Rod Neep
10-10-2004, 03:51 AM
April 28 1852
About twelve o’clock, a female about 38 years of age, accompanied by her husband and two of his companions stood in the Market-place, near the sheep pens. The female was the wife of Edward Stevenson, Rag merchant, Millstone-lane, and he had come to the determination, with her consent, to dispose of her by auction.
A new rope, value sixpence, was round her neck, Stevenson, with his wife standing unbashed by his side, held the rope, and exclaimed, “Here is my wife for sale : I shall put her up at two shillings and sixpence,” A man named John Burrows, apparently a navvy, proffered a shilling for the lot, and after some haggling she was knocked off at that price, and they all went to the Spread Eagle to sign articles of agreement, the lady being the only party able to sign her name.
From “The Nottingham Date Book (http://www.parishchest.com/en-gb/dept_3261.html)"
About twelve o’clock, a female about 38 years of age, accompanied by her husband and two of his companions stood in the Market-place, near the sheep pens. The female was the wife of Edward Stevenson, Rag merchant, Millstone-lane, and he had come to the determination, with her consent, to dispose of her by auction.
A new rope, value sixpence, was round her neck, Stevenson, with his wife standing unbashed by his side, held the rope, and exclaimed, “Here is my wife for sale : I shall put her up at two shillings and sixpence,” A man named John Burrows, apparently a navvy, proffered a shilling for the lot, and after some haggling she was knocked off at that price, and they all went to the Spread Eagle to sign articles of agreement, the lady being the only party able to sign her name.
From “The Nottingham Date Book (http://www.parishchest.com/en-gb/dept_3261.html)"