150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (2nd - 8th September 1869)
This week's stories include the man who was thrown off a moving train near Clock Face, the "mad drunk" Robins Lane beerhouse keeper who beat up his wife, a Rainhill pony trotting match, the Market Place singing room, the Haydock witness that fled to France and the young Whiston Workhouse potato thieves.
A summer drought had led to some St Helens' works having to close for a few days, as they needed extensive amounts of water for cooling purposes. So the thunderstorm that took place on the 3rd was very welcome. The supply of water for domestic and industrial use was a huge problem in 1869 and St Helens Corporation's waterworks was only able to supply some of the manufacturing firms in the town.
Thomas Burns and Edward Kelley appeared in Wigan County Police Court on the 3rd after failing to answer a summons charging them with smoking tobacco in the Legh Pit at Haydock. They were alleged to have used their lamps to light their pipes while underground, an incredibly dangerous practice.
However the main witness against the pair had fled the neighbourhood – and probably the country – in order to avoid appearing in court. He had left behind a note saying he dared not give evidence. The case was adjourned for three months and a summons issued for the witness who, it was thought, was likely to have gone to France, where he had previously worked.
On the 4th a foot race took place at what was described as the Dog and Rabbit race grounds – which presumably were in Ashcroft Street where the pub of the same name was located (it closed in 1911). A number of people from Widnes went to watch the race and as they were returning from St Helens by the 7:45pm train, a quarrel took place in one of the carriages.
Blows were struck and one of the passengers drew a knife, which he either threatened or attempted to use against the others. In response several of the men grabbed the knife man and hurled him right out of the carriage. This was while the train was in full motion between Clock Face and Farnworth stations. When the train arrived at Widnes the guard was told what had occurred and during the return journey, he and others searched for the missing man but no trace could be found.
It was reported this week that St Helens Town Council had succeeded in abolishing the collection of tolls at Eccleston leading to Thatto Heath, which had been a bone of contention for some time.
The St Helens Petty Sessions were held on the 6th in which Andrew Crilly was charged with causing 30 shillings' worth of damage to the Albion Hotel. James Grimes ran the pub and he was the father-in-law of Crilly. The latter had given his wife permission to sleep at her Dad's house but during the night appears to have changed his mind.
Finding the door to the hotel locked, Crilly first tried to kick it down and then threw stones or bricks through several windows, "destroying the glass and endangering human life". The St Helens Newspaper wrote that neighbour Michael Barrett was having his supper when he heard the sound of breaking glass: "On going outside he found the defendant shying brickbats at the windows. He seized him at once, and endeavoured to dissuade him from such conduct, but did not succeed until he whistled. When the defendant heard the whistle he ran off."
Crilly admitted the offence but disputed that 30 shillings worth of damage had been done. However he was told to pay 37s 6d in total, which was probably the best part of a fortnight's wages. There will be more on Crilly next week – a nasty character who was both a child and wife beater. The Albion was in Parr Street and closed in 1932 – although in the 1871 census it was listed as being in Warrington Road.
James Rourke from St Helens appeared in Leigh Petty Sessions on the 6th charged with the brutal assault of a three-year-old boy. A local draper's "nurse girl" was taking the child for a walk when, without provocation, Rourke began punching the boy, breaking two of his ribs. He was remanded for eight days.
The annual licensing sessions for St Helens and district were held on the 6th and all the 154 licensed victuallers who held full beer and spirit licenses had them renewed – apart from two licensees that failed to show. However beerhouses tended to be more rowdy places that weren't always well run, and 19 applications (out of 193) were refused. About a dozen other beerhouse keepers were cautioned, including Daniel Woods of the Market Place who had a petition submitted against his singing room. This is how the St Helens Newspaper described it:
"The house contains a drawing-room, into which the lovers of the lyre are in the habit of going each evening, and fascinating themselves with the latest comic ditties, said ditties being rendered by some very worn-out looking artistes, with a careful attention to forte from beginning to end. It would appear that the music usually discoursed was not of a character to charm those within the radius of its influence, for the present petition was an effort to throw over it the cold chain of silence."
Daniel Woods was allowed to keep his licence upon agreeing to give up his singing room, or, as the Newspaper put it, he gave an assurance that the "warblings shall cease for the future".
Richard Mather of the Bowling Green in Robins Lane (shown above) must have been expecting to lose his licence as he had two black marks to his name. Recently the beerhouse keeper had been fined 10 shillings for allowing drunkenness on his premises. And only last week he'd been summoned to the Petty Sessions in the Town Hall after a violent quarrel with his wife. A police sergeant gave evidence that he had found Mather "mad drunk" and beating his wife.
However Mather had hired the indomitable solicitor Thomas Swift of Hardshaw Hall, whose son Rigby would later become St Helens's third MP. He must have been the rudest solicitor the town has ever had! However Swift was also one of the cleverest with an in-depth knowledge of the law. This he used to get many of his clients off the charges that they were facing.
That was also the case with Richard Mather whose charges were dismissed upon payment of court costs. So with just one conviction for allowing drunkenness on his premises, the licensing magistrates allowed Mather to retain his licence. Although he was asked to promise the magistrates that he would exercise greater caution in future. I don't know if that meant not to beat his wife when the police were about!
The St Helens Newspaper reported on the 7th that Rev. Dreaper – the curate to the Gerards Bridge district – had been transferred to Rainford. In his final sermon Rev. Dreaper told his congregation that when he had arrived amongst them two years earlier, he had found the district to be in a "pitiable condition" but he had "gone into the highways and byeways, and gathered together both old and young to attend church and school".
Also on the 7th William Hatton appeared in the Prescot Petty Sessions charged with begging at Rainhill. The man said he had called at a house and asked for a drink of water and the lady that came to the door offered him a couple of potatoes. For that Hatton was sent to prison for two weeks.
Two pauper children Elizabeth and Joseph Atherton also appeared in court charged with stealing potatoes from the grounds of Whiston Workhouse. Henry Pepper was the workhouse master and he told the magistrates that they wanted the nuisance of potato stealing stopped but did not want the children to be sent to prison. The magistrates fined both of the youngsters five shillings and costs. Just how they or their parents were expected to pay is a mystery as paupers were not allowed to have money in the house and all the work they did was unpaid.
In another case Ann Crosby was sent to prison for two months with hard labour after pleading guilty to stealing some wearing apparel from a Prescot almshouse. Some of the clothes were pawned in Porter's pawnshop in Liverpool Road, St Helens.
Another pony trotting match was held on the 7th on the Liverpool road between Rainhill and Sankey Chapel with the Bold Heath Inn as the halfway point. The two contestants were Mr Ward's bay pony 'Barber' and Mr Crosby's brown pony 'Butcher'. The pair was competing for a stake of £10 over a five-mile distance (roughly £1,000 in today's money).
Many people would bet on trotting races and the St Helens Newspaper said: "Great numbers of people thronged the road, and scores of vehicles, laden with admirers of horse flesh, both male and female, made up a gay and animated scene." Barber won but the backers of Butcher were not happy. Their pony had slowed down just as it was taking the lead as it was distracted by a passer-by on horseback that had galloped past.
Next week's stories will include a violent assault on a doctor at St Helens Junction, the cruel child beater of Parr who used a leather belt on his wife, a new schoolmistress for Whiston Workhouse, the annual St Helens fair is held and there is begging in Liverpool Road.
A summer drought had led to some St Helens' works having to close for a few days, as they needed extensive amounts of water for cooling purposes. So the thunderstorm that took place on the 3rd was very welcome. The supply of water for domestic and industrial use was a huge problem in 1869 and St Helens Corporation's waterworks was only able to supply some of the manufacturing firms in the town.
Thomas Burns and Edward Kelley appeared in Wigan County Police Court on the 3rd after failing to answer a summons charging them with smoking tobacco in the Legh Pit at Haydock. They were alleged to have used their lamps to light their pipes while underground, an incredibly dangerous practice.
However the main witness against the pair had fled the neighbourhood – and probably the country – in order to avoid appearing in court. He had left behind a note saying he dared not give evidence. The case was adjourned for three months and a summons issued for the witness who, it was thought, was likely to have gone to France, where he had previously worked.
On the 4th a foot race took place at what was described as the Dog and Rabbit race grounds – which presumably were in Ashcroft Street where the pub of the same name was located (it closed in 1911). A number of people from Widnes went to watch the race and as they were returning from St Helens by the 7:45pm train, a quarrel took place in one of the carriages.
Blows were struck and one of the passengers drew a knife, which he either threatened or attempted to use against the others. In response several of the men grabbed the knife man and hurled him right out of the carriage. This was while the train was in full motion between Clock Face and Farnworth stations. When the train arrived at Widnes the guard was told what had occurred and during the return journey, he and others searched for the missing man but no trace could be found.
It was reported this week that St Helens Town Council had succeeded in abolishing the collection of tolls at Eccleston leading to Thatto Heath, which had been a bone of contention for some time.
The St Helens Petty Sessions were held on the 6th in which Andrew Crilly was charged with causing 30 shillings' worth of damage to the Albion Hotel. James Grimes ran the pub and he was the father-in-law of Crilly. The latter had given his wife permission to sleep at her Dad's house but during the night appears to have changed his mind.
Finding the door to the hotel locked, Crilly first tried to kick it down and then threw stones or bricks through several windows, "destroying the glass and endangering human life". The St Helens Newspaper wrote that neighbour Michael Barrett was having his supper when he heard the sound of breaking glass: "On going outside he found the defendant shying brickbats at the windows. He seized him at once, and endeavoured to dissuade him from such conduct, but did not succeed until he whistled. When the defendant heard the whistle he ran off."
Crilly admitted the offence but disputed that 30 shillings worth of damage had been done. However he was told to pay 37s 6d in total, which was probably the best part of a fortnight's wages. There will be more on Crilly next week – a nasty character who was both a child and wife beater. The Albion was in Parr Street and closed in 1932 – although in the 1871 census it was listed as being in Warrington Road.
James Rourke from St Helens appeared in Leigh Petty Sessions on the 6th charged with the brutal assault of a three-year-old boy. A local draper's "nurse girl" was taking the child for a walk when, without provocation, Rourke began punching the boy, breaking two of his ribs. He was remanded for eight days.
The annual licensing sessions for St Helens and district were held on the 6th and all the 154 licensed victuallers who held full beer and spirit licenses had them renewed – apart from two licensees that failed to show. However beerhouses tended to be more rowdy places that weren't always well run, and 19 applications (out of 193) were refused. About a dozen other beerhouse keepers were cautioned, including Daniel Woods of the Market Place who had a petition submitted against his singing room. This is how the St Helens Newspaper described it:
"The house contains a drawing-room, into which the lovers of the lyre are in the habit of going each evening, and fascinating themselves with the latest comic ditties, said ditties being rendered by some very worn-out looking artistes, with a careful attention to forte from beginning to end. It would appear that the music usually discoursed was not of a character to charm those within the radius of its influence, for the present petition was an effort to throw over it the cold chain of silence."
Daniel Woods was allowed to keep his licence upon agreeing to give up his singing room, or, as the Newspaper put it, he gave an assurance that the "warblings shall cease for the future".
However Mather had hired the indomitable solicitor Thomas Swift of Hardshaw Hall, whose son Rigby would later become St Helens's third MP. He must have been the rudest solicitor the town has ever had! However Swift was also one of the cleverest with an in-depth knowledge of the law. This he used to get many of his clients off the charges that they were facing.
That was also the case with Richard Mather whose charges were dismissed upon payment of court costs. So with just one conviction for allowing drunkenness on his premises, the licensing magistrates allowed Mather to retain his licence. Although he was asked to promise the magistrates that he would exercise greater caution in future. I don't know if that meant not to beat his wife when the police were about!
The St Helens Newspaper reported on the 7th that Rev. Dreaper – the curate to the Gerards Bridge district – had been transferred to Rainford. In his final sermon Rev. Dreaper told his congregation that when he had arrived amongst them two years earlier, he had found the district to be in a "pitiable condition" but he had "gone into the highways and byeways, and gathered together both old and young to attend church and school".
Also on the 7th William Hatton appeared in the Prescot Petty Sessions charged with begging at Rainhill. The man said he had called at a house and asked for a drink of water and the lady that came to the door offered him a couple of potatoes. For that Hatton was sent to prison for two weeks.
Two pauper children Elizabeth and Joseph Atherton also appeared in court charged with stealing potatoes from the grounds of Whiston Workhouse. Henry Pepper was the workhouse master and he told the magistrates that they wanted the nuisance of potato stealing stopped but did not want the children to be sent to prison. The magistrates fined both of the youngsters five shillings and costs. Just how they or their parents were expected to pay is a mystery as paupers were not allowed to have money in the house and all the work they did was unpaid.
In another case Ann Crosby was sent to prison for two months with hard labour after pleading guilty to stealing some wearing apparel from a Prescot almshouse. Some of the clothes were pawned in Porter's pawnshop in Liverpool Road, St Helens.
Another pony trotting match was held on the 7th on the Liverpool road between Rainhill and Sankey Chapel with the Bold Heath Inn as the halfway point. The two contestants were Mr Ward's bay pony 'Barber' and Mr Crosby's brown pony 'Butcher'. The pair was competing for a stake of £10 over a five-mile distance (roughly £1,000 in today's money).
Many people would bet on trotting races and the St Helens Newspaper said: "Great numbers of people thronged the road, and scores of vehicles, laden with admirers of horse flesh, both male and female, made up a gay and animated scene." Barber won but the backers of Butcher were not happy. Their pony had slowed down just as it was taking the lead as it was distracted by a passer-by on horseback that had galloped past.
Next week's stories will include a violent assault on a doctor at St Helens Junction, the cruel child beater of Parr who used a leather belt on his wife, a new schoolmistress for Whiston Workhouse, the annual St Helens fair is held and there is begging in Liverpool Road.