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| Phœbe Bown (1771 - 1854) | ||||||||||||
| People who lived in the Matlocks : Photographs, Postcards, Engravings & Etchings | ||||||||||||
The article below, about one of Matlock's more unusual characters who stood out from the crowd and written not long after her death, has been extracted by the webmistress from "The Reliquary, Quarterly Journal and Review Vol. II, 1861-2" pp.137-140. Ed. Llewellynn Jewitt, F.S.A. Published London: John Russell Smith, 36 Soho Square Derby : Bemrose & Sons, Irongate |
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| PHOEBE BOWN was a person of some note in her day.
She lived nearly opposite to the High Tor at Matlock ; and strangers
who to came to gaze fit the magnificence of that renowned rock, seldom
failed to visit the cottage, and smile or wonder at the oddity of
Phoebe. Her character is an instance of ill-directed and imperfectly
developed powers. We see sometimes how a plant, having considerable
strength of root, but growing under unfavourable circumstances, pushes
itself into sunshine and notice, but without symmetry and beauty,
and indicates, by its misshapen luxuriance, what it might have been
with cultivation and care. Phoebe was a human plant which grew under
somewhat similar influences, with somewhat similar results. She was
gifted with a strong mind and some genius. These curbed and well directed
might have made a character of excellence and usefulness ; uncurbed
and untaught, they resulted in eccentricity. Her great desire was
for notoriety, and her eccentricity probably brought her into more
notice than her talents, however cultivated, would, or could have
done. For one effect of growth in knowledge, is self depreciation
and modesty; according to the well known symbol of the ears of corn,
which, when young and empty, hold themselves high in air ; but when
ripe and full, bend low. Many persons, too, are pleased with eccentricity.
The mind, to appreciate ability, must itself be able ; but all have
talent enough to laugh at oddity. Therefore it is scarcely doubtful,
whether Phoebe
the educated, even with more genius than she possessed, would have
drawn to her cottage as many wondering visitors as Phoebe
the eccentric drew. She lived with her mother, who was very proud of her, in Matlock Dale, in a cottage on the site of the present "Dale Cottage," built above forty years ago, by W. Chinnery, Esq. It consisted of one room on the ground floor; but when a lady presented her with a harpsichord, she added - partly by the labour of her own hands, for among her other oddities she had a fancy for carpentry and masonry - another room to hold it, Phoebe's tastes appear to have been all masculine. She had some skill in music, having learned the elements of it from a travelling harper ; but she did not play on the harpsichord. Her instruments were the manly flute and violoncello ; both, but especially the latter, rather awkward subjects for female handling. She could, however, take a part in a quartet, and she was occasionally called upon by visitors to do so. Her execution, we may suppose, was not very artistic, and whether her taste were very refined may be doubted ; for, on one occasion, a gentleman haying played a simple air upon the flute, she took it out of his hands, telling him that she understood the instrument better than he, and produced from it some notes remarkable only for their loudness. Phoebe doubtless was sincere when she preferred her own performance, for the pleasure received from art is not in proportion to the excellence of what is heard or seen, but to the educated capacity and power of appreciation of the hearer or beholder. In order to be as unlike to a female as possible, Phoebe adopted the most extraordinary habits. In addition to the work of a mason and carpenter, she mowed and reaped, was hostler, farrier, groom and horsebreaker. She was said to be one of the best judges of the qualities of a horse in the county, and wagers respecting horses were often decided by her opinion. Her dress consisted generally of a man's woollen coat, a petticoat, several handkerchiefs on her head, tied under the chin, and a man's hat over all. She had great vanity, and liked attention. Proud of her peculiarities, and tenacious of her independence, she yet did not scruple to receive money from her visitors. Her bluntness to those whom she disliked was very offensive. Her attentions, to those whom she took a fancy for, were often equally obtrusive. She pretended to be an excellent judge of character. Her conversation, when pleased, denoted observation and reflection. On one occasion, as related in Mrs. Robert's " Sketches of Youth," from which these particulars are borrowed, she was found with the remains of her dinner on the table, reclining on a wooden bench against the wall. She did not deign to rise from this position till she had formed her opinion of her visitors. Having received a favourable impression of them, she began to talk, accounting, but not apologising, for her impoliteness, by remarking that she had returned from the hayfield, and having taken dinner, was resting, She alluded to the amusements of the place, and spoke with acrimony and bitterness of the behaviour of some families in the neighbourhood ; quoted from Locke, and talked of Lord Chesterfield and his son, using, with reference to the latter, and to his father's endeavours to make him a fine gentleman, the expression, " whitewash a red brick as much as you will, it is a red brick still, and at times will show itself to he one," Music having been mentioned, she washed her hands at a mountain stream, and introduced her visitors to the apartment containing her harpsichord. Notwithstanding her boasted penetration, she betrayed great simpleness. A lady from Liverpool had jestingly given her an invitation to her house, not expecting, doubtless, that it would be accepted, But Phoebe took it in earnest, travelled on horseback to her inviter's home, and threw the lady into some embarrassment as to how she should dispose of her strange guest. Phoebe, however, was made a sort of show of, and although the season was winter, walked all the way home. It is hardly necessary to remark, that Phoebe Bown never changed her name. When her hands could no longer handle the trowel or the spade, she became very poor. Her judgment failed, her opinion was unsought, her music was untuned, and her only visitors were friends who came to minister to her wants, She lost not, however, the use of her tongue, and having lived to an advanced age, Phoebe and her peculiarities passed away together. JOHN ALLEN. ____________________ In addition to the foregoing notice of one of the most remarkable characters of the modern days of Derbyshire, I cannot resist the temptation of giving the following little notices and anecdotes of Phoebe, which among many others I have collected together. My father knew her well, and was always a welcome visitor whenever he called upon her, and I have heard him relate many characteristic anecdotes connected with Phoebe's occupations and opinions. He had perhaps as good an opportunity as anyone of noticing and forming an opinion of her character, and a deeper or more shrewd observer of nature than himself never existed; and it is pleasing to be able to say, that the opinion be formed was a very high one, and that I have heard him say that be never observed anything in her conversation or manners that was at variance with a right and proper principle. She was rough, rude, uncouth, eccentric, and masculine, but she knew what was right, and in her rough way abided by it. She was occasionally spoken rudely to and insulted in her loneliness by those who ought to have known better, but her assailants, whether singly or in numbers, always were worsted, either by tongue or by sheer force ; and many a strong rough country fellow has received a sound drubbing at her hands in return for some insult offered her. A friend who remembers her well says in a letter to me - " I remember Phoebe, but it is thirty-two, or thirty-three years ago. She was a strong looking, and I should say, when young, a comely woman. She wore a man's hat and coat - played (as I fancied) respectably on the flute - was a little eccentric, or perhaps, we may say, slightly cracked. She had great faith in omens and predictions - charms and starry influences. A great feature in her character, was an impression that people had a desire to rob and murder her, she accordingly always carried arms ; and had a number of them of all kinds ranged on the walls. She was capricious and suspicious, and some people were afraid of her. I must have been a favourite, for there being great popular discontent at the time, with threats of riots and uprisings, she came to our house on Temple Walk, and brought a couple of scythe blades, set in wooden handles, and as sharp as razors; and I remember I durst not refuse them, but took them and swore I would defend myself to the last." The following obituary notice of Phoebe Bown appeared in one of the local papers the week following her death, which occurred in 1854. " Those who were in the habit of visiting Matlock from 10 to 40 years since, will not fail to remember this singular and eccentric individual, who, for more than half a century, was considered one of the curiosities of the neighbourhood. Phoebe in her younger days, possessed considerable personal attractions, albeit her appearance was something approaching to the masculine, and this was heightened by the singularity of her dress, which consisted of a sort of compromise between male and female attire. Her parents were of the working class, and she received the kind of education afforded in remote districts eighty years ago ; but not content with this, by application and diligence, made herself acquainted with the usual round of English literature of the period, and our correspondent has, within a few years, heard her quote correctly, from memory, lengthy passages from Milton, Shakspeare, and Pope. She had a great predilection for out-of-door employments, and on the decease of her parents, succeeding to a little property, she commenced farming on a small scale, working with her own hands, and was considered by her neighbours a good agriculturist, and an excellent breeder of cattle. She also turned her attention to architecture, and a commodious and romantically situated edifice in Matlock Dale, known as Cliff-house, was chiefly designed, and the erection superintended by her. Passionately fond of music, she, with very meagre means of instruction, successively mastered the difficulties of the flute, violoncello, and harpsichord, and for some years led the choir in Matlock Church. She took particular delight in horses, was a clever, graceful, and skilful rider, and at one time was much employed in breaking horses for ladies' riding. The emoluments derived from this source, together with her musical talents, afforded a .comfortable maintenance for many years ; but with advancing age her health declined, her faculties in some degree forsook her, her little property became alienated, and in her latter years, old Phoebe, whose mind was wavering and unstable, became poor and nearly houseless. At this period, a generous and kind nobleman,* who had known the old woman in her more prosperous days, stopped between her and want, and a weekly pension for the last few years of her life provided her with numberless little but necessary comforts, and enabled her to pass her last days in comparatively easy circumstances. Phoebe had always a positive mania for warlike weapons, and was constantly manufacturing frightful looking spears, bayonets, and swords, out of any pieces of steel she could lay hold of; and at one time every hole and corner in her house served as a place of concealment for some ugly-looking musket, fowling-piece, dagger, or cutlass ; but with all those formidable articles at hand, she was perfectly harmless, unless when roused and irritated by ill-usage, when - as she once or twice proved - it was not quite safe for her assailant to remain long in her proximity." The following quaint epitaph on Phoebe Bown, was written at her request by the Rev. Mr. Gaunt, Curate of Matlock, and is said to have pleased her greatly - |
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| " Here lies romantic
Phoebe, Half Ganymede and half Hebe ; A maid of mutable condition, A Jockey, cow herd, and Musician. " |
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| The Portrait of Phoebe Bown, which heads this article,
is taken from an original sketch, find shows her in her "best
array" with her favourite companion, the flute. Her features
and peculiar dress will be well recognised by the "old inhabitants"
of the place, who knew her, and were in the habit of seeing her "at
home." LL. JEWITT. * The late Duke of Devonshire, who allowed her for life, an annuity of five shillings per week, which was, through the hands of her relative, Lady Paxton, paid to her to the time of her death, by Mr. Chinnery. [End of the article] Please note that the epitaph quoted above by Jewitt, and composed by the curate of the day, does not appear on her gravestone. |
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More information about Phoebe and her relatives |
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 Phoebe's
baptismPhoebe's
burialHer parents
marriage: see Marriages BMentioned
in "Panorama of Matlock": see page 19Newspapers
: Was this Phoebe?Lady Paxton was born in Matlock on 14 Jan 1800 and baptised in June. Her
baptism - see Sarah BOWNStrays P has
a little more infomationThere is more on site information 1841 Census1851 CensusMatlock Biographies:
see BOWNAbout St.
Giles' ChurchBOWN surname
listed in the Wolley ManuscriptsMI Surnames
Index Although her MI isn't onsite, you can find out how to obtain
a transcript from the DARGMagazine
Articles IndexThe
Andrews Pages Picture Gallery has a photo of High Tor |
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Image in the collection of, provided by and © Ann Andrews Intended for personal use only |
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