150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (1st - 7th FEBRUARY 1871)
This week's stories include the great fire of Church Street, the troublesome beggars in St Helens, the Peasley Cross grocer who was warned about giving credit to women and the bookhawker who learnt a harsh lesson in Barrow Street.
What was described as the "great fire" of Church Street took place on the 2nd when the clubroom at the rear of the White Lion went up in flames. The pub was on the corner of Hall Street and the clubroom had been built to accommodate various clubs and societies and measured 56 feet long. The ground floor was used as a kitchen with the actual meeting room situated on the first floor.
The fire was believed to have begun accidentally in the kitchen and was spotted at 4:30am by a Greenall's brewery worker. The alarm was raised and the news conveyed to the police station at the Town Hall and the fire bell was rung. That caused a sufficient number of men to assemble and they soon arrived at the scene of the blaze.
However by then the fire was raging and so it was decided to concentrate their efforts in preventing its spread to the main rooms of the building. This was successfully done and the fire was extinguished at 7am, although up to £600 worth of damage had occurred.
A fortnight ago I mentioned how John Ansdell had bought the old workhouse in Baldwin Street for £1,040. The wealthy solicitor and property owner lived in the palatial Cowley House – or the Mansion House, as we know it – in what would become Victoria Park. Ansdell was also the Registrar to St Helens County Court and on the 4th the Newspaper described how he had recently adjudicated on a claim over a woman's unpaid debt.
Men were responsible in law for the debts of their spouses but traders were expected to obtain consent from the husband prior to granting credit to their wife. This is the complete story under the heading "Caution To Tradesmen":
"JAMES SHEPPARD v. JAMES CLARKE. – The action was brought against the defendant by the plaintiff, who is a grocer at Peasley Cross, to recover £4 19s. ½d. for goods sold and delivered. The plaintiff said he supplied the defendant's wife with the goods. The Registrar – Does her husband know anything about it? Plaintiff – Yes, I believe he does. The Registrar – Did you see him about it? Plaintiff – No.
"The Registrar – You have no right to trust a man's wife, and give them the unlimited credit which you appear to. Plaintiff – I saw the husband about the account. The Registrar – Well, he may know nothing about the summons. Have you your books here? The plaintiff produced his book, and the Registrar, after examining it, said there were entries in it for money lent. Plaintiff – Yes; I lent it to her.
"The Registrar – You should not do so. You cannot recover money lent to a wife without her husband's knowledge. Plaintiff – Her husband knows all about it. The Registrar – In future, I recommend you acquaint the husband when the wife contracts a debt. An order was made for payment of the debt."
Another case of a similar nature was heard in the County Court in which a man called Towlet sought to recover £3 5 shillings from a Mr J. Grayson. This appeared to be a 46-year-old coal miner from Barrow Street, whose full name was Jacob Grayson. It was what was known as a bookhawking case in which a salesman had turned up at Mrs Grayson's door and sold her a Bible.
It must have been one of those large, family-type versions as it cost £3 5 shillings – a fortnight's wages, at least, for a miner. That seems to have been the problem, as the woman had supposedly got her husband to sign the order for the bible while he was sick in bed.
In actual fact she forged his signature and was handed the tome by the salesman but when the invoice arrived the miner "repudiated" the debt. That was the term that was used in court but probably wasn't what the miner said to his wife when he saw the bill! A deputy judge called J. Gilmore had taken over from John Ansdell as the adjudicator in the court and this is what he told the bookhawker:
"You must be a little more cautious. A woman in the position of the defendant's wife is not able to purchase a bible for £3 5s. The sale should be made to a responsible party, and you should take this as your guidance in future – have the order from the husband. The claim has not been established, and therefore a non-suit must be entered."
In other words the claim was dismissed because the woman's husband had not agreed to the sale. At least the couple got a free Bible out of it and the bookhawker learnt a hard lesson.
In the St Helens Police Court on the 4th Thomas Leigh was charged with absconding from the workhouse at Preston and stealing wearing apparel. The clothing had been what the man had been given to wear, with his own clothes taken off him upon his arrival at the workhouse. What was he supposed to do on the outside, run around naked?
Leigh had been arrested in St Helens after a month on the run. It really was a crime to be poor and the man was returned to Preston to be dealt with by their courts and possibly sent to prison. Runaway paupers from Whiston Workhouse were also punished in the same way.
On the 6th in St Helens Petty Sessions, George Hill was charged with begging in Park Road. "Have you much trouble with beggars, Mr Ludlam?", enquired F. W. Earle, the Chairman of the Bench. The head of St Helens police replied: "Yes, sir; we have had a great many complaints about them." Not that Frederick Earle would know anything about destitution. He lived in a big house in Roby and in the 1871 census had six servants.
George Hill was sent to prison for three weeks. So was Thomas Moran who had been going from house to house in Church Street and upon being arrested was found to have 2s 2d and some bread on him.
However the magistrates did show some rare understanding to "burly looking navvy" John Byrne. He had been seen going from house to house begging in Liverpool Road. Byrne told the Bench that he had come to St Helens from London by road in order to find work. He was completely destitute when he arrived and with the night being very wet he said he had tried to get some cash to pay for a night's lodgings, adding:
"But if your worships would look over the offence I will get work or leave the town". That worked a treat with Frederick Earle and his fellow magistrate and the man was discharged. A lot depended on who happened to be sitting on the Bench. Recently the St Helens Newspaper described a quite similar "pitiable tale" of a man arriving in the town from Halifax looking for work but the beggar still got 7 days.
The Theatre Royal was then situated at the corner of Milk Street and Waterloo Street, in the premises until recently known as the Citadel. I rarely mention it in these articles because the theatre did not normally advertise its shows in the newspapers – no doubt preferring to promote its artists by posters and handbills. However the music hall gets a mention this week because John Rock and John Mulvaney had been having a punch-up in the theatre's gallery and the police had been called to remove them. Only one man turned up in court and was bound over to keep the peace and a summons for the arrest of the other was issued.
This advert for Old Moore's Almanack was published in the St Helens Newspaper on the 7th: "One Halfpenny Each At Dromgoole's, Public Hall. – Beware of Hawkers who, at this season of the year, tramp around the country, offering Old Moore's and other Almanacks charging a penny each for them. Beware! for many of these hawkers are but thieves, or the associates of thieves, and make an excuse of hawking for other and ulterior objects. Why don't the police apprehend such hawkers, who have no licence?"
Dromgoole's Public Hall was a multi-purpose building in Hardshaw Street. It was owned by Bernard Dromgoole and served as a shop, a hall that could be hired for events and it was where the St Helens Newspaper was produced.
The annual tea party and ball in aid of St Joseph's RC schools in Peasley Cross was held on the 7th in the Volunteer Hall, where most large events were held. It was quite normal for dancing to go on until the small hours at these events and the St Joseph's ball did not finish until 3am.
Next week's stories will include the stiff sentences for the larking boys of Peasley Cross, the man called Judas drunk in Bridge Street, the Marshalls Cross maintenance case and the Water Street beerhouse keeper who said he was unconscious of cheating his customers.
What was described as the "great fire" of Church Street took place on the 2nd when the clubroom at the rear of the White Lion went up in flames. The pub was on the corner of Hall Street and the clubroom had been built to accommodate various clubs and societies and measured 56 feet long. The ground floor was used as a kitchen with the actual meeting room situated on the first floor.
The fire was believed to have begun accidentally in the kitchen and was spotted at 4:30am by a Greenall's brewery worker. The alarm was raised and the news conveyed to the police station at the Town Hall and the fire bell was rung. That caused a sufficient number of men to assemble and they soon arrived at the scene of the blaze.
However by then the fire was raging and so it was decided to concentrate their efforts in preventing its spread to the main rooms of the building. This was successfully done and the fire was extinguished at 7am, although up to £600 worth of damage had occurred.
A fortnight ago I mentioned how John Ansdell had bought the old workhouse in Baldwin Street for £1,040. The wealthy solicitor and property owner lived in the palatial Cowley House – or the Mansion House, as we know it – in what would become Victoria Park. Ansdell was also the Registrar to St Helens County Court and on the 4th the Newspaper described how he had recently adjudicated on a claim over a woman's unpaid debt.
Men were responsible in law for the debts of their spouses but traders were expected to obtain consent from the husband prior to granting credit to their wife. This is the complete story under the heading "Caution To Tradesmen":
"JAMES SHEPPARD v. JAMES CLARKE. – The action was brought against the defendant by the plaintiff, who is a grocer at Peasley Cross, to recover £4 19s. ½d. for goods sold and delivered. The plaintiff said he supplied the defendant's wife with the goods. The Registrar – Does her husband know anything about it? Plaintiff – Yes, I believe he does. The Registrar – Did you see him about it? Plaintiff – No.
"The Registrar – You have no right to trust a man's wife, and give them the unlimited credit which you appear to. Plaintiff – I saw the husband about the account. The Registrar – Well, he may know nothing about the summons. Have you your books here? The plaintiff produced his book, and the Registrar, after examining it, said there were entries in it for money lent. Plaintiff – Yes; I lent it to her.
"The Registrar – You should not do so. You cannot recover money lent to a wife without her husband's knowledge. Plaintiff – Her husband knows all about it. The Registrar – In future, I recommend you acquaint the husband when the wife contracts a debt. An order was made for payment of the debt."
Another case of a similar nature was heard in the County Court in which a man called Towlet sought to recover £3 5 shillings from a Mr J. Grayson. This appeared to be a 46-year-old coal miner from Barrow Street, whose full name was Jacob Grayson. It was what was known as a bookhawking case in which a salesman had turned up at Mrs Grayson's door and sold her a Bible.
It must have been one of those large, family-type versions as it cost £3 5 shillings – a fortnight's wages, at least, for a miner. That seems to have been the problem, as the woman had supposedly got her husband to sign the order for the bible while he was sick in bed.
In actual fact she forged his signature and was handed the tome by the salesman but when the invoice arrived the miner "repudiated" the debt. That was the term that was used in court but probably wasn't what the miner said to his wife when he saw the bill! A deputy judge called J. Gilmore had taken over from John Ansdell as the adjudicator in the court and this is what he told the bookhawker:
"You must be a little more cautious. A woman in the position of the defendant's wife is not able to purchase a bible for £3 5s. The sale should be made to a responsible party, and you should take this as your guidance in future – have the order from the husband. The claim has not been established, and therefore a non-suit must be entered."
In other words the claim was dismissed because the woman's husband had not agreed to the sale. At least the couple got a free Bible out of it and the bookhawker learnt a hard lesson.
In the St Helens Police Court on the 4th Thomas Leigh was charged with absconding from the workhouse at Preston and stealing wearing apparel. The clothing had been what the man had been given to wear, with his own clothes taken off him upon his arrival at the workhouse. What was he supposed to do on the outside, run around naked?
Leigh had been arrested in St Helens after a month on the run. It really was a crime to be poor and the man was returned to Preston to be dealt with by their courts and possibly sent to prison. Runaway paupers from Whiston Workhouse were also punished in the same way.
On the 6th in St Helens Petty Sessions, George Hill was charged with begging in Park Road. "Have you much trouble with beggars, Mr Ludlam?", enquired F. W. Earle, the Chairman of the Bench. The head of St Helens police replied: "Yes, sir; we have had a great many complaints about them." Not that Frederick Earle would know anything about destitution. He lived in a big house in Roby and in the 1871 census had six servants.
George Hill was sent to prison for three weeks. So was Thomas Moran who had been going from house to house in Church Street and upon being arrested was found to have 2s 2d and some bread on him.
However the magistrates did show some rare understanding to "burly looking navvy" John Byrne. He had been seen going from house to house begging in Liverpool Road. Byrne told the Bench that he had come to St Helens from London by road in order to find work. He was completely destitute when he arrived and with the night being very wet he said he had tried to get some cash to pay for a night's lodgings, adding:
"But if your worships would look over the offence I will get work or leave the town". That worked a treat with Frederick Earle and his fellow magistrate and the man was discharged. A lot depended on who happened to be sitting on the Bench. Recently the St Helens Newspaper described a quite similar "pitiable tale" of a man arriving in the town from Halifax looking for work but the beggar still got 7 days.
This advert for Old Moore's Almanack was published in the St Helens Newspaper on the 7th: "One Halfpenny Each At Dromgoole's, Public Hall. – Beware of Hawkers who, at this season of the year, tramp around the country, offering Old Moore's and other Almanacks charging a penny each for them. Beware! for many of these hawkers are but thieves, or the associates of thieves, and make an excuse of hawking for other and ulterior objects. Why don't the police apprehend such hawkers, who have no licence?"
Dromgoole's Public Hall was a multi-purpose building in Hardshaw Street. It was owned by Bernard Dromgoole and served as a shop, a hall that could be hired for events and it was where the St Helens Newspaper was produced.
The annual tea party and ball in aid of St Joseph's RC schools in Peasley Cross was held on the 7th in the Volunteer Hall, where most large events were held. It was quite normal for dancing to go on until the small hours at these events and the St Joseph's ball did not finish until 3am.
Next week's stories will include the stiff sentences for the larking boys of Peasley Cross, the man called Judas drunk in Bridge Street, the Marshalls Cross maintenance case and the Water Street beerhouse keeper who said he was unconscious of cheating his customers.
This week's stories include the great fire of Church Street, the beggars in St Helens, the Peasley Cross grocer who was warned about giving credit to women and the bookhawker who learnt a harsh lesson in Barrow Street.
What was described as the "great fire" of Church Street took place on the 2nd when the clubroom at the rear of the White Lion went up in flames.
The pub was on the corner of Hall Street and the clubroom had been built to accommodate various clubs and societies and measured 56 feet long.
The ground floor was used as a kitchen with the actual meeting room situated on the first floor.
The fire was believed to have begun accidentally in the kitchen and was spotted at 4:30am by a Greenall's brewery worker.
The alarm was raised and the news conveyed to the police station at the Town Hall and the fire bell was rung.
That caused a sufficient number of men to assemble and they soon arrived at the scene of the blaze.
However by then the fire was raging and so it was decided to concentrate their efforts in preventing its spread to the main rooms of the building.
This was successfully done and the fire was extinguished at 7am, although up to £600 worth of damage had occurred.
A fortnight ago I mentioned how John Ansdell had bought the old workhouse in Baldwin Street for £1,040.
The wealthy solicitor and property owner lived in the palatial Cowley House – or the Mansion House, as we know it – in what would become Victoria Park.
Ansdell was also the Registrar to St Helens County Court and on the 4th the Newspaper described how he had recently adjudicated on a claim over a woman's unpaid debt.
Men were responsible in law for the debts of their spouses but traders were expected to obtain consent from the husband prior to granting credit to their wife.
This is the complete story under the heading "Caution To Tradesmen":
"JAMES SHEPPARD v. JAMES CLARKE. – The action was brought against the defendant by the plaintiff, who is a grocer at Peasley Cross, to recover £4 19s. ½d. for goods sold and delivered.
"The plaintiff said he supplied the defendant's wife with the goods. The Registrar – Does her husband know anything about it?
"Plaintiff – Yes, I believe he does. The Registrar – Did you see him about it? Plaintiff – No.
"The Registrar – You have no right to trust a man's wife, and give them the unlimited credit which you appear to.
"Plaintiff – I saw the husband about the account. The Registrar – Well, he may know nothing about the summons. Have you your books here?
"The plaintiff produced his book, and the Registrar, after examining it, said there were entries in it for money lent. Plaintiff – Yes; I lent it to her.
"The Registrar – You should not do so. You cannot recover money lent to a wife without her husband's knowledge.
"Plaintiff – Her husband knows all about it. The Registrar – In future, I recommend you acquaint the husband when the wife contracts a debt.
"An order was made for payment of the debt."
Another case of a similar nature was heard in the County Court in which a man called Towlet sought to recover £3 5 shillings from a Mr J. Grayson.
This appeared to be a 46-year-old coal miner from Barrow Street, whose full name was Jacob Grayson.
It was what was known as a bookhawking case in which a salesman had turned up at Mrs Grayson's door and sold her a Bible.
It must have been one of those large, family-type versions as it cost £3 5 shillings – a fortnight's wages, at least, for a miner.
That seems to have been the problem, as the woman had supposedly got her husband to sign the order for the bible while he was sick in bed.
In actual fact she forged his signature and was handed the tome by the salesman but when the invoice arrived the miner "repudiated" the debt.
That was the term that was used in court but probably wasn't what the miner said to his wife when he saw the bill!
A deputy judge called J. Gilmore had taken over from John Ansdell as the adjudicator in the court and this is what he told the bookhawker:
"You must be a little more cautious. A woman in the position of the defendant's wife is not able to purchase a bible for £3 5s.
"The sale should be made to a responsible party, and you should take this as your guidance in future – have the order from the husband.
"The claim has not been established, and therefore a non-suit must be entered."
In other words the claim was dismissed because the woman's husband had not agreed to the sale.
At least the couple got a free Bible out of it and the bookhawker learnt a hard lesson.
In the St Helens Police Court on the 4th Thomas Leigh was charged with absconding from the workhouse at Preston and stealing wearing apparel.
The clothing had been what the man had been given to wear, with his own clothes taken off him upon his arrival at the workhouse. What was he supposed to do on the outside, run around naked?
Leigh had been arrested in St Helens after a month on the run. It really was a crime to be poor and the man was returned to Preston to be dealt with by their courts and possibly sent to prison.
Runaway paupers from Whiston Workhouse were also punished in the same way.
On the 6th in St Helens Petty Sessions, George Hill was charged with begging in Park Road.
"Have you much trouble with beggars, Mr Ludlam?", enquired F. W. Earle, the Chairman of the Bench.
The head of St Helens police replied: "Yes, sir; we have had a great many complaints about them."
Not that Frederick Earle would know anything about destitution. He lived in a big house in Roby and in the 1871 census had six servants.
George Hill was sent to prison for three weeks. So was Thomas Moran who had been going from house to house in Church Street and upon being arrested was found to have 2s 2d and some bread on him.
However the magistrates did show some rare understanding to "burly looking navvy" John Byrne.
He had been seen going from house to house begging in Liverpool Road. Byrne told the Bench that he had come to St Helens from London by road in order to find work.
He was completely destitute when he arrived and with the night being very wet he said he had tried to get some cash to pay for a night's lodgings, adding:
"But if your worships would look over the offence I will get work or leave the town".
That worked a treat with Frederick Earle and his fellow magistrate and the man was discharged.
A lot depended on who happened to be sitting on the Bench. Recently the St Helens Newspaper described a quite similar "pitiable tale" of a man arriving in the town from Halifax looking for work but the beggar still got 7 days.
The Theatre Royal was then situated at the corner of Milk Street and Waterloo Street, in the premises until recently known as the Citadel.
I rarely mention it in these articles because the theatre did not normally advertise its shows in the newspapers – no doubt preferring to promote its artists by posters and handbills.
However the music hall gets a mention this week because John Rock and John Mulvaney had been having a punch-up in the theatre's gallery and the police had been called to remove them.
Only one man turned up in court and was bound over to keep the peace and a summons for the arrest of the other was issued.
This advert for Old Moore's Almanack was published in the St Helens Newspaper on the 7th:
"One Halfpenny Each At Dromgoole's, Public Hall. – Beware of Hawkers who, at this season of the year, tramp around the country, offering Old Moore's and other Almanacks charging a penny each for them.
"Beware! for many of these hawkers are but thieves, or the associates of thieves, and make an excuse of hawking for other and ulterior objects. Why don't the police apprehend such hawkers, who have no licence?"
Dromgoole's Public Hall was a multi-purpose building in Hardshaw Street. It was owned by Bernard Dromgoole and served as a shop, a hall that could be hired for events and it was where the St Helens Newspaper was produced.
The annual tea party and ball in aid of St Joseph's RC schools in Peasley Cross was held on the 7th in the Volunteer Hall, where most large events were held.
It was quite normal for dancing to go on until the small hours at these events and the St Joseph's ball did not finish until 3am.
Next week's stories will include the stiff sentences for the larking boys of Peasley Cross, the man called Judas drunk in Bridge Street, the Marshalls Cross maintenance case and the Water Street beerhouse keeper who said he was unconscious of cheating his customers.
What was described as the "great fire" of Church Street took place on the 2nd when the clubroom at the rear of the White Lion went up in flames.
The pub was on the corner of Hall Street and the clubroom had been built to accommodate various clubs and societies and measured 56 feet long.
The ground floor was used as a kitchen with the actual meeting room situated on the first floor.
The fire was believed to have begun accidentally in the kitchen and was spotted at 4:30am by a Greenall's brewery worker.
The alarm was raised and the news conveyed to the police station at the Town Hall and the fire bell was rung.
That caused a sufficient number of men to assemble and they soon arrived at the scene of the blaze.
However by then the fire was raging and so it was decided to concentrate their efforts in preventing its spread to the main rooms of the building.
This was successfully done and the fire was extinguished at 7am, although up to £600 worth of damage had occurred.
A fortnight ago I mentioned how John Ansdell had bought the old workhouse in Baldwin Street for £1,040.
The wealthy solicitor and property owner lived in the palatial Cowley House – or the Mansion House, as we know it – in what would become Victoria Park.
Ansdell was also the Registrar to St Helens County Court and on the 4th the Newspaper described how he had recently adjudicated on a claim over a woman's unpaid debt.
Men were responsible in law for the debts of their spouses but traders were expected to obtain consent from the husband prior to granting credit to their wife.
This is the complete story under the heading "Caution To Tradesmen":
"JAMES SHEPPARD v. JAMES CLARKE. – The action was brought against the defendant by the plaintiff, who is a grocer at Peasley Cross, to recover £4 19s. ½d. for goods sold and delivered.
"The plaintiff said he supplied the defendant's wife with the goods. The Registrar – Does her husband know anything about it?
"Plaintiff – Yes, I believe he does. The Registrar – Did you see him about it? Plaintiff – No.
"The Registrar – You have no right to trust a man's wife, and give them the unlimited credit which you appear to.
"Plaintiff – I saw the husband about the account. The Registrar – Well, he may know nothing about the summons. Have you your books here?
"The plaintiff produced his book, and the Registrar, after examining it, said there were entries in it for money lent. Plaintiff – Yes; I lent it to her.
"The Registrar – You should not do so. You cannot recover money lent to a wife without her husband's knowledge.
"Plaintiff – Her husband knows all about it. The Registrar – In future, I recommend you acquaint the husband when the wife contracts a debt.
"An order was made for payment of the debt."
Another case of a similar nature was heard in the County Court in which a man called Towlet sought to recover £3 5 shillings from a Mr J. Grayson.
This appeared to be a 46-year-old coal miner from Barrow Street, whose full name was Jacob Grayson.
It was what was known as a bookhawking case in which a salesman had turned up at Mrs Grayson's door and sold her a Bible.
It must have been one of those large, family-type versions as it cost £3 5 shillings – a fortnight's wages, at least, for a miner.
That seems to have been the problem, as the woman had supposedly got her husband to sign the order for the bible while he was sick in bed.
In actual fact she forged his signature and was handed the tome by the salesman but when the invoice arrived the miner "repudiated" the debt.
That was the term that was used in court but probably wasn't what the miner said to his wife when he saw the bill!
A deputy judge called J. Gilmore had taken over from John Ansdell as the adjudicator in the court and this is what he told the bookhawker:
"You must be a little more cautious. A woman in the position of the defendant's wife is not able to purchase a bible for £3 5s.
"The sale should be made to a responsible party, and you should take this as your guidance in future – have the order from the husband.
"The claim has not been established, and therefore a non-suit must be entered."
In other words the claim was dismissed because the woman's husband had not agreed to the sale.
At least the couple got a free Bible out of it and the bookhawker learnt a hard lesson.
In the St Helens Police Court on the 4th Thomas Leigh was charged with absconding from the workhouse at Preston and stealing wearing apparel.
The clothing had been what the man had been given to wear, with his own clothes taken off him upon his arrival at the workhouse. What was he supposed to do on the outside, run around naked?
Leigh had been arrested in St Helens after a month on the run. It really was a crime to be poor and the man was returned to Preston to be dealt with by their courts and possibly sent to prison.
Runaway paupers from Whiston Workhouse were also punished in the same way.
On the 6th in St Helens Petty Sessions, George Hill was charged with begging in Park Road.
"Have you much trouble with beggars, Mr Ludlam?", enquired F. W. Earle, the Chairman of the Bench.
The head of St Helens police replied: "Yes, sir; we have had a great many complaints about them."
Not that Frederick Earle would know anything about destitution. He lived in a big house in Roby and in the 1871 census had six servants.
George Hill was sent to prison for three weeks. So was Thomas Moran who had been going from house to house in Church Street and upon being arrested was found to have 2s 2d and some bread on him.
However the magistrates did show some rare understanding to "burly looking navvy" John Byrne.
He had been seen going from house to house begging in Liverpool Road. Byrne told the Bench that he had come to St Helens from London by road in order to find work.
He was completely destitute when he arrived and with the night being very wet he said he had tried to get some cash to pay for a night's lodgings, adding:
"But if your worships would look over the offence I will get work or leave the town".
That worked a treat with Frederick Earle and his fellow magistrate and the man was discharged.
A lot depended on who happened to be sitting on the Bench. Recently the St Helens Newspaper described a quite similar "pitiable tale" of a man arriving in the town from Halifax looking for work but the beggar still got 7 days.
I rarely mention it in these articles because the theatre did not normally advertise its shows in the newspapers – no doubt preferring to promote its artists by posters and handbills.
However the music hall gets a mention this week because John Rock and John Mulvaney had been having a punch-up in the theatre's gallery and the police had been called to remove them.
Only one man turned up in court and was bound over to keep the peace and a summons for the arrest of the other was issued.
This advert for Old Moore's Almanack was published in the St Helens Newspaper on the 7th:
"One Halfpenny Each At Dromgoole's, Public Hall. – Beware of Hawkers who, at this season of the year, tramp around the country, offering Old Moore's and other Almanacks charging a penny each for them.
"Beware! for many of these hawkers are but thieves, or the associates of thieves, and make an excuse of hawking for other and ulterior objects. Why don't the police apprehend such hawkers, who have no licence?"
Dromgoole's Public Hall was a multi-purpose building in Hardshaw Street. It was owned by Bernard Dromgoole and served as a shop, a hall that could be hired for events and it was where the St Helens Newspaper was produced.
The annual tea party and ball in aid of St Joseph's RC schools in Peasley Cross was held on the 7th in the Volunteer Hall, where most large events were held.
It was quite normal for dancing to go on until the small hours at these events and the St Joseph's ball did not finish until 3am.
Next week's stories will include the stiff sentences for the larking boys of Peasley Cross, the man called Judas drunk in Bridge Street, the Marshalls Cross maintenance case and the Water Street beerhouse keeper who said he was unconscious of cheating his customers.