On November 26th, 1850, a large and influential public meeting of all
denominations of Christians, Thomas Fereday, Esq., the Mayor, in the
chair, was held in the Old Town Hall, for the purpose of presenting
an address to the Queen, "against the recent insolent usurpation by
the Pope of Rome of authority and jurisdiction in this your Majesty's
independent dominions."
This meeting was addressed at great length by the Mayor, Dr. Browne,
Vicar; Rev. Jno. Wesley Thomas, Wesleyan Minister; Rev. Jno. Palmer,
Unitarian Minister; with our ever-green and watchful friend, Mr. Saml.
Cook. The meeting passed off most enthusiastically, and the address was
duly presented to the Queen; but, like all other efforts to put down
freedom of opinion in religious faith, it signally failed to secure
the ends aimed at; for all parties seemed to have forgotten "Catholic
Emancipation," granted some twenty-one years before.
February, 1851. This month all the Market ground which had been cleared
of the old buildings was paved with new stones.
Died February 27th, 1851, Mr. John Smith, the kind, considerate, and
jovial landlord of the "Hotel." Aged 58 years.
1851. March 30th. The Census of the United Kingdom was taken this night.
MARRIAGE OF LORD WARD.--April 24th, 1851, the marriage of Lord Ward,
so well known as being one of the largest proprietors of the empire,
with Miss Selina Constance De Burgh, eldest daughter of Hubert De
Burgh, Esq., was celebrated at St. George's Church, Hanover Square, in
the presence of a select circle of the friends of both parties. The
ceremony was conducted in a comparatively private manner, owing to
the recent demise of a member of the De Burgh family. The Rev. Legh
Claughton, Vicar of Kidderminster, and brother-in-law to Lord Ward,
officiated. Shortly after nine o'clock the bridal party entered the
church; Mr. De Burgh gave his daughter away. Lady Wallscourt, the Hon.
Mr. and Mrs. Dudley Ward, Mr. and Mrs. Hawkes, the Hon. Mrs. Blake, the
Dowager Lady Ward, and other friends of the families, were present.
At the conclusion of the ceremony the bridal party repaired to the
residence of Mr. De Burgh, in Grosvenor Crescent, and there partook of
breakfast. The happy pair subsequently left town for Sandgate, to pass
the honeymoon.--_Birmingham Journal._
This unhappy lady died shortly afterwards of fever, and was interred in
the family vault in Himley Church, amidst a grievous sorrowing throng
of relations and friends. Aged 22 years.
1851. May 1st. This day the Great National Exhibition was opened in
Hyde Park, London, by the Queen and Prince Albert, in great pomp
and state, attended with an immense retinue of English and Foreign
potentates. Many of us denizens of the Black Country attended also and
paid our respects to the immense block of coal exhibited, which came
from the bowels of the earth at Dudley Port, or Horseley Fields.
May 5th, 1881. This town and locality was this day visited with a
terrific storm of thunder and lightning. Some houses in Prospect Row
and St. Thomas's Church were struck with the lightning, but fortunately
no lives were lost.
July 28th, 1851. A partial eclipse of the sun took place this day, at
the hour of 3 p.m.
August 6th, 1851. "Proposed Application of the Public Health Act to
Dudley." Mr. Lee, one of the Inspectors under the Sanitary Act, held
a Public Enquiry, and made a survey of the Borough of Dudley, and he
declared "that this town was the worst drained and the filthiest of
any town in the kingdom." The death-rate was much higher than any
other, being 28 deaths in every 1,000 inhabitants _during the last 10
years!!!_ whereas the general average was 20 deaths in every 1,000
inhabitants. Oh! ye advocates for economy, and keeping your hands
tightly on your breeches pockets; who draw the rent, with greed, from
your ignorant tenants, but refuse to bear the burden which belongs
to the landlord for the domestic health of those very tenants you
live upon day by day, read the subjoined astounding report and ask
yourselves whether conscience does not struggle hard to resume her seat!