Page:A History of Horncastle from the Earliest Period to the Present Time.djvu/175

156 proposed to assassinate the ministers of the government, in London, when attending a dinner at Lord Harrowby's residence, in February, 1820. The plot was discovered and frustrated, and Thistlewood, with others of his guilty confreres, was executed on May 1st in that year. Mrs. Turner was the daughter of a butcher, named Wilkinson, whose shop was situated in the High Street, where is now the shop of Mr. Uriah Spratt.

Mr. Martin Brown, grandfather of Mr. W. H. Brown, Plumber and Glazier, of Church Lane, was in the early part of the 19th century captured by the press gang in Horncastle, and made to serve in H.M.S. Mars, in the war with Napoleon. In one contest his ship was lashed to a French man-of-war, to fight it out, and his captain was killed. He survived to tell the story till 90 years of age, with scarcely a day's illness, until his death, Nov. 9th, 1866. He lies buried in Holy Trinity churchyard, his wife, who predeceased him by several years, being buried in St. Mary's churchyard, on the south-east side.

Captain Shepherd, an old naval officer, lived many years, and died, in Union Street, now called Queen Street. He had had many voyages and experiences, which he was fond of recounting to his many friends. He had brought home many trophies and curiosities; among other things he gave an Indian bow, made of sugar cane, and poisoned arrows, to the present writer, when a boy.

In the next house to Captain Shepherd resided Miss Franklin, sister of the great arctic navigator. Sir John Franklin. Much interest was taken in Horncastle in the fate of Sir John, when absent on his last polar voyage, and considerable sums were raised, more than once, among the residents in the town, to assist Lady Franklin in sending out vessels in search of her husband, under the command of Captain Leopold MacClintock and others. We have mentioned elsewhere that a public dinner was given to Sir John, at the Bull Hotel, just before he sailed for the last time to the north.

In connection with this it may be added that the son of another great arctic explorer, Sir John Ross, used to visit friends in Horncastle, and is still remembered. Sir John Ross sailed in search of Sir John Franklin in 1848, but was unsuccessful.

Edmund Keane, the Tragedian visited Horncastle with his company, in the first half of the 19th century, and acted in a large building, which is now the warehouse of Mr. Herbert Carlton, Chemist. The mother of Mr. Henry Sharp, Saddler, and the late Mr. Henry Boulton, of St. Mary's Square, among others, witnessed these performances. In connection with this, it may be added, that Mr. Charles Keane, Actor, son of the above, sent two nieces to be educated at a ladies' school, kept by Mrs. Nicholson, Bank Street, Horncastle, and on their leaving he made her a present of a valuable pianoforte.