1857 Cornwall Quarter Sessions and Assizes Table of Contents 1. Epiphany Sessions ...................................................................................................................... 1 2. Lent Assizes .............................................................................................................................. 25 3. Easter Sessions ........................................................................................................................ 50 4. Midsummer Sessions ............................................................................................................... 58 5. Summer Assizes ....................................................................................................................... 92 6. Michaelmas Sessions ............................................................................................................. 121 Royal Cornwall Gazette, 9 and 15 January 1857 1. Epiphany Sessions These sessions were opened at Bodmin, on Tuesday last, at Bodmin, before J. KING LETHBRIDGE, Esq., Chairman, and the following unusually full bench of Magistrates:— Lord Vivian. J.W. Peard, Esq. Lord Valletort. J. Coryton Roberts, Esq. Hon. G.M. Fortescue. F. Rodd, Esq. Sir R.R. Vyvyan, Bart., M.P. C.A. Reynolds, Esq. Sir Henry Onslow, Bart. P.V. Robinson, Esq. Sir S.T. Spry, Esq. J.J. Rogers, Esq. Hon Hussey Crespigny Vivian, Esq. C.B. Graves Sawle, Esq., M.P. H.P. Andrew, Esq. E. Stephens, Esq. E. Archer, Esq. John St. Aubyn, Esq. T.R. Avery, Esq. H. Thomson, Esq. H.J.M. St. Aubyn, Esq. J. Tremayne, Esq. S. Borlase, Esq. J.F. Trist, Esq. W. Braddon, Esq. H.R.S. Trelawny, Esq. R. Gully Bennet, Esq. S.T.N. Usticke, Esq. C.G.P. Brune, Esq. E.W.B. Willyams, Esq. A. Coryton, Esq. H. Willyams, Esq. W.H. Pole Carew, Esq. T.M. Williams, Esq. E. Coode, jun. Esq. Hon. and Rev. J. Townshend Boscawen E. Collins, Esq. Rev. R. Buller. S. Davey, Esq. Rev. C.M.E. Collins. R. Davey, Esq. Rev. Tobias Furneaux. J.S. Enys, Esq. Rev. John Glanville. R. Foster, Esq. Rev. James Glencross. Goldsworthy Gurney, Esq. Rev. J. Kempe. W.R. Gilbert, Esq. Rev. R.B. Kinsman. F.J. Hext, Esq. Rev. C. Lyne. Thomas Hext, Esq. Rev. T. Pascoe William Hext, Esq. Rev. T. Phillpotts. F. Howell, Esq. Rev. J. Perry W.D. Horndon, Esq. Rev. H.M. Rice. R. Johns, Esq. Rev. H.F. Roe. N. Kendall, Esq., M.P. Rev. H.M. St. Aubyn. W.P. Kempe, Esq. Rev. S. Symonds. D.P. Le Grice, Esq. Rev. E.J. Treffry. J.B. Messenger, Esq. Rev. Uriah Tonkin. J.P. Magor, Esq. Rev. A. Tatham. W. Morshead, Esq. Rev. W. Thomas. N. Norway, Esq. Rev. Vyell F. Vyvyan C.W. Popham, Esq. Rev. R.R. Wright. J.T.H. Peter, Esq. Rev. J.J. Wilkinson W.R.C. Potter, Esq. The following gentlemen were sworn on the grand Jury:— Mr. Frank Parkyn, St. Veep, foreman. — Christopher Andrew, St. Mabyn. — Richard Barrett, Talland. — Peter Bowden, Cardinham. — James Cogdon, East Looe. — Henry Cossentine, Lanteglos by Fowey. — Francis Croker, Liskeard. — Robert Dunstan, Liskeard. — James Fell, Bodmin. — John Giles, Talland. — Ambrose Grose, St. Kew. — Henry Hawken, St. Minver. — James Johns, St. Mabyn. — John Marshall, St. Veep. — John Guy Profit, St. Minver. — Henry Rundell, Broadoak. — Richard Salmon, Egloshayle. — Oliver Sleeman, St. Tudy. — Nathaniel Sowden, Liskeard. — Nathaniel Stevens, St. Tudy. — Joseph Vian, St. Teath. — Richard Guy Warwick, Endellion. The following gentlemen also answered to their names:— Mr. Richard West, St. Kew; and Mr. Edmund Wills, Liskeard. —After customary preliminaries the CHAIRMAN delivered his Charge to the Grand Jury [not transcribed] VISITING JUSTICES’ REPORT. – The Visiting Justices reported that the prison was in its usual good order. GOVERNOR’S REPORT.—The Governor reported the generally orderly conduct of the prisoners during the last quarter, and that their state of health had lately so much improved that the hospital was now unoccupied. There was appended to the report a certificate that the rules and regulations for the government of the prison had been as far as practicable complied with. Several of the airing-yards and passages require repaving; most of the roofs continue in a very bad state; and some of the floors and partitions of the dormitories require repair. In other respects the prison continues much in the same state as before reported. [GAOL EXPENSES FOR THE PAST QUARTER.—not transcribed] THE COUNTY ASYLUM.—The CHAIRMAN read the Annual Report of the Visitors, embodying a Report from Commissioners in Lunacy. Mr. KENDALL begged leave to state that the subscribers had met that morning and elected five of their number of act on behalf of the subscribers—Mr. Carew, Mr. Howell, Mr. Somerset, Sir Colman Rashleigh, and himself (Mr. Kendall). The Asylum Committee also begged to nominate 10 gentlemen to represent the County:—Lord Vivian (who had consented to act), Lord Valletort, Mr. Sawle, Mr. Tremayne, Mr. Brune, Mr. Coryton, Mr. Rogers, Mr. E. Coode, junr., Mr. Brydges Willyams, and Mr. C.M.E. Collins. Mr. Kendall was sorry to say that he had received a letter from Mr. Robartes the day before yesterday, stating that from his being so much in town in consequence of his mother’s illness he should be unable to attend; and they must therefore omit him for the time. Mr. Stephens also wished to be omitted. The CHAIRMAN in submitting the names for acceptance by the Bench, observed that the committee comprised 15 members, five of whom were named by the subscribers, and 10 by the county. The names suggested by Mr. Kendall on behalf of the committee, were accepted, nem con by the magistrates. [CORONERS BILLS.—not transcribed] BRIDGE REPORTS. EASTERN DIVISION. – Mr. SYLVANUS W. JENKIN, surveyor for the Eastern Division, presented the following report:— “Yeolin Bridge.—Some repairs are required to one of the land arches of this bridge, the cost of which will be about 40s.—Badharlie Bridge.—There is a drain required across the road near this bridge and within the county limits, the cost of which will not exceed 20s.—Polbathick Bridge.—There is also a drain required across the road near this bridge, the cost of which I estimate at 40s.—St. Austell Lower Bridge. A part of the retaining wall on the north-west side of this bridge has failed, and requires to be taken down and rebuilt. I estimate the cost at about £4 10s.—Drawbridge.—The retaining wall at this bridge is liable to injury from a stream of water which might easily be diverted so as to run into the river a little below; the cost will only be about 10s.—It is very desirable that the boundary of the county roads should be defined as clearly as possible; but I find in the great majority of cases the bound-stones (if they ever existed), have been removed. If this deficiency were fully supplied, it would require from one hundred to one hundred and twenty small posts lettered with a C. I would therefore ask for a grant not exceeding 40l., to be applied to this purpose from time to time as occasion may require. I shall require one levy at a time.” Mr. Jenkins report was adopted; and it was unanimously resolved to grant his application for 40l. for bound-stones. WESTERN DIVISION.—The report of Mr. Hickes, surveyor for the Western Division, was as follows:— “I have had the bridge roads not under contract cleaned and stoned where required, and they are now in a good state of repair; some of the roads under No. 13 contract have been stoned since the last sessions, and I hope before the end of the winter to see the whole of the roads in a better state of repair.—There has been a large accumulation of sand at St. Erth bridge, which obstructed the passage of the water through the arches, which I have had removed at a cost of thirty shillings.” This report was adopted. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.—Rev. C.M. EDWARD COLLINS gave notice that at the next sessions he will move that as long as the present system of inspecting weights and measures continues, the inspectors be required to make half-yearly reports of the dates of their visits, the number of visits, the names of persons fined, and the amounts of fines inflicted; and that these reports be laid before the court immediately after the bridges business. THE NEW COUNTY GAOL.—Mr. KENDALL said he was sorry to take up the time of the county; but it was a matter of very serious moment. The building committee supposed that they had arranged everything except the mere signature of the contract; but within the last few days a very serious difficulty had arisen, which their architect Mr. Porter would explain, and their solicitor Mr. Shilson would instruct them how to act in the matter.—From statements made by Mr. Porter and Mr. Shilson, and by certain of the magistrates, it appeared that, by request of the committee, Mr. Kendall, as their chairman, some time since consulted with Mr. Tite, the eminent architect, as to the expediency of employing a competent person to take out, or measure, the quantities of all the work on the new gaol for which the county was at that time soliciting tenders. Mr. Tite assured Mr. Kendall that that was the only safe plan, in a large building, and, on Mr. Tite’s approval, the committee employed for the purpose a Mr. Williams, of London; and the Messrs. Goodyear, and Son, builders, of Stonehouse, had tendered to erect the new gaol; and their tender had been accepted by the county. But within the last few days, the Messrs. Goodyear had notified their objection to accept Mr. Williams’s calculations; asserting that the proper course to adopt was that their work should be measured as it went on, and that where it proved to be in excess of the calculation on which they had tendered, they should receive a proportionately larger payment; and vice versa.—Mr. PORTER, in reply to questions from the bench, was decidedly of opinion that it would be inexpedient to give way to the contractors’ proposal, and that if it were adopted, the county would have no certainty as to the sum for which the building could be completed.—A lengthened conversation took place, in which, with the Clerk of the peace, Mr.