150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (23rd - 29th September 1869)
This week's stories include the gang of burglars that had "infested" the town, the slanderous women's whispering in Parr, a Liverpool Road assault, the utterly reckless girl thief from Parr Flat, agitation by local miners, a concert in aid of the victims of the Haydock Colliery explosion and the first dedicated Baptist Chapel in St Helens.
We begin on the 23rd when the Prescot Board of Guardians met and appointed Hannah Mitchell as the new schoolmistress at Whiston Workhouse (pictured above). She replaced Miss Tinning who had been sacked after failing an exam with an inspector saying her knowledge of arithmetic had been "exceedingly deficient".
Miss Mitchell received a starting salary of £20, as well as "rations, furnished apartments and washing, in the workhouse". There was a vocational aspect to her teaching as the girls were expected to go into domestic service and so she had to instruct them in needlework and knitting, as well as the three Rs.
During her interview she was asked by a Guardian called John Laverock to state the names of the first and last books in the Bible. This Miss Mitchell appeared to consider a patronising question, as the St Helens Newspaper wrote: "Miss Mitchell smiled pityingly upon her questioner, and before she could reply such a remonstrance was raised [by the other Guardians] that Mr. Laverock subsided, and the young lady was permitted to hold the information to herself for the present."
The Newspaper wrote on the 25th: "St. Helens appeared during last week, to be infested with a gang of burglars whose depredations are of periodical occurrence in the town, and are always committed with impunity." Burglars often only stole clothes as people then had few possessions and the so-called wearing apparel being light in weight was easy to steal. It could be taken to wear or cashed in at the pawnshop.
A Grand Concert "in aid of the sufferers" of the Haydock Colliery explosion was held in the Volunteer Hall on the 25th. There were four vocalists, two pianists, a band and a "chorus of upwards of 150 performers." The proceeds went to the widows and orphans of the 60 men and boys killed in July by a gas explosion down Queen Pit.
The St Helens Newspaper said the concert had been "a musical as well as a pecuniary success" and after the payment of expenses, £107 12s 5d was raised. This they described as a "very respectable sum to make out of a concert in St. Helens – indeed it is quite unprecedented, and proves how thoroughly and generally the committee were seconded in their laudable efforts by every class of the community."
St Helens Cricket Club held their annual dinner on the same evening at the Sefton Arms. This season they had played fifteen matches and won nine, lost one and drawn five. Cricket scores then tended to be low and a player called Lydiatt was named best batter of the season and was presented with a bat. That was despite his batting average being only 12.6 runs. The club had been formed in 1838 on the day of Queen Victoria's coronation when a "grand match" was played in Duke Street. The club changed its location a couple of times before finally settling on Denton's Green.
The St Helens Petty Sessions were held on the 27th in which Catherine Evans was charged with assaulting Mary O’Reilly in Liverpool Road. The Newspaper wrote: "The quarrel was one of the usual character, trivial in its origin, and ridiculous in its nature, but studded with filthy expressions. The defendant was bound over."
The most interest aspect of this next case was the revelation that just like today teenage girls 150 years ago wanted to go out during the evening and have fun! Of course many parents would then have forbidden their daughters to be out on the dark streets without a chaperone.
The case concerned 15-year-old Sarah Sutton from Parr Flat who appeared in court charged with stealing ten shillings from her father by breaking open a box. John Sutton apologised to the court for bringing the prosecution but said his daughter was "so utterly reckless in her conduct, and fond of going out at night" that he wanted something to be done to save her from harm. The Chairman of the Bench gave Sarah a warning as to her future conduct and then let her go. If she had not stolen the money from her Dad, then Sarah would probably have been sent to prison.
Elizabeth Godfrey and Mary Finch were this week's representatives of the fighting women of Parr who were making an appearance in court. The St Helens Newspaper said their contretemps had taken place in the part of the borough that might be called "Ladies Arcadia". Miss Godfrey said her neighbour had approached her, called her foul names, slapped her cheek and then spat in her face.
Of course this had not been unprovoked, as the Newspaper explained: "There had been a regular under-current of slanderous whispering going on for some time previous to the assault, in which both women had borne a fair share." A witness called Mrs Clare stated in her evidence that Elizabeth Godfrey was an unmarried mother and caused laughter by adding that there were more mothers than married women in Parr. The magistrates decided that the warring neighbours should be allowed to settle their differences amicably, although I doubt that brought peace to Parr!
The Society for Christianising the Jews held a public meeting during the evening of the 27th in the Independent Chapel in Ormskirk Street. I wonder if the Jews had a similar organisation dedicated to converting Christians? There was a "tolerably large attendance" at this biennial event, which essentially was a plea for cash to aid in their mission of converting Jews.
In the County Court on the same day a travelling draper called Rutherford brought an action against a man called Grimley from Parr. The draper had sold some shirts to the man's stepson and not all the payments had been made. In court Mrs Grimley said her husband had given her a "sound thrashing" for getting involved and making some payments. Sadly such an admission would likely not have raised a single eyebrow in the courtroom.
Mr Moss's Academy for Dancing, Deportment, and Musical Calisthenics was advertising its classes in the pages of the St Helens Newspaper on the 28th. These took place every Monday in The Public Hall in Hardshaw Street, where the Newspaper itself was based.
The paper also reported that the Prince and Princess of Wales were expected to visit Knowsley Hall in early November for a few days shooting. Four years earlier Alexandra, the Princess of Wales, had visited the glass works at Ravenhead in St Helens. Spectators lining a carriage drive were reported as having shouted at her: "Who is a nice lass? Who is a handsome woman?" There were no reports of her shouting back!
The opening service of a new Baptist Chapel in Park Road was held on the 29th. The religion had only been introduced to St Helens in 1862 when meetings were held in a school in Laffak. In January 1863 the Baptists moved to a house in Coalpit Lane in Parr before a bequest of £600 from a former member motivated them to build a chapel of their own.
Miners on strike had volunteered to dig out the foundations before last year's Boxing Day storm partly destroyed the half-built building. The St Helens Newspaper said the new chapel that cost £2,300 was functional rather than stylish: "The building is exceedingly plain in the interior, perfectly destitute of the slightest architectural embellishment, but is roomy, substantial, and well suited for carrying with distinctness the voice of the minister."
There were two miners' meetings on the 29th to listen to the latest news on their fight for improved pay and conditions. At the beginning of 1869 a miners' trade union barely existed in St Helens but the recent disasters at Haydock, Rainford and Hindley had concentrated minds. Miners' unions – if they existed at all – were then very localised and attempts were being made to get more men into the unions and form a united association.
At the crowded meeting at the Waggon Inn in Haydock, a deputation reported that coal boss David Bromilow had said he could only increase wages if the price of coal was increased and all the other colliery proprietors would have to be in agreement. A speaker told the men that an amalgamation of all unions in Lancashire had been agreed and an "agitation" was underway for improved regulation of mines and reduced hours. The second meeting was held in the clubroom of the White Lion in Church Street.
Next week's stories will include the tollgates to Thatto Heath, Eccleston and Parr, the Rainford poacher watcher, the Prescot poker assault, the Snig Lane scrimmage and the violent wife who hit her husband over the head with a pan.
Miss Mitchell received a starting salary of £20, as well as "rations, furnished apartments and washing, in the workhouse". There was a vocational aspect to her teaching as the girls were expected to go into domestic service and so she had to instruct them in needlework and knitting, as well as the three Rs.
During her interview she was asked by a Guardian called John Laverock to state the names of the first and last books in the Bible. This Miss Mitchell appeared to consider a patronising question, as the St Helens Newspaper wrote: "Miss Mitchell smiled pityingly upon her questioner, and before she could reply such a remonstrance was raised [by the other Guardians] that Mr. Laverock subsided, and the young lady was permitted to hold the information to herself for the present."
The Newspaper wrote on the 25th: "St. Helens appeared during last week, to be infested with a gang of burglars whose depredations are of periodical occurrence in the town, and are always committed with impunity." Burglars often only stole clothes as people then had few possessions and the so-called wearing apparel being light in weight was easy to steal. It could be taken to wear or cashed in at the pawnshop.
A Grand Concert "in aid of the sufferers" of the Haydock Colliery explosion was held in the Volunteer Hall on the 25th. There were four vocalists, two pianists, a band and a "chorus of upwards of 150 performers." The proceeds went to the widows and orphans of the 60 men and boys killed in July by a gas explosion down Queen Pit.
The St Helens Newspaper said the concert had been "a musical as well as a pecuniary success" and after the payment of expenses, £107 12s 5d was raised. This they described as a "very respectable sum to make out of a concert in St. Helens – indeed it is quite unprecedented, and proves how thoroughly and generally the committee were seconded in their laudable efforts by every class of the community."
St Helens Cricket Club held their annual dinner on the same evening at the Sefton Arms. This season they had played fifteen matches and won nine, lost one and drawn five. Cricket scores then tended to be low and a player called Lydiatt was named best batter of the season and was presented with a bat. That was despite his batting average being only 12.6 runs. The club had been formed in 1838 on the day of Queen Victoria's coronation when a "grand match" was played in Duke Street. The club changed its location a couple of times before finally settling on Denton's Green.
The St Helens Petty Sessions were held on the 27th in which Catherine Evans was charged with assaulting Mary O’Reilly in Liverpool Road. The Newspaper wrote: "The quarrel was one of the usual character, trivial in its origin, and ridiculous in its nature, but studded with filthy expressions. The defendant was bound over."
The most interest aspect of this next case was the revelation that just like today teenage girls 150 years ago wanted to go out during the evening and have fun! Of course many parents would then have forbidden their daughters to be out on the dark streets without a chaperone.
The case concerned 15-year-old Sarah Sutton from Parr Flat who appeared in court charged with stealing ten shillings from her father by breaking open a box. John Sutton apologised to the court for bringing the prosecution but said his daughter was "so utterly reckless in her conduct, and fond of going out at night" that he wanted something to be done to save her from harm. The Chairman of the Bench gave Sarah a warning as to her future conduct and then let her go. If she had not stolen the money from her Dad, then Sarah would probably have been sent to prison.
Elizabeth Godfrey and Mary Finch were this week's representatives of the fighting women of Parr who were making an appearance in court. The St Helens Newspaper said their contretemps had taken place in the part of the borough that might be called "Ladies Arcadia". Miss Godfrey said her neighbour had approached her, called her foul names, slapped her cheek and then spat in her face.
Of course this had not been unprovoked, as the Newspaper explained: "There had been a regular under-current of slanderous whispering going on for some time previous to the assault, in which both women had borne a fair share." A witness called Mrs Clare stated in her evidence that Elizabeth Godfrey was an unmarried mother and caused laughter by adding that there were more mothers than married women in Parr. The magistrates decided that the warring neighbours should be allowed to settle their differences amicably, although I doubt that brought peace to Parr!
The Society for Christianising the Jews held a public meeting during the evening of the 27th in the Independent Chapel in Ormskirk Street. I wonder if the Jews had a similar organisation dedicated to converting Christians? There was a "tolerably large attendance" at this biennial event, which essentially was a plea for cash to aid in their mission of converting Jews.
In the County Court on the same day a travelling draper called Rutherford brought an action against a man called Grimley from Parr. The draper had sold some shirts to the man's stepson and not all the payments had been made. In court Mrs Grimley said her husband had given her a "sound thrashing" for getting involved and making some payments. Sadly such an admission would likely not have raised a single eyebrow in the courtroom.
The paper also reported that the Prince and Princess of Wales were expected to visit Knowsley Hall in early November for a few days shooting. Four years earlier Alexandra, the Princess of Wales, had visited the glass works at Ravenhead in St Helens. Spectators lining a carriage drive were reported as having shouted at her: "Who is a nice lass? Who is a handsome woman?" There were no reports of her shouting back!
The opening service of a new Baptist Chapel in Park Road was held on the 29th. The religion had only been introduced to St Helens in 1862 when meetings were held in a school in Laffak. In January 1863 the Baptists moved to a house in Coalpit Lane in Parr before a bequest of £600 from a former member motivated them to build a chapel of their own.
Miners on strike had volunteered to dig out the foundations before last year's Boxing Day storm partly destroyed the half-built building. The St Helens Newspaper said the new chapel that cost £2,300 was functional rather than stylish: "The building is exceedingly plain in the interior, perfectly destitute of the slightest architectural embellishment, but is roomy, substantial, and well suited for carrying with distinctness the voice of the minister."
There were two miners' meetings on the 29th to listen to the latest news on their fight for improved pay and conditions. At the beginning of 1869 a miners' trade union barely existed in St Helens but the recent disasters at Haydock, Rainford and Hindley had concentrated minds. Miners' unions – if they existed at all – were then very localised and attempts were being made to get more men into the unions and form a united association.
At the crowded meeting at the Waggon Inn in Haydock, a deputation reported that coal boss David Bromilow had said he could only increase wages if the price of coal was increased and all the other colliery proprietors would have to be in agreement. A speaker told the men that an amalgamation of all unions in Lancashire had been agreed and an "agitation" was underway for improved regulation of mines and reduced hours. The second meeting was held in the clubroom of the White Lion in Church Street.
Next week's stories will include the tollgates to Thatto Heath, Eccleston and Parr, the Rainford poacher watcher, the Prescot poker assault, the Snig Lane scrimmage and the violent wife who hit her husband over the head with a pan.