The Nottingham Review and General Advertiser for the Midland Counties – Friday 04 June 1830 reports the extraordinary story of a recently deceased 100 year old man with a long and dubious past.
“The veteran rogue.
On Friday the 21st ult., John Shepherd was interred in Ripponden churchyard. The deceased was 100 years old; he was father to 15 children, grandfather to 55, great grandfather to 89, great great grandfather to four; she was a native of Rochdale, and obtained a settlement in the township of Spotland, from which in the course of his life he has received of relief, him money, to the amount of £250.
He has received from the Benevolent Society, held at the Angel Inn, Blackwater street, Rochdale, £135. 5s 3d in the weekly pay. He residing at a distance from the society, the stewards could not easily prevent he is imposition, and it is known whether one time he was receiving six shillings per week from the society, two shillings per week from the overseers of Spotland, and was earning at the same time 15 shillings per week, with working; he has had three wives, and his younger son was born the very day he was 80 years of age.
His widow mortgaged a part of his funeral money, 10 years since, with Mrs. Sally Mills, of the Angel Inn, but in consequence of the old man living so much longer than she expected, the whole of the funeral money was claimed, and Mrs. Mills debt was disowned; however, the old woman at last acknowledged it, and in cant terms thanked Mrs. Mills for her former kindness, and even extorted a promise of future favours, for having been for once to acknowledge the truth.”
Ian Waugh
Old British News
