Chapter XXV (2)

This water, when first taken from the spring in a glass, in
appearance greatly resembles a solution of emetic tartar in common
water. The taste is not unpleasant, something like that upon a knife
after it has been used in cutting lemons. It does not seem to
contain the smallest portion of sulphur; it neither changes vegetable
blues, red, nor does it effervesce with alkaline salts, calcareous
earths, magnesia, nor fossil alkali; neither does it change vegetable
blues, green, nor does it effervesce with acids; yet it curdles soap,
and renders a solution of it in various spirits milky.

It seems to contain a considerable portion of calcareous earth, mixed
with vitriolic acid in the form of its selenites, and also a
considerable portion of iron, as will appear from the following
experiment: Sixty-four ounces of this water by measure being
evaporated to dryness, there was a residuum of a brownish colour,
full of spicul, weighing eight grains, four ounces of which, with an
equal quantity of charcoal, was made into a paste with oil, and
calcined. On trying the calcined matter with the magnet, two pieces
nearly in the metallic form adhered to it; and when put upon paper,
at the distance of half an inch, moved in every direction with the
magnet. These two pieces weighed one-eighth of a grain.

The gross residuum neither effervesces with alkali nor acids, and is
sufficiently soluble in water.

This water becomes instantly transparent, like distilled water, on
the addition of any of the mineral acids, especially the vitriolic.

A solution of galls in common water, added to an equal portion of
this water, becomes black like ink, in a few minutes.

The Chalybeate has been found serviceable in several cases of general
debility, crapulas, indigestion, atony of the stomach, and fluor
albus; and in all those diseases where chalybeate and tonic remedies
are required, it promises, under due regulation, to be useful.

Dr. Henderson was a physician of eminence in the town; and a minute of Vestry, at the Unicorn Inn, February 10th, 1794, shews the esteem in which he was held by the inhabitants. It runs thus:--"Dr. Henderson presented with a pint silver cup, for his care and attention to the parish."

A character of the time, who also practised the healing art, is not so favourably mentioned in the Vestry Book, February 4th, 1805, the entry of him being:--"Resolved that Michael Cobby be allowed eight shillings per week, on his quitting the Poor-house; and his drugs and effects delivered up to him." It must not, from this, however, be supposed medicine and surgery were so at a discount that parish relief was requisite to maintain

The wise physician skilled our wounds to heal.

Dr. Cobby, as he was familiarly known, had talent, but he was more a disciple of Bacchus, than of Galen, and the natural reply to him, as he tendered his services in his tattered clothes, which his poverty bespake, and as a foul specimen of the unwashed, would be "Physician, heal--cleanse--thyself." Not that Brighton at that period had waned in the least from the character it had obtained for healthfulness, as a memorandum, made August, 1806, states:--"Such is the healthy condition of the town, that the doctors and apothecaries complain dolefully of their declining businesses, and undertakers are literally starved out, the latter declaring, 'All trades must live,' but the residents are determined not to serve them." In 1580, there was but one medical man in Brighton, Dr. Mathews, who lived in Middle street. His terms for attending in confinements were: At Portslade and Rottingdean, 5s; at Blatchington, 3s 6d; and anywhere in the town of Brighthelmston, 2s 6d.

In the early part of 1886, a sad scourge, the small pox, pervaded the town, and on the 25th of January, that year, when the population amounted to 3620, the following return of its virulence was made:--

_Those who had the _Nos. who had not_. small pox_. West Street 351 322 Middle Street and 231 272 Lanes North St. and ditto 234 295 Ship and Blk-Lyon do 318 336 Knab, Cliff, Brighton 260 291 pl. and Little East St. East St. and Nth Row, 308 291 Steyne and Pool Lane Poor in the House 31 50 Number supposed. 0 30 After taking numbers 1733 1887

A general inoculation in consequence, was ordered at a Vestry Meeting; and the 1887 who escaped the disease were inoculated by Messrs. Lowdell, Gilbert, Pankhurst, and Tilston, the charges being: The poor, servants, and day-labourers, at 2s. 6d. each; and other persons at 7s. 6d. each. The return of the deaths is not made in the Vestry minute book.

One of the crowning features of Brighton, as a health-providing town, is the German Spa, Queen's Park, an establishment for manufacturing the Artificial Mineral Waters, which, by the faculty, are pronounced to be so perfect an imitation of the original springs in Germany, that the most celebrated chemists can detect no difference between them. They are the production of Dr. Struve, of Dresden, who some years ago turned his attention to the analysis and imitation of the original, and patients who have drank both can discover no difference in their flavour or effect. The artificial waters supplied are:--

WARM WATERS CARLSBAD The Sprudel 165 Fahrenheit
Neubrunnen 138
Mulhbrunnen 138
Theressebrunnen 122
EMMS The Krnchen 117
Kesselbrunnen 84
COLD WATERS MARIENBAD Kreutzbrunnen
AUSCHOWITZ Ferdinandsbrunnen
EGER Frazenbrunnen
PYRMONT
SPA
SEIDSCHUTZ
PULLNA

Mr. G. S. Carey, in a "Poetical Tagg, or Brighthelmstone Guide," {241} July 28th, 1777, gives the following on the rise and progress of the town even at that date:--

This town, or village of renown,
Like London Bridge, half broken down,
Few years ago was worse than Wapping,
Not fit for human soul to stop in;
But now, like to a worn-out shoe,
By patching well, the place will do.
You'd wonder much, I'm sure, to see,
How it's becramm'd with quality;
Here Lords and Ladies oft carouse
Together in a tiny house;
Like Joan and Darby in their cot,
With stool and table, spit and pot;
And what his valet would despise,
His lordship praises to the skies;
But such the _ton_ is, such the case,
You'll see the first of rank or place,
With star and riband, all profuse,
Duck at his door-way like a goose:
The humble beam was plac'd so low,
Perhaps to teach some clown to bow.
The air is pure as pure can be,
And such an aspect of the sea!
As you, perhaps, ne'er saw before,
From off the side of any shore:
On one hand Ceres spreads her plain,
And on the other, o'er the main,
Many a bark majestic laves
Upon the salt and buoyant waves;
The hills all mantl'd o'er with green,
A friendly shelter to the Steyne,
Whene'er the rugged Boreas blows,
Bemingled with unwelcome snows:
Such is the place and situation,
Such is the reigning seat of fashion.

Brighthelmstone,
July 28th, 1777.

Four years previous to the date of this "Tag," namely, in 1773, an Act of Parliament was passed, giving power to sixty-four Commissioners, elected by the inhabitants, to light and cleanse the streets, lanes, and other places within the town of Brighton, and for the general regulation and improvement of the town. In 1809, meetings of the inhabitants took place at the Old Ship, for and in opposition to obtaining a new Act of Parliament; and on the 21st of February, 1810, a very large majority of the Vestry, at a meeting held at the Old Ship, resolved that the Bill as framed by the Town Committee, which had been appointed by the inhabitants, should be forthwith presented to Parliament, to be passed into a law. The Act passed that year, augmenting the number of Commissioners to one hundred, and raising the duty on coal from sixpence to three shillings per chaldron. On the 22nd of June, 1825, (6 Geo. IV.) this Act was repealed and another passed, extending the number of Commissioners to one hundred and twelve, and giving them increased powers, in consequence of the extensive enlargement and requirements of the town.

Under the provisions of this Act some of the greatest improvements in the town were effected. The most prominent of these was the Sea Wall, which forms the southern front of Brighton from Cannon Place to the west end of Kemp Town. As early as 1799 the requirement of a wall at the foot of the East Cliff, now the Marine Parade, to prevent the encroachments of the sea, occupied the attention of the possessors of property in that vicinity, as amongst the Conditions of Sale of the land for the purpose of erecting the Royal Crescent,--sold by auction by Mr. Christie, at the Old Ship Inn, Monday, September 16th, 1799,--was the following:--

If it shall be judged necessary to build a Sea-Wall under the Cliff,
for Use or Ornament, the Purchasers and Plot Holders of each Ground
Plot to contribute their Proportion for Building the same.

The building of the Crescent commenced forthwith; but, in consequence of one of the most prominent of the speculators absconding, the whole of the houses were not completed until the end of December, 1807, at which period the area in front of the Crescent measured four acres. No wall was then considered necessary at the foot of the Cliff, but a dwarf wall was built on the south side of the carriage road, in lieu of posts and rails, which guarded in a most irregular manner the other portion of the road-way from the Steine to Black-Rock. On widening the road as now existing in consequence of the construction of the present massive sea-wall, not only was the dwarf wall removed but the crown of the rise of the road, which there ranged with the present paving of the Crescent, was taken off, and the incline made on the turfed area, which was considerably contracted by setting back the iron railings in a line with the front of the other property immediately east and west.

A statue of the Prince of Wales, by Rossi, seven feet high, on an ornamented pedestal, eleven feet high, was, in 1802, placed in front of the Royal Crescent. His Royal Highness was represented as dressed in his regimental uniform, with his arm extended towards the sea. The statue, which was made of plaster, cost upwards of 300. In November, 1807, some person broke off the fingers of the extended left hand. Eventually the other arm with a portion of his mantle was knocked away, and in that condition the mutilated figure was allowed to remain several years, till becoming more and more unsightly from parties continually adding to its disfigurement, it was removed.

Two incidents of a most melancholy character, in connexion with the Royal Crescent, claim a record. The first was the death of a workman, named Leggatt. He was engaged in forming the words "Royal Crescent" on the tablet which surmounts the centre house, and had finished the S, when, on stepping back to observe its agreement with the other letters, he over-balanced himself, and, falling upon the iron railings below, he was unfortunately killed. The other event was the death of a soldier, named Charles Millegan, of the Second Battalion of the Coldstream Guards, which occurred on Christmas night, 1835, he having accidentally fallen down the Cliff from the Crescent wall. A stone to his memory, erected by the privates of his battalion, in the north burial ground of St. Nicholas Church, has the following inscription as a tribute of respect by his comrades:--

Oft may the tear his green sod steep,
And sacred be the Soldier's sleep
Till time shall cease to run.
And ne'er beside his lonely grave
May Briton's pass and fail to crave
A blessing on the fallen brave,
For such was MILLEGAN.

The first section of the town Sea-Wall, that between Ship street and Mahomed's--now Brill's Baths,--was constructed in 1825. Then followed the execution of the difficult enterprise, the union of the east and west sea-drives and promenade, by the formation of the Junction Road round Brill's Swimming Bath, and thence across the outlet of the Pool Valley, and southing the Albion Hotel. To effect this great undertaking, the sea had to be repelled, hence recourse was had to the erection of a series of large groynes, and the facing of the wall, which is of concrete--a due admixture of grey lime and shingle,--with piles and planking; and this proceeding resulted in the sea being forced against the cliffs beyond the Chain Pier, storm after storm making such inroads that in some places the Marine Parade was not of sufficient width for a vehicle to pass. The proprietors of houses along the Marine Parade, in consequence, became alarmed for their property. The Commissioners therefore, took immediate steps to prevent the incursions of the ocean, and numerous groynes, which were erected between the Chain Pier and the Black-Rock groyne, having in some measure answered the purpose of keeping back the raging water, a plan was attempted to be carried out of forming a battering or leaning wall of flint as a facing to the cliff, which was widened and filled in as the wall progressed. The scheme, however, proved a fallacy; as the amazing mass of unsettled earth with which it was backed up, having become saturated with heavy rains, forced out the foot of the wall, the whole of which slid out into the sea, or on the beach.

A concrete wall of amazing substance, was then substituted with the greatest success, at a cost of 100,000, under contracts, by Mr. William Lambert, an extensive builder of the town. In many parts, the wall--which is in some places sixty feet high,--is twenty-three feet thick at its base, and batters--inclines--on an average, four inches to the foot on the face. More recently, other portions of the sea-front of the town have been extended in width, by the same process, to admit of the increased road traffic, so that Brighton may now boast of an uninterrupted sea-drive and promenade of more than three miles' extent.

The other public structures erected by the Commissioners are the Market and the Town Hall. The former is a lofty and commodious building, standing principally on the site of the Old Workhouse and Town Hall. It is T shaped, with the transverse head towards the east, opposite the Town Hall, a building which occupies the space whereon, till the erection of the new structure, the Market formerly stood. The corner stone of the Town Hall was laid in April, 1830, by Thomas Read Kemp, Esq., the contractor for the building being Mr. Doubleday, whose tender was 12,491 1s. 7d. The cost, however, of the building, from the various hewings, hackings, and cuttings, which it has undergone, has exceeded, at a moderate calculation, 60,000. It is after the plan of Mr. Thomas Cooper, but it is minus a most important wing. This defect arose from the Commissioners omitting to purchase land for the south portion, the owner of the property refusing to sell after the building had pretty far advanced. The consequence is that the approaches to the upper rooms of the southern portion are wanting, and hence much inconvenience is experienced.

The Town Hall is used for town meetings, public assemblies, the Council meetings, and the general purposes of the Borough. In it are offices for the Town Clerk--C. Sharood, Esq.,--and his staff, for the Collectors of the Municipal and Parish Rates, and for the Borough Surveyor--Mr. Philip Lockwood,--and his staff. The Magistrates' Court, which occupies the southern basement, is likewise used for the Borough Quarter Sessions, the Recorder being John Locke, Esq., Q.C., and M.P. for Southwark. The police-force originally established on the 15th of April, 1830, under Chief-Officer Pilbeam,--the Police Station then being in Steine Lane,--has at present Mr. George White for the Chief-Constable, he having succeeded Mr. Chase on the 21st of December, 1853, his predecessor,--who succeeded Mr. Pilbeam,--Mr. Henry Solomon, having been murdered by John Lawrence, on the 13th of March, 1844. The Superintendents are Mr. Owen Crowhurst and Mr. Isaiah Barnden; and the Inspector of Flys, &c., is Mr. James Terry. The force consists of 80 men,--inspectors, sergeants, and privates,--who occupy the south-west portion of the basement, immediately contiguous to the Magistrates' Court, the dungeons for the uncommitted and, perhaps, innocent, being in the most remote portion of the underground vaults at the north-east of the building.

Prior to the establishment of the Police-force the care of the town was entrusted to a few Watchmen of the antique school, by night, and a Beadle in cocked-hat and general suit of his order, by day, assisted by the Town Crier of similar mien and garb. The Watchmen had succeeded the Patrol, a species of self-guardianship which the inhabitants imposed upon themselves in rotation, under the supervision of the High Constable and his Headboroughs. During the Winter months it was also customary for a bell-man to perambulate nightly most of the old streets of the town, and hourly proclaim the time and weather. The stocks in the Market place, and the parish pound at the back of the Old Church were then in vogue.

A portion of the principal room on the basement, to form the County Court, is temporarily taken off by means of a partition, in two sections which swing back on hinges to the side walls. The Court is held every alternate Friday, William Furner, Esq., being the Judge. The only residents of the building are Friend Paine--the Hall-Keeper,--and his wife. Paine, at one time, was in himself the fire brigade of Brighton. Eight men, whose peculiarity of costume for the office consisted in wearing white hats, had previously been engaged to work the engines in the event of any fires; but none occurring, the white-hatted force was dispensed with, and eventually such an arrangement was made by the Town Council with the Brighton, Hove, and Preston Constant Service Water Company, that the fire-hose being fitted to plugs and standards in connexion with the water-mains, the service of the fire-engines was dispensed with, the position of the reservoir of the Company, on the Race Hill, giving a pressure sufficiently strong to force the water over the highest edifices in the town. In 1825, a Sussex County and General Fire and Life Assurance Company was projected, with Mr. Barnard Gregory as Managing Director. The office of this Company was on the premises in North Street now well known as Folthorp's Royal Library, where, in front of the house, a fire-engine, fire-escape, and other appropriate apparatus, were prominently displayed. Firemen, bedight in the antique fittings of their order in London, with silver-plated badge on their arms, bearing the Brighton Arms,--two dolphins,--surmounted with SVX, and encircled with "BRIGHTHELMSTON IN SIGILVM," and "SUSSEX COUNTY AND GENERAL FIRE AND LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY," perpetually showed themselves about the premises which had been previously used as the Mess House of the officers of regiments from time to time stationed at the Infantry Barracks, Church Street. The career of the Company was very brief, and the exploits of the firemen were confined to one fire only, namely, that at Major Russell's mansion, Portland Place, September 12th, 1825, known in Brighton,--where the great rage for building had then just set in,--as the year of the panic. Kemp Town at that period, and for some few years afterwards, was a town of carcasses, many of the houses being not only floorless and windowless, but roofless.

In this district, but in the parish of Rottingdean,--to avoid the Brighton coal dues,--the Brighton Old Gas Light and Coke Company erected their works in 1818-19, much to the dissatisfaction of the inhabitants, who petitioned Parliament on the 6th of May, 1818, against the introduction of gas into the town. Some considerable time elapsed before it was much used for in-door lighting, persons, in general, having a fear of explosions. For illuminating it was first used on the 12th of August, 1819, when, to oblige the Company, Mr. Stone, shoemaker to His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, gave them permission to fit up, at their own expense, over his shop in East Street, at the corner of Steine Lane, a design--the Prince of Wales' Feathers,--in gas, the effect of which excited the wonder and admiration of the whole town, and completely reconciled the inhabitants to the use of gas.

As early as 1806 the Incorporation of the town was mooted, and on the 2nd of July, that year, a meeting of the inhabitants, at which the Vicar, the Rev. R. Carr, presided, took place at the Old Ship, respecting a communication which had been made from the Prince of Wales to Sir Henry Rycroft, on the subject. The meeting was numerously and respectably attended, and the subject was ably and dispassionately discussed. After a debate of several hours, the Incorporation by Charter was unanimously negatived, and an address of thanks was voted to His Royal Highness for his condescension, and the kind interest which he took in the welfare of the inhabitants of the town. During the meeting it was announced that the Prince had no particular desire that the Incorporation by Charter should be adopted, unless the inhabitants should conceive that such a measure would promote their interests; and that any other mode which they might better approve of, for the impartial administration of justice in the place, should be honoured with his Royal sanction.

The subject of Incorporation then remained dormant till about the year 1852, when, the inhabitants thinking that Brighton was of sufficient importance to be placed on an equality with other towns of like population and influence, agitated for a Charter. The opposition of the old governing body was very great, and the "tug of war" continued, each party contending and hoping most zealously. At length the contenders for the Incorporation prevailed, and the Charter under the Municipal Act, and bearing date, April 1st, 1854, was granted. In 1860, in order to remedy many known defects, the Local Government Act of 1858, was adopted, after a severe contest. The Corporation consists of the Mayor, the Recorder, 12 Aldermen, and 36 Councillors, six for each Ward, the Wards being the Park Ward, Pavilion Ward, Pier Ward, St. Peter's Ward, St. Nicholas' Ward, and West Ward. The Magistracy consists of the Mayor, the last ex-Mayor, the Recorder, the Stipendiary Magistrate,--at present A. Bigge, Esq.,--and other Magistrates whose appointments are sanctioned by the Secretary of State for the Home Department. The present Magistrates are, His Worship the Mayor, J. Allfree, Esq., J. C. Burrows, Esq., W. Catt, Esq., J. Fawcett, Esq., W. Furner, Esq., W. M. Hollis, Esq., M. D. Scott, Esq., B. Stent, Esq., W. F. Smithe, Esq., T. Warner, Esq., and W. Alger, Esq., who also acts in that capacity by virtue of being the last ex-Mayor. Ewen Evershed, Esq., is the Clerk of the Peace. The Mayors hitherto, have been:--

1854.--Lieut.-Col. Fawcett.

1855.--W. Hallett, Esq.

1856.--I. G. Bass, Esq.

1857.--J. C. Barrows, Esq.

1858.--J. C. Burrows, Esq.

1859.--W. Alger, Esq.

1860.--W. Alger, Esq.

1861.--H. Smithers, Esq.

The great increase of the population during the course of the last hundred years, is the surest criterion, whereby to judge of the rapid progress of the town:--

In 1761 the population of Brighton was 2,000 1786 3,600 1794 5,669 1801 {249} 7,339 1811 12,012 1821 24,429 1831 40,634 1841 46,661 1851 65,573 1861 77,693

Brighton had, comparatively speaking, stood aloof from politics till the passing of the Reform Bill, in 1832, the inhabitants, not being free-holders, having had no voice in framing the House of Commons. Under the fostering wing of George IV. Brighton could not be otherwise than Tory; but the Royal Patron of the town being dead and his successor William IV. possessing different political views to his deceased brother, and others besides the aborigines having taken up their abode in Brighton, diversities of political opinions arose, and hence, on the first election of Members for the Borough there was opposition.

The following have been the polling results of the elections to the present date:--

December 11th and 12th, 1832. Isaac Newton Wigney, Esq. 873 George Faithfull, Esq. 722 Captain G. R. Pechell, R.N. 613 William Crawford, Esq. 391 Sir Adolphus James Dalrymple, Bart. 32 January 8th and 9th, 1835:-- Captain Pechell 961 I. N. Wigney, Esq. 523 Sir A. Dalrymple 483 G. Faithfull, Esq. 467 July, 25th, 1837:-- Captain Pechell 1083 Sir A. Dalrymple 819 I. N. Wigney, Esq. 801 G. Faithfull, Esq. 183 July 1st, 1841:-- Captain Pechell 1443 I. N. Wigney, Esq. 1235 Sir A. Dalrymple 872 Mr C. Brooker 19 May 6th, 1842, on the Bankruptcy of Mr. Wigney:-- Lord Alfred Hervey 1277 Summers Harford, Esq. 640 Mr. C. Brooker 16 July 30th, 1847:-- Captain Pechell 1571 Lord A. Hervey 1230 W. Coningham, Esq. 886 July 8th, 1852:-- Sir G. Pechell 1924 Lord A. Hervey 1431 J. S. Trelawney 1173 J. Ffooks 119 Upon Lord A. Hervey's appointment as a Lord of the Treasury, under the Derby Administration, his re-election took place on the 4th of January, 1853, without opposition. March 20th, 1857:-- Sir G. Pechell 2278 W. Coningham, Esq. 1900 Lord A. Hervey 1080 April 30th, 1859:-- Sir G. Pechell 2322 W. Coningham, Esq. 2106 Sir A. MacNab 1327 July 16th, 1860, inconsequence of the death of Sir George Pechell J. White, Esq. 1588 H. Moor, Esq. 1242 F. D. Goldsmid, Esq. 571