Strange South

Can you add more details to this feature? Do you know more about Major Peter Labelliere, Richard Hull, Samuel Drinkwater or John Oliver? Let us know.

Judith Warren
The spelling should be Olliver. My mother, who's maiden name was Olliver, always claimed he was a relative. I have never come across anything published about him before and assumed it was just a story. Unfortunately, my mother is not here to enlighten me any further.

Geoff Ayres
John Drinkald & Sons were successful merchants, trading with the East Indies, from their premises at 19 Beer Lane, Tower Street, London. The sons were John, Samuel & Joshua. John & Joshua had land in Wisborough Green & Rudgwick. Samuel died in July 1822, and the story about his being thrown from his horse, may well be true. His brother John Drinkald kept racehorses at his Wisborough Green farm. His land extended into the parish Pulborough. Joshua was married to a daughter of the Napper family. John Senior died on Dec 30th 1823, aged 84. So it seems likely that his son John then built the Toat tower, on the most obvious open hilltop on his land, to commemorate the deaths of both his father John, and his brother Samuel, within 18 months. Samuel was baptised on the 8th January 1779, so when he died, he was about 43.In April 1833 there was a bitter legal battle in the Court of Exchequer, when the Rector of Pulborough, John Austin Clerk, claimed tithes from five farmers, including John & Joshua Drinkald. When John Drinkald was voted Chairman of the Pulborough Poor Law Vestry Meeting on 4th Oct 1832, the Rev. Clerk just rose and left the meeting.

Tazz
when i die, i wish to be buried upside down too. not for religious reasons but because i think it would be funny.