WAGSTAFFE WAGS HIS TONGUE
An elderly man named Alfred Wagstaffe appeared to answer a summons for being drunk on the Market Ground on the 15th inst.- Defendant, who was very polite loquacious and eloquent, said he had never been locked up in his life, never been summoned in his life during the 70 years he had lived in the town. – Mr. Hulme: A very good record. We discharge you this time. – Defendant (bowing and scraping): I humbly and most respectfully beg leave to return my sincere and heartfelt thanks for your kindness.
(Ashton Borough Court, 22nd June 1901).
WAGSTAFF
In Tiffin Township, Defiance Co. Ohio, September 17th, 1875, Joseph Wagstaff, at the ripe old age of 78 years. The deceased was the father of Captain Joseph Wagstaff, of Stryker, a gallant soldier of the late War for the Union.
Mr. Wagstaff was born in Pennsylvania, from which state he moved to Harrison County, Ohio, some forty years ago, and from thence to Ricchland, where he remained a few years, and then came to Defiance and settled on the farm where he died.
He was a good citizen, a good neighbour, and is a loss to the community in which he had so long resided. Thus the land marks of our early settlement are dropping away, and the last Pioneer will soon be gathered to his fathers. His father, Joseph Wagstaff, was born in England – kidnapped at the age of 7 years and brought to this country when he was abandoned and left and left to provide for himself. At the outbreak of our Revolutionary struggle he enlisted into the Continental Army and did faithful service to its close, and died in Ohio at the advance age of more than 99 years.
(The Bryan Press, Sept. 1875.)
Silver Spoon Legacy
The name of John Wagstaffe (1727-1808) is linked with the “Silver Spoon Legacy of Bawburgh, Norfolk”.
John was born in Basingstoke, Hampshire and moved to Bawburgh to become the Miller and at the same time to be a Baker in nearby Norwich. The mill at Bawburgh had previously been owned by Jeremiah James Colman prior to starting his famouse mustard milling at Stoke Holy Cross.
John Wagstaffe was very interested in natural history and was a keen poet. He was a staunch Quaker and this was reflected in his will, which affected Bawburgh’s history for the next 200 years.
In John’s will it stated that “any couple married in Bawburgh Church should receive a silver spoon for their first born, provided the baby did not arrive before 36 weeks or latter than two years after the marriage.” He left a sum of £50 to be invested to provide such spoons. From 1809 until 1962 sixty five babies received an engraved silver spoon (or the parents on their behalf). Thus by 1962 the interest on the capital invested became unable to continue the charity.
The Question of Witchcraft?
Back in 1669 Oxford graduate John Wagstaffe (1633 - 77) published his "Question of Witchcraft". His contemporaries said that John had the misfortune of looking like a gnome; even acquaintances said he was like a Wizard. Johns' short life came to a sad conclusion when he went insane and his life went on a downward spiral with the addiction to drink.
On its publication John stated that there was no such thing as "Witches"; John was denounced in print by a number of well known people on his views. John was accused by them of atheism, but he turned round on them and stated that they had misunderstood Scripture and had themselves fallen into heathenism. Only the true God can altar nature in any way. Much of his book John devotes to the debate of witchcraft mentioned within the Scripture which he insisted was mistranslated. John then investigated other writings on witches in both historical and theological books. Coming to the conclusion that the writers had fallen under the influence of mere superstition.
John had written his book in a time that people were being hunted down and he states that it is the poor, elderly and female, who were accused as being witches. They were put to brutal torture to get false confessions from them. John said that his aim of writing the book was to save the poor souls from execution.
Knutsford Prison
During World War 1 there were a number of Consciences Objectors who for one reason or another refused to "Take up Arms". The Conscience Objectors were put into Dartmoor Prison then when that prison became overcrowded into Wakefield then Knutsford Prison.
Knutsford Prison had closed its doors to prisoners in 1915, but it had then been taken over by the War Office for Military offenders. This was much against the will of the towns people who were much against the men held in the prison. The Home office had stated that the prisoners would be put to had labour, but only a few were put to proper hard work, the rest being given light work. But in fact the prisoners were permitted an amount of freedom, which they were aloud to enter the town on their own.
One of the Consciences Objectors who was sent to Knutsford Prison was a David Wagstaff. The main reason that David was a Consciences objector was that he was a member of "The Peculiar People". The Peculiar People, formally called "The Banyardites," were an Evangelical sect formed in 1840 by James Banyard in the county of Essex. Devout Christians who were "Born Again" they first believed that there was no call for doctors but that the laying on of hands onto the patient and praying and the anointing with oil would cure all ailments. Later their guidance was changed slightly saying that faith and prayer could still be assisted by the medical profession. The name "Peculiar People" came from the Bible, "The Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto Himself" - Peculiar being "Special People."
The towns folk were up in arms on this and refused to serve them, there was many an unpleasant incident between the town and prisoners. The unpleasantness culminated in a riot outside the prison in 1918, when the prisoners were attacked by by the local towns folk.