Reported 280 Years Ago (June 30 1739): Wealthy young man dies on Grand Tour of Europe

LONDON, June 9.

The corpse which has lain at the Custom-house, ever since Tuesday last, and landed out of a ship arrived from Leghorn, proves to be the corpse of ------ Jennings, Esq; a young gentleman of a large estate in Worcestershire, who died on his travels near Rome, and not the corpse of the late duke of Ormond, that gentleman being, by the last letters in good health.

[By the 1730s, it had for more than 50 years been a tradition for wealthy young men to take a ‘Grand Tour’ around Europe]

We hear admiral Norris is to have the command of the squadron intended to be sent out. And ‘Tis said, that an express has been sent to Portsmouth to fit out the Victory, (a new first rate, reckon’d the finest ever yet built) for Sir John Norris to hoist his flag on board. [This is the predecessor to the HMS Victory used by Admiral Nelson. Sadly this Victory would sink in 1744, with large loss of life]

Yesterday six beautiful saddle-horses were landed at the Tower from on board the Success sloop, capt. Norwood, from Rotterdam, for his majesty’s use. They were brought from the royal studd at Hanover.

Yesterday, about eight of the clock in the evening, before a numerous assembly, in the presence of Dr. Desaguliers and other gentlemen, the centre house in Grosvenor Square was raffled for, and 83 was the number, which we hear belongs to two ladies, Mrs. Brathwaite and Mrs Hunter. [John Theophilus Desaguliers was a clergyman and scientist. Grosvenor Square was the newly built heart of what would become Mayfair. The house above, number four, had failed to sell, hence the raffle]

BELFAST

Yesterday the Rev. Presbytery of Bangor appointed the Rev. Mr. Samuel Sym, to be Presbyterian minister of Annahilt in the county of Down.

This day the Corporation plates begin to be run for at Downpatrick; the forty pound plate to-day, the ten pount plate to-morrow and the twenty pound plate the next day, according to printed Articles.