How not to impress a lady!

January 1832.  On Sunday afternoon last the inhabitants of the houses in the East street of New Alresford were alarmed by a loud explosion, followed by an instant crash of glass, &c. – On the clearing away of the smoke, it appeared that nearly the whole of the bow window of the house  in the occupation of Miss Wakeham, was blown into the street, and a young man by the name of Chase had received some severe injuries in the head, from the bursting of a powder flask, from which he was incautiously scattering gunpowder over a part of the grate, which firing, communicated with the flask, and caused the mischief, and it is to be considered a providential escape that he was not killed on the spot.

Often while researching topics in family or social history, I come across accounts of events quite by chance, which I find amusing, fascinating, horrifying or just plain interesting.  I thought I would share them with a wider audience. This is the first.  There will be more!

Don Fox

20161803