Edward Chicken

Stuff About edward chicken in the footnotes.

Between the south wall and flagged foot-path is a flat stone, inscribed, "The burial place of Edward Chicken, who was 25 years clerk of this parish." (fn. 10)
From: 'St John's church', Historical Account of Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Including the Borough of Gateshead (1827), pp. 342-357. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43358  Date accessed: 05 October 2010.

'10Edward Chicken was author of the "Collier's Wedding," one of the most interesting and descriptive local poems ever written. He was born in St. John's parish, Newcastle, in the year 1698. His father, Edward Chicken, who was admitted a member of the Incorporated Company of Weavers in 1689, died, leaving a widow, with two sons and a daughter in their minority. The boys received their education at the charityschool of their parish; and Edward, in 1718, was made free of the Weavers' Company, by whom he seems to have been esteemed; for, September 24, 1720, he was chosen elector; June 12, 1721, he was elected clerk; and, in 1723, he was both steward and clerk. His acquirements were sufficient to enable him to be a teacher of youth, which occupation he followed at his residence (now the Three Tuns public house) at the White Cross until his death. He received the support of many respectable families, and, about the year 1721, entered upon the duties of parish-clerk of this church.
Mr. Chicken married Ann Jordan of Newcastle (who died 22d January, 1768), by whom he had, 1. Edward; 2. George, died in infancy; 3. Ellen, died unmarried, 25th October, 1810; 4. Catherine, died unmarried, 20th March, 1759. Edward, the eldest, in 1737 was prosecuting his studies under the direction of his uncle at Weremouth; and two years afterwards, he describes himself as an industrious student at the Grammar-school of Durham. He afterwards was sent to Cambridge. His first living was at Bridlington, and the next at Hornsey, in Yorkshire. He married Miss St. Ledger of that neighbourhood, and had one daughter. He was deprived of his wife by the upsetting of a boat off Flamboro', whilst out with a party of pleasure. This afflicting circumstance deeply affected his spirits, nor did he long survive the melancholy event.
Edward, our poet, died 2d January, 1746. He was, it appears, "a fellow of infinite humour," and heartily disposed to render good offices to his neighbours. This cannot be more strongly exemplified than by stating that he was familiarly called "The Mayor of the White Cross," and frequently referred to for the adjustment of petty quarrels. At one time, a neighbour applied to him for advice and assistance, under circumstances of great poverty and distress. It being Saturday, Chicken ordered a round table to be placed in the street, around which he and some of his acquaintances placed themselves to smoke and drink ale. The novelty of the spectacle attracted the notice of the country-folk attending the market, and to whom the benevolent school-master depicted the sufferings of his neighbour in such affecting terms, that he soon collected a sum sufficient to save one "ready to perish." Besides the "Collier's Wedding," which is a faithful sketch of the "drunken, honest, working lives" of our pitmen about a century ago, Chicken wrote a satirical poem of 194 lines, entitled, "No, this is the Truth," in which two of the public characters of his time are described under the names of Cato and Felix. There is also preserved the commencement of a song, "humbly inscribed to Mr. Anthony Meggison, by E. Chicken." The other productions of our local bard have sunk into oblivion.
The Rev. Robert Chicken, A. M. brother to Edward, was born in 1696, and, as before observed, educated at St. John's charity-school. He was also admitted into the Weavers' Company in 1741; but, by some means, he had previously procured admission into an university, where he obtained the degree of A. M. and subsequently the living of (Monk) Weremouth. Amongst some fragments of his MSS. in possession of Miss Elizabeth Sheville, of Newcastle, grand-daughter of his only sister, is a portion of a sermon preached by him for the benefit of the charity-school of St. John's, dated 6th June, 1727, in which he says, "I myself am an instance of your readiness to promote this charitable undertaking, as I myself have felt the influence and blessed effects of your bounty. It would scarce (I am afraid) become me to go about to persuade you to a duty in which (as I have found by a happy experience, and which I joyfully acknowledge) you excel so much already, It is with the utmost pleasure, and the utmost gratitude that a sense of such unmerited favours can inspire, that I now publish it to the world, that the charity which we are this day met to encourage has raised me from standing in the midst of these little ones to the honour at present of becoming their advocate. But tho' now it would be altogether superfluous to use any arguments to you, to whom I am directing my thanks, yet since there are others, perhaps, who hear me this day, that are not so well acquainted with my relation to this charity and these little ones, suffer me therefore awhile to crave a relief for those whose low condition I was once in myself, and to plead for my school-fellows, my companions, and my brethren." The humility and frankness of the preacher reflect honour upon him, and credit on the discrimination of his patrons. He died January 17, 1743. These biographical notices are selected from the preface of an intended new edition of the "Collier's Wedding," prepared for publication by William Cail, of Newcastle, agent.
From: 'St John's church', Historical Account of Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Including the Borough of Gateshead (1827), pp. 342-357. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43358  Date accessed: 05 October 2010.'