The Stillingfleet Orphans

19thC 'Live Aid'!

From 'The York Courant', January 1st, 1834 and 'The York Herald', January 18th, 1834

Taken from an account of a grand ball, at the York Assemby Rooms on January 16th, 1834, "in Aid of a Subscription fund for the Repair of the [city] Walls". Patrons of the ball included Byron's daughter, Lady Augusta Milbank, and the Hon, Mrs Thompson, wife of Paul Beilby-Thompson, owner of the Escrick estate who part financed the drag of the river for the victims' bodies, and paid for the Singers' funeral and headstone. Music was provided by the band of the Scots' Greys, according the 'The York Herald'.

"... We have given the Lady Mayoress deserved praise for the interest she has taken in bringing to perfection this splendid ball, but we have a still more pleasing duty to perform towards her,. Amidst the gay whirl of fashion, amid the care-dispersing strains of music, she caused to be heard the still, small voice of sympathy for distress, and put in, with simple, but affecting force, a plea for the bereaved and destitute. Placards were exhibited, inscribed - " The Lady Mayoress will feel obliged by a trifling remembrance to the poor Stillingfleet Orphans." - Such an appeal, made at such a moment, could not fail to call forth the warm feelings of the generous bosom, in the sweet cause of charity, and the kindness of the heart which dictated the suggestion, will enjoy its own reward.

The company assembled, amounted to between five and six hundred..."
[Herald].

The guests included most of York 'society' (For a strong sense of these people, I'd recommend reading the Diaries of Anne Lister, see Bibliography. Although Anne inherited Shibden Hall in the West Riding, she had long preferred the social scene in East Yorkshire and York in particular and often wrote of it in her diary). Amongst the guest list, we spotted 'Miss Belcombe' (probably Isabella Belcombe, long term partner of Anne Lister), and the Rev H.S. Markham.

January 1st's 'The York Courant' had advertised tickets "...for Ladies, 10 shillings each; for Gentlemen, 15s each...."

In other words, tickets were two-three weeks' wages, for the average agricultural labourer. We can only reflect that by 1843, at least one of the 'Stillingfleet Orphans' (Jane Spencer, one of Henry's children) had applied to the parish for poor relief - and been sent off to find work for herself, being deemed to be 'capable of earning her own livelihood' at age 13.