in the Coronation Chair at Westminster Abbey, 1855 – Anonymous engraver – public domain

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….24th December 1922

On this day in history : 24th December 1922 – The BBC broadcasts ‘The Truth About Father Christmas’ – the first play to be written for British radio….

The play was for the BBC’s ‘Children’s Hour’ and was broadcast from Newcastle with radio ‘auntie’ Phyllis M Twigg….

Children’s Hour was aimed at children between the ages of 5-15 years and was extremely popular…. It was on the radio between 5pm and 6pm every evening and ran from 1922 to 1964…. Some of the favourites listened to over the years included:- ‘Just So Stories’, ‘Worzel Gummidge’, ‘Toytown’, ‘Nature Parliament’, ‘Winnie the Pooh’, ‘Journey into Space’, ‘Sherlock Holmes’ and ‘Jennings at School’….

However, by 1963 listener numbers had fallen dramatically to just 25,000 – as children preferred to watch television…. Those who were listening were in fact middle aged and elderly ladies nostalgic for their childhood days…. In 1964 it was decided Children’s Hour should come to an end….

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….23rd December 1992

On this day in history : 23rd December 1992 – A national newspaper publishes the Queen’s speech – scheduled to be aired on BBC television two days later, on Christmas Day….

Queen’s Speech, 1992 – ‘annus horribilis’ – Image : The BBC – fair use

The source of the leak was never found – but the text for the five minute broadcast, which had been recorded at Sandringham, was spread – virtually word for word – across the centre pages of The Sun…. The newspaper insisted it had done nothing wrong and had come by the story by ‘good old-fashioned techniques’….

“1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure”…. – Her Majesty the Queen….

1992 was a difficult year for the Royal Family…. It was the year of the catastrophic fire at Windsor Castle – and the breakdown of the marriages of both Prince Charles and Prince Andrew…. From the speech came the infamous phrase used by the Queen to describe the year…. “annus horribilis”….

Her Majesty sued The Sun and was awarded £200,000 in damages – which was immediately donated to charity…. In the following years certain changes were made surrounding the annual Christmas Queen’s Speech…. The venue was changed from Sandringham to Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace – and the media received no information as to the speech contents until late on Christmas Eve…. In 1997 the BBC’s monopoly to televising the speech was ended by Buckingham Palace – and became shared on a yearly rotating basis with ITV…. Some believe it was a snub to the BBC – over their interview with Princess Diana in 1995…. Nowadays the King’s Speech can even be viewed live on social media….