Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 1.djvu/12

6 shire MS. in the Bodleian by William Merle, written about 133744. Merle was one of the first to keep a record of the weather in any way to be compared to modern meteorology.

(2) The British Museum library has a fine run of large folio sheet almanacs, which include this county, from 1822 to 1894, with some few years missing. The press-mark is 1878 d. 3. The title of the 1822 one is as follows:—

Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Isle of Ely.

Calculated to

ALMANACK for the Year of Our Lord 1822.

Being the Second after Bissextile or Leap-Year, and the Third of the Reign of His Present Majesty.

Huntingdonshire and Bedfordshire.

Latitude 52 deg. 30 min.

London: Printed for the Company of Stationers. Sold by George Greenhill at their Hall in Ludgate Street.

It gives lists of the fairs and members of Parliament. From 1822 to 1849 the almanacs were sold by George Greenhill; from 1850 to 1883 by Joseph Greenhill; and from 1884 to 1894 they were "published by the Stationers' Company." The price of each was two shillings up to 1834; the next year and subsequent years the price was reduced to sixpence, the result possibly of the repeal of the stamp duty.

(3) 'Hannay & Dietrichsen's Almanack for 1844' amongst other counties includes Huntingdonshire, but gives only the usual local information of that period.

(4) The first of the locally published almanacs was a folio sheet, 14½ in. by 24½ in., printed by David Richard Tomson, Market Square, St. Neots, who had recently succeeded his uncle J. Stott. It is called 'Tomson's Almanack for the Year 1852,' and printed in blue. 'Tomson's St. Neots Almanac, 1854,' gave an engraving of St. Neots Church; and another one entitled 'Almanack for 1869 ' was 21 in. by 28 in., and all were issued gratis.

(5) Tomson also printed the Family Paper" Almanack, 1855," a sheet 9½ in. by 14½ in., printed in red and blue; the similar one for 1856 was printed in black. Issued gratis with the St. Neots Family Paper.

(6) Tomson also printed the first book almanac, small 8vo, in the county 'Tomson's Household Almanack, 1856,' 1d.

(7) The St. Neots Chronicle" Almanack,' a sheet 17½ in. by 22½ in., was presented to subscribers to the St. Neots Chronicle by F. Topham. The almanac was issued yearly from about 1856 to 1871.

(8) Evans & Wells succeeded Topham, and they issued a similar almanac from 1872 to 1886, when the Chronicle was absorbed by the Hunts County News.

(9) 'Handford's Family Almanack, 1863,' is the next book almanac, printed and published by Robert Wm. Handford, Market Place, St. Neots, 1d. He was in business as a stationer for only about a year.

(10) The Rev. E. Bradley ("Cuthbert Bede") was curate of Glatton with Holme, 1850-54, and Rector of Denton with Caldicote, 1859-71. He presented his parishioners with an almanac, as the following note shows:—

(11) The 'Denton and Caldicot Almanack, 1872,' was dated by Harry M. Wells from Denton Rectory, November, 1871.

The one for the year 1873 had the same address and the same illustrations dated November 1871.

(12) The 'Caldicote Almanack,' 1873, a large single sheet, was also dated from Denton Rectory by Harry M. Wells, Dec. 7, 1872.

(13) 'Foster's Illustrated Huntingdonshire Almanack,' St. Ives, 1872-82, 8vo.—The year 1881 has advertisements only. That for 1882 (the eleventh year) was called 'Foster's Huntingdonshire Almanack,' and gave St. Ives local information, a list of carriers from St. Ives, and a calendar of local events.

(14) 'Hankin's Huntingdonshire Almanac and Fireside Companion,' St. Ives, 1882-1916, 8vo.—Contains Companion to the Almanac (tales), conundrums, &c., all printed at St. Ives—at first by James G. Harikin, and after 1885 by James G. Hankin & Son. The following years have rather interesting frontispieces:—

1888. The Old Bridge, St. Ives. By C. R. B. Barrett.

1889. The Old House, St. Ives. By C. R. B. Barrett. (This is the old house referred to in my note at 11 S. x. 501.)

1890. Ramsey Abbey in Huntingdonshire. Hawkins, sculp.

1891. The Waits, St. Ives. By C. R. B. Barrett.

1S92. Skating Match at Chatteris, 1823.

1893. Congregational Church, St. Ives.

May I be allowed to mention that in 1884 appeared my 'Notes on the History of