Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 10.djvu/570

468 NOTES AND QUERIES. OLD LAW OF DERBYSHIRE LEAD -MINING. Of the old laws of Derbyshire lead-mining, the most interesting is the one giving, to anybody who cares to claim it, the full, right and free ownership of any idle lead mine or newly discovered lead vein on anybody's land if the claimant is prepared to give an undertaking to work the mine or vein thus claimed. There are a few exemptions from this curious old law, such as gardens, churchyards, &c. The owner of the soil at the same time must grant to the claimant sufficient land for making a cart road from the mine to the nearest highway, a right of way to the nearest stream, a site for washing- ponds, mine buildings, &c. ; all this without any compensation whatever. At the same time, also, the owner of the soil must raise no obstacle to the working of the mine. The proceeding is similar to that observed at an inquest by the coroner on a dead body, only that in the case of a lead mine the place of the coroner is taken by the King's officer, called the Barmaster. In the March issue of The Quarry Managers' Journal a series of articles has been started dealing with this subject and illustrated by photographs, one showing the ceremony of claiming the free possession of an old lead mine in the presence of the Bar- master and a grand jury, the claimant being represented in the act of taking the oath to work the mine again. The second photo- graph shows the Barmaster handing to the claimant a lump of lead spar, which carries with it all mining rights. L. L. K. WE must request correspondents desiring in- formation on family matters of only private interest to affix their names and addresses to their queries in order that answers may be sent to them direct. A DROUGHT. What number of rainless days constitutes a drought according to the meteorologist ? Is the estimate the same for the British Isles and for the Continent ? By what authority was the definition settled and when ? R. L. THE LONDON MOUNTED POLICE. A few articles of equine interest have recently appeared in ' N. & Q.,' and these encourage me to inquire whether any reader can tell me where the fine horses of the London Mounted Police are bred. Are they, or is any considerable percentage of them, of pedigree stock ? What strains are repre- sented among them ? I should be glad to- be referred to any articles giving information as to the London Mounted Police. When were they first established ? L. A. THE HANDS OF A CLOCK. In ' Pickwick,* chap, xxiv., I find "and the small hand of the clock . . . had arrived at the figure which indicates the half -hour." We should now say " the long hand." Again, in ' Sketches by Boz,' ' Our Parish,' chap, ii., . . . put the clock to- gether "in so wonderful a manner, that the large hand has done nothing but trip up the little one ever since." We should now say " the short hand tripped up the long one." Of course in a sense the short hand of a clock is larger, as it is broader, than the long hand. Can anyone say whether it was usual to- describe the hands of a clock as Dickens has done here ? B. B. Penzance. " HAMPSHIRE HOGS." Does this phrase- arise from .the specially bad manners of the inhabitants of Hampshire, or is it derived from the Winchester ' Trusty Servant ' ? I understand it has no connexion with the latter. E. E. COPE. Finchampstead Place, Berks. WALDEGRAVE AND WENTWORTH FAMILIES. Could anyone kindly tell me of the re- lationship between Mary, daughter of Sir William Waldegrave of Smallbridge, Co.. Suffolk, who married Thomas Clopton, Esq., of Kentwell, Co. Suffolk; and who died Dec. 19, 1599, and the Sir William Waldegrave of Smallbridge, Co. Suffolk, who married Margery entworth, granddaughter of Sir Roger Wentworth of Nettlestead. The last- named Sir William Waldegrave died in 1524. The Waldegraves of Suffolk have no pedigree- assigned to them in Dr. Howard's 'Visita- tions of Suffolk.' Where could I find their pedigree and that of the Went worths of Nettlestead ? C. S. C. (B/C.). JOHN EMERY'S SONGS. In a memoir of John Emery (1777-1822) published in 1822, it is stated that he had " a taste for poetizing as his numerous songs will testify." Oxberry mentions one, ' The Yorkshire- Rout.' Can any reader inform me if that, or any other of his songs, can be found in any collection. FREDERICK HARKER. 46, Canoiibury Square, N.I.