| The eccentric Billy Waters,
whose conspicuous character in Life in London, gained
him so much notoriety; bade adieu to this life yesterday morning,
after being ten days in St. Gile's workhouse, in a lingering
condition. Poor Billy endeavoured up to the period of his illness
to obtain for a wife and two children; what he termed "an
honest living by the scraping of cat-gut," by which he
originally amassed a considerable portion of browns
(half-pence) at the West end of the town, where his hat and
feathers, with his peculiar antics, excited much mirth and attention.
Billy latterly became unfortunate, which he attributed to the
production of Tom and Jerry, with whom he was made
to take his Madeary (Madeira), and treat "bags
of victuals" with contempt; but, however, he died very
poor, and was obliged, prior to his death, to part with his
old friend, the fiddle, for a trifling sum at the pawnbrokers;
and the wooden pin (leg) which had so often supported
Billy, would have shared the same fate, but its extensive service
had rendered it worthless though it had twice saved poor Billy
from the penalties of the Tread Mill. He was formerly
a sailor, and he received a trifling pension since he left the
service. A short time prior to his death he was elected King
of a party of Beggars in St. Giles's, in consequence of his
notoriety. He resided with his family in the house of Mrs. Fitzgerald,
Church street, St. Giles's. His remains were yesterday removed
from the Workhouse, to the New Burial Ground, St. Pancras, where
he was interred. He was followed to the grave by his wife and
children, with a few old friends - some professional
ones. He was forty-five years of age. |
|
|
