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Grimsby (Great) in Lincoln County England History and GeographyGRIMSBY (GREAT), a borough, sea-port, market-town, and parish, having separate jurisdiction, locally in the wapentake of Bradley-Haverstoe, parts of LINDSEY, county of LINCOLN, 35 miles (N.E. by N.) from Lincoln, and 161 (N.) from London, containing 3064 inhabitants. This place, anciently called Grimsbye, is situated on the little river Freshney, near the mouth of the Humber, and is supposed to have been the spot where the Danes landed when they first invaded Britain, towards the end of the eighth century. Camden treats as fabulous a tradition that the town was founded by a merchant named Gryme, who obtained great riches in consequence of having brought up an exposed child, called Haveloc, who proved to be of the Danish blood royal, and, after having been scullion in the king's kitchen, obtained the king's daughter in marriage: to this romantic story, whatever may be its foundation, there is a reference in the device of the seal of the corporation. A Benedictine nunnery was founded here before 1185, and subsequently convents of the Augustine and Grey friars, but of these establishments there are no remains. In the reign of Edward III. Grimsby was a considerable sea-port; and at the siege of Calais, in 1346, it supplied the king with eleven ships and one hundred and seventy mariners, towards his naval armament. The harbour was formerly defended by two blockhouses, and the commerce of the port was very extensive till the haven became obstructed by the accumulation of sand and mud deposited by the Humber, so as to prevent the access of any vessels but sloops, in which state it continued till the beginning of the present century. The town now consists of several good streets, the houses in which are well built; and much improvement of late years has been made in its general appearance. It has also recovered its commercial importance, chiefly through the spirited exertions of some of the principal landed proprietors in the neighbourhood, who raised a subscription for improving the harbour, and obtained an act of parliament incorporating them under the title of 'The Grimsby Haven Company.' A wet and a dry dock have been constructed, at the expense of about £70,000, the works having been opened in December 1800; since which, many new buildings have been erected, especially in the vicinity of the haven. Grimsby is a port subordinate to that of Hull, and has a deputy-collector and comptroller of customs, with a coast surveyor. Coal, salt, and the produce of the countries bordering on the Baltic, constitute the principal articles of its commerce. The number of vessels that entered inwards during the year ending January 5th, 1827, was twenty-nine British and seventy-five foreign; and the number which cleared outwards, twelve British and fifty-five foreign. Ships are annually sent to the Greenland fishery, and here are a few yards for building them. There are in the town some extensive breweries; and bone-crushing, and the trade in bones for manure and other purposes, are largely carried on. The market is on Friday, and a fair is held on the 6th of June; one on the 15th of September has been discontinued. Grimsby is one of the most ancient boroughs in England: it received its first charter from John, being either the first or second which that monarch granted. The charter whereby the town is now governed was bestowed by James II.: it ordains that the corporation consist of a mayor, a high steward, a recorder, eleven aldermen, twelve common councilmen, two coroners, two chamberlains, two bailiffs, a town clerk, and three serjeants at mace. The mayor, who is annually chosen on the first Tuesday after the festival of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and two of the aldermen elected annually to the office, are justices of the peace. A court of session is held quarterly, at which the recorder or his deputy presides. The mayor possesses the power of holding a court, which was formerly open every Monday, for taking cognizance of all actions of debt, as well as assaults and breaches of the peace, arising among the burgesses. The bailiffs are also empowered to hold a similar court, called the 'foreign court,' for determining actions for debts to any amount, brought against any resident non-freeman. A court of requests for the borough and liberties of Grimsby, and the parishes and places in the wapentake of Bradley-Haverstoe, and the east division of the hundred of Yarborough, is held every Wednesday, for the recovery of debts not exceeding £5, under an act passed in the 46th of George III. The mayor and bailiffs, as lords of the manor, hold a court leet, and view of frankpledge and a court baron at Michaelmas. A meeting of the magistrates for the general administration of justice is held weekly, at the town clerk's office. There is a common gaol for the custody of offenders, under the jurisdiction of the mayor and justices, who appoint the gaoler. The corporation possess the exclusive right of fishing and fowling in the manors of Grimsby and Clee, and a claim on all wrecks thrown upon their coast; and they likewise collect groundage from all ships driven on shore in gales of wind. This borough has sent two members to parliament from the 23rd of Edward I. to the present time: the mayor is the returning officer. The right of election, according to the last decision of the house of commons, is in the 'freemen admitted at a full court by the mayor, aldermen, common council-men, and burgesses, such freemen being resident, and paying scot and lot, in all cases, except where no rate has taken place subsequent to their admission.' All the sons of freemen born in the town are entitled to the elective franchise on coming of age, by observing the prescribed conditions, as well as every person marrying a freeman's daughter or widow, or who has obtained his freedom by servitude or redemption: the number of free burgesses at present is about three hundred. The political influence of the borough is possessed by Lord Yarborough. The town formerly contained two parochial churches, but the parishes were united in 1586, and the church of St. Mary, then dilapidated, was suffered to fall into ruins. The living is a discharged vicarage, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Lincoln, rated in the king's books at £14. 18. 4., for the two parishes. George Robert Heneage, Esq. was patron in 1815. The remaining church, dedicated to St. James, is a spacious, handsome, cruciform structure, with a tower in the centre. Originally it was larger than it is at present; a part of the choir having fallen down about 1500, it became necessary to take the adjoining chantry down also. A considerable portion of it is in the early style of English architecture, with a western entrance of Norman character: the font is large and in the early English style, as is also a mutilated stone cross in the church-yard. The Baptists, Independents, and Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists, have each a place of worship. The free grammar school was founded in 1547, by letters patent of Edward VI., and endowed with the revenue of a suppressed chantry, which previously belonged to the church of St. James, for the support of a master to instruct the boys of parishioners gratuitously. The corporation lands are charged with the payment of £4. 5. 6. per annum to the master of this school, which is further endowed with £7 per annum given by Catherine Mason, widow. A few religious houses existed in the neighbourhood previously to the dissolution, but every vestige of them has been obliterated. Spittal-hill is supposed to have been the site of an establishment of the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem. In the vicinity are several deep circular pits, called Blow Wells, the water of which rises even with the surface of the ground, but never overflows. Dr. John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury, a prelate distinguished for his piety and learning, was born here in the year 1530; and Dr. Martin Fotherby, Bishop of Salisbury in the reign of James I., was also a native of this place. From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale |
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