Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 7.djvu/480

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [i2s.vn.Nov.i3,i92o.

Gibraltar to be delivered after her death. This request I duly attended to. Mrs. Mawr had been a persona grata with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth of Romania (Carmen Sylva) and as the Calea where Mrs. Mawr had died was in a remote district of the capital I addressed a letter to the Queen informing her of the sad event. A few days afterwards I received a gracious acknowledgment from Her Majesty stating that whilst she was grieved to hear of the passing of her old friend she thanked me " for my thoughtfulness in writing as other- wise the sad occurrence might not have reached her for some time as Madame Mawr had lived for the last few years in retirement owing to her age and infirmities." Mrs. Mawr was aged 80 when she died.

R. STEWABT PATTERSON, Chaplain H.M. Forces (retired) and to the

Legation and British Colony in Romania. 19 TTeathhurst Road, Sanderstead, Surrey.

BEATSTER (12 S. vii. 267, 318). In Yarmouth this is always printed Beetster. Pipen he coulde, and fishe, and nettes bete

Chaucer's 'Reve's Tale.' Chaucer adds

Of Norfolk was this Reve of which I tell. WILLIAM DE CASTRE.

I am writing these few lines at the distance of three miles from the important K ether- land port of Ymuiden, also a great seafishing centre. I have seen the women at work repairing the fishing nets. They are called here Boetsters. This shows how old the name Beatster must be. It dates back to the time when virtually the same language was spoken on the English south-east and east coasts as was in use at that period from Boulogne to the mouth of the Weser on the continent. W. DEL COURT.

HOATHER- (12 S. vii. 331). If a place- name a likely source of Heather (with Hoad and Hoathley, its variations) is the parish oJ Hoath, six miles from Canterbury, Kent.

If a trade-name its source may be Heath or Heather (see Halliwell's ' Diet! of Archaic Words'). In Sussex " hoth " is a dialed word for furze or gorse, usually found on heaths and commons.

The ' English Dialect Dictionary ' says " Hoath or hoth : a heath ; only found in place-names." W. JAGGARD, Capt.

Hoath and Hoather are names indigenous in East and West Hoathley in Sussex.

HYLTON B. DALE.

ELIZABETH (RTJ-NKLE) CHARLES (12 S. ii. 414;'iv. 337). Readers of C N. & Q." will be pleased to know that the tablet: rected to the memory of this gifted writer and benefactress upon the walls of " Combe Mge," Oakhill Way, Hampstead, has now )een restored to its former state. For- nearly two years the inscription and dates- yere quite obliterated, and afterwards only martially rendered visible.

CECIL CLARKE.

THE " GOOSE CLUB " (12 S., vii. 310; 354).. -SiR WILLOUGHBY MAYCOCK has quite mis- taken my original query. Probably it was lot clear enough.

Between 1850 and 1860 "Goose Clubs "

3ame into existence. By whom, and where-

were they originated ? The 'N.E.D.' gives-

a definition: "An association formed to

provide the members with geese." One-

notation is given (1859): "Turkeys from

lie country : Goose Clubs in town."

There is an old song called 'The Goose- Club ' which was possibly written in the- early sixties, the first verse of which is : -

Joe Pickles to his Wife did say on the 1st of last

September " Twas banyan time last Christmas Day, old lady,-

you remember. This year might bring the same ill-luek, so to-

ensure some spruce grub, I'll tell you what I'll do, my duck, I'll take and:

join a Goose Club."

The song describes the disastrous^result of his investment, and finishes :

If you join Goose Clubs after this, you'll have no-

right to holler, At all events 'twon!t be amiss just to have a joint- to t'oller.

I seem to remember having seen in public- house windows a card with the legend 5 "Join our Christmas Goose Club."

J. H. LESLIE, Lieut. -Col.

CLAUDIUS SHAW, ROYAL ARTILLERY (12 S... vii. 269). I have now ascertained that Claudius Shaw died at Cobridge, in Stafford- shire on Nov. 10, 1875, and was buried at Salwarpe, near Droitwich, on Nov. 13.

He was the author of a book entitled 'The Artilleryman's Pocket Companion,' the second edition of which was published,- without date, probably about 1855. A third edition appeared, also without date,, as by "Duncan Blanckley Shaw, K.S.F.^ &c., Late Captain 90th or Stirlingshire Militia, and Lieutenant Artillery, late British Auxiliary Legion." There is a copy in British Museum library.