Page:A History of Horncastle from the Earliest Period to the Present Time.djvu/176

Rh

About 30 years ago Robert Langley kept an inn in South Street, called the "Coach and Horses," on the premises now occupied by Mr. Crowson, Grocer. His son, Ambrose Langley, became a noted footballer, in Horncastle and neighbourhood. He afterwards left the town and joined the Grimsby Town Football Club; subsequently he went to Middlesborough, Yorkshire, playing for the Ironopolis Football Club. He afterwards joined the Sheffield Wednesday Football Club, which team he was with eight years, being captain three years; playing in the final for the English Cup, for that team, when they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers by two goals to one, in 1896. Leaving Sheffield Wednesday he became manager of the Hull City Football Club, which position he now (season 1907-8) holds.

Captain Surgeon Smith, son of a draper, Mr. Walker Smith, who occupied, about 25 years ago, the shop near the Post Office, on the south side of the High Street, now occupied by Mr. Redmore, enlisted as a private in the Army Hospital Corps; and, afterwards, passing all examinations with credit, he rose from the ranks to become medical officer in the corps; an exceptional instance of such promotion.

Henry Allenby, son of a fellmonger, Mr. Richard Allenby, residing near the Wong, and having a tanyard on the Lincoln Road, became an assistant chemist at St. Albans. Afterwards coming under notice, in a chemist's shop in London, he was selected to accompany the Duke of Edinburgh in his tour round the world, in H.M.S. Galatea, as dispenser to the expedition. This was in 1866; and in this capacity he visited India, Japan, China, Australia, &c.

Mr. Robert Schofield, Landlord (in the middle of the last century) of the Saracen's Head Inn, Bridge Street, Horncastle, had a son, John, who left Horncastle for London, and became a member of the Stock Exchange, where, from small beginnings, he became so successful in business, that he eventually married a daughter of Bishop Blomfield, of London.

The Rev. W. Robinson, Vicar of Wood Enderby and Wilkesby, in the middle of the 19th century, like several other clergy, who at that time had no country residences, lived in Horncastle. His daughter, happening to be of the same size and figure as Queen Victoria, was for several years engaged in the Queen's service, as a living model, on whom were "tried" all dresses intended for the Queen. In return for this she received, as a perquisite, her Majesty's cast-off dresses, from the sale of which she realised an acceptable income. It is said that, through her, on the marriage of a lady friend, the dresses of both bride and bridesmaids were all royal attire. It was generally understood that