John ‘Valentine’ Gray was born in 1812 in Alverstoke, Hampshire. Six months later his mother died and Valentine was sent to the Alverstoke Parish Workhouse.
It was customary for children to be ‘bought’ from the workhouse to become apprentices and on October 21st 1821, at about 9 years old, Valentine Gray became an apprentice to Benjamin Davies, a master chimney sweep in Newport.
Master sweeps preferred to employ children from the workhouse as they were thin, perfect for the smaller designs of chimneys, some of which were only seven inches wide. It was dirty, dangerous work.
Davies ran a public house - The Rum Puncheon - situated where the entrance to the South Street car park is now. In the living quarters were Davies, his wife, seven children and two lodgers. Valentine slept in the attic.
There are disturbing accounts of violence, that Valentine suffered at the hands of his master, and around 1st November 1821, Valentine became gravely ill. Around Christmas, Mrs Davies called the local GP, Dr Buckell. He was called again the next day and, advised Mrs Davies to contact the Magistrate about Valentine’s condition as he felt Valentine’s injuries would prove fatal.
On 31st January 1822, Valentine died. The coroner found that his cause of death was inflammation of the brain caused by a blow to the head.
Davies was found guilty of his manslaughter in Winchester, according to court records, he was fined one shilling.
The public were outraged and money was raised to erect the memorial in Church Litten which remains today. He was originally buried in Church Litten, however, his body was later moved and his final resting place is sadly unknown.
In 1875, Parliament brought in legislation raising the legal age of sweeps to 21.
In early 2024, an additional inscription was unveiled on his memorial by Newport & Carisbrooke Community Council to show that Valentine is very much still in our thoughts. One side of the monument is still blank, with the hope that in another 200 years, the public might add to it and commemorate Valentine once again.
