Assault In The Mirror

The gossip from the Opera House reflected in The Monthly Mirror for October 1807 reveals a more complex background for James' assault on Mr Waters than was reported in The Morning Post the following year.  

James dispute with Waters must be seen in the context of a struggle for ownership of the Opera House between Waters and Mr W. Taylor. Waters owned almost half of the shares in the Opera House and held a mortgage for the controlling percentage of the shares owned by Taylor. The labyrinthine legal proceedings in this matter which would ultimately last for decades began in June 1808.

The Monthly Mirror for October 1807.

Assault At The Opera

I love this story because of its slapstick quality. Life at the Opera was often turbulent.

The assault took place on 24 October 1807 but it did not come before the Court of the King's Bench until 16 February 1808 so today is the anniversary of the trial. 

James had to pay £5 in damages to Waters - this doesn't seem an extraordinarily large sum but at the time an agricultural worker might earn £40 per year.

Morning Post 17 February 1808
British Library Board