On This Day in Wembury – 1 September 1881
A serious act of vandalism took place at Traine Barton, Wembury, when four gates belonging to Mr. Lang were deliberately unhinged and burnt between 8 and 9 p.m.
Local magistrate Richard Cory J.P. of Langdon Court issued a notice on 7 September offering a £10 reward for information leading to the conviction of the offenders. The case reflected both the social tensions and the readiness of landowners in Victorian Devon to post public rewards to protect property.
Source: Western Morning News, 7 Sept 1881.
On This Day in Wembury — 1 September 1864
A tragic accident claimed the life of Joseph Jewell, cashier and head clerk to Messrs. Edmonds and Sons, solicitors of Plymouth. Jewell had accompanied his employer, R. O. Edmonds, on a shooting excursion towards Wembury. Travelling by dog-cart, their horse suddenly bolted after passing Laira Bridge. Alarmed, Jewell leapt from the moving trap and struck his head heavily on the road. Despite being carried to the Morley Arms and attended by his wife and a surgeon, he died soon afterwards without regaining consciousness. The incident was widely reported as a sobering reminder of the risks of horse-drawn travel.
Source: North Devon Journal, 8 September 1864 (reporting event of 1 September 1864).
Entries are summaries and interpretations of historical newspaper reports.