NOTES

Note 1 On December 15th 1820, an attempt was made to assassinate Alderman Barber. He was standing in his shop at the south-west corner of Hollow-stone, between eight and nine in the evening, conversing with Mr Rowforth, when the would-be assassin fired a horse-pistol or blunderbuss, heavily charged with slugs, from the corner of Fisher-gate, doubtless with the idea of striking the Alderman. Fortunately the slugs passed by him and struck the wall. Mr Barber pursued his assilant but did not overtake him, and though a reward of £515 was offered for his discovery and conviction, it does not appear that he was ever brought to justice. "The only conceivable motive for so base an attempt must be referred to Mr Barber's great activity as a magistrate. He was emphatically 'a terror to evil doers', and the crime was doubtless suggested by a spirit of revenge. Be this as it may, the attempt called forth in his favour a very general expression of sympathy, for few men are more respected or beloved." Alderman Barber was Sheriff of Nottingham in 1804, was appointed Alderman in 1816, and filled the office of Mayor of Nottingham in 1817, 1825 and again in 1831. George Street Baptist chapel was built in 1815. It was designed by Mr Staveley and erected by Messrs. Parrott and Smith, Mr Bartram executing the woodwork. Including a suite of rooms it cost £6,000. The edifice is built of brick, has a commodious gallery and can seat altogether 950 persons. In 1847 an organ was erected by Messrs. Bevington and Sons, London, at a cost of £220, the whole of which was defrayed the same year.

Note 2 John Barber (son of J.H. Barber) mentioned in this headstone was one of the founders of Derby Road Baptist Chapel in 1847, and at the present time is a Deacon of that church. Mr Barber, who is an Alderman and justice of the Peace of Nottingham, is the "father" of the City Corporation. In 1846 he was Sheriff of Nottingham, and has twice been Mayor, in 1867 and again in 1868. To record Alderman Barber's public career would entail the writing of the municipal history of Nottingham for the past half century. On December 14th 1896, Alderman Barber received a presentation of plate from his fellow-townsmen in recognition of his past valuable public services.

Note 3 On the north wall of St Mary's Church, Nottingham, are placed two marble tablets inscribed:

To the memory of Frederick John Cox, Son of George Lissant Cox & Mary his wife; a youth of great promise both for piety & talents, Cut off in the morning of life, His afflicted parents have erected this monument. He died on the 28th of November 1809, in the 16th year of his age.

On another tablet below:

Also to the memory of Frederick John Lissant Cox, brother of the above, and, like him, cut off at School, by an inscrutable but all wise Providence in the 16th year of his age. He died on the 17th of February 1826.

Note 4 The Rev. James Edwards was son-in-law of the celebrated Dr Steadman, and was appointed pastor of George Street Baptist Chapel in 1830. The deacons of the church at that time were Mr James Lomax (see 47), Mr Daniel Parley (see 52), Mr Henry Frearson, Mr John Cooke, Mr William Vickers, Mr Absalom Barnett and Mr Wm. Cooke Lock (see 39). In 1864 Mr Edwards resigned his office after a pastorate of thirty-four years.

Note 5 Rev. Richard Hopper of Bishop Burton was chosen pastor of the Baptist Chapel, Park Street, Nottingham, in 1770, and during his pastorate the Rev. William Carey (afterwards D.D.) preached his celebrated sermon from the words "Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God", at Park Street Chapel, May 31st 1792, which gave rise to the formation of the Baptist Missionary Society at Kettering, October 2nd in the same year. In 1804 Mr Hopper resigned his office, after a pastorate of thirty-four years. He died in 1826. Richard Hopper, Junior, mentioned on the same headstone, was Sheriff of Nottingham in 1815.

Note 6 Octavius Thomas Oldknow was Sheriff of Nottingham in 1806; appointed Alderman in 1821; and was Mayor of Nottingham in 1822, and again in 1829. He was also Postmaster of Nottingham

Note 7 John Rogers mentioned on this headstone was an Alderman and filled the office of Sheriff of Nottingham in 1832. He died in 1845, and was buried in the General Cemetery, Nottingham.

Note 8 Benjamin Ward. This headstone was erected by Messrs. Blatherwick, Merchants, the Poultry, Nottingham.

Note 9 In August 1800, George Caunt, a respectable hair-dresser, who had been charged with stealing a set of window-curtains from the house of a dancing-master, shot George Ball, the Constable, whilst attempting to apprehend him. The unfortunate officer died on the spot, and the murderer was taken into custody next day at Alfreton, but he poisoned himself two days afterwards in the town gaol, and was buried on the Sand-hills, pursuant to the Coroner's inquest. During the night his body was removed by his friends to the Baptist burial-ground, but no indication of the place of his interment is now to be found.

Note 10 George Vason was a native of North Muskham in Nottinghamshire, and served an apprenticeship to a builder, after which he removed to Nottingham, and became a member of the Baptist Church in Park Street in 1794. In 1796, at the age of twenty-four, he was selected as an artisan to accompany the missionaries first sent out in the ship Duff, by the London Society, to introduce Christianity among the newly-discovered islanders of the Southern seas. Located at some distance from his brethren, and becoming a bosom friend of one of the chiefs, Vason almost imperceptibly adopted the manners and customs of the natives. he assumed their dress, was tattoed, cohabited with one of the chief's daughters, and subsequently took a second wife. In 1801, at the moment when a plot had been organised among the natives to put him to death, he was rescued by The Royal Admiral, an East-Indiaman, and having been taken in the first place to China, and subsequently to New York, he arrived in the Thames in October 1802. After his return to England, he again took up his abode in Nottingham, and though it was not to be expected that he could ever regain his former rank in the religious world, yet he conducted himself with great decorum, and moved in a respectable sphere of society. He married Miss Leavers, a member of the Baptist Church, Park Street, by whom he had no children, and who predeceased him eight months. The first office to which Vason was appointed after his return was that of Keeper of St Mary's Workhouse, from which he was ejected, for political reasons, in 1820. He was almost immediately, however, appointed Governor of the Town gaol, an office of considerable emolument, which he creditably held to the day of his death. He expired in dreadful agonies, resulting from erysipelas in his face, July 23rd 1838, aged 66 years, and was interred beside his wife in the Baptist Burial Ground, Mount Street.