order to the principal inhabitants, such as Mr. Shadwell, Mr. Milward, the Misses Milward, Mr. Bishop, Mrs. North, Mrs Cannac and other rich or influential people, all of whom had previously provided themselves with halfpences or other articles to scatter among the crowd for a general scramble. In some cases the coppers were heated in a frying pan or some other utensil, and much hilarity ensued when the boys picked them up and found them too hot to hold.
On the 6th of January, Mr. John Tompsett was too ill for the performance of his duties as Town Clerk, and Mr. J. G. Shorter, jun. was provisionally appointed in his stead. The first-named gentleman died, and on the 25th, his remains were conveyed for interment to Battle followed by members of the Corporation and other persons.
Mr Boykett Breeds, who spent many thousand pounds in unfortunate law-suits, sustained another loss, when, on the 13th of January, 46 bales of timber worth about £4 each, got adrift whilst being towed by a Rye smack, and floated out to sea. On the following day, at a Castle parish meeting held at the Royal Oak, when Mr. John Phillips had succeeded Mr. Tompsett as Vestry Clerk, £30 were given to John Ranger, to assist him and his family to emigrate to America and ten guineas each were voted to Arther Deudney and Wm. Longley for their services as overseers.
At St. Clement's Church, on the 26th of January, Mr. Sol. Bevill, our expert Revenue officer was married to Miss Knight, whilst Mr. Bossom, a well-known tradesman, was married to Miss Ryall, an excellent pianist. Another of the now obsolete institutions was the annual "Settling Dinner" which was generally pre-arranged to take place on certain days at certain inns, when the heads of trading communities, it was supposed, woud be ready, after a good entertainment with the wherewithal to square accounts. On this particular occasion, the Messrs. James, Thomas and Boykett Breets (all merchants) held what I may call their audit severally at the Kings Head, the Hastings Arms, and the Anchor, whilst a more promiscuous one was held at the Crown followed by a ball. The first three were held on the 26th of January, and the later one on the 28th.
Smuggling ventures were still engaged in, and on the 16th of February with a loss to the freetraders of a full cart-load of tubs that had been seized. On the same day, Mr. John Coussens, who had become a new landlord of the Ship Inn gave a "house-warming" dinner, and as there was an apartment in the house known as the "Blue Room", where smugglers used to meet to arrange private matters, it may be readily believed that some members of this secret society, were among the invited guests. As an incidental reminiscence, let me say that when the Bourne Street Theatre was sold, it was at the Ship where Thos. Wollett, Idry Phillips, Stephen Cooper and other native theatricals occasionally gave entertainments.
