Trove Tuesday: discreditable conduct in church

When he was sixteen, my great great grandfather , Philip de Crespigny (1850-1927), was accused of having looked at his watch twice during a sermon at Talbot. His offence was reported by several newspapers.

NEWS AND NOTES. (1866, April 10). The Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924), p. 2. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112868619

The Ballarat Star, The Age and several other newspapers quoted the initial report in the Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser a week earlier:

THE NEWS OF THE DAY. (1866, April 4). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155047396

The news was reproduced in:

• the Mount Alexander Mail of Castlemaine 
• the Melbourne Leader 
• the New South Welsh Tumut and Adelong Times 

The Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser has not yet been digitised for that year.

Yesterday my husband and I attended an organ concert in St Michael's and All Angels Anglican Church Talbot. The church we were in dated from 1871, replacing an earlier building erected in 1862. There does not seem to be any sign of the previous church building in Argyle Street, Talbot.  The organist was very talented but even so I confess I glanced at my neighbour's watch at least twice during an Elgar piece, which seemed to go on for a while.

St Michael's Church of England, Talbot built 1870-1871 in January 2017

Today's concert was held at St Paul's church East Ballarat, where my great great grandfather was married.

Related posts

• BRAVE BOY IN SHOOT-OUT WITH BUSHRANGER, LATEST NEWS
• Wedding Wednesday: Philip Champion de Crespigny married Annie Frances Chauncy 25 October 1877
• E is for entertainment in Epsom
• de Crespigny - Beggs 1891 wedding
• The Bank of Victoria in Collins Street

BRAVE BOY IN SHOOT-OUT WITH BUSHRANGER, LATEST NEWS

The bushranger Morgan shooting McGinnerty F Cubbitt - circa 1864 Wood engraving

In 1864, my great-great-grandfather, Philip de Crespigny (1850-1927), then only 14, took a shot at a prowler, missed, and was grazed on the shoulder when the suspicious-looking stranger fired back.

This anyway was how he reported the incident to his father, Philip Robert Champion Crespigny (1817-1889), the Talbot goldfields warden and police magistrate. A manhunt was begun, with the prowler initially thought to be 'Mad Dog' Morgan, a bushranger from the neighbouring colony of New South Wales.

DARING ATTEMPT TO MURDER THE SON OF MR P. C. CRESPIGNY, P.M. (1864, August 18). The Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 - 1864), p. 2. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66347371

The Melbourne Punch was more than a little sceptical:
(with a helpful note that the surname is pronounced Crepny)

THE CRESPIGNY LEGEND. (1864, August 25). Melbourne Punch (Vic. : 1855 - 1900), p. 3. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article176532918

and the Bendigo Advertiser frankly disbelieved the tale:

ANOTHER VERSION. (1864, August 25). Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918), p. 3. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88006055

Philip Robert Champion Crespigny leapt to his son's defence. His boy was telling the truth, he said, and he offered a reward of a hundred pounds for the apprehension of the prowler:

THE LATE ATTEMPT TO SHOOT MR. CRESPIGNY'S SON. (1864, August 31). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 7. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5747472

NEWS AND NOTES. (1864, September 10). The Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 - 1864), p. 2. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66347964

Nothing came of this, however, and Punch continued to milk the incident for laughs:

NOTES AND QUERIES. (1864, September 15). Melbourne Punch (Vic. : 1855 - 1900), p. 3. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article176533045

Related posts:

• Australian arrival of the Champion Crespigny family on the 'Cambodia' 31 March 1852
• Wedding Wednesday: Philip Champion de Crespigny married Annie Frances Chauncy 25 October 1877
• de Crespigny - Beggs 1891 wedding  
• The Bank of Victoria in Collins Street