The Miser of Girton

A George III 'Spade Ace Guinea'

Minted between 1787 and 1799 and named after the spade-shaped shield

A story found in an unidentified newspaper clipping

The following is taken from from an old fragment of newspaper I found recently in a scrapbook.

The clipping is dated February 1886 in pencil, but, unfortunately, the title of the newspaper is not given.

“Extraordinary Discovery Near Newark”

“A paragraph has the last day or two been going the rounds of the London and provincial newspapers respecting the discovery of a miser’s hoard at Girton, a village near Newark.

“From particulars which we are able to ascertain, it appear that a maiden lady named M---- occupied a house in the village, and died about a month ago.

“The old lady was very eccentric and lived quite alone.  She always kept her door chained, and refused to take off the chain even when her stock of bread and eatables was delivered.

“Upon the house being searched forty sovereigns were first discovered, and subsequently several bank notes were brought to light.

“In a chamber, at the top of a bed, was secreted no less a sum than £400, and underneath the carpets several bank notes were discovered stitched as for lining.

“Fifteen spade ace guineas were also found in the house, and altogether a peck of copper, silver and gold coins, the back of a bookcase affording a hiding-place for a goodly ‘nest’.

“The total sum secured was £2,340.

“Although possessed of such a large sum of money, the old lady, who was 83 years of age, lived in such a style as to warrant the assumption that she was in poverty.

“She occasionally employed a charwoman to help her, but, though the woman had to walk two miles to get to the house, her remuneration was but threepence per week.

“The old lady had made a will, but, it was not signed, and it is understood that a nephew lays claim to the booty”.

The old lady is also said to have owned freehold properties in Fledborough and Scarle.