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more than a century ago near Pinchbeck, and now exhausted. But fen soil has no minerals, and really it was a London watchmaker, who was either a native of Pinchbeck or else called Pinchbeck, who invented the alloy of 80 parts copper to 20 of zinc. I remember hearing of a case at Spilsby sessions, where a man was accused of stealing a watch. The robbed man was asked, "What was your watch? a gold one?" "Nöa, it wëant gowd." "Silver then?" "Näay, it wëant silver, nither." "Then what was it?" "Why, it wor pinchbeck."

On a later occasion the thief, asking the same "lawyer feller" to defend him, said, by way of introduction, "You remember you got me off before for stealing a watch." "For the alleged stealing of a watch, you mean." "Alleged be blowed! I've got the watch at home now."

At Fulney.