John Mockett could be described as Thanet’s first blogger he wrote this about Broadstairs in 1828.A very ancient custom prevails, of men and boys being dressed up in various ways to amuse people at Christmas.
It unfortunately happened, this year, that a man dressed in a bearskin, met a young woman named Crow, the wife of John Crow, Broadstairs, and alarmed her so much that she was obliged to go to a friend’s house to recover herself; and in returning home, she met the same man again, which so dreadfully alarmed her that she died the next day. A coroner’s inquest was held on the occasion; and hand-bills circulated to prohibit such practices in future.
I publish his book Mockett’s journal and it occurred that an occasional post by him on this blog could amuse.
Thanks for publishing Mockett's Journal, it really is an amusing read and I agree he could certainly be classified as a proto-blogger!
ReplyDelete13.56 I am rereading it at the moment with some considerable pleasure, I wonder what Mockett would make of his post appearing for comment after 180 years
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