Page:History and characteristics of Bishop Auckland.djvu/127

 100 mSTORY OF BISHOP AVCKUlSD. celebrated General in the hour of victory. Howey was at the passing of the Douro, and the taking of Oporto. He was, also, at the battle of Talavera, in which his regiment (the 7th Fusiliers) had two days' hard fighting, as weU as those of Busaco and Albuera. He was, also, at the siege of Badajoz, which was one of the most bloody triumphs of that war. Salamanca and Vittoria were the next battles in which he and his regiment were engaged, both resulting in the complete defeat of the FrencL Then followed the battle of Orthes, where Howey's regiment was again engaged. His last battle was that of Toulouse, fought on the 18th of April, 1814. Howey took an active part in all these battles, and, though his regiment was frequently in the thick of the fight, he escaped without a single scratch. He was not, however, at the final struggle at Waterloo, his company being at that time placed as guard over the French King, Louis XVHL, at Ghent He returned, after his many campaigns, to his native town, where he died in the year 1869, at the ripe age of ninety, and his remaiQS were consigned to their last resting place, at the Parish Church of St Andrew's, with military honours. The following are further extracts from the Burial Registers : — 1804. — October 20. — The Revd. Thos. Capstick, of Bishop Aukland, eighteen years Minister of St. Andrew Ankland and Escombe, & also of £sh & Satley, 77 years. November 22. — ^Ann Simpson, of Bishop Aukland, wife of Joseph Simpson, innkeeper, 52.* 1805. — February 23. — ^The Bevd. George Mounsey, Bpp. Aukland, Master of the Qrammar School and Curate of this Parish for the last 9 years, of an apoplexy, eta 39. August 2. — Balph Walton, Fizley Hills, pauper, a dwarf, 47. 1807. — March 14. — Lady Maxwell, of Hebmngton-Hall, relict of Sir Bobert Maxwell, of Orcherton, in the Stewartry of Eirkudbright, late Margaret McLellan, buried in the South Transept. 1808. — May 8. — An infant found dead in a field near Bishop AuUand. On an inquest, verdict — ^murdered. June 15. — ^William Banks, of Bishop Aukland, coroner of Stockton Ward for many years, 92. He retained all his faculties to the last hour of his long life, and died like a good man. 1809. — December 15. — ^Abraham Douglas, of Bishop Aukland,^ dyer, drowned in the Gaunless, 28 years. 1812. — January 18. — ^Matthew Smith, of Bishop Aukland, a Dancing Master, 68. February 2. — Isabella Bacon, of Bp. Aukland, Wife of the Bev. John Bacon, Minister of this Parish and Escomb, late Wren, 62. 1816. — May 17. — Jane Webster, widow, Bishop Aukland, 104. 1818. — February 9. — Hannah Robinson, Bishop Aukland, a pauper, 105. April 22.-^Margaret Richardson, B. Aukland, widow of James Richardson, Ensign and Quarter Master, 45 Regt. Foot, 70. April 24. — George Nicholson, B. Aukland, Master of the Barrington School, 29. December 4. — ^Ralph Hodgson, gentleman, B. Aukland, 81. December 11. — George Hodgson, Esq., Surveyor of the Post Office, B. Aukland, 77. 1821.— October 7.— Michael Elgy, B. Aukland, barber, 78.f October 10. — Joseph Danson, B, Aukland, chaise driver, 17. November 1 3. — Henry Joseph Reay, of Hunwick, Esq., 29. 1822.— August 10. — Dorothy Thorp, Bishop Aukland, widow, 102. 1823. — January 15. — Stephen Burdon, Binchester Whins, Fanner, 66. The Sunday on which the last-named interment took place was rather a remarkable day. It was in the midst of a long and protracted snow-storm which lasted fourteen weeks, and the snow laid so thickly on the ground that a number of men had to be employed to cut the road fipom Binchester to Auckland before the funeral cortege could pass along. The day was so stormy that not one single individual, with the exception of the minister (the Rev. Robert Thompson), the necessary to displace a window to get her remains ont of the boose. She was landlady of the Malt Shoval Inn. t This individual added to the profession of a barber that of groom to the Rev. John Bacon, who was, at that time^ In- cumbent of the Parish. Michael was comi>limented one morning, by his master, on the increase he had had to his rather laige family. *' Yes," said Michael (touching ms hat), *'they are getting rather numerous on my hands— they require some feeding." '*0h !" said the Master, in reply, '*Gk>d never sends mouths but he sends meat to fill theuL" **Tme," said Michael; "but^ imf ortunatdy, he sends the mouths to my house, and the meat to jronrs. " ShorUy after, it was intimated to Michad that his nresenoe was required in the kitchen, where he tonnd a hamper full of provisbns, and half -^-sovereign oarefnlly wrapped in a piece m paper, waitmg for him. Digitized by Google
 * In BichArdaon's ** Table Book" it ia stated she was so oorpnlent m to require a coffin three feet over the ahonlden^ and it was