Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 2.djvu/477

10ᵗʰ S. II. 12, 1904.] Holbeck, Holborn, Holbrook, Holburn, Hoiditch, Holford, Holwell. The duplication in sense is not uncommon. I cannot help thinking that the first syllable of Holderness (Chaucer's "marshy land") is connected with the name of the river Hull, which forms the western boundary of that district. A short distance south there is the marshy part of Lincolnshire called Holland.

(10ᵗʰ S. i. 508; ii. 256, 317).—This heading was used by —not particularly chosen by the present writer. I am well aware that there are other English pronunciations; but after all, and notwithstanding this, there is surely but one English alphabet; and if that alphabet is not to be taken as our standard for pronunciation, we have none, and everything is arbitrary. remarks, "To say that our first letter is ā, not ă, tells us nothing at all, unless we are first informed what sounds such symbols are meant to represent." I cannot understand such a remark. I had thought that every one would allow that the first letter of the English alphabet is a sound that rimes with say, pay, day, &c.; and surely one must have some recognized symbol to represent that sound. To argue about that first letter's sound—or the "symbol" for that first letter—seems to me akin to quarrelling about the value of the regulation coins of the realm. As to any objection that r in arsk, parss, larst, &c., may by some be supposed "to be trilled," I would submit that—out of Scotland—that certainly would be "slippery"; for, if so, what would two r's (rr) in reason stand for?

's remarks about ahsk, pahss, lahst, &c., would not find acceptance with me, as a Northern Englishman, at all; because I could not allow that ah need have, or that, from the "English" point of view, it properly should have, the sound which he (arbitrarily) assigns to it. In fact, ah (ar, not arr) is not a Northern English vowel-sound; it is much too Southern, much too continental, much too foreign.

(10ᵗʰ S. ii. 289).— is referred to 'Bibliotheca Staffordiensis,' a work issued in 1894 under exceptionally great disadvantages by one whom I am proud to call my personal friend—Mr. Rupert Simms, of Newcastle-under-Lyme. This monumental bibliography of Staffordshire (which was noticed at 8ᵗʰ S. vi. 520) contains more than five columns of references to works published by John Tregortha, and gives also a brief account of his career. He was born in Cornwall (no date or place given), and was a Wesleyan minister up to 1795, being stationed at Burslem in 1787. He became a printer and bookseller in 1796, continuing the business till his death, which took place on 9 January, 1821.

According to Mr. Simms's list, Mr. Tregortha's first publication was issued in 1796, and was entitled 'The Christian's Guide to Holiness.' Mr. Simms states that a portrait of Tregortha may be found in the Arminiain Magazine, for 1790, p. 505, and credits his namesake son with the composition of 'Verses on the late Mr. John Tregortha, of Burslem, Staffordshire, who died on 9 January, 1821,' 12mo, pp. 4. Mr. Simms says he has "no other trace of him," and asks ('Bibliotheca Staffordiensis, p. 465) "whether issued before name was changed, as I find in 1834 Charles Gorst Tregortha (a son of the printer) in business in Swan Square, Burslem."

Of this Charles Gorst Tregortha, Mr. Simms says he was in business as a printer and dealer in books at Swan Square, Burslem, and afterwards of Waterloo Road, quoting from White's 'Staffordshire,' 1834 edition.

I am now able to quote from the 1828 edition of Pigot & Co.'s Directory, which states that John and Charles Tregortha were in business as printers in the Market Place, Burslem, in that year. The 1835 edition of the same work mentions only Charles Gorst, giving the address as of Swan Square. I have several other directories of Staffordshire of much later date than this, but the name does not occur after 1835 in any of them.

Mr. Simms begins his list of Tregortha's works with the following quatrain:—

The last two lines to be repeated.

(10ᵗʰ S. ii. 169, 296). states in his interesting reply, "There is, or was, the East London Cemetery in White Horse Lane, Stepney." I shall be very glad if any of your correspondents can locate this burying-ground, or give any further information concerning it.

When I was engaged some years ago in copying the inscriptions and heraldry from Stepney Church and Churchyard, I noticed several gravestones standing amongst the