Note 181 — Chapter XXII · BRIGHTON CAMP AND THE TRAGEDIES OF GOLDSTONE BOTTOM.

We have to record this week the death of, we believe, the oldest inhabitant of Brighton, Mrs. Ackerson, who had reached her 97th year. She was the widow of the late Mr. Robert Ackerson, who filled the offices of High Constable, Overseer, Churchwarden, and Parish Assessor of Brighton. When Royalty smiled on this little fishing village, the not least important of the Brighton fair was the wife of Bob Ackerson, whose merits were prominently blazoned by one who loved the comforts of the world,—no less a personage than Johnny Townshend, the celebrated Bow-street runner, who lived, during the residence of the Prince in Brighton, with the old Brightonian, at the corner of Duke Street, West Street, where Royalty itself was wont to take a luncheon. Cribbage was ever a favourite game with her, and till within a few months of her death her knowledge and play were as acute as ever. She read much: the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Sermons of the Rev. J. S. M. Anderson being her universal favourites. It is worthy of record that she was a twin, the other infant, a boy, surviving but a few hours. She was childless; yet many an orphan will long revere her memory. Nearly up to the close of her long life Mrs. Ackerson was in possession of her faculties; her hearing was not greatly impaired; her eye-sight was what would be considered, for persons many years her junior, good; and her recollection was astonishing. She delighted to hold converse with persons who taxed her memory, and would relate the reminiscences of her youthful days with much glee. She loved to talk of her old associations in the early years of George IV.; and would do so with all the freshness of a person in the prime of life. She was a remarkably fine woman, and her carriage was almost as erect just before she died as it had ever been. Perhaps so noble and firm a pattern of old age has scarcely been witnessed. During the last few years of her life she had resided with her nephew, Mr. J. A. Erredge, on the London Road, to whose family she was much attached. We understand that she retained her recollection and composure to the last, and died most tranquilly.—Brighton Herald, Feb. 10th, 1855.