Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 12.djvu/109

 ii s. xii. AUG. 7, 1915.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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AUTHOR AND POEM WANTED. I should be glad to know in what poem the following lines occur, and also the name of their author :

Has he gone to the land of no laughter, The man who made mirth for us all ?

R. H. N.

[PROF. BENSLY stated at 10 S. x. 476 that these verses on the death of Artemus Ward are included in Mr. James Rhoades's ' Poems.']

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION WANTED.

(1) William Wade, Canon of Windsor from 10 Feb., 1719/20, to his death on 6 Feb., 1732/3. When and whom did he marry ?

(2) Nathaniel Waddon or Whaddon, a native of Devonshire, was elected to Trin. Coll., Camb., from Westminster in 1652. There is no record of his matriculation, and I shall be glad to learn any information about him. (3) Peter Wagener was ap- pointed Rector of Stisted, Essex, 6 Jan., 1707. I wish to know if he married and to ascertain the date of his death. (4) Bartho- lomew Wall, son of James Wall of Stratford, Essex, matriculated at Oxford from Ch. Ch., 5 June, 1751, aged 18. WTien and where did he die in 1755 ? (5) Nicholas Walling- ton, Rector of Dumbleton, Gloucestershire, 1615. When did he die ? (6) John Walter, son of John Walter of London, matriculated at Oxford from Queen's College, 21 June, 1723. Any information concerning him would oblige G. F. R. B.

DATE OF COMET. I have lately discovered a family letter headed "Oct. 24," but with no year-date, which contains a descrip- tion of " the great comet " seen by the writer on the morning of the 23rd.

" Its tail [he says] is far longer than any I ever saw, not excepting that of 1811, which I remember seeing as a boy. I have made several rough drawings, and send you one, such as it is."

The letter was probably written after 1880. If some correspondent of ' N. & Q.' can say in what year a remarkably large comet was shining in October, he will enable me to date the sketch. P. W. G. M.

SCOTCH COURT OF SESSION. Can any reader advise me how to obtain the perusal of a claim made in this Court ? The claim was made by James Fleming of Clairmaunt for the recovery of the title of Earl of Wigton, and it failed for want of documentary evi- dence. Whether the date of the claim was in the nineteenth century or late in the eighteenth, I am unable to say.

E. F. W.

BRADLEY FAMILY. An Alexander Bradley is stated by family tradition to have come to Ireland from Yorkshire about 1750 as agent of the Wandesfords of Kirklington and Castlecomer. Can any reader of ' N. & Q.* suggest to what family he belonged, or how to trace him ? T. A. O'M.

Co. Dublin.

ST. THOMAS CANTILTJPE. Can any reader supply information concerning a book giving details of the life of this saint, called ' Life and Gests' ? By whom was it written and when published, and where can a copy be seen ? It does not appear to be in the British Museum Library. C.

THE VIRTUES OF ONIONS. In ' The Office Window ' of The Daily Chronicle of 26 July, the following anecdote of " onion lore " is related :

" The virtues of the onion were never more plainly demonstrated than during the great cholera epidemic in London in 1849. Saffron Hill was practically free, although the surrounding neighbourhood suffered severely. The Board of Health investigated, and discovered that it was due to the fact that all the cholera-proof houses were occupied by Italian organ-grinders who consumed huge quantities of onions, which were hanging in strings from the ceilings of their rooms. When this was made known Londoners just reeked of onions ! "

In many rural districts this superstition is still scrupulously observed. The onions are left hanging until blackened in appear- ance, when they are considered to have become impregnated with the impurities of the air, and are then either consigned to the dustbin or burnt, and fresh bunches substi- tuted.

I shall be glad to know if any further virtues have been ascribed to the onion besides being a cure for deafness, which has already been discussed in the columns of ' N. & Q.' REGINALD JACOBS.

FAMILY OF JOHN WALKER. The Very Rev. John Walker, D.D., Dean of Booking, Essex, and Archdeacon of Hereford, died 9 Nov., 1741. He married Charlotte Sheffield, 26 Jan., 1727/8, and had six sons and four daughters. Can any one kindly give m the names and any particulars of the sons in addition to the following ? Henry, born 9 Dec., 1733, Fellow of King's College, Cam- bridge, graduated M.A. 1760 ; Charles, born 8 Jan., 1735 ; Thomas, born 5 Dec., 1739. There were two daughters that survived him : Anne Sheffield was the name of the one born 16 March, 1736. I should also like to know the name of the other, and if there