Welcome to another issue of The Newport Cornucopia where we dig through the newspapers archives for interesting news articles and adverts. All articles are posted verbatim and most headlines are original. If you want to have each issue delivered to your inbox, why not subscribe for free.
Smiles Were Plentiful
Smiles were so plentiful in Dock Street, Newport, on Friday, that they were being given away. By next week it is calculated that every man in the shipping and coal offices will have taken three inches off the length of his face, and added it to the breadth.
— South Wales Argus, Saturday 3rd September, 1898
The Orange Peel Nuisance
So many accidents occur every orange season, from persons carelessly throwing the peel on pavements, that offenders really ought to be punished, whether their carelessness occasions hurt or not.
— Monmouthshire Merlin, Saturday, 12th January, 1850
Fifty-Mile Road Race at Newport
The 50-mile road race in connection with the Newport Safety CC was brought off last week. The following were the starters:- F Dyer, scratch; Oscar Davies, received 10 minutes; G Parker and J R Jacob, 15 minutes; L L Harries and H Clark, 17 minutes start. The start was made at five o’clock from the second milestone on Caerleon Road, and the route taken was through Caerleon, Usk and Raglan (lower road) to Monmouth, turning at the Cross and returning by the same road. Good mdeals were offered to competitions covering the distances in 2 hours 30 minutes, and four prizes were also offered. Davies was the first to pass the mark at 7.43, having covered the distance in 2 hours 35 minutes, being five minutes over the limit for the gold medal. Jacob was in at 7.49, having occupied 2hrs 46min; Clark was third at 7.55, his time being 2hrs, 54min. Dyer, the scratch man, was disappointed by his pace-makers, and practically gave up the contest. He arrived at 85, having accomplished the journey in 2hrs 47min. Harris gave up and Parker met with an accident. Mr W C Beale, ex-captain of the club, took the times, and Mr H S Richard’s, captain, acted as starter. Several well-known Newport and Cardiff riders assisted the competitors as pace-makers.
— South Wales Weekly Argus, Saturday 1st August, 1896
Incorrigible Girls
Frances Jones, of Cwmbran, and Annie James, of Cardiff, were charged with sleeping under a hay mow, in a field near the canal side, were each sentenced to a month’s imprisonment.
— South Wales Argus, Monday 3rd October, 1898
Charge of Attempting to Commit Suicide
At the borough police court yesterday, before Messrs T. Beynon (Mayor) and W. Williams, comes Llewllelin Jones of Hill Street, was charged with attempting to commit suicide by hanging himself to a lamp-post at three o’clock on the morning of Wednesday. Police constable Morgan stated that he saw prisoner in Commercial street taking off his two coats and hat, which he placed on the pavement. He then climbed up the lamp-post, and tied a handkerchief and a cord to the arm of the lamp-post, by which it appeared he intended to hang himself.
He spoke to prisoner, when he asked to be allowed to go to the bridge to drown himself, and seemed altogether in a very strange way. The father was present, and stated that his son was in the habit of staying out late at night and he had cautioned him to be in not later than eleven o’clock. His son disobeyed his order, and cam knocking at the door at one o’clock, when he refused him admission, after which it appeared he had gone to the bottom of HIll Street, and attempted, according to the officer’s statement, to commit this rash act.
For himself, he did not consider that his son really intended to commit suicide at all, but thought it was only a display of temper.
The Bench remanded the case until Friday.
— The Western Mail, Thursday 20th January, 1870
According a report on 22nd January, 1870, in the same newspaper, the person was discharged with a caution.
Pirated Music
Marks Adler, a young Jew, living at 76 Commercial Street, was charged at Newport with having in his possession, 843 pirated copies of copyrighted musical works. PC Hiles have evidence as to seizing the pirated music, which was produced. Mr G Hollingsworth, agent for the owners of the copyright, was also called. He said that cases of this sort gave a great deal of trouble, and men had to be kept all over the country looking for it. Defendant pleaded that he had given up dealing in the music, and now he was engaged in the sale of incandescent lights. The Bench ordered payment of the costs (21s), the music to be forfeited. Defendant said he had no money.
— South Wales Argus, Wednesday 13th January, 1904
Lighting Scheme Proposed for Caerleon
Rev D B Jones proposed a motion adopting a new scheme of lighting the town, the object being to have the public lamps lighted every night during the lighting season. The extra cost he said had been arranged with the gas company and would be £18 a year. Mr Taylor seconded and the motion was carried.
— South Wales Argus, Wednesday 5th May, 1897
New Branch Post-Office at Newport
A new post-office, at which money order and savings bank as well as the ordinary postal businesses will be transacted, was on Wednesday opened at Watchhouse Parade, and letters posted there will fall into the following collections, viz: Weekdays, 8.15 and 11.30am, 1.50, 4.40, 5.40, 8.45 and 11.30pm; Sundays, 7.50 and 11.30pm.
— South Wales Argus, Saturday 4th April, 1896
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