"Yesterday a curious cricket match was played at Montpelier Gardens, between 11 of the Greenwich Pensioners, wanting an arm each, against the same number of their fellow sufferers with each a wooden leg. Not fewer than 5000 people were assembled on the occasion, who were highly entertained with the exertions of the old veterans of the ocean, who never acted against their most inveterate enemy with more energy, each party striving to quit the field victorious. The evening coming on, the contest could not be decided, but it was so much in favour of the Timber toes, as never to be recovered by the dint of Arms."—(Times, Aug. 10, 1796.)
"On Wednesday morning the 11 men with one arm, and 11 men with but one leg, were brought by three Greenwich stages engaged for that purpose, to the new Cricket Ground, the back of the Montpelier Tea Gardens, Walworth, when the match was played out, and the men, with one leg, beat the one arms, by 103 runnings. After the match was finished, the eleven one-legged men ran a race of 100 yards distance, for 20 Guineas, and the first three had prizes."—(Times, Aug. 12, 1796.)
"A new embankment of the River, on the Middlesex shore, from Westminster to Chelsea, is just commencing, to prevent the encroachments which are making almost daily."—(Times, Aug. 20, 1776.)
"On Tuesday morning, a young whale came up the River as far as Rotherhithe, and was killed near Execution Dock after having overset two boats. It measured 19 feet in length."—(Times, Aug. 25, 1796.)
"This day, the Publicans in the Metropolis, and its vicinity, have, conformable to an agreement amongst themselves, withdrawn from the Public the accommodation of finding them Pewter Pots, agreeable to a long established custom, which will, of course, occasion great inconvenience to workmen of every description, who are employed in raising buildings, repairing houses, &c.; as well as lodgers, and, even, to many respectable families. The profits upon Porter, for a length of time, have been very considerable, which proves itself beyond a doubt, by their acknowledging, in a Bill left at the houses of their customers, that they, collectively, sustain a loss, annually, of; £100,000 per annum, in Pots, which, by no means, could have been afforded, were not their returns somewhat enormous. Under that idea, it is presumed, having availed themselves of an opportunity, no longer to be liable to losses of that kind, in future, they will, as a recompence to the Public, make a reduction in price of the necessary article of Porter."—(Times, Sept. 2, 1796.)
"The late determination of several of the Publicans, to alter the established mode of serving their outdoor customers, with quart, and pint pots, seems to have been copied from an old resolution of a certain Borough, which ran thus: 'Resolved, that the best means of preserving our lamps from being broken, is to take them down by night, and put them up in the day.' Such of the Publicans as have come into this new regulation, seem to estimate the loss of a few pots, beyond that of the most respectable of their customers. It is, however, very probable, that the Small-Beer Brewers will profit by this circumstance, as table-beer may be ordered in by those who cannot be served any longer in the usual manner."—(Times, Sept. 21, 1796.)
"The university of Oxford has lately printed, at its own expence, to be distributed gratis among the French Clergy who have taken refuge in Great Britain (ad Usum Cleri Gallicani in Anglia exulantis, as the title states) 2000 copies of the Vulgate of the New Testament, which is the Latin version used by the Roman Church in all Public Prayers.
"The Marquis of Buckingham, distinguished for his munificence towards the Clergy, has likewise caused to be printed at his expence, 2000 copies at the same press, and for the same use. The University of Oxford has sent its copies to the venerable Bishop of St. Pol de Leon, for distribution, accompanied by a letter, analogous to the generous sentiments which dictate this honourable mark of esteem for the French Clergy, who are fully sensible of the value of the gift."—(Times, Oct. 25, 1796.)
"Christmas Eve, 1796, will be recorded hereafter, as the Frost was more rapid, and more rigorous, it is supposed, than in 1739-40, or any degree of cold ever experienced in England: the quicksilver in a thermometer in Somerset-place sunk from 28 to 4 degrees above 0 in 12 hours, 3 degrees below the depression of the Mercury in 1794 and 28 degrees below the freezing point, while it must necessarily have been still lower in the country."—(Times, Dec. 28, 1796.)
Bartholomew fair was first held A.D. 1133, and it was then the principal mart for the vendors, and buyers, of cloth: in fact the name of a street, contiguous to Smithfield, where the fair was held, and which has come down to us,—"Cloth fair," proves it, were there any need. Of late years it got a nuisance, and public opinion demanded its dissolution. The shows were discontinued in 1850, and the fair was proclaimed, for the last time, in 1855. We see by the following paragraph, from the Times, what was thought of it by decent-minded people, as far back as 1796.