The news stories featuring Preston people found on this site are historical prime sources and are in the public domain. Most of them feature mundane and often unsavoury aspects of village life: poaching, drunkenness, assault and even manslaughter.
They have been included because they give a compelling insight into life in Preston in the nineteenth century. If we did not read three references to the Temple Clock above the stables at Temple Dinsley in the account of the notorious Preston Hill robbery case, how else would we know the way in which the clock regulated villagers’ lives? From witness statements, we know that the clock could be seen from Preston Green and was heard at the bottom of Preston Hill. Its clock face and chimes were therefore an essential part of the sights and sounds of Preston. A different news report even describes how the clock was destroyed by fire in 1888. Unless we read these news stories, this aspect of Preston history might be lost.
To reveal or not to reveal?
But how does one respond to learning sordid or detrimental details of one’s family
-
My view is that all information about one’s family -
Nevertheless, at first I elected to conceal the identities of miscreants. However,
after receiving e-
I have added occasional explanatory comments to the news reports in blue type.
It may be helpful to know that often when a fine was imposed on offenders during the nineteenth century, there was an alternative punishment of imprisonment if the guilty person could not or would not pay the fine.
These articles are reproduced by kind permission of the Hertfordshire Mercury.
Additional notes
