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BRIGHTON 183 |
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It would be interesting to know how the information imparted in the last line was secured, particularly as Tattersall's help in the royal escape was purely a matter of business ; the whole credit belonged to Colonel Gounter (p. 54). Charles was recognised by the landlord of the George Inn in West Street, where he stayed ; but the secret was well kept, and Mrs. Thrale, Dr. Johnson, and Fanny Burney were able in later days to visit the hostelry, renamed the King's Head, with loyal satisfaction.
After the Restoration Tattersall was well rewarded both with money and official rank ; he was good enough further to display his abounding loyalty by helping to break up a dissenting congregation in Brighton, but the permanent effect was not great. Nonconformity has long been very firmly rooted in the town, and in the lane called Union Street may still be seen the original date
stone (inscribed " 16 B. 88 W-----") of the first
Congregational chapel.
Among very numerous others who lie at rest in the vast churchyards of St. Nicholas, divided into three by roads, are Phoebe Hassell (1713-1821), who fought in the 5th Regiment of Foot and was wounded at Fontenoy, and Martha Gunn, who died in 1815 and was "peculiarly distinguished as a bather in this town nearly 70 years." The latter was a friend of the First Gentleman of Europe, who on one occasion thought it a good practical joke to keep her in conversation near the great kitchen fire at the Pavilion when she had just been given a large pat of butter.
But before Brighton was to begin her glorious career of these latter days there were evil times
printed copies are not improvements. The letters were recut in the eighteenth century and perhaps mistakes were made. |
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