Doncaster is a fine market-town, pleasantly situated on the south bank of the Don, on a narrow ridge of land. It is on the great north road, and one of the genteelest towns between London and Edinburgh. The entrance from Bawtry is magnificent: at first, the race-ground, enclosed by a beautiful railing; the grand stand; a superb boarding school for young ladies, and a large and lofty house built by J. II. Maw, Esq., all at once meet the eye; and afterwards the obelisk called Hall-Cross. All these present themselves to the view, together with a range of most elegant houses. The High-street, with Hall-gate, French-gate, and Marsh-gate, extend nearly a mile in length, from the Hall-cross on the southeast, to the Mill-bridge on the northwest, all these gates forming one continuous line. From the northern extremity of the town to the west end of St. Sepulchre’s gate, in the road to Rotherham and Sheffield, the distance exceeds half a mile. On the eastern side of St. Sepulchre’s gate, several new streets have been laid out, and many commodious houses built. The town is, generally speaking, well built in every part, except that between the corn-market and the river.

The principal public buildings are the parish church, dedicated to St. George, the mansion-house, the town-hall, and the theatre. The church stands on the site of an ancient castle, near the banks of the Don. The time of its erection is difficult to ascertain; its elegant tower is certainly of a much later period than the rest of the edifice, though its architecture resembles that of the reign of Henry III. The chief relic of antiquity it contains is a Saxon font, still used for the purpose of baptism. It is a hard sort of freestone, and from its date 1061, now obliterated, appears to have been made in the time of Edward the Confessor, five years before the Norman Conquest. Here are also a Presbyterian meeting, the Methodist chapel, a meeting for the Friends, the Independent Chapel, &c. An hospital erected in the 30th of Queen Elizabeth, maintains six decayed housekeepers of good condition; a public dispensary, and a workhouse for the employment and maintenance of the poor. The mansion-house, nearly in the centre of the town, is a magnificent structure; built soon after 1744. The town-hall was repaired and beautified in the year 1784. In the lower apartments is the Free Grammar-School. Here is likewise a commodious theatre. The markets are held near the middle of the town, in some spacious areas. There are few markets in the county where a greater quantity of grain is sold. In a large square called the Magdalenes, fish is sold, and the gardeners stand with their vegetables, and the dealers in pottery with their wares. Here are wool-markets on several Saturdays after the time of sheep-shearing.

Doncaster also possesses an excellent race-ground, where, besides his Majesty’s plate of 100 guineas, a gold cup of the same value is given by the stewards. During the races the town is crowded with families of the first distinction: every evening exhibits a brilliant ball at the mansion-house, and a play at the theatre. Lodgings of course let high.

In the vicinity of Doncaster are several seats belonging to respectable families; and within three quarters of a mile to the south is Car-house, built in 1604, by Hugh Childers, Esq. that year Mayor of Doncaster, whose grandson, Leonard Childers, bred at this place the fleetest racehorse ever known in England. Nether-hall, a little to the northeast of this town, was long a seat of the ancient family of the Copleys. Further on is Wheatley-hall, built by Sir H. Cooke, about the year 1680: before the south-front of the house is a beautiful lawn, decorated with some of the finest oaks in the county; but when the river Don overflows, the inundated country to the north has a dreary appearance.

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DONCASTER is a municipal borough and market town, head of a union and county court district and a polling place for the southern division of the Riding, in the Lower division of the wapentake of Strafforth and Tickhill, in the rural deanery of Doncaster, and archdeaconry and diocese of York: it is about 10 miles from the counties of Nottingham and Lincoln, in 53° 31' north latitude, 162 miles from London, 18 northeast from Sheffield, 16 east from Barnsley, 22 north-west from Gainsborough, 29 ½ south-east from Leeds, 20 south-east from Wakefield and 35 south-by-west from York; principally built on the south bank of the river Don, which rises near Penistone, flows thence to Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster, thence to Thorne and Goole, where it joins the Ouse, near its confluence with the Humber.

The Great Northern railway has a station here. The Midland and Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Companies have also each goods stations. During the year 1866 a new line was substituted for the old one to Thorne, and the extension from Keadby, across the Trent, gives direct communication with Great Grimsby. The North Eastern Railway Co.’s extension across the Ouse to Thorne considerably reduces the distance to Hull, and forms the through route between London and that town; and the line between Doncaster and Wakefield shortens the distance to that town and Leeds by half an hour, and is the route for passengers from London. The line from Doncaster to Gainsborough was opened during the summer of 1867. The North Eastern line to York leaves the Great Northern at Shaftholme Junction, about 4 miles north of Doncaster. The Midland, Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire, North Eastern and Lancashire and Yorkshire Companies run their passenger trains from the Great Northern station.

The Corporation consists of a mayor, six aldermen and eighteen councillors; the latter being elected from three wards, viz. the East, West and North; the sanitary regulations are under the control of the Town Council, acting as the Local Board of Health; watching, lighting, and county rates, the costs of repairing the footpaths and maintaining the drainage, are all defrayed from the borough fund.

The Gas Works, now the property of the town, and highly remunerative, are managed by a committee, consisting of twelve members of the Town Councili gas is sold at 3s. 4d. per thousand feet.

Doncaster formerly derived its chief supply of water from the river Don, but on the 27th of October, 1880, new waterworks were opened: the gathering ground is the land lying around Ravenfield and Thrybergh, where large reservoirs have been constructed; these works have involved a cost of upwards of £180,000.

The ancient parish church of St. George, built about the year 1204, was originally Early English, but underwent many transitions, until at the time of its destruction by fire in 1853 it was externally Perpendicular, but retaining internally much of its earlier style: the foundation stone of the new building was laid on Tuesday, the 28th February, 1854; the late Sir G. G. Scott R.A. being the architect: it consists of chancel, nave, aisles and north and south transepts, and is 14 feet longer internally, and 22 externally, than the previous church, and will hold about 1,350 people with reasonable convenience; the plan of the chapels on each side of the chancel is copied from those in the old church; the whole of the eastern front has an effect vastly superior to the corresponding part of the old church, not merely by reason of Mr. Forman’s magnificent restoration of the south chapel, which bears his name, but because they are no longer cut off from the rest of the church and divided into three distinct parts by the screens and partitions which had grown up in the old church: Forman’s chapel is again the baptistery and was built by the late Mr. Forman, of Pippbrook House, Dorking; the whole of the windows of this chapel are stained; the top of the roof is 73 feet from the ground, or rather from the floor-line, and nearly 75 feet from the ground outside the church; the tower is 170 feet 1 inch in height to the top of the pinnacles, being 14 feet higher than the celebrated tower of St. Mary’s, Taunton, 25 feet higher than Howden, a little higher than the central tower of Wells, the height being also very nearly the same as the internal length of the church, which is very unusual with a tower destitute of a spire; the clock was the gilt of the late Mr. Dent, of the strand, London, and the peal of bells were replaced after the fire, oat of funds subscribed; the organ is the production of the late Herr Schulz: the building was reopened on October 14th. 1858, having been restored at a cost of £43,128 4s. 5d. exclusive of Forman’s chapel and the chancel, the whole of which was paid off and the church freed from debt December 29, 1865. The earliest dates in the registers, which are in very good condition, are baptisms, April 7, 1557; marriages, May 4,1557; burials, April 2, 1557; and the last interment July 28, 1860. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £315 with residence, in the gift of the Archbishop of York and held by the Rev. Charles Sisum Wright M.A. of Trinity College, Dublin.

Christ Church is an ecclesiastical parish formed out of St. George’s in 1846. The church is a Gothic stone building with spire, erected in 1827—8, and founded by John Jarratt esq. who gave £10,000 for its erection and £3,000 for its endowment: in December, 1830, an organ was erected at a cost of £420; during a violent storm in November, 1836, the spire of this church was struck by lightning, and one of the falling stones penetrating the roof, lodged in the organ, doing much injury; in February, 1850, the top part of the spire was blown down during a hurricane, doing considerable damage to the building, causing expenses for reparation not less than £400: the patron has erected a stained east window to the memory of his father; the widow of Mr. Jarratt has given the pulpit as a memorial of her husband, and the remaining members of the family have presented a richly illuminated reredos, also in memory of Mr. Jarratt. The register dates from the year 1847. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £344 16s. 5d. in the gift of George Jarratt esq. and held by the Rev. Henry Frederick Brock M.A. of Trinity College, Cambridge, prebendary and hon. canon of York. In 1857, the present patron placed in the hands of the trustees of this church the sum of £750 towards the purchase of a parsonage house, which purchase was completed out of funds remaining in the hands of the trustees, and the house was attached to the living.

St. James’ is an ecclesiastical parish formed in 1864. The church was built by Mr. Wilson, of Grantham, from plans by the late Sir G. G. Scott R.A. and is for the use of the population dependent on the Great Northern railway, amounting to between 3,000 and 4,000 people, and was consecrated on the 15th of October, 1858, by the late Archbishop of York: the roofs are covered with flat Staffordshire tiles: an elegant window has been placed at the east end, as a tribute of respect to Sir Edmund Beckett bart. formerly member of Parliament for the West Riding, late chairman of the Great Northern railway, and the family have also erected a reredos to his memory under the east window. There is a parsonage house of brick, with Ancaster stone dressings; the cost of which was about £2,300. The register dales from the year 1855. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £300, in the gift of Sir Edmund Beckett bart. Q.C. during his life, and afterwards of the Archbishop of York, and held by the Rev. John Campion M.A. Cantuar.

In 1870 a free church in connection with Christ Church district was built by His Grace the Archbishop of York; it will seat a congregation of 500. The architect was Thomas Penrice esq. of Clapham, and the builders were Messrs. Anelay, of Doncaster.

The school church, in Marshgate, owes its erection to the Rev. Dr. Vaughan, formerly vicar of Doncaster, and is built of Levett Hagg stone, in random courses, with Ancaster stone dressings; the east end, facing Marshgate, has a richly moulded triplet stained window, with detached shafts, carved capitals and moulded bands and bases, “to the memory of the Rev. E. Wigram,” a former curate of the parish: longitudinally the church is divided into five bays by buttresses, with couplet trefoil windows between each; the west end has also a couplet, with a trefoil gable light above: the roof is open timbered, plastered on the under side of the rafters, leaving the principals, collars and purlins exposed; the church will seat 250 persons, including a proportion of children, and is heated with hot water and lighted with gas: at the west end is a small bell, the gift of Sir E. Beckett bart Q.C.: Mr. Teale, of Doncaster, was the architect, and the total cost was about £1,050: the school was opened the first week in May, 1867, and has upwards of fifty scholars.

The Cemetery was established by an Act of Parliament of 17 and 18 Victoria, cap. 88, and opened on the 2nd of January, 1856, the land, consisting of 7a. 2r. 13p. being given by the Town Council; the common-right owners contributing to the undertaking by appropriating on the 27th of May, 1852, the sum of £1,706 3s. 10d. the compensation for land taken by the Great Northern and the south Yorkshire Railway and River Dun Companies. The commissioners are fourteen in number, and consist of the mayor of the borough for the time being, ex officio, six commissioners nominated by the Town Council, and seven commissioners elected by the common-right owners. The qualifications for a commissioner to be elected by the common-right owners are that he shall be a resident within the borough or within 7 miles thereof, and shall be seised of real property of the clear value of £1,000, or shall be possessed of a personal estate of the value of £2,000, over and above all debts and engagements: two-thirds of the Cemetery are set apart for the Established Church and one-third for Dissenters: two Gothic chapels were erected in 1855, united by an intermediate tower and spire: the ground has since been enlarged by purchase of adjoining land.

The Catholic church in Princes street is a handsome structure of brick and stone in the Early English style, and is ornamented with a finely sculptured figure of St. Peter (the patron saint of the church) placed near the west door; it was erected in 1867 by subscription, raised by the Rev. Edward Pearson, the then officiating priest; a very handsome presbytery, adjoining the church, being added in 1879.

The educational institutions are numerous. The Grammar school is one of the most ancient educational institutions in the county, having been founded A.D. 1553, and resuscitated by the Rev. Dr. Vaughan, formerly vicar, and the Town Council. Mr. W. H. Forman, of Pippbrook House, Dorking, presented to the Municipal Charity Trustees, on the 10th of May, 1867, a close of land comprising 2a. Or. 30p. near Christ church, for the site of the new school; the Town Council subscribing £2,000, and receiving back the old school and premises, with other considerations; Mr. Forman, who contributed £1,000; Mr. Walker, of Woodlands, a donor of £300, with other benefactors, raised the fund to the amount, in the whole, of £6,700; the Rev. W. Gurney M.A. of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, elected in 1862, is the present headmaster. This school has now the Purges Exhibition, value £40, for three years; the Vaughan Fund, amounting to £20 a year (for prizes at midsummer); the Standish Benevolence, value £22 10s. “for the benevolent purposes of the school”; and competes for the Hastings Exhibitions, value £90 for five years, of which the school has won several, and at present (1880) holds three; the present Head Master also gives the school (durante bene placito) two exhibitions, value £30 each, tenable at school. The school competes also for the Akroyd scholarship, value £75, for three years, two of which are vacant every third year, the school now holding one. There are ten Corporation scholars, elected by open competition; some of whom eventually proceed to the Universities. The staff consists of six masters, a modern language master, and two exhibitioner assistants; the number of boys is about 170, and 37 have proceeded to the Universities since 1862. The late Alderman Sir Isaac Morley, a trustee of the school, has also bequeathed £2,000 for additional Exhibitions to Cambridge. There are four boarding houses belonging to the school, viz. Hall Cross House, the residence of the Rev. William Gurney M.A. the headmaster; 35 Hallgate, the residence of the Rev. William smith M.A. the vice-principal; 7 south parade, the commercial master’s residence; Edenfield House, Mrs. Lane’s residence: the Rev. Canon Brock M.A. rector of Christ church, also receives a few boys who attend the school.

St. George’s National schools are situated close to St. George’s church, and were originally established in 1816: the building contains a boys’ and girls' school with two classrooms, all on the upper story; beneath are dwellings for master and mistress, and under the class rooms is the infants’ school. A boys’ playground is provided behind and one for girls in front, divided from the churchyard by a low ornamental railing. The style of architecture is that of the fourteenth century; the walls are of brick, with Ancaster stone dressings. Two towers contain the stairs to the upper schools, that to the boys’ school having an enriched belfry arcade, surmounted by a pyramidal slated roof; all the other roofs being covered with Staffordshire tiles. These schools were built from the design of Mr. Teale, architect, Doncaster. The Rev. Dr. Vaughan contributed £1,000 to the present buildings, in addition to the purchase of the leasehold of the site.

Christ Church District schools will stand as a monument to the Right Rev. Dr. Alford, late Bishop of Victoria, who, at the time of their erection in 1851—2, was the incumbent; the buildings cost upwards of £2,000, and there is room for 159 boys, 159 girls and 257 infants.

St. James’s Church schools adjoin the church in St. Sepulchregate without, and will hold 500 children.

The British school, Wood street, is under the patronage of Earl Fitzwilliam K.G. and Viscount Halifax, and was opened in 1835.

The Ragged school, Factory lane, was erected at a cost of £750. The master and mistress live on the premises. The school-room, with the sanction of the committee (of whom J. B. Testa esq. is honorary secretary), is appropriated on, Sunday evenings to divine worship in connection with the parish church.

The Catholic school is situated in Portland place.

The Wesleyans have built large schools in connection with Oxford place chapel, each having a frontage of 85 feet, and holding 250 children.

The Wesleyan chapel, Priory place, erected in 1832, adjoins Printing Office street, and fronts Priory place: in 1840 an organ, by Mr. Booth. of Wakefield, was placed at the west end: school-rooms are attached, and a chapel keeper’s residence. On the 12th of May, 1870, the Wesleyan chapel in Oxford place was erected in the Italian style, and will seat 1,000 persons.

The Congregational chapel is in Hall gate. School-rooms were erected in 1856, at a cost of £250.

The Unitarian chapel, built in 1740, was originally the place of worship of an orthodox Dissenting community, established in Doncaster in 1692 by Mr. Samuel Crompton, a son of one of the ejected clergy of 1662, but the congregation has, in course of time, gradually adopted the views commonly held by Unitarians: the chapel house, now 60, Hall gate, was built about 1804, and the burial ground closed in 1805, on the formation of the Doncaster cemetery: the chapel itself was restored and re-opened in April, 1867.

The Primitive Methodist chapel, erected in 1854—5, is in a central situation, at an angle with Cleveland street and spring gardens.

The Friends’ meeting-house is in West Laithgate.

The Baptist chapel originally belonged to the Calvinists.

The school of Industry, founded by Mrs. Vaughan, wife of the Rev. Dr. Vaughan, and now carried on by Miss Denison, assisted by a committee of ladies, occupies the premises vacated by the Doncaster Dispensary, near the Friars’ bridge, and is, to a considerable extent, self-supporting, by the earnings of the inmates as laundresses, under the superintendence of a matron: here a number of poor girls are prepared for service and household life.

Nether Hall, the ancient residence of the Copleys, with its beautiful park and extensive grounds, is now untenanted.

One of the chief attractions of Doncaster is the race meeting in September: the origin of this anniversary can be traced to the commencement of the seventeenth century, but it was not until the year 1776 that the St. Leger was established; the Town Council subscribe the stakes given in addition to fees, the amount for the 1880 meeting being £5,800. The St. Leger is run for on a Wednesday, and brings thousands of visitors from all parts of the country the course, on the east of the town, is circular, and nearly flat, being about 1 mile 7 furlongs and 70 yards in length; the St. Leger course about 1 mile 6 furlongs and 70 yards; the T. Y. C. is 7 furlongs and 214 yards; and Red House-in about 5 furlongs 152 yards. Messrs. Johnson, Dawson and Johnson are clerks of the course; Mr. Clark, of Newmarket, judge; and Mr. McGeorge, of Newark, starter. The grand stand was erected in 1776; the noblemen’s stand in 1826; the subscription stand in 1854; and there was built in 1859 another stand for the exclusive accommodation of ladies. A platform, capable of holding 500 persons, was built and completed in 1861. Another stand, called the county stand, together with weighing rooms and offices for the members of the press and others, was built in 1869. A new grand stand to hold 1,000 people, with ladies’ rooms and lavatories is at present (1881) in course of erection. Booths, extending from the rubbing house to the Intake farm, are arranged in the form of a crescent, and occupied by innkeepers. There is a telegraph office within the enclosure. The betting-rooms, situated in the High street, were erected in 1826, near to the Mansion House. Mrs. Wood is the housekeeper at the grand stand, but the refreshment rooms are let at an annual rent of £400.

The Mansion House, a noble building designed by James Paine, and situated in the centre of the town, was begun in 1745, but not finished, in consequence of the Scottish rebellion, until 1748; it is the residence of the chief magistrate; and, although not strictly appropriated for that purpose, is used for civic dinners and public entertainments; the ballroom contains four large full-length portraits, viz.:-Her Majesty the Queen, after a painting by Winterhalter; George III. by G. Woodforde; the Marquis of Rockingham, by Phillips R.A. after Sir Joshua Reynolds; and Earl Fitzwilliam, by Jackson R.A.; in the drawing-room are also Sir William Bryan Cooke hart, as the first Mayor under the Municipal Act, by Beetham; Dr. Chorley, by Marshall; the late Sir Edmund Beckett bart.; the grandfather of the present Earl Fitzwilliam, by Jackson; and a painting of the Rev. Dr. Vaughan, dean of Llandaff, and formerly vicar of Doncaster, by s. Hodges, which has only recently been added.

The Town Hall, designed by Mr. John Butterfield, land agent of the Corporation, stands on the site of the Old Angel inn, in Frenchgate, and was built in 1847; the large room is 72 feet by 40, and 30 feet high; on the summit of the pediment in front of the building is a figure of Justice, from the chisel of James Guise. The Borongh Petty sessions as well as the Borough Quarter sessions are held in the large hall. The Petty sessions for the lower division of Strafforth and Tickhill are held here. The Town Council and the county court, have separate rooms for their meetings. Public meetings, lectures and other entertainments are also held here. A session hall is at present (1881) being erected in rear of the building, and 24 new cells, communicating by an underground passage, have been constructed under the large room. The police-office is on the right of the entrance on the ground floor. A fire bell has been fixed at the top of the building.

On the 22nd of September, 1870, the foundation stone of the Corn Exchange, from designs by William Watkins esq. of Lincoln, was laid by A. J. Smith esq. mayor. The Exchange is 91 feet 6 inches by 84 feet, inside measurement, and although chiefly intended for a Corn Exchange, is also designed with a view to large public assemblies; galleries are provided on three sides of the Exchange, and it is capable of holding altogether 2,000 persons. The Corn Exchange was opened for public business on Saturday, May the 3rd, 1873, which is also the day for the weekly market. The Wool Market, a noble building which has been much enlarged, abuts on the Corn and Cattle Markets; the latter being one of the largest in the county. Public slaughter-houses have also been built by the Town Council, the whole cost of which, including the Cattle Market, was a little under £12,000.

The Market Hall, erected on the site of the ancient Town Hall, originally the church of St. Mary Magdalene, was opened on Saturday, the 2nd of June, 1849, and is fitted up with shops and stalls, and lighted with gas; the roof is elegantly constructed of iron and supported by columns of the same material.

The market is held weekly on Saturday, and there is also a fat cattle market every Tuesday. The annual fairs are held on the 2nd of February, 5th of April, 5th of August, and 16th of November. The annual wool fair commences on the first Saturday in June, and continues weekly each Saturday until August fair day; there are also three other annual fairs-on the first Saturday in August, the first Saturday in September and the first Saturday in October.

The Yorkshire Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, is a large and commodious building, founded by the late Rev. William Carr Fenton, and opened on the 2nd of November, 1829, for the education of deaf and dumb children of both sexes, resident in the county of York, or the adjoining counties, on certain conditions; the pupils are taught, as far as possible, on the oral or otherwise on the French system. The institution is open to visitors every day from 10 to 12 o’clock, Sunday excepted; the building was considerably extended in 1864, at a cost of £5,000, and again in 1880 at a cost of £700, and now accommodates 160 pupils.

The Public General Infirmary and Dispensary, situate in Wood street and Whitaker street, is a building of brick with stone dressings, in the Elizabethan style, the facade presenting three gables; there is a basement story, which can be altered for kitchens, should the present domestic apartments be required for additional ward accommodation, and the entire building is well drained: the cost of erection &c. was upwards of £4,000, towards which the late Dr. Bainbridge bequeathed £500, the Town Council also giving £500, the remaining amount being subscribed by the residents of the town and neighbourhood: it contains twenty-five beds, to which five others have been added for infectious cases; there are two female and two male wards, an accident ward, operating ward, bath and nurses’ rooms. The Dispensary (established in 1792, and removed to the present building on the 1st of May, 1867), consists of a surgery, medical officers’ consulting rooms, and residence for the apothecary; a wide corridor running the length of each story.

St. Thomas’s Hospital, founded by Thomas Ellis esq. alderman of Doncaster and five times mayor, is situated in St. Sepulchregate without, and consists of six small cottages, with gardens in front, separated from the street by a high wall: the original benefaction, of small value in comparison with its present worth consists chiefly of land, and brings in a yearly income of £400, the surplus being applied to the relief of out-door patients. F. W. Fisher esq. is the clerk to the trustees, of whom the mayor and vicar for the time being form a part.

A Free Library with news-room was publicly opened on the 29th of December, 1869, in the building originally designed for the Grammar school, situate in St. George gate; the library contains 13,000 volumes, besides a splendid collection of pamphlets, and the news-room is supplied with the leading daily and weekly papers and monthly magazines.

The Young Men’s Christian Association, now held in the building formerly called St. James’ Hospital, Cleveland street, promotes lectures on religious and scientific topics, and has an excellent news-room.

The Great Northern Railway Company has established a good library for its servants and workmen at the plant works, containing nearly 2,000 volumes.

The Borough Gaol, at the angle of West Laithgate and Factory lane, was built after plans and designs by Messrs. Woodhead and Hurst, and will hold 20 prisoners.

The County Police station for this division is in Bentinck street.

The Theatre is near the Magdalen Market, and was built in 1774 by the Corporation.

The Public Baths, opened to the public on the 5th July, 1876, are situated in Frenchgate, and the present building was completed in the summer of 1876, the site being: given by the Corporation, in addition to a donation of £500, and the whole cost being a little over £1,000.

There are several iron and brass foundries and agricultural implement makers, as well as breweries and malting establishments.

The town has four weekly newspapers, viz. the “Doncaster, Nottingham and Lincoln Gazette” established in 1786, and has a very extensive circulation among the agriculturists of the district, the “Doncaster Chronicle, “Doncaster Free Press,” and”Doncaster Reporter.”

In May, 1821, John Jarratt esq. of Doncaster, presented £2,200 to the Corporation, for which they gave an annuity bond to pay £110 per annum amongst six reduced housekeepers of the town.

Quintin Kay’s charity of £300 a year, derived from interest of invested funds, is chiefly devoted to the relief of poor and reduced persons, and to the apprenticing of six poor children to mechanical or handicraft trades.

Stocks’ Almshouses.-The benefaction of stocks, after many unsuccessful attempts by various successive mayors of the borough, was, through the energy of the late Alderman John Hatfield, resuscitated, and consists of almshouses situated in the Holmes, abutting on the road from Doncaster to Wheatley, which were entered on by the new pensioners in April, 1861. The late Mr. Alderman Hatfield added other almshouses of the same character, to be appropriated for ever to the widows of servants of the corporation: this benefaction is in the hands of the mayor and the vicar for the time being: there is also the “Red House” charity formed in 1726, formerly consisting of a farmhouse and 85 acres, which have been sold, and the proceeds (£5,629 4s. 7d.) sunk in stocks realising £168 7s. 6d. per annum, which is distributed in pensions, and Saunders’ charity of £120 yearly, founded by will in 1861, for six poor widows; and there are several other charities, including Martin’s, Copley’s, Elston’s, and Saunders’ spinsters Annuity for six spinsters of £20 each.

Sir Isaac Morley knt. left by will in 1879 the interest of £5,000 as an annual pension to six aged persons of £30 each, who are resident within 7 miles it is vested with the trustees of st Thomas’s Hospital.

The country around Doncaster contains several noblemen’s seats and many well-built family residences. Carr House, the seat of Hugh Childers esq. mayor of Doncaster in 1604, is now vacant. Elmfield, a pleasant residence, built in 1803—4, is now occupied by Archibald Sturrock esq. J.P. Beech field, the residence of the Misses Morris, has all the advantages of a town and country residence; it adjoins the horse fair, and has a charming prospect towards the south.

At the south end of the town and near the Balby road is Don Castle, a house belonging to and occupied by H. Senior esq. and excavated in the red sandstone rock, the outer walls are 9 feet and inner walls 3 feet thick, the staircase to the upper rooms being cut in the solid rock; the roof originally was rock also, but has lately been covered with tiles. From the house run several tunnels about 400 yards long, lighted with gas, in one of which there is growing a stemless fungus, circular in shape and measuring 5 feet in diameter, it is a successor from the same root of one which attained a diameter of 18 feet: there are also several large mushroom beds which produce largely during the whole year.

Cark House and Elmfield, formerly extra-parochial, now form a parish, area 236 acres, population 37.

The area of the township is 1,879 acres, and of the parish 6,527 acres; gross estimated rental £112,108; rateable value £92,518. The population in 1861 of the borough was 16,406, and in 1871, 18,768; the entire parish is 21,277. This increase in the town population since 1851 is due partly to the erection of extensive plant works by the Great Northern Railway Company, which furnish employment to about 1,500 skilled mechanics.

The petty sessional division embraces the following places Adwick-le-street, Adwick-on-Dearne, Armthorpe, Askern, Austerfield, Awkley, Barmbro’, Barmby Dun, Bawtry, BaIby-with-Hexthorpe, Bentley-with-Arksey, Bilham, Blaxton, Bolton-upon-Dearne, Braithwell, Brodsworth. Burghwallis, Cadeby, Campsall, Cantley, Clayton and Frickley, Coniabro’, Edliogton, Fenwick, Fishlake, Hamphall Stubbs, Hampole, Hatfield, Hickleton, Hooton Pagnell, Little Houghton, Kirkbramwith. Kirk Sandall, Long Sandall, Langthwaite-with-Tills, Loversall, Marr, Melton, Mexbrough, Moss, Norton, Owston, Rowington, Scawsby, Skellow, Sprotbro’, Stainforth. Stancil-with-Wellingley and Wilsic, Stainton-with-Hellaby, Stotfold, Sutton, Sykehouse, Thorne, Thorpe-in-Balne, Thumscoe, Tickhill, Wadworth. Warmsworth and Wheatley. The sessions are held at the Town Hall every Wednesday and Saturday.

INSURANCE AGENTS

Alliance Fire, C. C. C. Cooper, 16 scot lane.

British Empire Mutual Life, J. Smith. Baxtergate.

Briton Fire & Life, J. Killengrey, agent & district manager, Frenchgate.

Commercial Union, H. Percy, 1 & 2 scot lane.

County Fire & Provident Life, E. H. Walker, 18 south parade; s. Meacock & son, 53 High street.

Eagle, Baxters & Co. High street.

Guardian, Baxters & Co. High street.

Lancashire Fire & Life, C. M. Hartley, High street.

Law Fire, B. C. Pearson, 7 Priory place.

Lion Fire, J. Killengrey, Frenchgate.

Liverpool & London & Globe, E. Easterfield, 16 High street; J. Stott, 47 Hall gate.

London Assurance Corporation, G.Erooke, Regent square.

London Guarantee & Accident, E. R. Ellis, St. Georgegate; J. S. Jagger, 2 scot lane.

London Staffordshire Fire, T. Fagan, 2 scot lane; A. Brown, 71 spring gardens; T. Watson, 71 Catherine st.

Manchester Fire, C. E. Palmer, 14 St. Georgegate; J. Scales, 123 Cleveland street.

Norwich & London Accident Casualty, J. Killengrey, 52 Frenchgate.

Norwich Union Fire & Life, Nicholson, Saunders, Nicholson & Reeder, St. Georgegate; A. Parkin, Priory place.

Phoenix Fire, J. E. Hindle, Yorkshire bank.

Queen, B. Bailey, Highfield road; J. Moneton, 120 Catherine street; J. W. Thompson, London & Yorkshire bank.

Railway Passengers’, A. Parkin, 23 Priory place.

Royal, C. Fisher, Messrs. Beckett & Co.’s bank, 12 High street: J. Marsden, Gt. George street, Leeds.

Royal Exchange, W. H. Hall, 19 & 20 Baxtergate Scottish Equitable Life, T. Atkinson, St. Georgegate.

Scottish Provident Institution, A. Parkin, 23 Priory pl.

Scottish Union & National Fire & Life, H. E. Winter, Baxtergate; T. S. Verity, 12 Frenchgate.

Scottish Widows’ Fund, A. S. Leatham, York City &. County bank, Baxtergate.

Standard Life, A. Parkin, Priory place.

Sun Fire & Life, F. W, Fisher, o High Street buildings.

Westminster Fire, B. &. Brundell, 1 Princes street.

West of England Fire Life,-J. S. Jagger, 2 Scot lane.

Yorkshire Fire & Life, E. Fox & Son, Corn exchange & Hall gate.

Doncaster Union; offices, 21 High street.

Board day, each alternate Saturday.

Doncaster union embraces fifty-six townships, viz.:-Adwick-le-street, Adwick-on-Dearne, Armthorpe, Askern, Austerfield, Awkley, Balby-with-Hexthorpe, Barmborough, Barmby-upon-Don, Bawtry, Bentley-with-Arksey, Bilham, Blaxton, Bolton-on-Dearne, Braithwell, Brodsworth-with-Pigburn & Scawsby, Burghwallis, Cadeby, Campsall, Cantley, Carr House & Elmfield, Clayton-with-Frickley, Couishrough, Denaby, Doncaster, Edlington, Fenwick, Finningley, Hampole, Hickleton, Hooton Pagnell, Kirk Bramwith. Kirk Sandall with Trumfleet, Long Sandall, Langthwaite-with-Tilts, Loversall, Marr, Melton (High), Mexbrough, Misson, Moss, Norton, Owston, Rossington, Skellow, Sprotborough, Stainton-with-Hellaby, Stancil-with-Wellingley & Wilslc, Stotfold, Sutton, Thorpe-in-Balne, Thurnscoe, Tickhill, Wadworth. Warmsworth & Wheatley. The district embraced in the Doncaster union had a population in 1861 of 39,388, & in 1871 of 45,170; gross estimated rental, £450,719: rateable value, £373,711.

The Union Workhouse is situated in Hexthorpe lane, & is approached from Balby road across St. James’s Railway bridge; it occupies an extensive area & was opened in 1839; an infirmary & infectious wards have been added.

VOLUNTEERS

West York Yeomanry (1st.), head quarters, Doncaster; Earl Fitzwilliam K.G. col.; Capt. John C. Kinchant.

West Riding Yorkshire Rifle Volunteers (8th Battalion) (comprising the 18th. 19th. 20th. 21st, 36th. 37th & 40th corps), head quarters.

PLACES OF WORSHIP, with times of service.

SCHOOLS

Grammar, Thorne rd. Rev. Wm. Gurney M.A. headmaster.

Parish Church National, Alfred Knight, master; Mrs. Fitzgeorge, mistress; Mrs. Shipman, infants’ mistress.

British, Wood street, George A. Lewis, headmaster; Mrs. Lewis, mistress.

Catholic, Portland place, Miss Bridget Connell, mistress Mrs. Elizabeth O’Brien, infants’ mistress.

Christ Church, St. James’s street, Isaac Moulton, master; Miss Lomas, mistress; Miss Yarnell, infants’ mistress.

Great Northern Railway Company’s, St. Sepulchregate without, Henry Lewis Hunter, master; Miss Margaret; Auld, mistress; Miss Eleanor Hughes, infants’ mistress.

Industry, Mrs. Mary Ann Bain, matron, Frenohgate.

Marshgate, Miss Beasley, mistress.

Primitive Methodist, Wellington St. Miss Hanstock, mistress.

Ragged & Industrial, Factory lane, Richard Deighton, master; Mrs. Varley, mistress.

Wesleyan, Oxford place, James Cowley, master; Mrs. Jane Maidment, mistress; Miss J. E. Hetherington, Infts.’ mist.