Kentish Gazette, 2 April 1844.

Pigeon Shooting.

On Wednesday last it was announced that a hog, value £20, would be shot for by members at 10s. each, in a field near the "Bell" at Frindsbury, and the weather being fine, caused a considerable number of persons to assemble, but the hog was not shot for. There were, however, several minor matches made up, affording considerable sport; the principal was a sweepstakes often members at 5s., with three birds each, H and T traps, a distance of 21 yards; when the prize was won by Mr. Edward Wood, jun. of St. Margaret's-bank, killing his three birds.

Kentish Gazette, 24 October 1854.

DEATH.

Tolhurst:— Oct. 17, aged 61, the wife of Mr. William Tolhurst, of the "Old Bell," Frindsbury, deeply regretted by all who knew her.

South Eastern Gazette, 27 March, 1860.

Death of Infant from an Overdose of Opium.

On Tuesday last an inquest was held before B. Marsh, Esq., deputy coroner for the city, at the "Bell Tavern," Frindsbury, on the body of an infant, aged about 18 months, named Mary Jane Curry, the daughter of an engine-driver on the North Kent line, whose death was alleged to have been occasioned by an overdose of a mixture of opium, called paregoric, which had been administered to it. The father of the child stated that the deceased had been in a delicate state of mind for some time past, and had been in the habit of taking Stedman’s powers. The deceased had occasionally been given some paregoric to make her deep, and on the day before she had been given 10 drops of this mixture, and a similar quantity on the morning of her death. The deceased was put to bed apparently well, and on witness going to look at her a short time after, he found that she was quite dead. Witness had purchased the paregoric of a grocer and general dealer near his residence. Mr. Langstone, surgeon, said that he was sent for to see the deceased, but found her dead. From the appearances she might have died from the effects of poison. The bottle produced was handed to witness by the parents, who informed him that they were in the habit of occasionally giving the deceased as much as 10 drops of the liquid which it contained. On examining the contents witness found it to consist of a considerable portion of opium, and a spirit like naphtha. Ten drops of such a mixture would be a dangerous quantity to give to an infant. There was nothing dangerous in Stedman’s powders. Paregoric was a very dangerous mixture, and five or six drops would be an ample dose for an infant of the age of deceased.

Samuel Large, grocer, on being sent for by the deputy coroner, admitted that he had sold the paregoric to the father of the deceased, but never more than a pennyworth at the time. He had sold some to a sister of deceased, about six years old, more than once. He purchased the paregoric from a chemist in High-street, and gave 3s. 2d, per lb. for it, but he knew nothing about the mixture himself. Just as he bought it he sold it, without mixing anything with it.

Verdict, "That the deceased died from the effects of an overdose of some liquid administered to her by her mother as paregoric, and sold to her as such by Samuel Large, and that no blame is attached to the mother."