ng the last twenty or thirty years, as they seem confused
to me; but whatever happened of which I had some knowledge during my
boyish days and early manhood, is most vividly impressed upon my memory.
My family have been long-livers. My father was ninety odd, when he died,
my mother near that age at her death. My brother and sister are still
living, are healthy, and, like myself, in comfortable circumstances.

I may be seen any fine day on the Pier-head or Landing-stage, accompanied
by one of my dear great grandchildren; but you would not take me to be
more than sixty by my air and appearance.

We lived in a street out of Church-street, nearly opposite St. Peter's.
I was born there. At that time the churchyard was enclosed by trees, and
the gravestones were erect. One by one the trees died or were destroyed
by mischievous boys, and unfortunately they were not replaced. The
church presented then a very pretty appearance. Within the last thirty
years there was one tree standing nearly opposite to the Blue Coat
School. When that tree died, I regretted its loss as of an old friend.
The stocks were placed just within the rails, nearly opposite the present
extensive premises occupied by the Elkingtons. Many and many a man have
I seen seated in them for various light offences, though in many cases
the punishment was heavy, especially if the culprit was obnoxious in any
way, or had made himself so by his own conduct. The town boys were very
cruel in my young days. It was a cruel time, and the effects of the
slave-trade and privateering were visible in the conduct of the lower
classes and of society generally. Goodness knows the town boys are cruel
now, but they are angels to what their predecessors were. I think
education has done some good. All sorts of mischievous tricks used to be
played upon the culprits in the stocks; and I have seen stout and sturdy
fellows faint under the sufferings they endured. By the way, at the top
of Marybone, there was once a large pond, called the Flashes, where there
was a ducking-post and this was a favourite place of punishment when the
Lynch Law of that time was carried out. I once saw a woman ducked there.
She might have said with Queen Catherine:--

"Do with me what you will,
For any change must better my condition."

There was a terrible row caused once by the rescue of a woman from the
Cuckstool. At one time it threatened to be serious. The mayor was
dining at my