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Abbey Church Foundation Stone Laid

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08/03/1118

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The Peterborough Chronicle of Hugh Candidus tells the story of the monastic community at Peterborough from 655, when the very first one was established, to 1177 when he passed away. He is, understandably, in some doubt as to when the foundation stone of the third abbey church of the  monastery - now the cathedral - at Peterborough was laid. The previous building had burned down on 4 August 1116 in the time of Abbot John de Sais/John of Salisbury. We are told that he promptly began the rebuild, laying the first stone on 12 March 1117. However, the formal 'foundation stone' of a building always waits for something firm to lie on. It needs to be seen by people present and future and it was on this date - 8 March 1118 - that the formal laying of the foundation stone appears to have taken place. The exact date of the church's completion - and its dedication by the Bishop of Lincoln - is equally confusing. one source says 4 October 1237 but the popular one is 28 September 1238. Whatever the dates may be, the abbey/cathedral church of Peterborough is a sight for sore eyes at any time. (Mellows, W.T., The Peterborough Chronicle of Hugh Candidus, Peterborough Museum Society, 1980; Gunton, Symon, The history of the Church of Peterburgh, Ed. Symon Patrick, 1990)

Taken from The Peterborough Book of Days by Brian Jones, The History Press, 2014.

Crime , Transportation , Crime and Punishment

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Transported to the Americas

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1773

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Two men appeared at the Peterborough Quarter Sessions accused of breaking into a shop and stealing watches and clocks from the premises. The men appear to be career criminals, the first was entered as James Day, also known as 'Jas Nicholson, alias Castles, alias Glover, and Edw[ard] alias William Nicholson. They broke into Mr Noble's watch shop and stole '42 watches and 10 pairs of cases &c.' some of which they had with them when they were caught.

The trial lasted six hours, which was very long for the time, and reached a verdict that the men were 'guilty of the felony, but not of the burglary'. If they had been found guilty of stealing the watches they would have been hanged, but the judges were reluctant to sentence criminals to death; instead the two men were transported for seven years. In 1773 transported criminals were sent to America or the West Indies, the majority ending up in Maryland. The final fate of the men is not known.

Reference: Derby Mercury, Friday 30th July 1773 p. 4.

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Crime , Transportation , Crime and Punishment

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