THE BCH ARCHIVE
LOCAL HISTORY FOR
BIRTSMORTON
CASTLEMORTON
HOLLYBUSH
And The Surrounding District
Archive of Reports and Anecdotes
Reports Page 4
Clissett
Moses Clissett married in 1796 and lived in Birtsmorton. Between 1796 and 1812, he had five children, including Cyrus, born in about I808. His second son, Philip, was baptised at Birtsmorton in 1817.
Moses’s father, John, was Parish Clerk to Birtsmorton from about 1780 until at least 1804. The John Clissett living with Philip in 1841 was also Parish Clerk, until he died in 1843. A note in the parish register records John Clissett upwards of 40 years Clerk of the Parish.
1831, 21 March, Worcester Journal (Maria is Philip’s cousin)
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Another melancholy instance of the fatal result of incautiously handling loaded fire arms, occurred at Birtsmorton, in this county, on Friday last. About seven o'clock in the evening, Edwin Griffiths, an apprentice to a shoemaker named Nicholls, went into the house of a neighbour, where he met a young woman, about 19 years of age, named Maria Clissett. Soon afterwards Nicholls and his wife came in, and Nicholls took a gun from behind the clock, went towards the door, and said "is it loaded?" Clissett said no. He went out and hacked the flint of the gun several times, and sparks came out. He came in again, and Edwin Griffiths said, "don't point the gun at me, (meaning himself and Clissett,) there may be shot two in it;" Clissett laughed, and said there were not any. The gun went off; Clissett immediately jumped up from her chair, and ran to the door, saying, "I am dead, I am dead" She died soon after. On Monday, Mr. Smith held an inquest on the body, when a verdict was returned, accidental death.
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In 1841, Moses Clissett, aged about 65, Chair Maker is living at Lower Farm, Birstmorton with his wife Mary (aged about 65). Their son, Philip, aged 28, Turner is living at The Hollands, Birtsmorton with his wife Mary, an un-named daughter (probably Anne) and his uncle and aunt, John and Ann Clissett.
By 1844, Philip had moved to his wife’s home Parish of Bosbury, where he died in 1913.
In 1851, Philip’s brother Cyrus Clissett is living near Eight Oaks, Castlemorton. He is a widower, aged 46, and living with his son Cyrus and daughter Mary (both Chair Makers) and his two younger children Edward and Thomas. Information sumarised from www.philipclisset.com and the Birtsmorton census records.
Clissett, Cyrus, was found guilty and sentenced to three months' imprisonment on an indictment charging him with having stolen a chair, the property of John Morris, of Castlemorton, on the 20th of June last. Mr Lees prosecuted. The prisoner was undefended.
Published: Wednesday 03 July 1850
Newspaper: Worcestershire Chronicle
A fully illustrated history of Philip Clissett and his family is on www.philipclissett.com.
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Creese, Joseph
On the 24th of May last Sergeant Checketts, stationed at Welland, received information that young man of the name of William Moore, a native of Castlemorton, but who has been in the police force at Birmingham till within a short time ago, had been passing several base half-crown pieces a beerhouse the parish of Castlemorton, and since then the sergeant has been on the look-out for him. On the 31st ult. he met him Hanley Castle, and was induced to watch him. On going to the Three Kings beer-house to inquire if Moore had been there, he found that he and a man of the name of Joseph Creese bad been there some time, and that Creese had passed five-shilling piece, which Checketts saw was a bad one; he at once apprehended Creese on that charge, handcuffed him, and consigned him to the care of the beer-house keeper. He then pulled off his uniform, disguised himself, and went pursuit of Moore, whom he traced near to Great Malvern, and there overtook him. On searching him the sergeant found on his person six five-shilling pieces and two half-crown pieces, all base money. The prisoner said, If I had known you when you had been two yards off, you would not have found that upon me. On the road to the station he said, at the mint where it made, in Birmingham, there is from three to five millions of money, but this was the first lot they could induce me to have, and if I can get out of this, I will take care to do nothing of the kind again. On the 30th ult. the prisoners hired a horse and gig at the Star, Upton-on-Severn, to attend the yeomanry review. We have not heard of what success they met with there, but on their return they tendered base half-crown piece at Mrs. Clark's, Ketch Inn, also a crown-piece to Mrs, Pardoe, at the Talbot Inn, Kempsey, but did not succeed at either of these places. Not so, however, at many other places. The prisoners were remanded till the 5th inst., to give time to communicate with the Mint, and on that day they were fully committed for trial by the Rev. A. B. Lechmere, but admitted to bail in £40 each, and two sureties in £20 each. The base money is well executed, but very much too light.
Published: Saturday 14 June 1851
Newspaper: Hereford Times
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Cross, Matthew
Bagging the Old Fox. For a length of time past, the farmers and other residents of Castlemorton and its neighbourhood have suffered to serious extent, by constant depredations upon their poultry; and notwithstanding the utmost vigilance, the delinquents have taken their measures so well as to escape detection the police. It would seem, however, that they had not been able to ward off suspicion, and in particular cottage occupied James Summers and his lodger Matthew Cross, called the Rabbit Warren (not identified), and almost buried in the Malvern Hills, has been condemned as the abode of the unlawful "fowlers." During the night of Friday week the fowl-house of Mrs. Greenway, of the Folly Farm, (Now Hunters Hall) Castlemorton, was entered, and six fowls slaughtered and carried off. Information having been conveyed to policeman Raby, he at once traced the footmarks of a man and a dog from the Folly Farm, across Castlemorton Common, in the direction of the Rabbit Warren cottage, where he found a newly boiled fowl in the apartment of Summers, and upstairs in Cross's bed-room discovered recently-plucked feathers, corresponding in colour and quantity with those of the purloined fowls. Subsequently the officer ascertained that five fowls had been trussed and forwarded by Cross to Worcester market early Saturday morning; and further search of the cottage brought to light sundry boxes, filled with feathers of geese, ducks, and fowls. Raby took both Summers and Cross into custody, the former as the receiver, the latter as the thief; and having placed them in safety compared their shoes with the footmarks already adverted to, and found those of Cross to correspond exactly. In addition to this, the case was rendered more conclusive by the fact that the thief had dropped a handkerchief upon the premises, and this handkerchief was clearly shown to have belonged to Cross. Both prisoners underwent an examination, last week, before the Rev. A. B. Lechmere, by whom Cross was fully committed to the Sessions for trial; and Summers was discharged.
Published: Wednesday 22 April 1846
Newspaper: Worcestershire Chronicle
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Davis, Edward
Edward Davis, of Castlemorton, was fined 1s and 7s 6d costs for not keeping a dog under proper control at night. Albert Young and Frederick Powell, two youths, of Castlemorton, were summoned by Emil Croswick, a retired engineering, residing in Castlemorton, for using threatening language. The Bench inflicted a fine of 10s and 7s 6d costs each.
Published: Saturday 07 March 1908
Newspaper: Gloucester Journal
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Davis, Francis
Francis Davis, of Castlemorton, was charged by Supt. Checketts with having in his possession, on the 19th inst. five quart jugs, which were unjust (ie, the wrong measure). Defendant stated that he hired them for the review. Fined 5. and costs.
Published: Saturday 30 September 1876
Newspaper: Worcester Journal
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Davies, George
George Davies, of Castlemorton was charged with keeping a dog without a license. P.S. Jones proved the case. Fined 5s and costs, 13s 6d.
Published: Saturday 26 October 1901
Newspaper: Worcestershire Chronicle
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Davis, Martin
Martin Davis, of Castlemorton, was charged with being drunk whilst in charge of a horse and cart on the 13th inst. Defendant did not appear, and in his absence was fined 10s and costs.
Published: Saturday 18 November 1882
Newspaper: Worcestershire Chronicle
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