With Christmas Day just around the corner, we’ve delved into The Gazette archives to find 12 festive-related notices, advertisements and stories referenced in supplements down the years.

1. Portuguese nuns ruin Christmas cakes and their entire nunnery

Days before Christmas in 1669, Dominican nuns in Lisbon, Portugal “over-heated” their ovens while baking Christmas cakes. Not only were the cakes ruined but the convent burnt down in just three hours.

16 January 1670, Gazette issue 540: “Lisbonne, Dec. 22  The 18th, was burnt down to the ground here a large Dominican Nunnery, in which was above 250 Nuns who, it seems having over-heated their Ovens for their Christmas Cakes, about Eight a clock in the evening their Convent-was on fire and within the space of Three hours was quite destroyed, with a great part of the Church; the Nuns having been all presently disposed of into several convents of their Order.”

2. Christmas attacks during ‘The Ruin’ in Ukraine 

‘The Ruin’ refers to a politically turbulent period in Ukraine during the second half of 17th century. The Gazette reported on the events in 1671 where two competing Cossack warlords were fighting to unify the country. The issue documents attacks by military leader of Right-bank Ukraine, Petro Doroshenko, during the Christmas period in 1670.

16 February 1671, Gazette issue 652: “Warsaw, Jan. 22. From Troscianiec in Podolia, we have advice, of the sixth instant that [Petro] Doroshenko having received considerable assistance from the Tartars, resolved, his first attempt should be upon that place, which he thought, no way in a condition to resist his power, they having in Garrison but eight Companies of Poles, consisting each of 50 Men, and three Troops of Horse, which he accordingly put in execution, for on Christmas Eve he stormed the place with all his Forces, but was received so bravely that he was soon forced to fall off again; the 26 he made an other assault, though with no better success , then he had done the former; and the 29 a third, in which they pressed the Poles so vehemently that they were forced to quit their Posts, and retire to an inward Castle, not having time to take their Provisions or Ammunition with them, where the Cossacks to pursue their advantage, closely besieiged them for several days to-gether, who had hardly wherewithal to defend themselves and were now reduced to the last extremity, when [Mykhailo] Khanenko, whom they had some days before by a private conveyance, sent to acquaint with their present condition, arrived with the forces under his Command to their relief, who falling unexpectedly upon the veer of the Enemy, put them  into so great confusion, that almost before they knew of the Enemy, they were totally routed, Doroshenko retreating with his remaining troops to Molokhiv, after he had left 2000 of his Men dead upon the place."

3. Man loses cravat and cuffs on Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve 1672, an unknown gentleman left his laced cravat and cuffs, which he purchased for eighteen shillings, at Mrs. Page’s Shop on Chancery Lane. An advertisement was placed in The Gazette in February the following year asking for his return to the shop.

26 February 1673, Gazette issue 863: “Gentleman who the day before Christmas last, boughs Mrs. Page's Shop in Chancery Lane over against the Roll Gate, a Laced Cravat and Cuffs, which he paid Eighteen shillings for, and returned to the same Shop the Monday after in the evening, whole name being unknown, is earnestly desired to return to the same Shop upon business of great concern to himself.”

4. Man offers reward to hear tidings of his lost foxhound

A man in Wiltshire lost his “thick black” foxhound dog on Christmas week in 1678. He placed a notice in The Gazette in January 1679 offering two guineas to anyone who “brings tidings of him”.

12 January 1679, Gazette issue 1477: “Lost from Mich Hanley Esq.; at Brimslade in the County of Wilts in Christmas week Last, a thick black py'd fox Hound, with a red flaked broad Northern shape, of a Middle size and Gelt. Whoever brings tidings of him to the Angel in Marlborough, or the Peacock in St. Pauls Church-yard, shall have two Guineas Reward.”

5. Christmas delivery times announced for London’s first centralised mail system

Established in 1680, the London Penny Post was the very first centralised mail delivery system for letters circulating within London. Prior to the London Penny Post, only the General Letter Office would receive and deliver mail for destinations outside London. With its cheap flat postage-rate of one penny, the London Penny Post quickly became a success. A notice was placed in The Gazette to announce the changes to the delivery times at Christmas in 1683.

17 December 1683, Gazette issue 1887: “Whereas the former keeping of Holy days by the Penny-Post at Christmas etc. has been found to be prejudicial to Correspondence. These are to give notice that the Officers thereof, in Conformity to the practise of the General Post Office, will give their attendance at the respective Offices in the seven Precincts of the Penny-Post in London, Westminster, and the places adjacent, as well in Christmas at all other Holy days (Sundays only excepted) and where any of the Letter-Receivers the Tradesmen and their Shops not open: Such Persons that send Letters, etc. are desired to leave them at the Coffee-Houses known to be appointed for that purpose, that they may be Collected and delivered in due time.”

6. Pub meetings to divide American land

In 1687, a notice was placed in The Gazette encouraging persons of interest to meet in the Sun Tavern pub in London on Wednesdays “until Christmas next” to discuss the dividing of land in New Jersey in the United States.

3 October 1687, Gazette issue 2283: “These are to desire all Persons interested in the Province of (West-New-Jersey in) America, who live in and about the City, in their own Persons; and such as live Remote, by their Representatives, to meet at the Sun Tavern near the Royal Exchange in London, on Friday, being the 28th day of this Instant October, there being then intended a Meeting for the settling the Affairs of the said Province, which will be continued on Wednesday in every Week successively until Christmas next. They are also desired to bring or send their Deeds by which they hold their Land in the said Province, that they may be Registred to secure their Titles thereto.”

7. Little Italian greyhound lost on Christmas Day

An Italian greyhound, owned by “Mr. Rowe”, also went missing on Christmas Day in 1686. A notice was placed in The Gazette with a reward set at a guinea should the dog be returned to its owner.

26 December 1687, Gazette issue 2307: “LOST on Christmas Day a little Greyhound, of the Italian kind, her Ears Mouse colour'd, a Streak of White in her Forehead, and several Mouse-colour'd Spots on her Body. Whoever gives Notice of her at Mr. Rowe's House in Southampton street, Bloomsbury, shall have a Guinea Reward.”

8. Materials wanted for The History of the Reformation book

In 1712, the Bishop of Salisbury, Gilbert Burnet, placed a notice in The Gazette asking for readers to submit materials relating to the history of the Reformation for a new volume of the book to be pressed at Christmas 1713. An Introduction to the Third Volume of The History of the Reformation of the Church of England was published by John Churchill in 1714.

11 October 1712, Gazette issue 5059: “The Bishop of Salisbury designs an additional Volume to the History of the Reformation, in which he will Add, Correct and Explain many things relating to that Work; he therefore desires all who have any Materials concerning it to communicate them, for which as he will make publick Acknowledgments, so he will give all reasonable Considerations to those who will accept of them. He does not design to put it to the Press till Christmas, 1713, and will repeat this Advertisement quarterly to that time. He desires that Advertisements relating to such Materials may be sent either to himself, or to Mr. Churchill, Bookseller, in Paternoster-Row, London.”

9. The Berts of East Anglia

Around Christmas 1722, a gentleman by the surname of Bert enquired whether anyone in the village of Botesdale in Suffolk shared his surname. A notice was placed in The Gazette the following year to confirm that there was indeed a Bert in the village and that he should contact a man in Norwich for more information on his family.

3 August 1723, Gazette issue 6187: “ABOUT Christmas last there was a Gentleman whole Name was Bert, who enquired of my Lady Allen, whether there was any Berts of Botesdale in Suffolk living; This is to satisfy the said Gentleman, that there is one Bert, who is Son to the Brother of Mr. Bert of Botesdale in Suffolk aforesaid; and if the Gentleman please to write to Anthony Parmenter, Esq; of Norwich, he may have at farther Account, he being Grandson to Mr. Bert, by his Daughter Mary who is deceased.”

10. Carpenter protests relationship to his delivery boy

In 1789, a London carpenter placed a notice in The Gazette to publicly state that he is not in “partnership” with his employee, a journeyman who was employed at Christmas in 1784.

4 April 1789, Gazette issue 13083: “Whereas it has been injuriously reported amongst the Customers of Thomas Henderson, of Fairfax-court, in the Strand, Carpenter, that he is in Partnership with Alexander Robertson, of the same Place, Carpenter: This is, therefore to give Notice to the Public, that no Partnership ever did exist between them, and that such Report is totally groundless; the said A. Robertson has, since Christmas, 1784, been employ'd by the said Thomas Henderson as a Journeyman, and paid Weekly in the same Manner as others; Witness our Hands this 4th Day of April, 1789.”

11. Mathematical Master attends to young gentlemen daily at Christmas

It was announced in The Gazette in 1803 that students at the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich were welcome to stay in accommodation at Christmas and the summer, where the Mathematical Master would “attend them daily”.

31 May 1803, Gazette issue 15589: “Two Vacations in the Year of a Month each, one at Christmas and the other at Midsummer; during which Time, however, any of the young Gentlemen are allowed, if more convenient to their Friends, to remain in the House, where a Mathematical Master resides to attend them daily, the other Masters attending occasionally. — For the Plan and the Terms direct as above.”

12. The Christmas Rebellion in Jamaica

The Baptist War, also known as the Christmas Rebellion or the Christmas Uprising, began on Christmas Day in 1831 in Jamaica. The rebellion involved up to 60,000 slaves who demanded more freedom and a working wage. Led by Baptist preacher, Samuel Sharpe, armed slave battalions fought British forces and the Jamaican government for 10 days but were ultimately overpowered. An entire Gazette Extraordinary was produced documenting the events of the uprising.

22 February 1832, Gazette issue 18906: "HAVING received information from Mr. James Campbell, Overseer, on Y. S. Estate, with whom I had lived as book-keeper, that the slaves from Ginger-hill to Belvidere Estate, in Saint James's, intended to disarm the white people during the Christmas holidays, and advising me to come down to Y. S. Estate, as he intended keeping all his white people together there, I was much surprised at such information, having seen nothing in the conduct of the slaves belonging to Ginger-hill to induce me to suspect anything of this kind. I did not go down, being satisfied by the behaviour of the people, that the information was incorrect. I was, however, undeceived, for on Wednesday morning, the 28th of December, when they were ordered to turn out to work, seeing several of the slaves about the house, I asked what they wanted; a slave belonging to Ginger-hill, named Wm. Buchannan, said they had come to beg Busha for to-day, as Sunday was Christmas-day. I said I had already given orders to the driver to that effect; all that I wanted was to see them turn out, and see they were all there, and they should have the remainder of the day. With this they seemed dissatisfied, and no thanks were returned. I went into the house, and was followed immediately by the said slave, William Buchannan, who laid hold of me, saying, "Busha, you now my prisoner," and called for his accomplices, namely, William Arnold, Charles Longmore, George Barrett, Alexander, Thomas Hedley, and Johnny, all slaves belonging to Ginger-hill."

See also

World War 1: the Christmas truce of December 1914

The Gazette hall of fame: Peter Blake

Image: Getty Images

Publication date: 16 December 2019