150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (5th - 11th JULY 1871)
This week's many stories include a sad suicide in St Helens Canal, the decision is taken to build a new Town Hall, an alarming railway accident takes place at Rainford and the man given 7 years in prison for stealing a meat pie.
It was now two months since a large part of St Helens Town Hall had bit the dust. The town's first seat of municipal government had been built in 1839 in New Market Place (off Exchange Street) and had mysteriously caught fire. A man described as "slightly deranged" had been seen in the building shortly before the flames were discovered and had been arrested on suspicion of arson. In his possession the police found a notebook containing the entry: "The form in the town hall. Town hall, set it on fire." Was that a note of intent or simply a diary entry by a semi-illiterate person – as many St Helens folk would have recorded one of the most notable events in their lifetime?
So he had been discharged from the court and the focus was now on what should be done now that the insurers had agreed to cough up. As well as the holding of council meetings, the utilitarian venue had also hosted court hearings, a library, a police station, dances and public dinners. The criminal court hearings had moved to the County Court in East Street but it appears that the police were still in occupation of their station. That was in a wing of the old building that had largely escaped the ravages of the fire – but Colonel Robert Bruce, the Lancashire Chief Constable, was still not happy.
At a Town Council meeting on the 5th a letter was read out from Colonel Bruce from his offices in Preston complaining of the "utterly inadequate condition" of the station since the fire. The meeting decided to have a set of police buildings erected on a designated site but where should that be? And were they to restore the old town hall or build another?
The Mayor Alderman Marsh said the present market accommodation in St Helens was "ridiculously insufficient", and what was left of the old premises could be let for market purposes. After a discussion it was decided that a new town hall would be built with adjacent police buildings and the council's Parliamentary Committee was empowered to advertise for plans and make enquiries with a view to obtaining a suitable site.
Another decision taken by the council was that all St Helens ratepayers that were in arrears on the 20th of this month would be struck off the burgess roll. These were individuals with voting rights in local elections and included some women – with some of these burgesses (such as women) not entitled to vote in parliamentary elections. Also those who were six months in arrears with their rates would be prosecuted.
The gas inspector reported to the meeting that the average illuminating power of the gaslights in the street during the month had been 15.4 sperm candles. That was a measure of illumination with sperm candles having been developed from a waxy substance located in the heads of sperm whales called spermaceti. Blinkhorn and Cook's Lancashire Patent Candle Works near to Pilkingtons made sperm candles, amongst other types. Think of all those poor whales that were slaughtered for their meat and illuminating power.
An inquest into the death of a 4-year-old girl was held at the Shakespeare Inn in Bridge Street on the 6th. Mary Ryan had been in a neighbour's house playing with a two-year-old child who had accidentally set fire to her.
The St Helens Newspaper was published on the 8th and reported on a recent case in the Prescot Petty Sessions. David Hughes from Rainhill was charged with having a dog at large in Derby Street in Prescot in contravention of a police notice issued on June 1st. Whenever rabies was reported in the vicinity, it was common for the authorities to issue temporary bans on dogs being allowed outside of their homes without being on a lead or wearing a muzzle.
Mr Hughes told the magistrates that he had brought his dog into town "utterly unconscious that any prohibition existed", and he was within the boundary of Prescot before anyone intimated the fact to him. As it was decided that Mr Hughes had not committed the offence intentionally, he was told to only pay the court costs of the case.
The Newspaper also described how miner John Lunt had appeared in St Helens Petty Sessions charged with leaving his situation at Alexandra Colliery (pictured above) without giving notice. Pilkington's owned the mine in Ravenhead and demanded £1 compensation for their worker suddenly quitting. Mr Lunt had asked to be moved to a different workplace underground as he felt there was insufficient ventilation where he was employed. That was dangerous, as a build-up of gas could lead to an explosion.
However the company had refused to move him, so Lunt sensibly left the mine. In court the colliery official known as an underlooker or pit deputy denied there was any danger and said there were still men working in that place. The magistrates sided with him and ordered John Lunt to pay 20 shillings.
During the evening of the 8th an accident occurred near Rainford Junction railway station. The axles broke on a long train that was proceeding to Liverpool at high speed and the line was reported as having been "ripped up for a considerable distance" with a large number of the waggons "smashed into matchwood". The guard was said to have received a very severe shaking and a number of men had to be engaged on the following day to repair the line.
On the 9th a mushroom was exhibited at a botanical meeting held at Zachariah Jameson's beerhouse in Heath Lane in Ashton-in-Makerfield that was reported as being 10 inches by 8 inches, with a circumference of 2 ft. 2½ inches and weighing one pound.
This was how the Wigan Observer described a court case that took place on the 10th: "At the St. Helens Petty Sessions on Monday, a man named Wm. Eccleston was charged with having committed a murderous assault on his wife with a poker. As it appeared that he was of unsound mind, he was sent to a lunatic asylum."
If you weren’t considered a lunatic, violent assaults only led to prison if the assault was considered a very serious one. At the same hearing Thomas Fazackerley was fined just 15 shillings for assaulting his wife. And Thomas Irvine and Herbert Peck were fined 30 shillings and 20 shillings, respectively, after being charged with violently assaulting John Prescott.
On the 11th the Liverpool Daily Post wrote: "About two o’clock on Sunday morning, two workmen discovered the body of a woman floating in the canal, at St. Helens. "They procured a boat, and when the body was taken ashore it proved to be the body of a woman, named Ellen Aspinall, wife of Thomas Aspinall, a boilermaker. It was conveyed to the husband's residence.
"Mrs. Aspinall left her own house on Saturday night, stating that she would soon return; but nothing more was heard of her until the finding of the body. She had been for a long time in a state of despondency, and avowedly tired of life, and there is no doubt she committed suicide after leaving the house." Ellen was fifty and had been living with husband William (not Thomas) Aspinall and their six children in Bold Street.
The St Helens County met in East Street on the 11th with the Liverpool Mercury publishing this account of one case in which a man claimed he had been made a guarantor of a loan without his knowledge:
"Daniel Macintosh and others were sued for £1 18s. 5d., balance of a debt due to the Union Loan Company. Macintosh was proceeded against as one of the sureties. He declared most solemnly that he had never any connection with the loan, that his name was a forgery, and that it had been written, without his knowledge or consent, by one Henry Daniels. His Honour gave a verdict for plaintiffs, leaving Macintosh to take what steps he pleased regarding the forgery."
The Liverpool Quarter Sessions – where the more serious crimes were heard – also sat on the 11th, although I wouldn't have called stealing a meat pie particularly serious. However John Pickavance received seven years in prison after breaking into Ellen Millington's home in Traverse Street in Parr and taking / eating a pie "and other articles". Neither newspapers nor prison records identified the latter – which suggests they were of even less value than the pie.
But the 27-year-old labourer was deaf and dumb and had eleven previous convictions. Had these twin disabilities led to society discriminating against him and consequently led to John committing the crimes out of desperation? Was the court also discriminating against John Pickavance with the hefty prison sentence? The answers to those questions seem likely to be in the affirmative but it's hard to be certain.
It was after all a world where theft was considered more serious than knocking seven bells out of someone! From what I can see all of John’s convictions were for stealing. Three months for stealing a coat and muffler in 1863, four years for stealing a workman's saw in 1864 and two years for stealing 31 lbs of coal in 1869 were typical offences. It must have been a very difficult, silent world without any support.
Others sent to prison at the Assizes included Mary Dilworth (24), a St Helens housekeeper, who received a month for stealing flannel and the fabric known as winsey. Edward Brough (26) got two months in Kirkdale Gaol for stealing a pair of silver watchcases from Peter Dixon, a coal miner from Parr Stocks Road. Mary Boardwoman (19) described as a charwoman received three months for obtaining small amounts of cash and a few bits and bobs from two Sutton men.
George Shaw of Fisher Street had been defrauded of 1s 6d and Thomas Egan had lost a shilling. Then there was 64-year-old shoemaker John Barrow who also received three months for stealing six pairs of boots from a man at Eccleston.
Next Week's stories will include the new St Helens Railway Station, a horse attack at the Stork Inn in Billinge, the St Helens Cricket Club athletics festival and two accidents involving horse-drawn vehicles take place.
It was now two months since a large part of St Helens Town Hall had bit the dust. The town's first seat of municipal government had been built in 1839 in New Market Place (off Exchange Street) and had mysteriously caught fire. A man described as "slightly deranged" had been seen in the building shortly before the flames were discovered and had been arrested on suspicion of arson. In his possession the police found a notebook containing the entry: "The form in the town hall. Town hall, set it on fire." Was that a note of intent or simply a diary entry by a semi-illiterate person – as many St Helens folk would have recorded one of the most notable events in their lifetime?
So he had been discharged from the court and the focus was now on what should be done now that the insurers had agreed to cough up. As well as the holding of council meetings, the utilitarian venue had also hosted court hearings, a library, a police station, dances and public dinners. The criminal court hearings had moved to the County Court in East Street but it appears that the police were still in occupation of their station. That was in a wing of the old building that had largely escaped the ravages of the fire – but Colonel Robert Bruce, the Lancashire Chief Constable, was still not happy.
At a Town Council meeting on the 5th a letter was read out from Colonel Bruce from his offices in Preston complaining of the "utterly inadequate condition" of the station since the fire. The meeting decided to have a set of police buildings erected on a designated site but where should that be? And were they to restore the old town hall or build another?
The Mayor Alderman Marsh said the present market accommodation in St Helens was "ridiculously insufficient", and what was left of the old premises could be let for market purposes. After a discussion it was decided that a new town hall would be built with adjacent police buildings and the council's Parliamentary Committee was empowered to advertise for plans and make enquiries with a view to obtaining a suitable site.
Another decision taken by the council was that all St Helens ratepayers that were in arrears on the 20th of this month would be struck off the burgess roll. These were individuals with voting rights in local elections and included some women – with some of these burgesses (such as women) not entitled to vote in parliamentary elections. Also those who were six months in arrears with their rates would be prosecuted.
The gas inspector reported to the meeting that the average illuminating power of the gaslights in the street during the month had been 15.4 sperm candles. That was a measure of illumination with sperm candles having been developed from a waxy substance located in the heads of sperm whales called spermaceti. Blinkhorn and Cook's Lancashire Patent Candle Works near to Pilkingtons made sperm candles, amongst other types. Think of all those poor whales that were slaughtered for their meat and illuminating power.
An inquest into the death of a 4-year-old girl was held at the Shakespeare Inn in Bridge Street on the 6th. Mary Ryan had been in a neighbour's house playing with a two-year-old child who had accidentally set fire to her.
The St Helens Newspaper was published on the 8th and reported on a recent case in the Prescot Petty Sessions. David Hughes from Rainhill was charged with having a dog at large in Derby Street in Prescot in contravention of a police notice issued on June 1st. Whenever rabies was reported in the vicinity, it was common for the authorities to issue temporary bans on dogs being allowed outside of their homes without being on a lead or wearing a muzzle.
Mr Hughes told the magistrates that he had brought his dog into town "utterly unconscious that any prohibition existed", and he was within the boundary of Prescot before anyone intimated the fact to him. As it was decided that Mr Hughes had not committed the offence intentionally, he was told to only pay the court costs of the case.
However the company had refused to move him, so Lunt sensibly left the mine. In court the colliery official known as an underlooker or pit deputy denied there was any danger and said there were still men working in that place. The magistrates sided with him and ordered John Lunt to pay 20 shillings.
During the evening of the 8th an accident occurred near Rainford Junction railway station. The axles broke on a long train that was proceeding to Liverpool at high speed and the line was reported as having been "ripped up for a considerable distance" with a large number of the waggons "smashed into matchwood". The guard was said to have received a very severe shaking and a number of men had to be engaged on the following day to repair the line.
On the 9th a mushroom was exhibited at a botanical meeting held at Zachariah Jameson's beerhouse in Heath Lane in Ashton-in-Makerfield that was reported as being 10 inches by 8 inches, with a circumference of 2 ft. 2½ inches and weighing one pound.
This was how the Wigan Observer described a court case that took place on the 10th: "At the St. Helens Petty Sessions on Monday, a man named Wm. Eccleston was charged with having committed a murderous assault on his wife with a poker. As it appeared that he was of unsound mind, he was sent to a lunatic asylum."
If you weren’t considered a lunatic, violent assaults only led to prison if the assault was considered a very serious one. At the same hearing Thomas Fazackerley was fined just 15 shillings for assaulting his wife. And Thomas Irvine and Herbert Peck were fined 30 shillings and 20 shillings, respectively, after being charged with violently assaulting John Prescott.
On the 11th the Liverpool Daily Post wrote: "About two o’clock on Sunday morning, two workmen discovered the body of a woman floating in the canal, at St. Helens. "They procured a boat, and when the body was taken ashore it proved to be the body of a woman, named Ellen Aspinall, wife of Thomas Aspinall, a boilermaker. It was conveyed to the husband's residence.
"Mrs. Aspinall left her own house on Saturday night, stating that she would soon return; but nothing more was heard of her until the finding of the body. She had been for a long time in a state of despondency, and avowedly tired of life, and there is no doubt she committed suicide after leaving the house." Ellen was fifty and had been living with husband William (not Thomas) Aspinall and their six children in Bold Street.
The St Helens County met in East Street on the 11th with the Liverpool Mercury publishing this account of one case in which a man claimed he had been made a guarantor of a loan without his knowledge:
"Daniel Macintosh and others were sued for £1 18s. 5d., balance of a debt due to the Union Loan Company. Macintosh was proceeded against as one of the sureties. He declared most solemnly that he had never any connection with the loan, that his name was a forgery, and that it had been written, without his knowledge or consent, by one Henry Daniels. His Honour gave a verdict for plaintiffs, leaving Macintosh to take what steps he pleased regarding the forgery."
The Liverpool Quarter Sessions – where the more serious crimes were heard – also sat on the 11th, although I wouldn't have called stealing a meat pie particularly serious. However John Pickavance received seven years in prison after breaking into Ellen Millington's home in Traverse Street in Parr and taking / eating a pie "and other articles". Neither newspapers nor prison records identified the latter – which suggests they were of even less value than the pie.
But the 27-year-old labourer was deaf and dumb and had eleven previous convictions. Had these twin disabilities led to society discriminating against him and consequently led to John committing the crimes out of desperation? Was the court also discriminating against John Pickavance with the hefty prison sentence? The answers to those questions seem likely to be in the affirmative but it's hard to be certain.
It was after all a world where theft was considered more serious than knocking seven bells out of someone! From what I can see all of John’s convictions were for stealing. Three months for stealing a coat and muffler in 1863, four years for stealing a workman's saw in 1864 and two years for stealing 31 lbs of coal in 1869 were typical offences. It must have been a very difficult, silent world without any support.
Others sent to prison at the Assizes included Mary Dilworth (24), a St Helens housekeeper, who received a month for stealing flannel and the fabric known as winsey. Edward Brough (26) got two months in Kirkdale Gaol for stealing a pair of silver watchcases from Peter Dixon, a coal miner from Parr Stocks Road. Mary Boardwoman (19) described as a charwoman received three months for obtaining small amounts of cash and a few bits and bobs from two Sutton men.
George Shaw of Fisher Street had been defrauded of 1s 6d and Thomas Egan had lost a shilling. Then there was 64-year-old shoemaker John Barrow who also received three months for stealing six pairs of boots from a man at Eccleston.
Next Week's stories will include the new St Helens Railway Station, a horse attack at the Stork Inn in Billinge, the St Helens Cricket Club athletics festival and two accidents involving horse-drawn vehicles take place.
This week's many stories include a sad suicide in St Helens Canal, the decision is taken to build a new Town Hall, an alarming railway accident takes place at Rainford and the man given 7 years in prison for stealing a meat pie.
It was now two months since a large part of St Helens Town Hall had bit the dust.
The town's first seat of municipal government had been built in 1839 in New Market Place (off Exchange Street) and had mysteriously caught fire.
A man described as "slightly deranged" had been seen in the building shortly before the flames were discovered and had been arrested on suspicion of arson.
In his possession the police found a notebook containing the entry: "The form in the town hall. Town hall, set it on fire."
Was that a note of intent or simply a diary entry by a semi-illiterate person – as many St Helens folk would have recorded one of the most notable events in their lifetime?
So he had been discharged from the court and the focus was now on what should be done now that the insurers had agreed to cough up.
As well as the holding of council meetings, the utilitarian venue had also hosted court hearings, a library, a police station, dances and public dinners.
The criminal court hearings had moved to the County Court in East Street but it appears that the police were still in occupation of their station.
That was in a wing of the old building that had largely escaped the ravages of the fire – but Colonel Robert Bruce, the Lancashire Chief Constable, was still not happy.
At a Town Council meeting on the 5th a letter was read out from Colonel Bruce from his offices in Preston complaining of the "utterly inadequate condition" of the station since the fire.
The meeting decided to have a set of police buildings erected on a designated site but where should that be? And were they to restore the old town hall or build another?
The Mayor Alderman Marsh said the present market accommodation in St Helens was "ridiculously insufficient", and what was left of the old premises could be let for market purposes.
After a discussion it was decided that a new town hall would be built with adjacent police buildings and the council's Parliamentary Committee was empowered to advertise for plans and make enquiries with a view to obtaining a suitable site.
Another decision taken by the council was that all St Helens ratepayers that were in arrears on the 20th of this month would be struck off the burgess roll.
These were individuals with voting rights in local elections and included some women – with some of these burgesses (such as women) not entitled to vote in parliamentary elections.
Also those who were six months in arrears with their rates would be prosecuted.
The gas inspector reported to the meeting that the average illuminating power of the gaslights in the street during the month had been 15.4 sperm candles.
That was a measure of illumination with sperm candles having been developed from a waxy substance located in the heads of sperm whales called spermaceti.
Blinkhorn and Cook's Lancashire Patent Candle Works near to Pilkingtons made sperm candles, amongst other types.
Think of all those poor whales that were slaughtered for their meat and illuminating power.
An inquest into the death of a 4-year-old girl was held at the Shakespeare Inn in Bridge Street on the 6th.
Mary Ryan had been in a neighbour's house playing with a two-year-old child who had accidentally set fire to her.
The St Helens Newspaper was published on the 8th and reported on a recent case in the Prescot Petty Sessions.
David Hughes from Rainhill was charged with having a dog at large in Derby Street in Prescot in contravention of a police notice issued on June 1st.
Whenever rabies was reported in the vicinity, it was common for the authorities to issue temporary bans on dogs being allowed outside of their homes without being on a lead or wearing a muzzle.
Mr Hughes told the magistrates that he had brought his dog into town "utterly unconscious that any prohibition existed", and he was within the boundary of Prescot before anyone intimated the fact to him.
As it was decided that Mr Hughes had not committed the offence intentionally, he was told to only pay the court costs of the case.
The Newspaper also described how miner John Lunt had appeared in St Helens Petty Sessions charged with leaving his situation at Alexandra Colliery (pictured above) without giving notice.
Pilkington's owned the mine in Ravenhead and demanded £1 compensation for their worker suddenly quitting.
Mr Lunt had asked to be moved to a different workplace underground as he felt there was insufficient ventilation where he was employed. That was dangerous, as a build-up of gas could lead to an explosion.
However the company had refused to move him, so Lunt sensibly left the mine. In court the colliery official known as an underlooker or pit deputy denied there was any danger and said there were still men working in that place.
The magistrates sided with him and ordered John Lunt to pay 20 shillings.
During the evening of the 8th an accident occurred near Rainford Junction railway station.
The axles broke on a long train that was proceeding to Liverpool at high speed and the line was reported as having been "ripped up for a considerable distance" with a large number of the waggons "smashed into matchwood".
The guard was said to have received a very severe shaking and a number of men had to be engaged on the following day to repair the line.
On the 9th a mushroom was exhibited at a botanical meeting held at Zachariah Jameson's beerhouse in Heath Lane in Ashton-in-Makerfield that was reported as being 10 inches by 8 inches, with a circumference of 2 ft. 2½ inches and weighing one pound.
This was how the Wigan Observer described a court case that took place on the 10th:
"At the St. Helens Petty Sessions on Monday, a man named Wm. Eccleston was charged with having committed a murderous assault on his wife with a poker. As it appeared that he was of unsound mind, he was sent to a lunatic asylum."
If you weren’t considered a lunatic, violent assaults only led to prison if the assault was considered a very serious one. At the same hearing Thomas Fazackerley was fined just 15 shillings for assaulting his wife.
And Thomas Irvine and Herbert Peck were fined 30 shillings and 20 shillings, respectively, after being charged with violently assaulting John Prescott.
On the 11th the Liverpool Daily Post wrote: "About two o’clock on Sunday morning, two workmen discovered the body of a woman floating in the canal, at St. Helens.
"They procured a boat, and when the body was taken ashore it proved to be the body of a woman, named Ellen Aspinall, wife of Thomas Aspinall, a boilermaker.
"It was conveyed to the husband's residence. Mrs. Aspinall left her own house on Saturday night, stating that she would soon return; but nothing more was heard of her until the finding of the body.
"She had been for a long time in a state of despondency, and avowedly tired of life, and there is no doubt she committed suicide after leaving the house."
Ellen was fifty and had been living with husband William (not Thomas) Aspinall and their six children in Bold Street.
The St Helens County met in East Street on the 11th with the Liverpool Mercury publishing this account of one case in which a man claimed he had been made a guarantor of a loan without his knowledge:
"Daniel Macintosh and others were sued for £1 18s. 5d., balance of a debt due to the Union Loan Company. Macintosh was proceeded against as one of the sureties.
"He declared most solemnly that he had never any connection with the loan, that his name was a forgery, and that it had been written, without his knowledge or consent, by one Henry Daniels.
"His Honour gave a verdict for plaintiffs, leaving Macintosh to take what steps he pleased regarding the forgery."
The Liverpool Quarter Sessions – where the more serious crimes were heard – also sat on the 11th, although I wouldn't have called stealing a meat pie particularly serious.
However John Pickavance received seven years in prison after breaking into Ellen Millington's home in Traverse Street in Parr and taking / eating a pie "and other articles".
Neither newspapers nor prison records identified the latter – which suggests they were of even less value than the pie.
But the 27-year-old labourer was deaf and dumb and had eleven previous convictions.
Had these twin disabilities led to society discriminating against him and consequently led to John committing the crimes out of desperation?
Was the court also discriminating against John Pickavance with the hefty prison sentence?
The answers to those questions seem likely to be in the affirmative but it's hard to be certain.
It was after all a world where theft was considered more serious than knocking seven bells out of someone!
From what I can see all of John’s convictions were for stealing. Three months for stealing a coat and muffler in 1863, four years for stealing a workman's saw in 1864 and two years for stealing 31 lbs of coal in 1869 were typical offences.
It must have been a very difficult, silent world without any support.
Others sent to prison at the Assizes included Mary Dilworth (24), a St Helens housekeeper, who received a month for stealing flannel and the fabric known as winsey.
Edward Brough (26) got two months in Kirkdale Gaol for stealing a pair of silver watchcases from Peter Dixon, a coal miner from Parr Stocks Road.
Mary Boardwoman (19) described as a charwoman received three months for obtaining small amounts of cash and a few bits and bobs from two Sutton men.
George Shaw of Fisher Street had been defrauded of 1s 6d and Thomas Egan had lost a shilling.
Then there was 64-year-old shoemaker John Barrow who also received three months for stealing six pairs of boots from a man at Eccleston.
Next Week's stories will include the new St Helens Railway Station, a horse attack at the Stork Inn in Billinge, the St Helens Cricket Club athletics festival and two accidents involving horse-drawn vehicles take place.
It was now two months since a large part of St Helens Town Hall had bit the dust.
The town's first seat of municipal government had been built in 1839 in New Market Place (off Exchange Street) and had mysteriously caught fire.
A man described as "slightly deranged" had been seen in the building shortly before the flames were discovered and had been arrested on suspicion of arson.
In his possession the police found a notebook containing the entry: "The form in the town hall. Town hall, set it on fire."
Was that a note of intent or simply a diary entry by a semi-illiterate person – as many St Helens folk would have recorded one of the most notable events in their lifetime?
So he had been discharged from the court and the focus was now on what should be done now that the insurers had agreed to cough up.
As well as the holding of council meetings, the utilitarian venue had also hosted court hearings, a library, a police station, dances and public dinners.
The criminal court hearings had moved to the County Court in East Street but it appears that the police were still in occupation of their station.
That was in a wing of the old building that had largely escaped the ravages of the fire – but Colonel Robert Bruce, the Lancashire Chief Constable, was still not happy.
At a Town Council meeting on the 5th a letter was read out from Colonel Bruce from his offices in Preston complaining of the "utterly inadequate condition" of the station since the fire.
The meeting decided to have a set of police buildings erected on a designated site but where should that be? And were they to restore the old town hall or build another?
The Mayor Alderman Marsh said the present market accommodation in St Helens was "ridiculously insufficient", and what was left of the old premises could be let for market purposes.
After a discussion it was decided that a new town hall would be built with adjacent police buildings and the council's Parliamentary Committee was empowered to advertise for plans and make enquiries with a view to obtaining a suitable site.
Another decision taken by the council was that all St Helens ratepayers that were in arrears on the 20th of this month would be struck off the burgess roll.
These were individuals with voting rights in local elections and included some women – with some of these burgesses (such as women) not entitled to vote in parliamentary elections.
Also those who were six months in arrears with their rates would be prosecuted.
The gas inspector reported to the meeting that the average illuminating power of the gaslights in the street during the month had been 15.4 sperm candles.
That was a measure of illumination with sperm candles having been developed from a waxy substance located in the heads of sperm whales called spermaceti.
Blinkhorn and Cook's Lancashire Patent Candle Works near to Pilkingtons made sperm candles, amongst other types.
Think of all those poor whales that were slaughtered for their meat and illuminating power.
An inquest into the death of a 4-year-old girl was held at the Shakespeare Inn in Bridge Street on the 6th.
Mary Ryan had been in a neighbour's house playing with a two-year-old child who had accidentally set fire to her.
David Hughes from Rainhill was charged with having a dog at large in Derby Street in Prescot in contravention of a police notice issued on June 1st.
Whenever rabies was reported in the vicinity, it was common for the authorities to issue temporary bans on dogs being allowed outside of their homes without being on a lead or wearing a muzzle.
Mr Hughes told the magistrates that he had brought his dog into town "utterly unconscious that any prohibition existed", and he was within the boundary of Prescot before anyone intimated the fact to him.
As it was decided that Mr Hughes had not committed the offence intentionally, he was told to only pay the court costs of the case.
Pilkington's owned the mine in Ravenhead and demanded £1 compensation for their worker suddenly quitting.
Mr Lunt had asked to be moved to a different workplace underground as he felt there was insufficient ventilation where he was employed. That was dangerous, as a build-up of gas could lead to an explosion.
However the company had refused to move him, so Lunt sensibly left the mine. In court the colliery official known as an underlooker or pit deputy denied there was any danger and said there were still men working in that place.
The magistrates sided with him and ordered John Lunt to pay 20 shillings.
During the evening of the 8th an accident occurred near Rainford Junction railway station.
The axles broke on a long train that was proceeding to Liverpool at high speed and the line was reported as having been "ripped up for a considerable distance" with a large number of the waggons "smashed into matchwood".
The guard was said to have received a very severe shaking and a number of men had to be engaged on the following day to repair the line.
On the 9th a mushroom was exhibited at a botanical meeting held at Zachariah Jameson's beerhouse in Heath Lane in Ashton-in-Makerfield that was reported as being 10 inches by 8 inches, with a circumference of 2 ft. 2½ inches and weighing one pound.
This was how the Wigan Observer described a court case that took place on the 10th:
"At the St. Helens Petty Sessions on Monday, a man named Wm. Eccleston was charged with having committed a murderous assault on his wife with a poker. As it appeared that he was of unsound mind, he was sent to a lunatic asylum."
If you weren’t considered a lunatic, violent assaults only led to prison if the assault was considered a very serious one. At the same hearing Thomas Fazackerley was fined just 15 shillings for assaulting his wife.
And Thomas Irvine and Herbert Peck were fined 30 shillings and 20 shillings, respectively, after being charged with violently assaulting John Prescott.
On the 11th the Liverpool Daily Post wrote: "About two o’clock on Sunday morning, two workmen discovered the body of a woman floating in the canal, at St. Helens.
"They procured a boat, and when the body was taken ashore it proved to be the body of a woman, named Ellen Aspinall, wife of Thomas Aspinall, a boilermaker.
"It was conveyed to the husband's residence. Mrs. Aspinall left her own house on Saturday night, stating that she would soon return; but nothing more was heard of her until the finding of the body.
"She had been for a long time in a state of despondency, and avowedly tired of life, and there is no doubt she committed suicide after leaving the house."
Ellen was fifty and had been living with husband William (not Thomas) Aspinall and their six children in Bold Street.
The St Helens County met in East Street on the 11th with the Liverpool Mercury publishing this account of one case in which a man claimed he had been made a guarantor of a loan without his knowledge:
"Daniel Macintosh and others were sued for £1 18s. 5d., balance of a debt due to the Union Loan Company. Macintosh was proceeded against as one of the sureties.
"He declared most solemnly that he had never any connection with the loan, that his name was a forgery, and that it had been written, without his knowledge or consent, by one Henry Daniels.
"His Honour gave a verdict for plaintiffs, leaving Macintosh to take what steps he pleased regarding the forgery."
The Liverpool Quarter Sessions – where the more serious crimes were heard – also sat on the 11th, although I wouldn't have called stealing a meat pie particularly serious.
However John Pickavance received seven years in prison after breaking into Ellen Millington's home in Traverse Street in Parr and taking / eating a pie "and other articles".
Neither newspapers nor prison records identified the latter – which suggests they were of even less value than the pie.
But the 27-year-old labourer was deaf and dumb and had eleven previous convictions.
Had these twin disabilities led to society discriminating against him and consequently led to John committing the crimes out of desperation?
Was the court also discriminating against John Pickavance with the hefty prison sentence?
The answers to those questions seem likely to be in the affirmative but it's hard to be certain.
It was after all a world where theft was considered more serious than knocking seven bells out of someone!
From what I can see all of John’s convictions were for stealing. Three months for stealing a coat and muffler in 1863, four years for stealing a workman's saw in 1864 and two years for stealing 31 lbs of coal in 1869 were typical offences.
It must have been a very difficult, silent world without any support.
Others sent to prison at the Assizes included Mary Dilworth (24), a St Helens housekeeper, who received a month for stealing flannel and the fabric known as winsey.
Edward Brough (26) got two months in Kirkdale Gaol for stealing a pair of silver watchcases from Peter Dixon, a coal miner from Parr Stocks Road.
Mary Boardwoman (19) described as a charwoman received three months for obtaining small amounts of cash and a few bits and bobs from two Sutton men.
George Shaw of Fisher Street had been defrauded of 1s 6d and Thomas Egan had lost a shilling.
Then there was 64-year-old shoemaker John Barrow who also received three months for stealing six pairs of boots from a man at Eccleston.
Next Week's stories will include the new St Helens Railway Station, a horse attack at the Stork Inn in Billinge, the St Helens Cricket Club athletics festival and two accidents involving horse-drawn vehicles take place.