John Huggins (1814 – 1879) and the Pulpo Negro Inscription

What is the "Pulpo Negro Inscription"?
New Alresford is an attractive Georgian town which lies 6 miles east of Winchester in the South of England.  The town is popular, particularly with retired people and with tourists, such as cyclists’ walkers and steam engine buffs.  It has the Mid-Hants Railway, a plethora of independent shops and plenty of good pubs, restaurants and tea shops, the most recent addition being the Pulpo Negro tapas bar in Broad Street.  Like many other residents, my partner and I readily gave in to curiosity and spent an evening in the Black Octopus, which proved to be very enjoyable.  But we also had a surprise.  During the refurbishment of the premises prior to opening, a lengthy inscription was uncovered within a wall and this has, sensibly, been preserved.  It was not immediately apparent to what the inscription referred, so I took a photograph and set out to uncover what I could.  I cannot at this stage claim that I have many answers but I hope that by bringing this inscription to a wider audience its cryptic message can be fully decoded.

The Pulpo Negro is located at 28 Broad Street at the northerly end of a building (now 20 – 28) which was originally the George Hotel.  In the centre of that building is an entrance to George Yard, which was a carriage entry for the hotel.  The inscription lies inside the building on the north wall of the carriage entrance.  It can be seen from the following photograph that there are two parts to the inscription, which I will call left (L) and right (R).  Both panels appear to consist of smoothed mortar, which has been incised with writing.  Although both panels seem to have been prepared and inscribed at the same time, from differences in handwriting, they appear to be the work of two separate authors.  The L panel has a single word “GEORGE” scratched into its surface in a casual way, whereas the R panel inscription has been written with much more care.  It is mostly in capitals and mostly seems to consist of initials or abbreviations.  A transcript of the R panel follows.  The lines are numbered for ease of reference.

1              J.B.L                      

2              Nov 3

3              1873                      

4              WP FECIT            

5              IF.C CHWDN      

6              ATW SC, VR       

7              J.J.JMNIR            

8              A.P.D.C.L

9              JBM. TyP             

10           W.G.S.&.Co       

11           T.T.F. REFUGE   

12           J.R.VQS                               

13           W.R.C.LL.D

14           (Struck out, line possibly started with “J”)            

15           J.HUGGINS

16           Hon. Sec             

17           GP.V.P. 

          

Who was John Huggins?
The inscription contains a date – Nov 3 1873 – and one rather obvious name – J Huggins.  I decided to start my investigation by trying to identify “J Huggins” and learning something about his or her life which might uncover clues to the interpretation of the inscription.  Using standard genealogical techniques, it was easy to establish that John Huggins was a chemist and druggist who lived in Alresford between about 1837 and 1879, when he died.  He proved to be a fine member of the trading middle classes who spent much of his time working on behalf of the welfare of the town of Alresford.  As such, he deserves to have his personal story told as a fine example of Victorian charity and good deeds.
John Huggins was born in Kent in 1814 and Christened at New Romney on 7^th May of that year.  Nothing has so far been uncovered about his early life but he fetched up in Alresford in 1837 as assistant to a surgeon, Dr Rennie.  Sadly, Rennie did not survive for long, dying in February of the following year.  In April 1838 Rennie’s entire household furniture and effects were auctioned at his premises in East Street.  Also advertised for sale were “The complete equipment of a chemist and druggist’s shop, in counters shelves nests of drawers all gold labelled and cupboards quite new”.

Dr Rennie’s practice and possibly his premises, seem to have been taken over by Dr John Lipscomb, since at the 1841 Census he was identified as a 25-year-old surgeon living in East Street.  Also in the house were a male servant, a female servant and John Huggins, described as a 25-year-old assistant surgeon.  Presumably, John Huggins was kept on by Lipscomb in the same assistant surgeon role.  At some time between 1841 and 1849, John Huggins parted company with Dr Lipscomb and set up his own practice in adjacent Broad Street.  In the 1849 Post Office Directory, John Huggins was listed as a surgeon, dentist and chemist.  Three years later, at the 1851 Census, John Huggins was then described as a master chemist living in Broad Street.  Perhaps he had decided to specialise in an area of business not covered by his neighbour and former employer, Dr Lipscomb? 

By tracking the sequence of the census enumerator’s visits in Broad Street, it can be shown that John Huggin’s premises were a grand house 3 buildings north of the George Hotel on the east side of Broad Street.  This building currently has the number 32 and is occupied by Pizza Express.
  It had a  carriage entrance, denoting its occupation by someone of means who could afford his own transport.  After John Huggins’ death in 1879, the business then passed to John Richardson and its appearance can be seen in a ca. 1900 photograph of New Alresford (image B012) at www.alresfordheritage.co.uk.  In the 1895 Electoral Register, John Howard Richardson was listed as being entitled to vote in all elections due to his ownership of freehold property in Broad Street.  It is likely that John Huggins previously owned the freehold of that property.  The economic status of the Huggins family can also be judged from their employment of servants.  In 1851, 1861 and 1871 they employed either one or two live-in female servants.  Advertisements in the Hampshire Chronicle indicate that they probably also employed a valet and a coachman/groom, though these servants do not appear to have been accommodated within the Broad Street house.  An advertisement which appeared in 1853 is instructive.  “Wanted in a small family – An active single-handed servant, out of livery.  He must be a first rate valet, and thoroughly understand cleaning and polishing plate.  No one need offer himself who cannot have an unexceptionable character from his last situation.  Wages forty guineas (approximately £5000 in 2013 money).  Also, a smart groom (a light weight), who can ride and drive well”.

John Huggins' Business

John Huggins’ business involved making up presciptions written by medical practitioners but also the sale of branded medical products such as “Baigent’s Chemical Corn Solvent”, “Durant’s Cough Lozenges” and “Blunden’s Gout and Rheumatic Pills” and some formulations whose claims to efficacy appeared to verge on the fraudulent, such as “Revalenta Ababica - Du Barry’s delicious health-restoring food.  To the most nervous, delicate, dyspeptic, constipated, bilious, debilitated or shattered constitution.”  Another range of products was aimed at the farming community, such as “Cooper’s Sheep Dipping Powder”, Cooper’s Wheat Dressing”, “Fly and Lear Powder” and Huggins’ own formula “Foot Rot Composition.”  Apprentice chemists were also trained within the business and Huggins advertised such positions regularly between 1851 and 1870. 

Other fee-earning activities included acting as an agent for insurance companies, such as “Royal Farmers Insurance” and “Farmers Fire and Life Insurance” and he was also agent for the Alresford branch of the Hampshire Friendly Society.  He may also have been an agent for the Hand in Hand Society, one of the oldest in Britain, having been established in 1696.  On Easter Monday, 1865, the Hand in Hand Society held a meeting in the Horse and Groom Inn, Broad Street, to celebrate the holiday.  “Mr John Huggins addressed the club very ably as afterwards did the landlord Mr C Butler.  All passed off well.”  John Huggins’ shop was centrally located and he often acted as a ticket agent, for example when Mons. Zamoisky gave “astonishing performances in Electro Biology and Mesmerism” at the Swan Assembly Rooms, Alresford, in December 1862.  John Huggins’ analytical skills were also called upon when serious crimes were suspected to have taken place.  In 1866 Martha Tully, a cook employed by Mr Corrie of Itchen Abbas was charged with poisoning Mr and Mrs Corrie and 17 others.  About 12 hours after eating baked veal prepared by Tully they all fell ill suffering from vomiting, coldness and lack of appetite.  Samples of vomit were sent to Huggins for analysis but he was unable to find any poisonous material in the vomit.  The accused was discharged on the grounds that the evidence against her was defective.

John Huggins' Place in Alresford Society

John Huggins married Sophia Bacon at Hammersmith on 23 or 24 October 1850.  For John this appears to have been a second marriage.  Sadly, the pair did not produce a family and this may be part of the reason for John taking such an active part in the welfare of the town.  His obituary in the Hampshire Chronicle perhaps hinted at this when it said of him “and having at his disposal time and opportunities for usefulness – of which he availed himself to the full”.  At various times, John Huggins was a member of the Assessment and School Attendance Committees, a member of the Highways Board, a manager of the National School, located in the Dean, a member of the Alresford Literary Institution, where he chaired meetings, a manager of the Alresford Savings Bank and Foreman of the Grand Jury sworn in at the Crown Court in Winchester in July 1862. 

John Huggins also concerned himself with the welfare of the working classes.  Mechanics’ Institutes became a burgeoning phenomenon during the 19^th century.  They provided adult education to working men and several present day universities had their origins in such organisations, for example, the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology.  The Alresford Mechanics’ Institution met at the Swan Assembly Rooms, where invited speakers presented lectures on a variety of topics.  In January 1858 the Rev SJ Le Blond lectured on “Egypt and the Pyramids” and at the close John Huggins moved a vote of thanks to the speaker.  Another working class cultural activity was the holding of Penny Readings, which were popularised by Charles Dickens.  The cost of entry was 1d and a variety of materials were read out loud and discussed.  The Hampshire Chronicle commented on 24 December 1870 that- “The penny readings’ entertainments of the present season were most successfully commenced on Monday evening.  The readers were Messers Huggins, Moody, Wilkes, and Hall, who successfully rendered many pieces.”  Both the Mechanics’ Institute and Penny Readings had a moral undertone in that they sought to draw working class men away from socially destructive activities such as gambling and drinking.

That was not the limit of John Huggins’ civic achievements.  He was also deeply involved with the Poor Law, the Hampshire Friendly Society, the Alresford Market House, the Bailie and Burgesses of Alresford and the Hampshire Rifle Volunteers. 

The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 changed the way that the Poor Law was administered in England.  Overseers of the Poor were replaced by Boards of Guardians.  These Boards administered the workhouses which served unions of adjacent parishes (Poor Law Unions), created for reasons of efficiency.  Guardians of the Poor were elected annually by the owners and occupiers of lands on which local rates were levied.  The Alresford Poor Law Union consisted of 19 parishes clustered around New Alresford, having a total population of 7,419 and this population was served by a large workhouse at Tichborne Down.  This is now on the southern edge of New Alresford but in the mid-19^th century it was remote from the town.  It was built between 1841 and 1851 and at the Census in the latter year it housed 106 paupers.  In 1873 the cost to the ratepayers of the Alresford Union of servicing the Poor Law was £286 for in-maintenance and £982 for outdoor relief.  The Workhouse building still exists at Headley Close/Tichborne Down, New Alresford.

John Huggins was first elected as a Guardian of the Poor in 1852 and was re-elected each year for the remainder of his life.  During the greater part of that time he was vice-chairman of the Board of Guardians. Thus he was concerned with the management of the Alresford Workhouse for more than 27 years.  This involved the appointment of staff, such as medical officers, master and matron of the workhouse, treasurer and relieving officer and their ongoing supervision.  In 1854 John Huggins was also a member of a committee of the Alresford Board of Guardians which investigated a charge against the Rev Samuel Maddock, a Church of England minister,that he had given a prayer book which was for use in the Unitarian Church to an inmate of the Workhouse.  Maddock’s defence was that he had done so inadvertently but the matter rumbled on for a considerable time.  What would now be seen as a matter of little importance was, in those sectarian times, an issue of great moment.

John Huggins was a firm believer in the benefits of membership of friendly societies, those Victorian forerunners of National Insurance.  In 1865, the Alresford Branch of the Hampshire Friendly Society held its 40^th anniversary and the Hampshire Chronicle reported “We are pleased to notice that the funds of the Alresford Branch are in a most flourishing condition, and to hear that through the exertions of the indefatigable local agent Mr Huggins many new members, both benefit and honorary, have recently joined the society.”  The Alresford branch held an annual gala in July, sometimes jointly with the Alton branch.  For many years John Huggins was an active member of the Central Board of the Hampshire Friendly Society and on occasion he chaired their monthly meetings.  In 1874 he was appointed to a committee to consider having a grand jubilee festival the following year, when the Society celebrated 50 years since its foundation.

Alresford Market House Company Ltd

Visitors to Alresford cannot miss the dominant building on the south side of West Street, which looks north down Broad Street and which currently goes by the quasi-newspeak title of “Community Centre”.  It was previously the Town Hall and before that the Market House.  If the visitor raises his eyes to the top of the frontage he will see a crest bearing the initials “AMHCL”, which stands for Alresford Market House Company Limited.  In 1865 this company published a prospectus with the aim of raising funds to finance a “commodious and convenient Market House, instead of the present insufficient accommodation, as well as a spacious room for use of the Magistrates suitable also for Public Meetings and Assemblies of various kinds and rooms for the now established “Literary and Scientific Institute” with Library and Reading Room….The advantages to be obtained are the improvement of the Market by affording the agriculturalists of the neighbourhood the opportunity of availing themselves of the natural consequence of the construction of the railway.”  A meeting was held in the Swan Hotel to consider this proposal and a committee was formed, including John Huggins, to promote the venture and raise the estimated capital needed of £2500.  After initially considering the George Hotel site in Broad Street, the company eventually chose the Rose and Crown Inn site and a Board of Directors, consisting of town worthies, including John Huggins, was appointed.  The funding was easily raised and the building was constructed to the design of William Hunt, a local architect.  It opened with the grand flourish of a public dinner on 22 March 1866.

The Alton, Alresford and Winchester Railway Company gained permission to build a railway from Alton to Winchester in 1861 but progress was rather slow with its implementation.  The first general meeting of the shareholders was held in the Swan Hotel, Alresford in December 1861.  The Secretary presented a report after which Mr Adams proposed a motion of acceptance, which was seconded by John Huggins.  By April 1865 engines were able to run on permanent track between Alton and Alresford and some anxiety was expressed that Alresford would not be able to take full advantage of the new line due to the lack of a direct road link between the station yard and the High Street (ie West Street/East Street).  However, this end was not achieved until 1871 when a strip of land in the ownership of Henry Hall Esq of Alton was acquired for the sum of £100.  The document conveying the land was between Mr Hall and John Huggins, acting in his capacity as a surveyor of the Parish of New Alresford and a member of the Board of Highways for the District of New Alresford.  The result was Station Road which emerges on West Street between the Swan Hotel and the building currently occupied by Heidi’s Patisserie.

Bailiff and Burgesses

For about 400 years Alresford local government consisted of the Bailiff and Burgesses, populated by 9 prominent, self-selected local men.  They had a corporate responsibility to look after the progress and prosperity of the town.  The positions were honorary.  However, in 1886, the Corporation of Baillie and Burgesses was disbanded and its functions replaced by the New Alresford Town Trust and the Alresford Parish Council.  John Huggins was an Alresford Burgess for many years and was actually in post as Baillie in 1879, the year of his death. 

Alresford Rifle Volunteers

Following a coup d’etat in 1851, Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte took the throne as Napoleon III, Emperor of the Second French Empire.  Subsequently, in foreign policy, he aimed to reassert French influence around the world.  The French army was increased in size and there was substantial construction of warships.  Especially following the Orsini affair in 1858, when a would-be assassin had his bombs manufactured in Birmingham, anxieties arose that Britain might be drawn into a conflict or be a target for invasion.  A number of measures was instituted to counter this perceived threat, including the building of the Palmerston Forts along the South Coast, the commissioning of new warships, including the “Warrior” and the “Black Prince” and the creation of a Volunteer Force.

A well-attended meeting was held at the Swan Hotel in Alresford on 21 July 1859, chaired by Lord Ashburton of Northington Grange, for the purpose of establishing a Volunteer Rifle Company in the district.  Lord Ashburton said that English defence against possible French invasion was not adequate.  The middle classes had ceased to be sufficiently involved in the defence of the country and they had left it almost entirely to the lower classes to undertake that duty.  He now invited his influential audience to play a role.  In his opinion, educated men were quick to learn and would soon become competent soldiers.  The challenge was taken up enthusiastically and a committee of 9 established to take the project forward.  John Huggins was appointed Secretary and Treasurer to the committee.  The 16^th Hampshire Rifle Volunteer Corps was formally constituted the following June, with Francis Marx of Arlbury House as the commanding officer and Dr Lipscomb as honorary assistant surgeon.

John Huggins was, from the start, an enthusiastic supporter of the Alresford Rifle Volunteers but was unable to participate as a volunteer due to his lameness.  However, he performed admirably as secretary to the corps, for example in the organisation of an annual Ball, the first of which was held in the Swan Hotel in January 1861.  Target practice was begun in March 1861, at which time the corps numbered 63 officers and men.  By 1864 an annual shooting competition had been instituted.  It was held at the Butts, Bighton that year and was followed by dinner, toasting and bonhomie.  The Rev Mr Maine donated a prize, which he presented.  He thanked the company for their hearty response to the toast and remarked that he heartily concurred in a suggestion that had been made to present the honorary secretary, Mr Huggins, with some little testimonial in recognition of the many and valuable services he had rendered to the corps, and that he (Mr Main) should have much pleasure in contributing.  John Huggins’ contribution to the Rifle Volunteers was also noted at the meeting in Alresford Town Hall, following the shooting day held at Bishops Sutton in 1870.  The Hampshire Chronicle noted that “The healths of Major Marx, Capt Benson, Lieut Blackmore were especially well received and Dr Lipscomb and Mr Huggins (hon Secretary) were not forgotten.”

Without doubt, John Huggins made a major contribution over many years to civic society in Alresford and his achievements were marked by a presentation made in July 1865.  It is not clear if the initiative for the presentation grew out of the suggestion referenced by the Rev Maine the previous year but it involved most of the gentry, clergy and tradesmen of the area.  The company gathered at the assembly room in the Swan Inn under the chairmanship of the Hon JT Dutton of Hinton Ampner House and included Mr Marx of Arlbury House, Mr Benson of Langtons, Rev Brodie of New Alresford and Rev Sumner of Old Alresford.  Mr Dutton made a speech eulogising the many achievements of John Huggins and his standing in the town can be judged from the frequent cheering by those assembled.  Mr Dutton said that Mr Huggins was the originator of almost every good thing that took place in Alresford and without him Alresford would be “without mainspring.” The gift consisted of a handsome silver cruet, tea-pot, cream-jug, sugar-basin and salt-cellars.  John Huggins replied in modest and self-deprecating fashion to the chairman’s remarks, saying that he could hardly believe that he was worthy of such a handsome testimonial for his humble efforts.  He was loudly cheered as he resumed his seat.  Further speeches were made by Mr Marx and Rev Sumner before the chairman drew proceedings to a close.

The Tichborne Claimant

Between the mid-1860s and the mid-1870s, Alresford, Hampshire and, indeed, the whole nation and beyond were gripped by the affair of the Tichborne Claimant and this touched many locals directly, including John Huggins and John Lipscomb.  Briefly, Roger Charles Doughty Tichborne, eldest son of James Francis Tichborne, 10^th Bt and heir-apparent to the Tichborne title and estates left the country for Valparaiso in Chile in 1853, after being forbidden to see his cousin Kate, with whom he had fallen in love.  After travelling in Chile he crossed the Andes to Argentina and caught a ship, the “Bella” bound for Kingston, Jamaica.  The Bella disappeared and it was assumed that the crew and Roger Tichborne, the only passenger, had been lost.  In 1858 a tramp who had been a sailor, fetched up at Tichborne House asking for alms.  Roger Tichborne’s mother Henriette quizzed the sailor about the ship “Bella” and he reported that he had heard that the “Bella” and her crew had ended up in Australia, which gave her hope that her eldest son was still alive.  In 1862 John Tichborne, 10^th Bt was found dead in bed and, had Roger been alive, he would have become 11^th baronet, instead of his brother Alfred, who assumed the title.  Henriette now placed advertisements in many newspapers offering a reward for news of Roger.  The result was that a butcher from Wagga Wagga in Australia claimed that he was Roger and sailed for Britain, paid for by Henriette, the Dowager Lady Tichborne, to lay claim to his inheritance.  Was this claimant from Wagga Wagga genuine or an imposter?  The matter was decided in a court case which began in May 1871 and was concluded in March 1872, finding that the claimant was not Roger Tichborne.  A subsequent trial of the claimant for perjury found him guilty and he was jailed.

There was deep fascination at all levels of society with the claim and each side of the legal argument sought witnesses who could bolster their case.  John Huggins made a statement, dated 23 February 1867, saying that the young Roger Tichborne had frequently gone to his shop before he left England and he knew him well.  He had had several opportunities of seeing and speaking to the claimant, who was a regular visitor to Alresford and he had no doubt that Roger Tichborne and the claimant were one and the same person.  John Lipscomb’s evidence also backed the veracity of the claim. 

Death of John Huggins

In February 1879 John Huggins died at his home and business in Broad Street.  He had been subjected to an “insidious complaint” for some months but, until 10 days before his death, he had seemed in reasonably good health.  He was buried in the graveyard at St John the Baptist, Alresford, though his grave has so far eluded identification in that sad jumble of stone and nature.  The Hampshire Chronicle published a substantial obituary, including the comments, “Uniting great ability, much practical knowledge, and energy of character with great goodness of heart and a genial and kindly temper” and “his death has left a void which it will be difficult, if not impossible, to fill.”  Thus ended the life of a man who made major contributions to the welfare of Alresford in Victorian times, but whose achievements are today unknown to all but a few.

Interpretation of the Pulpo Negro Inscription

Returning to the inscription on the wall of the Pulpo Negro, what has been learned from the life and times of John Huggins, which throws light on the meaning of the message?

The George Hotel, which included the building which now houses the Pulpo Negro, was ideally placed to service the needs of the Alresford market, held in Broad Street.  The hotel was owned by Mr Henry Young and in July 1864 he advertised its services as follows “Alresford Great Lamb Fair.  Good accommodation for dealers and farmers at the George Hotel – 25 well-aired beds…. Hot Dinners at 1 o’clock, 2/- each.  Foreign wines and spirits.”  Just the place to celebrate after deal-making in the market!  However, by the following year, it is possible that the hotel had ceased to function, as the Alresford Market House Company Ltd considered buying the site of the “old George Hotel” in order to construct the new Market House.  They abandoned that plan when the asking price for the site proved to be too high. The George Hotel building was eventually sold in 1867 and an urgent, unreserved sale of contents arranged at the beginning of July, with only 3 days’ notice.  A further sale of outdoor and household effects followed in October.  The building was eventually put to a variety of other uses.

The L panel of the inscription bears the single scrawled word “GEORGE”, which, given the building’s use shortly prior to 1873, is probably a reference to the George Hotel.  The R panel contains the date Nov 3 1873.  It looks as though the inscriptions were made at a time that part of the old George building was undergoing conversion following its sale in 1867.  Either the date signifies the date the R inscription was made or the date of some event which was being commemorated. The date is preceded by “J.B.L.”, which could indicate an event or a person.  So far no plausible interpretation has been uncovered.  The care with which the R panel was incised with writing suggests both that the writer was used to writing with precision and that the inscription was meant to survive and pass down a message for posterity.  Underneath the date on the R panel is the line “WP FECIT”.  “FECIT” means “made” in Latin.  By searching the 1871 Census return for New Alresford, all residents with the initials “WP” were identified.  There were 10 candidates, only one of whom was likely to be able to write Latin and could be demonstrated to be a Latin writer.  He was William Poynter, then the 70 year old headmaster of Perins Grammar School at the bottom of West Street.  He was recorded as being a teacher of both Latin and French.  A teacher, used to writing regularly on a blackboard, would also be likely to have a precise writing style.  Was “WP” William Poynter and did he write the R panel inscription?  

There is little room for doubt that the identity of “J HUGGINS” is John Huggins, the Alresford chemist.  The final two lines of the R inscription under John Huggins’ name, “Hon. Sec” and “GP.V.P.” seem to refer to honours or positions held by John Huggins and the above biographical notes provide clear candidates .  John was Honorary Secretary of the 16^th Hampshire Rifle Volunteers and also a Guardian of the Poor- “GP”.  “VP” may refer to his position of Vice-chairman or Vice-president of the Board of Guardians.  If these suppositions are correct, they refer to achievements by John Huggins in more than one organisation, which would seem to suggest that the event being recognised was not specific to a single organisation.

The translation of the remaining 9 lines (ignoring the struck out line) has so far defied resolution.  However, the lines do seem to have one characteristic in common.  The LHS of each line appears to consist of initials, eg “AJW”, “JBM”, perhaps of a person and the RHS of each line appears to be some attribute, eg  “S&Co”, “REFUGE”.  “REFUGE” is intriguing because in pre-welfare state, Victorian times various kinds of refuge were set up to support or reform those who were socially disadvantaged.  There does not appear to have been a refuge of any description in Alresford at that time, but Winchester had a Refuge for Fallen Women, ie prostitutes.  Does “TT F REFUGE” refer to someone with the initials “TT” who was involved in some way with the Winchester Female Refuge?

Can you add to this?

This is a work not yet half-done.  Can anyone help with the further interpretation of this inscription?

Don Fox

20150306
donaldpfox@gmail.com