The Diaries of Henry Lomas, November 1826

from an old print

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1st – A man named John Ambrose a Shoemaker who once resided at Watford was taken into custody for the Murder of Ann Perry a Woman with whom he cohabited at Saffron Hill London.  He stated in his defence it was quite accidental. It occurred while they were quarrelling.  He was committed to Newgate for Trial.  

7th – A Coroners Inquest was held at the Black Horse at Barnet on the Body of a Man named Lawford who was stabed by Sarah Bartrap a prostitute with whom he cohabited.  A verdict was returned of wilful Murder and she was sent to Hertford.  

17th – Mr Williams’s Farms again submitted to public Auction.  Brightwells, Hatters Farm and Hempstead Meads in the whole 163 Acres Copyhold and let for £212 per Annum was purchased by Mr John Dyson for five thousand three hundred pounds.  (At this date John Dyson (1763 – 1845) was the head of a well known and wealthy brewing family.  By 1812 he owned a large house in the Lower High Street, now WatfordMuseum, and by 1829 had built the brewery behind it, to replace his old brewery near the church.  The new brewery was later taken over by Benskins ).  

29th – An Eclipse of the Sun took place visible to us.  The NW limb of the sun was obscured by the interposition of the SE limb of the Moon at 5m 6nd past ten o’clock am and at 5m past eleven was the greatest when about a third part of the Sun’s face was hidden.