Extracts from the Journals of John Couch
John Couch recorded the following entries in his Journal. They were not always in order but I have sorted them into chronological order.
1792 About the middle of August J Couch was on London Bridge by himself a little before 4 o’clock in the morning
1800 Jonas Summer drowned 23 May going on board the barge Betty at The Back in Bristol aged 35 years buried at Bitton
1806 John Barriman was killed in the quarry exactly under the road leading to The Batch February 27th aged 52 years buried at Bitton March 2nd
1809 A high flood January 26th about 6 inched higher at Hanham Mills than the flood of January 2nd 1726 and 2 feet 7 inches higher than the flood in February 1774
1809 A high flood April 23rd 2½ feet lower than the last at Hanham Mills and 2 feet lower at Bath. This flood was caused by a 24 hour fall of snow and rain at the end which began the 21st which was the first day the Bristol Harbour was filled
1811 The great election at Gloucester between Sir William Guise and John Dutton Esq February
1811 J Couch went from Bristol to Newbury with the barge Aaron and the first load that was carried through out without shifting. The men was J Couch, William Cox, Denis Pollinger and Samuel Cottler for Messrs Parsons and Butts
1812 A Balloon ascended from Bristol and dropped in the channel near Ilfracombe in October with Mr Sadler and Mr Clayfield
1812 John Allen was buried at the top of The Old Market opposite Butchers Row November 10th and a stake droved through him he robbed his master Roggers Shoe Makers Redcross Street at Bristol and cut his throat. In 1856 his bones was taken up. A deep shore? was drove through from Butchers Row to the other side of the street and in doing so they found his bones and not many months was taken up again by the Water Work Company and buried a third time
1813 Robert Pow was drowned at Bath Bridge February 15th and found at Kings Mead April 14th
November 1st 1813 Henry Isles captain of “The Nelson” lost his arm by the handle of the crane at Bath and died in Bath Hospital November 19th buried at Bitton . The River Company allowed his wife £20-0-0, J Couch Allowed her £5-5-0 Total £25-5-0
1813 November 1st 1813 Henry Isles lost his arm November 1st and died November in Bath Hospital by the breaking of the crane on Bath Quay whilst being in my emply with the barge Nelson
1813 December 27th J C Brown down the Wales at Conham House to have a road through as before in stead of making use of the high steps which was erected by Blackwell at the expense of Mr Castle Mayor Bristol
1815 June 18 Battle of Waterloo
1816 A son of Mr Henry Carter? Was drowned at Keynsham January and found by Jones Meadow July 21st in a shocking state buried at Keynsham
1817 November 17th Samuel Nurse married, Robert Nurse’s Hanham Green robbed and April 1818 John Bowls James Hunter transported, George Hunter acquitted for robbing Butts and Drews barges of copper
1819 March was born near Bromsgrove Worcestershire 4 girls at one birth daughter of Joseph and Jane Richardson Maria Mary Sarah and Eliza
1819 A young man Joseph Wilkins an apprentice to Mr Wingrove surgeon at Keynsham shot himself July 15th in the mouth ??? ??? ??? in the wood opposite Jones Meadow
1819 A Whale caught on Frampton Sands in the Severn near 60 ft long
1821 John Harwood was executed April 13th ?? murdered for throwing a stone at Balsorn
1823 A balloon ascended at Sydney Gardens Bath October 28th and dropped in Lord Bolingbrooks Park
1826 Matthew Cox Junior drowned at Crews Hole July 10th hauled in the river by a line of one of Butts and Drews barges by the neglect of Henry Isles who would not stop the horses
1826 Mary wife of William Nurse died September 4th, Farmer William Fry died September 7th and Thomas son of William Selman drowned at the ferry Hanham Mills September 11th
1826 Taken Joshua Bridges’ stone coffin to Worcester by the Nelson from Samuel Nurse’s [0120] Quarry at Hanham Mills 7 ft 6 ins long, wide 3 ft 6 ins 2 ft 7 in deep measured 67 9 cubic ?? before worked 4 ½ tons and about 1 ton 13 cwt when worked taken up March 1st
1827 William Beese killed in his quarry in the wood at Culverclift October 16th 1827
1828 September 29th At night a great light appeared in the Element rising from the west and descending down to the east the colour of steam and the form of a rainbow
1829 February 7th The Trow George belonging to Pickford and Company lost on the Dunn Sands. Stephen Williams, Aaron Bateman, John Harris and Charles Slater were drowned Hawker and Whitley was saved near the same place and Hawker died a few days later
1829 September 15th The highest tide at Bristol for 20 years past
1830 March 26-27-28-29-30th very hot, April 1-2-3 snow nearly all the 3 days April 4-5 and 6 hard frost
1830 November and December great riots in Kent Surrey Sussex Hants Wiltshire destroying machinery and burning corn barns and many hung and a great many transported. Oakley hanged but transported
1831 July 7th. The small boat which I built in the orchard was launched and is now, 1850, the passage boat at Conham, sold to William Selman for five pounds.
1831 Oct 29th The recorder Mr Charles Wetherall came to Bristol a great mob assembled broke the windows entered the Mansion House and Sunday 30th burnt the new goal Bishops Palace Bridewell Lawfords Gate Prison Mansion house Excise Office and near 50 dwelling houses and warehouses and January 27th 1832 was executed at the new goal four men Christopher Davis, William Clarke, Thomas Gregory, Joseph Haise and a great many transported for life
1832 Feb 2nd The trow Neptune was sunk near Mr Barley house by Browns boat with ??? boat before running into her she had a valuable cargo on board and on Friday morning Feb 10th supposed about 4 o’clock Mr John ??? the owner of the trow was drowned at Worcester quay and picked up at 7 o’clock the same morning at Kinsey 4 mile below Worcester by Edward Squires Captain of J Couches Nelson
1833 Feb 6th John Hudd died in the Infirmary broke his hip bone Oct last falling down the trap door at the public house Hanham Mills Look over
1833 March 7th The Dairy robbed of 4 bacon hams and a mutton ham worth £ 12. W Lear came with an excuse the day before to see how hams was cured some of the party concerned told all about it who stole them and where dressed
1833 April 20th in the morning 5 boys was buried in the pit at Lodge Causeway and remained there until the afternoon of April 25th being more than 5 days and nights and all carried out alive
1833 Oct 3rd A barge hired of Mr Oakley at Gloucester was hole at Totterdown Lock with 45 Tons of salt on board saved 7 tons The Nelson was there to take it on board and robbed ofvthe the sheets and a new horse line by the Crews Hole and St Phillips ??? at he ??? was all well paid for their labour about £70 loss to J Couch
1833 Nov 15th Lost the boat and oars at the tail of Mr Stones had some of the oars again the boat much damaged
1833 About Nov 10th Taken Browns widow and three children with an order of removal to Little Torrington 14 miles below Barnstable North Devon Brown was killed at fiting at the Backs
1833 Nov 15th 4 tram wagons fell over the wharf at Londonderry into the barge sally one man Elija gap killed on board and the other very much bruised. This was upward of £30 damage to J Couch
1834 January 18th Fowls house robbed 3 ducks 12 fowls. January 26th robbed again of 16 fowls Mr Lears Bob Chidgy Pollinger and others with J Bryant November 5th Mr Freemans Fat pig stolen by the same Williams
1834 January 22nd John Knowles wheat mow and bean mow wilfully burnt William Pollinger and John Lear
1834 June 10th About one o’clock in the morning George Day at Hanham Lock shot Samuel Ward alias Dagger in the right shoulder when breaking into his house he fell down the steps and broke his right arm
1835 January 31st Mr Smith shop robbed Aaron Bruton was seen going to Bristol with tools
1835
April 15th Mary Ann Burdock was executed at Bristol for poisoning Clara Ann Smith
Aug 4th A noise like the bursting of a cannon with a curious echo was heard at Hanham Gloucester and many miles round which shake the glass in the windows and in some places fire balls was seen
Aug 6th The railroad opened from Bristol to Coalpit Heath. A great feast at Coalpit Heath
Sept 16th Broke my leg at put my ankle out Batheaston was in Bath Hospital to November 2nd
1836
Ash Wednesday The Nelson was droved ashore at Northern Ouse between the two passages by a heavy gale of wind from the north west with 45 tons of salt lost all the tarpaulins and many other things. She was floated again the next tide the loss was 70 or 80 pounds
March 31st Pickford and Company’s trow sank near the gravil beds by a heavy gale of wind from the north west and lost Captain Thomas Jones Master
April 1st Good Friday, a deep snow. April 2 & 3 was very cold and cold to the 27th then thunder and hail
May to the 8th very cold and continued cold with frost to the end except eight days. Boat racing from Bristol to Hanham Mills 2 men and a ??? drowned a little below the Mills by the upsetting of a werry. Many musical instruments lost on August 15th
September 27 Mrs Hicks youngest daughter dies at 8 or 9 o’clock and the same evening Mrs Hicks died
November 29 A great hurricane of wind: much damage done
December 18th The trow Britannia sunk and broke in two by the letting out of the water in the sluices near Cumberland Basin, bound outward with a valuable cargo
1837
March 22 and 23rd A Deep snow and a continual frost to the 20th April which was a total eclipse of the Moon 21st April very cold rain and the 23rd March to April 20 very cold winds and snow. Cold winds to the 1st of May and not a leaf to be seen except evergreens; rather cold to the 9th The 10th a hard frost then snow hail and thunder. The 11th a hard frost and cold to the end of the month.