Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 4.djvu/327

 12 S. IV. DEC., 1918.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

321

man met his death while engaged in an exploring and surveying expedition to ascertain how far the river Volta could be made available for navigation and traffic. The details were adopted from various 'buildings of Early English date. On the death of Miss Ellen Mackworth Dolben in 1912 the Finedon estate came under the hammer.

SAMUEL W. TAYLOR.

Kettering, Northamptonshire. On Jan. 15, 1910, Councillor L. E. Bradley, President of the Kettering Trades Council, unveiled a monument in the cemetery to the memory of Mr. S. W. Taylor, a prominent local Labour leader. It is of polished Aberdeen granite, and is thus inscribed :

" Sacred to the memory of Samuel William Taylor, born April 3rd, 1854, died April 2nd, 1909. At rest. Erected by members and friends of the Kettering Trades Council, in recogni- tion of his 30 years' service on local public bodies."

THE HON. T. A. POWYS.

Thorpe- Achurch, Northamptonshire. The Hon. Thomas Atherton Powys, eldest son of the late Lord Lilford, died in November, 1882, at the early age of 22. To his memory his grandmother, the Lady Mary Elizabeth Lilford, had constructed in the centre of the village a public well and drinking-fountain. At the head is inscribed :

In memory of Thomas Atherton Powys

MDCCCLXXXH.

He is also commemorated by a monument on the south side of the chancel in the parish church. JOHN T. PAGE.

Long Itchington, Warwickshire.

(To be continued.)

THE CORRESPONDENCE OF RICHARD EDWARDS, 1669-79.

.(See 12 S. Hi. 1, 44, 81, 122, 161, 205, 244, 262, 293, 323, 349, 377, 409, 439, 470, 498; iv. 39, 96, 151, 209, 267.)

LETTER LXXXIX.

Edward Reade to Richard Edwards. (O.C. 3752.)

, {Edward Reade, who had married Mary, daughter of Sir Edward Winter, went out to India under his father-in-law's protection when the latter was appointed Governor of Fort St. George in 1661. According to the statement of Thomas Stiles, Reade had been refused . employment by the Court and was taken to

India by his kinsman without their knowledge. In an anonymous letter from Fort St. George, dated Apr. 14, 1668, it is said Reade was "en- tertained in Consultation by virtue of a power from the Company " on Dec". 21, 1664, and that it was at one time intended to make him Third at Masulipatam, a place for which he was unfitted, " being the only dealer at Metchle- patam with Captains and pursers for prohibited goods." Stiles also declared that legitimate servants of the Company were ousted to make room for Reade as " Purser Generall," but that he lost his post and was discharged on the. arrival of Nicholas Buckridge, an inspector sent out from England in 1664. In a letter to the Company of Jan. 9, 1666, Winter admitted taking Reade into the Company's service, but added that " upon Mr Buckeridge's arrival he left it."

In 1665 Reade seceded from Sir Edward Winter's party and went over to the side of George Foxcraft, who had been appointed to supersede Winter and had been seized and imprisoned by him. On Foxcraft's reinstate- ment as Agent, in 1668, he reported favourably of Reade to his employers on Jan. 27, 1669 : " Mr. Edward Read whome you formerly recommended to our consideration being a very ingenious and knowing person, and that hath continued faithfull and asefull to you since his late defection, and hath therein incurred the fierce anger of Sir Edward Winter, notwithstanding his relation to him, is a person so well qualified for knowledg and experience for your affaires as any man what- soever for your service, that we think him very worthy of your entertainment against any occation may present suitable to his capacity and abilities."

In April of 1669 Reade acted as foreman of the jury in the trial of Ascentia Dawes for the murder of her slave. In June, " having made it his earnest desire that he might have leave to goe into the Bay and there to be at his own Charge arid not the Companys, untill such time as he shall be necessarily employed in the Companys service," the Council at Fort St. George granted his request, and he pro- ceeded to Balasor. In October, 1669, the Court formally took him into their service as factor, his securities being " Thomas Creswell Esquire of Hickfield in Co. Southampton and George Vine of Westminster," and on Dec. 7, 1669, the appointment was confirmed " on recommendation " received from Madras.

Meanwhile Reade had arrived at Balasor accompanied by a letter from Foxcraft setting forth his " dilligence and aptitude in the Companys employment." Although, accord- ing to Stiles, his " coming to Bengal " was " much resented," he was appointed to manage the Company's affairs at Balasor, and in 1672 he was made a member of Council. In 1676 he was accused of overrating some of the Company's goods, and of private trade and swearing, but the charges do not seem to have been substantiated, for he was subsequently ranked Second at Hugli, and confirmed in that position by the Court. In May, 1679, news was received of the death at Dacca of his daughter, who had come out to India in 1676 and had married Samuel Hervy. This was " no small greif to Mr. Reade and his Lady."