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Whilst Leeds, in the 18th century, was busy
booming and growing and becoming the great city it is today the
people of the area had to get on with their daily lives. We can look back at the ordinary people of Leeds through the eyes of two newspapers of the time. The 'Leeds Mercury', later merged into the Yorkshire Evening Post, and the 'Leeds Intelligencer' provides fascinating glimpses of the lives of ordinary people. Presented here, with the original spellings, are some clippings from the newspapers on the subject of visitors? |
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In the days before the invention of the television
people found amusement by attending the theatre or a travelling
show. 'There's no business like show business' seems to have
been as true then as now. In October 1763 the Leeds Intelligencer printed the following tale… 'One night, last week, the master of a show in this Town, having some particular performance to exhibit, wherein a Representation of the D-V-L was to be a necessary figure, was told a little before he began, that his D-V-L had eloped; which cast such a damp upon the Master's spirits that he declared he shou'd not be able to perform without the D-V-L's assistance; whereupon the Bellman was immediately despatch'd round the Town to find out if possible, who had been ill-natured or so fond of the D-V-L's company, as to persuade so extraordinary and so useful a Servant to leave his Master; when, it was luckily discovered, just at the time his Presence was most wanted, that Mr. D-V-L had slyly convey'd himself into the bed of a neighbouring Gentleman, which (being amorously inclined) he unluckily mistook for the Maid Servant's, where, instead of being kindly treated by the Maid, as he expected, he was unkindly kicked out of the window by the Master, as he deserved.' |
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Another visitor to Leeds who got more than
he bargained for was told thus by the Leeds Mercury on the 16th
July 1782……. You know the feeling, you've just had a burger……! |
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