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TROUBLE BREWING: 1860


“Pontypool Free Press & Herald of the Hills”

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 18th 1860

LLANBADDOCK.—HOAXING A FARMER.

A correspondent informs us that the parishioners here are much aggrieved by the conduct of a large farmer, who persists in infringing upon the common-right of the inhabitants, in defiance of the Lord Lieutenant of the County, his Grace the Duke of Beaufort, Colonel Clifford, and all the freeholders of the parish. It would appear that he has appropriated from ten to fourteen acres, and our informant states, that some mischievous person recently wrote to him as a friend informing him that a large party of the parishioners had determined to assemble at night and take down the enclosure. He immediately took horse, and obtained the assistance of the police to the number of about twenty, with whom, after regaling them well at his own house he started for the scene of the action, intending to capture the depredators; but after watching until they were tired, they “caught nothing”, says our correspondent, “but a good soaking”, for which the parishioners are very sorry”.


USK OBSERVER

SATURDAY APRIL 21st, 1860.

(NOTICE)

Five Pounds Reward

Whereas some evil disposed person or persons did, on Wednesday night last, or early on Thursday morning, Cut to pieces and Destroy two New Gates, in the Parish of Glascoed, belonging to Daniel Roberts, of the Hendrew Farm, whoever will give such information as will convict the offender or offenders shall receive the above reward, on conviction, by applying to Daniel Roberts.


SATURDAY APRIL 21st, 1860. (Usk Observer).

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

PONTYPOOL.

REBECCA AT THE GLASCOED.—It had been surmised, that this worthy matron and her daughters, had been ‘gathered to their fathers,’ and that the name had become extinct. This supposition appears to have been fallacious, for some of the progeny are still in existence, and have recently been exhibiting their predilections for demolishing gates and other fences at the Glascoed. The descendants of Rebecca have been re-called into existence, by an individual who resides in the rural retreat, having recently annexed and inclosed some eight or ten acres of land from the common, to which it is alleged he had no just right or claim, as it emphatically belongs to the Lord of the manor or more properly to the poor people of the parish. Our hero knew that had done a naughty trick, and felt some slight ‘twinges’ of conscience; for

The darkest night that shrouds the sky,

Of beauty, hath a share;

The blackest heart hath signs to tell,

That God still lingers there.

Perhaps after all we are giving him too much credit. His uneasiness may have arisen from far less creditable motives than those to which we have adverted. He may have been alarmed lest some kindred spirit ‘some trusty brother of the the trade’ should rob him of his prize and like himself seek to restore

‘The good old plan,

That they should take who had the power,

And they should keep who he can’

This would seem to be the proper inference, for our hero one night enlisted 12 or 15 stalwart fellows, who in case of hostilities arising, he thought to employ on the defensive, and who providing their love of good cheer, demolished a cheese, several loaves of bread, and a large cask of cider. The enemy however did not “shew” on the night anticipated and matters remained STATU QUO, or as Paddy did with the fire-lock, viz., “as they were.” Security however, was but of short duration for the Rebeccaites in a night or two afterwards, made a descent upon our hero’s domain, demolished all his gates, broke his fences, and committed such ravages, that the owner maketh great lamentation and refuseth to be comforted. With a view to restore serenity to his mind, we would advise him to restore the common, nor seek to rob the poor man’s cow, pig or fowls of their food, and his children of their play ground, but seek rather to hasten the return of that happy and blissful period to which the poet referred, when he said,

‘A time there was ere Britain’s griefs began,

When every rood of ground maintained its man.’

PONTYPOOL FREE PRESS

SATURDAY MAY 26th 1860

GLASCOED.—A few nights since, Rebecca and her children were here, and found sundry cattle, sheep etc, nearly starved on the Common. With their usual good nature, they broke down a fence which is said to have been illegally erected and put the poor brates into a pasture which even made the pigs and donkeys almost jump for joy. It is stated that the Common is about to be enclosed, and the poor people employed here are greatly excited by the prospect of losing their many little privileges.

SATURDAY JUNE 16th, 1860. (Usk Observer).

NOTICE

ONE GUINEA REWARD.—Whereas, considerable damage has been done to several young Apple Trees on the Ton Farm, Glascoed. Whoever will give such information as will convict the offender or offenders shall receive the above reward by applying to RICHARD MILES.

Could the above damage be related?

PONTYPOOL.

REBECCA AT THE GLASCOED.— A correspondent informs us, that the individual upon whose property the descendants of Rebecca have committed such ravages, after having failed to obtain the assistance of the legal gentlemen of the district, consulted what is known as a “wise man.” The oracle having spoken, the depredators will soon be known by the loss or want of the left eye. It will, therefore, be dangerous henceforth for any one dispossessed of this useful bodily member, no matter from what cause, to travel in the vicinity of Glascoed, as he or she may be apprehended on a charge of having committed the trespass.


SATURDAY JULY 7th, 1860. (Usk Observer).

SUPPLEMENT (gratis)

PONTYPOOL.

REBECCA AT THE GLASCOED AGAIN!—The descendants of this maraudering matron paid another visit to a certain farmer’s property in this place, on the night of Saturday last, and demolished more of his gates and fences. The reason of these midnight exploits, as many of our readers are aware, is, that the said farmer, some time ago, enclosed a piece of the common land to which he had no just claim. Some persons, therefore, feel aggrieved, and we once more advise the person in question to give up the land he appears unjustly to have abstracted, and thereby save himself from becoming execrated by every poor man in the parish, and hissed at by every GOOSE on the common.


Monmouthshire Merlin

19 September 1860

PONTYPOOL. REBECCA AND HER DAUGHTERS.—A farmer residing in the parish of Glascoed had rendered himself obnoxious to this matron and her daughters by having annexed a portion of the Common land to that in his occupation, which was deemed an infringement of the rights of the poor. In their nocturnal visitations, the assailants destroyed the farmer's fences and carried on their system of destruction with so much success that he has been obliged to restore the land and to content himself for the present with his own broad acres.


Usk Observer

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 29th, 1860.

“REBECCA TRIUMPHANT AT THE GLASCOED” and CAERLEON PETTY SESSIONS, held over.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 6th, 1860.

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

PONTYPOOL.

REBECCA TRIUMPHANT.—The descendants of this matron, have been for some time waging war with an individual in the neighbourhood of the Glascoed, who had filched a considerable portion of the common land, from the poor man’s cow, pig, and poultry. The assailing party generally made its attacks by night, the result of which was a considerable demolition of gates, rails, and fences of different descriptions. The aggressor finding himself unable to cope with his nocturnal visitants, has very wisely, and very justly, given up any further attempt to detain that which he could not keep, and to which he had no just claim, so that Rebecca in this instance has obtained a glorious and decisive victory.