CHAPTER IV
| CHURCH AND PARISH: Tidenham parish church—Leaden font—The Norman Chapel of Llancaut—The history of Tidenham Church—Curious practices in neighbouring churches—The church as schoolroom—Pretty customs on special occasions—The discomforts of the usual service—The choral service on high days—No reminiscences of precocious piety—Impressions of sermons by Scobell and Whately—Clerical eccentricities in dress, &c.—The Oxford Movement—Dr. Armstrong—Raising the latch of the chancel door with a ruler—The woman’s Clothing Club of the parish—Lending library instituted and successfully managed by Miss G. E. Ormerod—Her accomplishments and merits as a philanthropist. | [20] |
CHAPTER V
| SEVERN AND WYE: “Forest Peninsula” between Severn and Wye—Ruined chapel of St. Tecla—Muddy experiences—Scenery on the Severn—Rise of Tides—Colour and width of the river—Sailing merchant fleet to and from Gloucester—A “pill” or creek—Salmon fishing from boats—“Putcher” or basket fishing—Disorderly conduct by fishermen—Finds of Natural History specimens in fishing baskets—Severn clay or “mud”—A bottle-nosed whale—Seaweeds—Fossils from Sedbury cliffs—Saurian remains—Dangers of the cliffs. | [33] |
CHAPTER VI
| TRAVELLING BY COACH, FERRY, AND RAILWAY: Many coaches passing Sedbury Park gates—Dangers of travelling—View of the Severn valley—The Old Ferry passage of the Severn—Swamping of a sailing boat in 1838—A strange custom when rabies was feared—Window-shutter-like ferry telegraph—The ferry piers—The first railways—Curious early train experiences. | [43] |
CHAPTER VII
| CHARTIST RISING IN MONMOUTHSHIRE IN 1839: Chartist rising in Monmouth under John Frost, ex-draper of Newport—Home experience—Defenceless state of Sedbury house—Trial and sentence of the leaders—Reminiscences of troubles—Attorney-General’s address to the jury—Physical features of the disturbed area—Plan of the rising—Prompt action of the Mayor of Newport—Thirty soldiers stationed in the Westgate Hotel—Advance of 5,000 rioters—Their spirited repulse and dispersal—Arrest and punishment of Frost and other leaders. | [47] |
CHAPTER VIII
| BEGINNING THE STUDY OF ENTOMOLOGY, COLLECTIONS OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGICAL SPECIMENS, AND FAMILY DISPERSAL: Beginning of Entomology 1852—A rare locust—Purchase of Stephen’s “Manual of British Beetles”—Method of self-instruction—First collection of Economic Entomology specimens sent to Paris—Facilities at Sedbury for collection—Aid given by labourers and their children in collecting—Illness and death of Miss Ormerod’s father—Succession and early death of Venerable Thomas J. Ormerod—Succession of the Rev. G. T. B. Ormerod—Miss Ormerod’s brothers—Especial copy of “History of Cheshire” presented to the Bodleian Library—A family heirloom. | [53] |