Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 2.djvu/411

Rh 'Dullborough Town' and 'The Seven Poor Travellers,' and the chapel in which Dr. Clifford commenced his ministrations in Praed Street, Paddington, are now devoted to the cinematograph.

—As 'N. & Q.' was the first journal to open its pages to the record of photographic discovery (cf. ante, p. 39. col. 2), I may, perhaps, most appropriately describe in its pages some early photographs I possess of the above county.

I am desirous of ascertaining when, and by whom, the first photographs were taken there. The two oldest in my collection are Talbo types of 'Holmewood House, Hunts,' by Capt. Grenville Wells, September, 1852. The next in date are several views, "at Broughton, Hunts," by the Rev. Geo. Johnston, taken in 1853. An interesting print of a 'Corn-Mill, Elton, Hunts,' is dated "1854 by J. M. Heathcote." Amongst many prints of the same period and by the same gentlemen, but not dated, I may mention the following titles: 'In my Garden, Holmewood, Hunts,' 'In the Holme Fen,' 'Ramsey,' 'Hinchingbrooke,' 'Windmill, Huntingdon,' by J. M. Heathcote; and several views of Broughton and Brampton, Hunts, by the Rev. Geo. Johnston.

The most interesting, however, of the series is a fine photograph—probably the first taken—of the

This inscription is in the autograph of Cuthbert Bede (1827-89), and he wrote an excellent account of this historic chair in 'N. & Q.' the same year. See No. 174 26 Feb., 1853 (1 S. vii. 197). These photographs all belonged to Cuthbert Bede, and came into his possession when he was curate of Glatton-cum-Holme in 1850-54. The photographs have naturally faded considerably from age, but still distinctly show the various objects, and are excellent prints and real pictures. Some of the views which have faded rather more than the others Cuthbert Bede has outlined with his pen, and others he has tinted. They are, however, in an excellent state of preservation, and many of them record objects now vanished.

Daguerre exhibited in 1839 pictured taken by the sun. In 1841 Talbot (1800-77) patented his discovery of the Calotype process. I might call this "paper" photography; it preceded the collodion process and glass plates. Calotype, or Talbotype, could not immediately have become known, and must have required some skill, as it was rather a tedious process. So that it seems to me the dated specimens of Capt. Grenville Wells of 1852 are quite early examples of the photographer's art, and must be some of the first taken in Huntingdonshire. And incidentally they tell us the names of three gentle- men who were among the pioneers, if not the first, who practised the new discovery in their county.

Capt. Grenville Wells belonged to the family of Wells who for so long were lords of the manor of Holme. Mr. J. M. Heathcote was a distinguished leading gentleman of the county, who resided at Conington Castle (c. 1801-92); and the Rev. George Johnston was Rector of Broughton from 1838 to 1886, and died in the latter year. All of them resided near each other.

What changes 'N. & Q.' has lived through, from the introduction of the early paper photography to the wet and dry collodion processes, and so on to the film and the cinematograph!

—Thomas, William, John, and Ambrose Sacheverell, who entered Winchester College as "Consanguinei Fundatoris" in 1571, 1572, 1577, and 1584, respectively aged 14, 12, 9, and 10, were sons of Henry Sacheverell of Sadington and Kibworth, Leicestershire, by his second wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Fiennes, de jure Lord Saye and Sele, and owed their kinship to the Founder to their mother (Kirby, 'Winchester Scholars,' 143, 144, 147, 151; Nichols, 'Leicestershire,' III. i. 220).

John, according to Kirby, was "a soldier, then Papal Prothonotary." This is not quite correct; it does not seem at all likely that he ever held the latter post. But his career was a diversified one, and seems worth the telling.

It is not known when he left Winchester and took up the profession of arms, but on 28 Nov., 1588, he arrived at the English College at Rheims, "militiæ pertæsus," and, having been instructed in the rudiments of the Catholic religion, remained there gladly till 5 May, 1590, when he departed "in militiam profectus" (Knox, 'Douay Diaries,' 222, 230). He then went to Rome, where