I've been posting odd clippings from old newspaper reports in various threads, and it occurred to me that others might be interested in doing the same. So, a thread on the lines of random snippets, but specifically for the historians of inconsequentiality amongst us.

Here's a start, it shouldn't be funny, but:

Bury and Norwich Post, December 9th 1816

A poor man and his wife residing near Maldon in Essex nearly lost their lives on Sunday last from the man incautiously drying gunpowder in a frying pan which exploded and blew off the roof of their cottage and destroying all their furniture, although severely injured they are expected to recover.