150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (6th - 12th FEBRUARY 1873)
This week's many stories include the cost of maintaining lunatics in asylums, Manders' menagerie returns to St Helens, the evil smoke blanketing the borough cemetery, the Greenbank attack on a policeman, a civic deputation complains to a railway boss about the state of St Helens Station and the Welshman who could not speak a word of English whose clothes were stolen from a Church Street beerhouse.
We begin on the 6th with what was described as an "elocutionary and musical entertainment" in the Rainford National School. The unofficial "squire of Rainford", Richard Pennington of Muncaster Hall, was in the chair with proceeds from the event going towards the school.
On the 6th a meeting of the Prescot Board of Guardians was held in the boardroom at Whiston Workhouse where the Master reported there were presently 369 inmates, including 137 children. Over the last fortnight what was known as out-relief – outdoor payments to the extreme poor in their own homes – had amounted to £200 within the St Helens division and £110 in Prescot. It was stated that the Prescot Union – the body that administered the Poor Law – had 167 lunatics on its books. Seventy of them were in the workhouse and the remainder – most of whom were considered dangerous – were in Rainhill Asylum or similar more secure institutions.
Being a patient in Rainhill was not free. If your family could afford to contribute towards their care, then they were expected to do so – and ultimately would be prosecuted if they refused to pay up. Otherwise, the Prescot Union had to step in and it was revealed that the lunatics in asylums that were their responsibility were costing them between 4s 4d and 15 shillings per week. The difference, presumably, was down to the nature of the institution that they were in.
The Wigan Observer wrote on the 7th: "A deputation from the St. Helens town council had an interview on Thursday week with Mr. Moon, chairman of the London and North-western Railway Company, at Liverpool. The object of the deputation was to lay before Mr. Moon the utter inadequacy of the St. Helens railway station for the requirements of the traffic. Mr. Moon expressed himself sensible of the necessity for improvement, and promised that due attention should be given to the matter as soon possible."
The St Helens Newspaper, in its own account of the meeting, said the Mayor had led the deputation and their three main complaints had been: 1) A "deficiency in waiting-rooms", which caused much inconvenience. 2) The platforms were not protected from the weather, although passengers had often to walk long distances to meet their trains. 3) The crossing of the main line was a "source of very considerable danger".
The St Helens Burial Board ran the Borough Cemetery and provided simple funerals for the very poor. At their monthly meeting on the 7th, their Registrar reported that there had been 46 interments in January. The gravediggers had applied for their wages to be increased from three shillings a day to 3s 4d. However, the majority of the board members felt that their pay was sufficient, although I wonder how well they would have been able to survive on around 18 shillings a week!
The Registrar also described how a couple of days earlier, smoke from the town had swept over the cemetery. The fumes had done "inconceivable injury to the vegetation" and the leaves had been made to look as if they had all been "carefully black-leaded". The Chairman of the Burial Board said he had previously spoken to Mr Fletcher, the government inspector of alkali works, who reported that he was paying much attention to "the source of evil". However, he said he did not expect that any care could prevent the vegetation being ruined at St Helens. The meeting decided to report the matter to the inspector.
'Manders Grand National Star Menagerie' returned to St Helens on the 8th for a 2-day show. Last year the St Helens Newspaper published this article about a performance in Bolton: "LION TAMER WORRIED TO DEATH. – Thomas Maccarte, a “tamer” attached to Manders' menagerie, was going through the usual performance with lions at Bolton, on Wednesday night, when the beasts became infuriated, and killed the unfortunate man.
"At the inquest, which was held on Thursday, the jury faithfully reflected public opinion by appending to their verdict an expression of “entire disapprobation of the reckless custom of so-called lion tamers performing in dens where ferocious animals are caged up.”" However, the death had not stopped Manders from using fierce beasts in their show. This is part of the advert that was published in the Newspaper promoting Manders' 1873 performances in St Helens:
"The world renowned Zoological Collection – the largest and most extensive ever organised, and without doubt the Finest and Most Complete Travelling Collection in the World, will be on Exhibition for Two Days Only. It now appears before the St. Helens Public with Novelties that have never been seen before in this town, and it is hoped the enterprise and capital invested will meet with the patronage of the People of St. Helens. Go and see the:-
"African Lion That Killed; The Lion King; Baby Lion; Bloodthirsty Clouded Tigers; African Gorillas; Huge Crocodile; Flying Foxes; Herd of Zebras. With upwards of 1,000 specimens of the animal world. Equals all the travelling collections added together. Admission one shilling; children, half-price. Working classes after six, sixpence." No venue was stated in the advert but the so-called fairground off Salisbury Street would very likely have been used to host the menagerie.
The St Helens Newspaper also reported on the 8th that the priest's house at Holy Cross Church (pictured above) had recently been on fire. But when the fire brigade arrived it was discovered that their hose did not fit the water main. The incident had been mentioned at a recent council meeting but the Mayor ruled it out of order. Cllr. Johnson who raised the issue said it was an important matter that needed consideration as all the property in the street might have been destroyed.
This week's court cases covered by the Newspaper included the prosecution of John Casey for assaulting PC Harrison by kicking him in the ribs. The constable said he had been called to a beerhouse in Greenbank – the mainly Irish district around Liverpool Road. A fight was taking place inside but Casey had violently tried to stop the officer from entering. The man at first said he had only remonstrated with PC Harrison and told him to go away.
But once another officer had corroborated the constable's account, Casey changed his story and claimed he had only been defending himself after PC Harrison had attacked him. Supt. James Ludlam was in charge of the St Helens force and told the Bench that the custom in Greenbank was to assault any policeman that tried to make an arrest. After hearing that comment, the magistrates decided a deterrent sentence was needed and sent Casey to prison for a month.
Many neighbours had communal facilities that could be a recipe for squabbles. In Ellen Marsh and Bess Welding's case, their row had centred on a nail in a yard on which they hung their clothes on wash days. Mrs Welding stated that Mrs Marsh had used very defamatory and threatening language to her – which the latter denied. Mrs Marsh also claimed that the nail belonged to her and she had hammered it into the wall prior to Mrs Welding living in the neighbourhood. The Bench decided that the silly squabble would best be resolved by making Ellen Marsh find sureties to keep the peace for a month.
Many Welsh speakers in St Helens spoke poor English. However, Owen Jones could not speak a word of English, which can't have made life easy for him. In court an interpreter was provided to tell the magistrates that Mr Jones' bundle of clothing had been stolen from a beerhouse in Church Street in St Helens. Peter Mercer was accused of being the guilty party and despite being chased had managed to elude his pursuers. However, he was subsequently arrested in Parr Flat and as clothes stealing was a serious crime, Mercer was sent for trial at the next Assizes.
And finally, the Annual Charity Catholic Ball took place on the 12th in the Volunteer Hall in St Helens with music, as usual, provided by a quadrille band. The Newspaper said the "festive event of the season" had been a great success.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the attempted rape in Sutton, the Fleet Lane fight over a debt, a child dies while coal stealing in Gerards Bridge, the little girls' burglary in Eccleston and the wearing apparel thefts in Park Road.
We begin on the 6th with what was described as an "elocutionary and musical entertainment" in the Rainford National School. The unofficial "squire of Rainford", Richard Pennington of Muncaster Hall, was in the chair with proceeds from the event going towards the school.
On the 6th a meeting of the Prescot Board of Guardians was held in the boardroom at Whiston Workhouse where the Master reported there were presently 369 inmates, including 137 children. Over the last fortnight what was known as out-relief – outdoor payments to the extreme poor in their own homes – had amounted to £200 within the St Helens division and £110 in Prescot. It was stated that the Prescot Union – the body that administered the Poor Law – had 167 lunatics on its books. Seventy of them were in the workhouse and the remainder – most of whom were considered dangerous – were in Rainhill Asylum or similar more secure institutions.
Being a patient in Rainhill was not free. If your family could afford to contribute towards their care, then they were expected to do so – and ultimately would be prosecuted if they refused to pay up. Otherwise, the Prescot Union had to step in and it was revealed that the lunatics in asylums that were their responsibility were costing them between 4s 4d and 15 shillings per week. The difference, presumably, was down to the nature of the institution that they were in.
The Wigan Observer wrote on the 7th: "A deputation from the St. Helens town council had an interview on Thursday week with Mr. Moon, chairman of the London and North-western Railway Company, at Liverpool. The object of the deputation was to lay before Mr. Moon the utter inadequacy of the St. Helens railway station for the requirements of the traffic. Mr. Moon expressed himself sensible of the necessity for improvement, and promised that due attention should be given to the matter as soon possible."
The St Helens Newspaper, in its own account of the meeting, said the Mayor had led the deputation and their three main complaints had been: 1) A "deficiency in waiting-rooms", which caused much inconvenience. 2) The platforms were not protected from the weather, although passengers had often to walk long distances to meet their trains. 3) The crossing of the main line was a "source of very considerable danger".
The St Helens Burial Board ran the Borough Cemetery and provided simple funerals for the very poor. At their monthly meeting on the 7th, their Registrar reported that there had been 46 interments in January. The gravediggers had applied for their wages to be increased from three shillings a day to 3s 4d. However, the majority of the board members felt that their pay was sufficient, although I wonder how well they would have been able to survive on around 18 shillings a week!
The Registrar also described how a couple of days earlier, smoke from the town had swept over the cemetery. The fumes had done "inconceivable injury to the vegetation" and the leaves had been made to look as if they had all been "carefully black-leaded". The Chairman of the Burial Board said he had previously spoken to Mr Fletcher, the government inspector of alkali works, who reported that he was paying much attention to "the source of evil". However, he said he did not expect that any care could prevent the vegetation being ruined at St Helens. The meeting decided to report the matter to the inspector.
'Manders Grand National Star Menagerie' returned to St Helens on the 8th for a 2-day show. Last year the St Helens Newspaper published this article about a performance in Bolton: "LION TAMER WORRIED TO DEATH. – Thomas Maccarte, a “tamer” attached to Manders' menagerie, was going through the usual performance with lions at Bolton, on Wednesday night, when the beasts became infuriated, and killed the unfortunate man.
"At the inquest, which was held on Thursday, the jury faithfully reflected public opinion by appending to their verdict an expression of “entire disapprobation of the reckless custom of so-called lion tamers performing in dens where ferocious animals are caged up.”" However, the death had not stopped Manders from using fierce beasts in their show. This is part of the advert that was published in the Newspaper promoting Manders' 1873 performances in St Helens:
"The world renowned Zoological Collection – the largest and most extensive ever organised, and without doubt the Finest and Most Complete Travelling Collection in the World, will be on Exhibition for Two Days Only. It now appears before the St. Helens Public with Novelties that have never been seen before in this town, and it is hoped the enterprise and capital invested will meet with the patronage of the People of St. Helens. Go and see the:-
"African Lion That Killed; The Lion King; Baby Lion; Bloodthirsty Clouded Tigers; African Gorillas; Huge Crocodile; Flying Foxes; Herd of Zebras. With upwards of 1,000 specimens of the animal world. Equals all the travelling collections added together. Admission one shilling; children, half-price. Working classes after six, sixpence." No venue was stated in the advert but the so-called fairground off Salisbury Street would very likely have been used to host the menagerie.
This week's court cases covered by the Newspaper included the prosecution of John Casey for assaulting PC Harrison by kicking him in the ribs. The constable said he had been called to a beerhouse in Greenbank – the mainly Irish district around Liverpool Road. A fight was taking place inside but Casey had violently tried to stop the officer from entering. The man at first said he had only remonstrated with PC Harrison and told him to go away.
But once another officer had corroborated the constable's account, Casey changed his story and claimed he had only been defending himself after PC Harrison had attacked him. Supt. James Ludlam was in charge of the St Helens force and told the Bench that the custom in Greenbank was to assault any policeman that tried to make an arrest. After hearing that comment, the magistrates decided a deterrent sentence was needed and sent Casey to prison for a month.
Many neighbours had communal facilities that could be a recipe for squabbles. In Ellen Marsh and Bess Welding's case, their row had centred on a nail in a yard on which they hung their clothes on wash days. Mrs Welding stated that Mrs Marsh had used very defamatory and threatening language to her – which the latter denied. Mrs Marsh also claimed that the nail belonged to her and she had hammered it into the wall prior to Mrs Welding living in the neighbourhood. The Bench decided that the silly squabble would best be resolved by making Ellen Marsh find sureties to keep the peace for a month.
Many Welsh speakers in St Helens spoke poor English. However, Owen Jones could not speak a word of English, which can't have made life easy for him. In court an interpreter was provided to tell the magistrates that Mr Jones' bundle of clothing had been stolen from a beerhouse in Church Street in St Helens. Peter Mercer was accused of being the guilty party and despite being chased had managed to elude his pursuers. However, he was subsequently arrested in Parr Flat and as clothes stealing was a serious crime, Mercer was sent for trial at the next Assizes.
And finally, the Annual Charity Catholic Ball took place on the 12th in the Volunteer Hall in St Helens with music, as usual, provided by a quadrille band. The Newspaper said the "festive event of the season" had been a great success.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the attempted rape in Sutton, the Fleet Lane fight over a debt, a child dies while coal stealing in Gerards Bridge, the little girls' burglary in Eccleston and the wearing apparel thefts in Park Road.
This week's many stories include the cost of maintaining lunatics in asylums, Manders' menagerie returns to St Helens, the evil smoke blanketing the borough cemetery, the Greenbank attack on a policeman, a civic deputation complains to a railway boss about the state of St Helens Station and the Welshman who could not speak a word of English whose clothes were stolen from a Church Street beerhouse.
We begin on the 6th with what was described as an "elocutionary and musical entertainment" in the Rainford National School.
The unofficial "squire of Rainford", Richard Pennington of Muncaster Hall, was in the chair with proceeds from the event going towards the school.
On the 6th a meeting of the Prescot Board of Guardians was held in the boardroom at Whiston Workhouse where the Master reported there were presently 369 inmates, including 137 children.
Over the last fortnight what was known as out-relief – outdoor payments to the extreme poor in their own homes – had amounted to £200 within the St Helens division and £110 in Prescot.
It was stated that the Prescot Union – the body that administered the Poor Law – had 167 lunatics on its books.
Seventy of them were in the workhouse and the remainder – most of whom were considered dangerous – were in Rainhill Asylum or similar more secure institutions.
Being a patient in Rainhill was not free. If your family could afford to contribute towards their care, then they were expected to do so – and ultimately would be prosecuted if they refused to pay up.
Otherwise, the Prescot Union had to step in and it was revealed that the lunatics in asylums that were their responsibility were costing them between 4s 4d and 15 shillings per week.
The difference, presumably, was down to the nature of the institution that they were in.
The Wigan Observer wrote on the 7th: "A deputation from the St. Helens town council had an interview on Thursday week with Mr. Moon, chairman of the London and North-western Railway Company, at Liverpool.
"The object of the deputation was to lay before Mr. Moon the utter inadequacy of the St. Helens railway station for the requirements of the traffic.
"Mr. Moon expressed himself sensible of the necessity for improvement, and promised that due attention should be given to the matter as soon possible."
The St Helens Newspaper, in its own account of the meeting, said the Mayor had led the deputation and their three main complaints had been:
1) A "deficiency in waiting-rooms", which caused much inconvenience.
2) The platforms were not protected from the weather, although passengers had often to walk long distances to meet their trains.
3) The crossing of the main line was a "source of very considerable danger".
The St Helens Burial Board ran the Borough Cemetery and provided simple funerals for the very poor.
At their monthly meeting on the 7th, their Registrar reported that there had been 46 interments in January.
The gravediggers had applied for their wages to be increased from three shillings a day to 3s 4d.
However, the majority of the board members felt that their pay was sufficient, although I wonder how well they would have been able to survive on around 18 shillings a week!
The Registrar also described how a couple of days earlier, smoke from the town had swept over the cemetery.
The fumes had done "inconceivable injury to the vegetation" and the leaves had been made to look as if they had all been "carefully black-leaded".
The Chairman of the Burial Board said he had previously spoken to Mr Fletcher, the government inspector of alkali works, who reported that he was paying much attention to "the source of evil".
However, he said he did not expect that any care could prevent the vegetation being ruined at St Helens. The meeting decided to report the matter to the inspector.
'Manders Grand National Star Menagerie' returned to St Helens on the 8th for a 2-day show. Last year the St Helens Newspaper published this article about a performance in Bolton:
"LION TAMER WORRIED TO DEATH. – Thomas Maccarte, a “tamer” attached to Manders' menagerie, was going through the usual performance with lions at Bolton, on Wednesday night, when the beasts became infuriated, and killed the unfortunate man.
"At the inquest, which was held on Thursday, the jury faithfully reflected public opinion by appending to their verdict an expression of “entire disapprobation of the reckless custom of so-called lion tamers performing in dens where ferocious animals are caged up.”"
However, the death had not stopped Manders from using fierce beasts in their show. This is part of the advert that was published in the Newspaper promoting Manders' 1873 performances in St Helens:
"The world renowned Zoological Collection – the largest and most extensive ever organised, and without doubt the Finest and Most Complete Travelling Collection in the World, will be on Exhibition for Two Days Only.
"It now appears before the St. Helens Public with Novelties that have never been seen before in this town, and it is hoped the enterprise and capital invested will meet with the patronage of the People of St. Helens. Go and see the:-
"African Lion That Killed; The Lion King; Baby Lion; Bloodthirsty Clouded Tigers; African Gorillas; Huge Crocodile; Flying Foxes; Herd of Zebras. With upwards of 1,000 specimens of the animal world. Equals all the travelling collections added together. Admission one shilling; children, half-price. Working classes after six, sixpence."
No venue was stated in the advert but the so-called fairground off Salisbury Street would very likely have been used to host the menagerie.
The St Helens Newspaper also reported on the 8th that the priest's house at Holy Cross Church (pictured above) had recently been on fire.
But when the fire brigade arrived it was discovered that their hose did not fit the water main.
The incident had been mentioned at a recent council meeting but the Mayor ruled it out of order.
Cllr. Johnson who raised the issue said it was an important matter that needed consideration as all the property in the street might have been destroyed.
This week's court cases covered by the Newspaper included the prosecution of John Casey for assaulting PC Harrison by kicking him in the ribs.
The constable said he had been called to a beerhouse in Greenbank – the mainly Irish district around Liverpool Road. A fight was taking place inside but Casey had violently tried to stop the officer from entering.
The man at first said he had only remonstrated with PC Harrison and told him to go away.
But once another officer had corroborated the constable's account, Casey changed his story and claimed he had only been defending himself after PC Harrison had attacked him.
Supt. James Ludlam was in charge of the St Helens force and told the Bench that the custom in Greenbank was to assault any policeman that tried to make an arrest.
After hearing that comment, the magistrates decided a deterrent sentence was needed and sent Casey to prison for a month.
Many neighbours had communal facilities that could be a recipe for squabbles. In Ellen Marsh and Bess Welding's case, their row had centred on a nail in a yard on which they hung their clothes on wash days.
Mrs Welding stated that Mrs Marsh had used very defamatory and threatening language to her – which the latter denied.
Mrs Marsh also claimed that the nail belonged to her and she had hammered it into the wall prior to Mrs Welding living in the neighbourhood.
The Bench decided that the silly squabble would best be resolved by making Ellen Marsh find sureties to keep the peace for a month.
Many Welsh speakers in St Helens spoke poor English. However, Owen Jones could not speak a word of English, which can't have made life easy for him.
In court an interpreter was provided to tell the magistrates that Mr Jones' bundle of clothing had been stolen from a beerhouse in Church Street in St Helens.
Peter Mercer was accused of being the guilty party and despite being chased had managed to elude his pursuers.
However, he was subsequently arrested in Parr Flat and as clothes stealing was a serious crime, Mercer was sent for trial at the next Assizes.
And finally, the Annual Charity Catholic Ball took place on the 12th in the Volunteer Hall in St Helens with music, as usual, provided by a quadrille band.
The Newspaper said the "festive event of the season" had been a great success.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the attempted rape in Sutton, the Fleet Lane fight over a debt, a child dies while coal stealing in Gerards Bridge, the little girls' burglary in Eccleston and the wearing apparel thefts in Park Road.
We begin on the 6th with what was described as an "elocutionary and musical entertainment" in the Rainford National School.
The unofficial "squire of Rainford", Richard Pennington of Muncaster Hall, was in the chair with proceeds from the event going towards the school.
On the 6th a meeting of the Prescot Board of Guardians was held in the boardroom at Whiston Workhouse where the Master reported there were presently 369 inmates, including 137 children.
Over the last fortnight what was known as out-relief – outdoor payments to the extreme poor in their own homes – had amounted to £200 within the St Helens division and £110 in Prescot.
It was stated that the Prescot Union – the body that administered the Poor Law – had 167 lunatics on its books.
Seventy of them were in the workhouse and the remainder – most of whom were considered dangerous – were in Rainhill Asylum or similar more secure institutions.
Being a patient in Rainhill was not free. If your family could afford to contribute towards their care, then they were expected to do so – and ultimately would be prosecuted if they refused to pay up.
Otherwise, the Prescot Union had to step in and it was revealed that the lunatics in asylums that were their responsibility were costing them between 4s 4d and 15 shillings per week.
The difference, presumably, was down to the nature of the institution that they were in.
The Wigan Observer wrote on the 7th: "A deputation from the St. Helens town council had an interview on Thursday week with Mr. Moon, chairman of the London and North-western Railway Company, at Liverpool.
"The object of the deputation was to lay before Mr. Moon the utter inadequacy of the St. Helens railway station for the requirements of the traffic.
"Mr. Moon expressed himself sensible of the necessity for improvement, and promised that due attention should be given to the matter as soon possible."
The St Helens Newspaper, in its own account of the meeting, said the Mayor had led the deputation and their three main complaints had been:
1) A "deficiency in waiting-rooms", which caused much inconvenience.
2) The platforms were not protected from the weather, although passengers had often to walk long distances to meet their trains.
3) The crossing of the main line was a "source of very considerable danger".
The St Helens Burial Board ran the Borough Cemetery and provided simple funerals for the very poor.
At their monthly meeting on the 7th, their Registrar reported that there had been 46 interments in January.
The gravediggers had applied for their wages to be increased from three shillings a day to 3s 4d.
However, the majority of the board members felt that their pay was sufficient, although I wonder how well they would have been able to survive on around 18 shillings a week!
The Registrar also described how a couple of days earlier, smoke from the town had swept over the cemetery.
The fumes had done "inconceivable injury to the vegetation" and the leaves had been made to look as if they had all been "carefully black-leaded".
The Chairman of the Burial Board said he had previously spoken to Mr Fletcher, the government inspector of alkali works, who reported that he was paying much attention to "the source of evil".
However, he said he did not expect that any care could prevent the vegetation being ruined at St Helens. The meeting decided to report the matter to the inspector.
'Manders Grand National Star Menagerie' returned to St Helens on the 8th for a 2-day show. Last year the St Helens Newspaper published this article about a performance in Bolton:
"LION TAMER WORRIED TO DEATH. – Thomas Maccarte, a “tamer” attached to Manders' menagerie, was going through the usual performance with lions at Bolton, on Wednesday night, when the beasts became infuriated, and killed the unfortunate man.
"At the inquest, which was held on Thursday, the jury faithfully reflected public opinion by appending to their verdict an expression of “entire disapprobation of the reckless custom of so-called lion tamers performing in dens where ferocious animals are caged up.”"
However, the death had not stopped Manders from using fierce beasts in their show. This is part of the advert that was published in the Newspaper promoting Manders' 1873 performances in St Helens:
"The world renowned Zoological Collection – the largest and most extensive ever organised, and without doubt the Finest and Most Complete Travelling Collection in the World, will be on Exhibition for Two Days Only.
"It now appears before the St. Helens Public with Novelties that have never been seen before in this town, and it is hoped the enterprise and capital invested will meet with the patronage of the People of St. Helens. Go and see the:-
"African Lion That Killed; The Lion King; Baby Lion; Bloodthirsty Clouded Tigers; African Gorillas; Huge Crocodile; Flying Foxes; Herd of Zebras. With upwards of 1,000 specimens of the animal world. Equals all the travelling collections added together. Admission one shilling; children, half-price. Working classes after six, sixpence."
No venue was stated in the advert but the so-called fairground off Salisbury Street would very likely have been used to host the menagerie.
But when the fire brigade arrived it was discovered that their hose did not fit the water main.
The incident had been mentioned at a recent council meeting but the Mayor ruled it out of order.
Cllr. Johnson who raised the issue said it was an important matter that needed consideration as all the property in the street might have been destroyed.
This week's court cases covered by the Newspaper included the prosecution of John Casey for assaulting PC Harrison by kicking him in the ribs.
The constable said he had been called to a beerhouse in Greenbank – the mainly Irish district around Liverpool Road. A fight was taking place inside but Casey had violently tried to stop the officer from entering.
The man at first said he had only remonstrated with PC Harrison and told him to go away.
But once another officer had corroborated the constable's account, Casey changed his story and claimed he had only been defending himself after PC Harrison had attacked him.
Supt. James Ludlam was in charge of the St Helens force and told the Bench that the custom in Greenbank was to assault any policeman that tried to make an arrest.
After hearing that comment, the magistrates decided a deterrent sentence was needed and sent Casey to prison for a month.
Many neighbours had communal facilities that could be a recipe for squabbles. In Ellen Marsh and Bess Welding's case, their row had centred on a nail in a yard on which they hung their clothes on wash days.
Mrs Welding stated that Mrs Marsh had used very defamatory and threatening language to her – which the latter denied.
Mrs Marsh also claimed that the nail belonged to her and she had hammered it into the wall prior to Mrs Welding living in the neighbourhood.
The Bench decided that the silly squabble would best be resolved by making Ellen Marsh find sureties to keep the peace for a month.
Many Welsh speakers in St Helens spoke poor English. However, Owen Jones could not speak a word of English, which can't have made life easy for him.
In court an interpreter was provided to tell the magistrates that Mr Jones' bundle of clothing had been stolen from a beerhouse in Church Street in St Helens.
Peter Mercer was accused of being the guilty party and despite being chased had managed to elude his pursuers.
However, he was subsequently arrested in Parr Flat and as clothes stealing was a serious crime, Mercer was sent for trial at the next Assizes.
And finally, the Annual Charity Catholic Ball took place on the 12th in the Volunteer Hall in St Helens with music, as usual, provided by a quadrille band.
The Newspaper said the "festive event of the season" had been a great success.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the attempted rape in Sutton, the Fleet Lane fight over a debt, a child dies while coal stealing in Gerards Bridge, the little girls' burglary in Eccleston and the wearing apparel thefts in Park Road.