150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (3rd - 9th APRIL 1873)
This week's many stories include the Claughton Street man who set his dog on troublesome youths, the St Helens coal miners' pay demand, the rabbit racing court case in Merton Bank, the coincidence that uncovered a blind man's scam and the appointment of a St Helens medical officer of health.
The owners of coalmines were quick to cut the money they paid their miners when the market price of coal came down – but slow to increase pay when prices rose. On April 5th the Liverpool Mercury printed this letter that colliery proprietors in the St Helens and Wigan districts had received:
"March 31st 1873, Gentlemen, – We the men in your employ, respectfully appeal to you for 10 per cent. advance on our present prices the same to commence on the first making-up day from the above date. Our reason for asking more wages is that other districts' prices are 15 and 20 per cent. above ours at present; also that you have received from 6s. to 8s. per ton from the public more than you have given any advance upon tons. We therefore solicit you to give us a favourable reply. If not, it is contemplated to take the matter up in a more decided form. A deputation will wait upon you on the 10th day of April next. – We remain, THE MEN IN YOUR EMPLOY."
Making up days were usually fortnightly paydays when small-scale mining contractors were paid off for the coal that they had dug over the previous two-week period. So the term "price" – referring to the amount that the miners were paid per ton of coal – tended to be used rather than wage when such matters were being discussed. The contractors – also known as hewers or coal-getters – then had to pay the men and boys that worked for them to take away the coal that they had produced.
This advert appeared in the St Helens Newspaper on the 5th: "BOWLING – Mr. William Woods, of the “Bull and Dog” Inn, Marshall's Cross, begs to inform his friends and customers that the Bowling Green attached to his premises, will be opened on Saturday next, April 12th, 1873." The Victoria Bowling Green in Thatto Heath also announced that they would open for the new season on the 10th.
The town had finally decided to appoint its first medical officer of health – although the job's remit was rather vague with some feeling it only needed to be a part-time position. However, the Newspaper felt the successful candidate would have a huge task on his hands and in an editorial was concerned that the right person should get the job, writing:
"On Wednesday next there is to be a special meeting of the Council, for the appointment of a medical officer for the borough, at a salary of £200 per annum. There is probably no town in England where a medical officer is a greater necessity than in St. Helens. Nuisances abound on every side, and the provisions of the Local Improvement Act are allowed to sink into utter disuse.
"The appointment is one of the utmost importance to the health, comfort, and even lives, of the inhabitants; and we are not asking too much when, on behalf of the community, we ask the members of the Council to be present on Wednesday, and vote not as if they were doling out a charity, but rather as if they were dealing with the lives, and health, and comfort of the inhabitants of the borough."
The council members were busy businessmen who did not always turn up for meetings – hence the request for them to show up when the candidates for the job were being interviewed.
This week's most unusual court case concerned a beerhouse in Coal Pit Lane in Parr – now known as Merton Bank Road – which had what the Newspaper described as a "rabbit racing ground" attached. That summons to my mind an interesting image of a number of bunny rabbits all racing each other! However, the reality was, of course, more grim and appeared to be hare coursing in which two dogs chased a rabbit or hare, the winner being the dog that caught and killed the poor animal.
A publican called Kilshaw had brought an action in the St Helens County Court against Isaac Grace and Daniel Woods – the owner and manager, respectively, of the beerhouse – claiming £4 15 shillings. That had been the amount staked on the result of the rabbit-racing match that had involved a series of heats. However, a dispute or misunderstanding had led to two of the heats being held in the absence of the plaintiff and his dog. But after hearing from the referee, the judge ruled in favour of the defendant.
Another unusual court case concerned a blind man called Paul McGriel who had the very bad luck to run into Sgt. Eastham – for the second time. The officer observed Mr McGriel enter Charles Gallie's office in New Market Place in St Helens and upon him leaving found the spirit merchant had given him a shilling. McGriel would go around towns with a book collecting donations from charitable folk, supposedly, so he could enter the Liverpool Blind Asylum.
Upon being searched by the police the man was found to possess the considerable sum of £6 9s 9d. It was a scam that Sgt. Eastham knew all about because McGriel had worked it at Fleetwood in 1871 when the sergeant was there. The magistrates sentenced the blind man to two months hard labour and ordered that his cash be confiscated to help pay for the cost of keeping him in prison. A very harsh sentence at a time when the blind were not well treated. However, prison governors did have the option of deciding whether prisoners were up to the rigours of hard labour.
Bridget Shannon was described in the Newspaper as an "ancient hawker" – which meant she was over 50! The "aged woman" had appeared in the Petty Sessions charged with hawking in Thatto Heath without a valid street trader's licence. Bridget had been caught selling doormats with an out of date licence and told the Bench that she had thought that it lasted for ever. Upon receiving a promise that she would renew her licence, the case was dismissed.
From what I can tell from the 1871 census John Hatton lived in Claughton Street. He pleaded guilty to assaulting John Fairclough after punching the youth in a field. The 18-year-old insisted that he and his mates had been innocently playing when Hatton came out of his house and set his dog on them. The animal bit John Fairclough and while the dog held him fast, its owner struck him.
John Hatton had a rather different take on what had occurred. He said the lads regularly gathered on the field to play pitch and toss and create a nuisance and claimed they had been abusive to his wife. Hatton added that when he had gone outside with his dog the group had thrown stones at them both. And he had a witness to support his version of events.
The Bench said it was clear that the defendant had received a great deal of provocation and so would only impose a fine of 2s 6d. In reply Hatton said that he would be taking out a separate summons for the abuse that John Fairclough had inflicted upon his wife.
Since Charles Duval had taken over the running of the St Helens theatre in the premises we know as the Citadel (pictured above when run by the Salvation Army), he'd renamed the former music hall the 'New Theatre Royal and Opera House’. The last part of its moniker was clearly indicative of his move up market, although plays were actually its main genre. On the 5th 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' were performed in the theatre.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the deranged sexton at St Helens cemetery, the rigged school exams scandal, the coal miners that went on a bender, the lamp thieving from a Duke Street shop and the Haydock hair-pulling squabble.
The owners of coalmines were quick to cut the money they paid their miners when the market price of coal came down – but slow to increase pay when prices rose. On April 5th the Liverpool Mercury printed this letter that colliery proprietors in the St Helens and Wigan districts had received:
"March 31st 1873, Gentlemen, – We the men in your employ, respectfully appeal to you for 10 per cent. advance on our present prices the same to commence on the first making-up day from the above date. Our reason for asking more wages is that other districts' prices are 15 and 20 per cent. above ours at present; also that you have received from 6s. to 8s. per ton from the public more than you have given any advance upon tons. We therefore solicit you to give us a favourable reply. If not, it is contemplated to take the matter up in a more decided form. A deputation will wait upon you on the 10th day of April next. – We remain, THE MEN IN YOUR EMPLOY."
Making up days were usually fortnightly paydays when small-scale mining contractors were paid off for the coal that they had dug over the previous two-week period. So the term "price" – referring to the amount that the miners were paid per ton of coal – tended to be used rather than wage when such matters were being discussed. The contractors – also known as hewers or coal-getters – then had to pay the men and boys that worked for them to take away the coal that they had produced.
This advert appeared in the St Helens Newspaper on the 5th: "BOWLING – Mr. William Woods, of the “Bull and Dog” Inn, Marshall's Cross, begs to inform his friends and customers that the Bowling Green attached to his premises, will be opened on Saturday next, April 12th, 1873." The Victoria Bowling Green in Thatto Heath also announced that they would open for the new season on the 10th.
The town had finally decided to appoint its first medical officer of health – although the job's remit was rather vague with some feeling it only needed to be a part-time position. However, the Newspaper felt the successful candidate would have a huge task on his hands and in an editorial was concerned that the right person should get the job, writing:
"On Wednesday next there is to be a special meeting of the Council, for the appointment of a medical officer for the borough, at a salary of £200 per annum. There is probably no town in England where a medical officer is a greater necessity than in St. Helens. Nuisances abound on every side, and the provisions of the Local Improvement Act are allowed to sink into utter disuse.
"The appointment is one of the utmost importance to the health, comfort, and even lives, of the inhabitants; and we are not asking too much when, on behalf of the community, we ask the members of the Council to be present on Wednesday, and vote not as if they were doling out a charity, but rather as if they were dealing with the lives, and health, and comfort of the inhabitants of the borough."
The council members were busy businessmen who did not always turn up for meetings – hence the request for them to show up when the candidates for the job were being interviewed.
This week's most unusual court case concerned a beerhouse in Coal Pit Lane in Parr – now known as Merton Bank Road – which had what the Newspaper described as a "rabbit racing ground" attached. That summons to my mind an interesting image of a number of bunny rabbits all racing each other! However, the reality was, of course, more grim and appeared to be hare coursing in which two dogs chased a rabbit or hare, the winner being the dog that caught and killed the poor animal.
A publican called Kilshaw had brought an action in the St Helens County Court against Isaac Grace and Daniel Woods – the owner and manager, respectively, of the beerhouse – claiming £4 15 shillings. That had been the amount staked on the result of the rabbit-racing match that had involved a series of heats. However, a dispute or misunderstanding had led to two of the heats being held in the absence of the plaintiff and his dog. But after hearing from the referee, the judge ruled in favour of the defendant.
Another unusual court case concerned a blind man called Paul McGriel who had the very bad luck to run into Sgt. Eastham – for the second time. The officer observed Mr McGriel enter Charles Gallie's office in New Market Place in St Helens and upon him leaving found the spirit merchant had given him a shilling. McGriel would go around towns with a book collecting donations from charitable folk, supposedly, so he could enter the Liverpool Blind Asylum.
Upon being searched by the police the man was found to possess the considerable sum of £6 9s 9d. It was a scam that Sgt. Eastham knew all about because McGriel had worked it at Fleetwood in 1871 when the sergeant was there. The magistrates sentenced the blind man to two months hard labour and ordered that his cash be confiscated to help pay for the cost of keeping him in prison. A very harsh sentence at a time when the blind were not well treated. However, prison governors did have the option of deciding whether prisoners were up to the rigours of hard labour.
Bridget Shannon was described in the Newspaper as an "ancient hawker" – which meant she was over 50! The "aged woman" had appeared in the Petty Sessions charged with hawking in Thatto Heath without a valid street trader's licence. Bridget had been caught selling doormats with an out of date licence and told the Bench that she had thought that it lasted for ever. Upon receiving a promise that she would renew her licence, the case was dismissed.
From what I can tell from the 1871 census John Hatton lived in Claughton Street. He pleaded guilty to assaulting John Fairclough after punching the youth in a field. The 18-year-old insisted that he and his mates had been innocently playing when Hatton came out of his house and set his dog on them. The animal bit John Fairclough and while the dog held him fast, its owner struck him.
John Hatton had a rather different take on what had occurred. He said the lads regularly gathered on the field to play pitch and toss and create a nuisance and claimed they had been abusive to his wife. Hatton added that when he had gone outside with his dog the group had thrown stones at them both. And he had a witness to support his version of events.
The Bench said it was clear that the defendant had received a great deal of provocation and so would only impose a fine of 2s 6d. In reply Hatton said that he would be taking out a separate summons for the abuse that John Fairclough had inflicted upon his wife.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the deranged sexton at St Helens cemetery, the rigged school exams scandal, the coal miners that went on a bender, the lamp thieving from a Duke Street shop and the Haydock hair-pulling squabble.
This week's many stories include the Claughton Street man who set his dog on troublesome youths, the St Helens coal miners' pay demand, the rabbit racing court case in Merton Bank, the coincidence that uncovered a blind man's scam and the appointment of a St Helens medical officer of health.
The owners of coalmines were quick to cut the money they paid their miners when the market price of coal came down – but slow to increase pay when prices rose.
On April 5th the Liverpool Mercury printed this letter that colliery proprietors in the St Helens and Wigan districts had received:
"March 31st 1873, Gentlemen, – We the men in your employ, respectfully appeal to you for 10 per cent. advance on our present prices the same to commence on the first making-up day from the above date.
"Our reason for asking more wages is that other districts' prices are 15 and 20 per cent. above ours at present; also that you have received from 6s. to 8s. per ton from the public more than you have given any advance upon tons.
"We therefore solicit you to give us a favourable reply. If not, it is contemplated to take the matter up in a more decided form. A deputation will wait upon you on the 10th day of April next. – We remain, THE MEN IN YOUR EMPLOY."
Making up days were usually fortnightly paydays when small-scale mining contractors were paid off for the coal that they had dug over the previous two-week period.
So the term "price" – referring to the amount that the miners were paid per ton of coal – tended to be used rather than wage when such matters were being discussed.
The contractors – also known as hewers or coal-getters – then had to pay the men and boys that worked for them to take away the coal that they had produced.
This advert appeared in the St Helens Newspaper on the 5th:
"BOWLING – Mr. William Woods, of the “Bull and Dog” Inn, Marshall's Cross, begs to inform his friends and customers that the Bowling Green attached to his premises, will be opened on Saturday next, April 12th, 1873."
The Victoria Bowling Green in Thatto Heath also announced that they would open for the new season on the 10th.
The town had finally decided to appoint its first medical officer of health – although the job's remit was rather vague with some feeling it only needed to be a part-time position.
However, the Newspaper felt the successful candidate would have a huge task on his hands and in an editorial was concerned that the right person should get the job, writing:
"On Wednesday next there is to be a special meeting of the Council, for the appointment of a medical officer for the borough, at a salary of £200 per annum.
"There is probably no town in England where a medical officer is a greater necessity than in St. Helens. Nuisances abound on every side, and the provisions of the Local Improvement Act are allowed to sink into utter disuse.
"The appointment is one of the utmost importance to the health, comfort, and even lives, of the inhabitants; and we are not asking too much when, on behalf of the community, we ask the members of the Council to be present on Wednesday, and vote not as if they were doling out a charity, but rather as if they were dealing with the lives, and health, and comfort of the inhabitants of the borough."
The council members were busy businessmen who did not always turn up for meetings – hence the request for them to show up when the candidates for the job were being interviewed.
This week's most unusual court case concerned a beerhouse in Coal Pit Lane in Parr – now known as Merton Bank Road – which had what the Newspaper described as a "rabbit racing ground" attached.
That summons to my mind an interesting image of a number of bunny rabbits all racing each other!
However, the reality was, of course, more grim and appeared to be hare coursing in which two dogs chased a rabbit or hare, the winner being the dog that caught and killed the poor animal.
A publican called Kilshaw had brought an action in the St Helens County Court against Isaac Grace and Daniel Woods – the owner and manager, respectively, of the beerhouse – claiming £4 15 shillings.
That had been the amount staked on the result of the rabbit-racing match that had involved a series of heats.
However, a dispute or misunderstanding had led to two of the heats being held in the absence of the plaintiff and his dog. But after hearing from the referee, the judge ruled in favour of the defendant.
Another unusual court case concerned a blind man called Paul McGriel who had the very bad luck to run into Sgt. Eastham – for the second time.
The officer observed Mr McGriel enter Charles Gallie's office in New Market Place in St Helens and upon him leaving found the spirit merchant had given him a shilling.
McGriel would go around towns with a book collecting donations from charitable folk, supposedly, so he could enter the Liverpool Blind Asylum.
Upon being searched by the police the man was found to possess the considerable sum of £6 9s 9d.
It was a scam that Sgt. Eastham knew all about because McGriel had worked it at Fleetwood in 1871 when the sergeant was there.
The magistrates sentenced the blind man to two months hard labour and ordered that his cash be confiscated to help pay for the cost of keeping him in prison.
A very harsh sentence at a time when the blind were not well treated. However, prison governors did have the option of deciding whether prisoners were up to the rigours of hard labour.
Bridget Shannon was described in the Newspaper as an "ancient hawker" – which meant she was over 50!
The "aged woman" had appeared in the Petty Sessions charged with hawking in Thatto Heath without a valid street trader's licence.
Bridget had been caught selling doormats with an out of date licence and told the Bench that she had thought that it lasted for ever.
Upon receiving a promise that she would renew her licence, the case was dismissed.
From what I can tell from the 1871 census John Hatton lived in Claughton Street.
He pleaded guilty to assaulting John Fairclough after punching the youth in a field.
The 18-year-old insisted that he and his mates had been innocently playing when Hatton came out of his house and set his dog on them.
The animal bit John Fairclough and while the dog held him fast, its owner struck him.
John Hatton had a rather different take on what had occurred. He said the lads regularly gathered on the field to play pitch and toss and create a nuisance and claimed they had been abusive to his wife.
Hatton added that when he had gone outside with his dog the group had thrown stones at them both. And he had a witness to support his version of events.
The Bench said it was clear that the defendant had received a great deal of provocation and so would only impose a fine of 2s 6d.
In reply Hatton said that he would be taking out a separate summons for the abuse that John Fairclough had inflicted upon his wife.
Since Charles Duval had taken over the running of the St Helens theatre in the premises we know as the Citadel (pictured above when run by the Salvation Army), he'd renamed the former music hall the 'New Theatre Royal and Opera House'.
The last part of its moniker was clearly indicative of his move up market, although plays were actually its main genre. On the 5th 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' were performed in the theatre.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the deranged sexton at St Helens cemetery, the rigged school exams scandal, the coal miners that went on a bender, the lamp thieving from a Duke Street shop and the Haydock hair-pulling squabble.
The owners of coalmines were quick to cut the money they paid their miners when the market price of coal came down – but slow to increase pay when prices rose.
On April 5th the Liverpool Mercury printed this letter that colliery proprietors in the St Helens and Wigan districts had received:
"March 31st 1873, Gentlemen, – We the men in your employ, respectfully appeal to you for 10 per cent. advance on our present prices the same to commence on the first making-up day from the above date.
"Our reason for asking more wages is that other districts' prices are 15 and 20 per cent. above ours at present; also that you have received from 6s. to 8s. per ton from the public more than you have given any advance upon tons.
"We therefore solicit you to give us a favourable reply. If not, it is contemplated to take the matter up in a more decided form. A deputation will wait upon you on the 10th day of April next. – We remain, THE MEN IN YOUR EMPLOY."
Making up days were usually fortnightly paydays when small-scale mining contractors were paid off for the coal that they had dug over the previous two-week period.
So the term "price" – referring to the amount that the miners were paid per ton of coal – tended to be used rather than wage when such matters were being discussed.
The contractors – also known as hewers or coal-getters – then had to pay the men and boys that worked for them to take away the coal that they had produced.
This advert appeared in the St Helens Newspaper on the 5th:
"BOWLING – Mr. William Woods, of the “Bull and Dog” Inn, Marshall's Cross, begs to inform his friends and customers that the Bowling Green attached to his premises, will be opened on Saturday next, April 12th, 1873."
The Victoria Bowling Green in Thatto Heath also announced that they would open for the new season on the 10th.
The town had finally decided to appoint its first medical officer of health – although the job's remit was rather vague with some feeling it only needed to be a part-time position.
However, the Newspaper felt the successful candidate would have a huge task on his hands and in an editorial was concerned that the right person should get the job, writing:
"On Wednesday next there is to be a special meeting of the Council, for the appointment of a medical officer for the borough, at a salary of £200 per annum.
"There is probably no town in England where a medical officer is a greater necessity than in St. Helens. Nuisances abound on every side, and the provisions of the Local Improvement Act are allowed to sink into utter disuse.
"The appointment is one of the utmost importance to the health, comfort, and even lives, of the inhabitants; and we are not asking too much when, on behalf of the community, we ask the members of the Council to be present on Wednesday, and vote not as if they were doling out a charity, but rather as if they were dealing with the lives, and health, and comfort of the inhabitants of the borough."
The council members were busy businessmen who did not always turn up for meetings – hence the request for them to show up when the candidates for the job were being interviewed.
This week's most unusual court case concerned a beerhouse in Coal Pit Lane in Parr – now known as Merton Bank Road – which had what the Newspaper described as a "rabbit racing ground" attached.
That summons to my mind an interesting image of a number of bunny rabbits all racing each other!
However, the reality was, of course, more grim and appeared to be hare coursing in which two dogs chased a rabbit or hare, the winner being the dog that caught and killed the poor animal.
A publican called Kilshaw had brought an action in the St Helens County Court against Isaac Grace and Daniel Woods – the owner and manager, respectively, of the beerhouse – claiming £4 15 shillings.
That had been the amount staked on the result of the rabbit-racing match that had involved a series of heats.
However, a dispute or misunderstanding had led to two of the heats being held in the absence of the plaintiff and his dog. But after hearing from the referee, the judge ruled in favour of the defendant.
Another unusual court case concerned a blind man called Paul McGriel who had the very bad luck to run into Sgt. Eastham – for the second time.
The officer observed Mr McGriel enter Charles Gallie's office in New Market Place in St Helens and upon him leaving found the spirit merchant had given him a shilling.
McGriel would go around towns with a book collecting donations from charitable folk, supposedly, so he could enter the Liverpool Blind Asylum.
Upon being searched by the police the man was found to possess the considerable sum of £6 9s 9d.
It was a scam that Sgt. Eastham knew all about because McGriel had worked it at Fleetwood in 1871 when the sergeant was there.
The magistrates sentenced the blind man to two months hard labour and ordered that his cash be confiscated to help pay for the cost of keeping him in prison.
A very harsh sentence at a time when the blind were not well treated. However, prison governors did have the option of deciding whether prisoners were up to the rigours of hard labour.
Bridget Shannon was described in the Newspaper as an "ancient hawker" – which meant she was over 50!
The "aged woman" had appeared in the Petty Sessions charged with hawking in Thatto Heath without a valid street trader's licence.
Bridget had been caught selling doormats with an out of date licence and told the Bench that she had thought that it lasted for ever.
Upon receiving a promise that she would renew her licence, the case was dismissed.
From what I can tell from the 1871 census John Hatton lived in Claughton Street.
He pleaded guilty to assaulting John Fairclough after punching the youth in a field.
The 18-year-old insisted that he and his mates had been innocently playing when Hatton came out of his house and set his dog on them.
The animal bit John Fairclough and while the dog held him fast, its owner struck him.
John Hatton had a rather different take on what had occurred. He said the lads regularly gathered on the field to play pitch and toss and create a nuisance and claimed they had been abusive to his wife.
Hatton added that when he had gone outside with his dog the group had thrown stones at them both. And he had a witness to support his version of events.
The Bench said it was clear that the defendant had received a great deal of provocation and so would only impose a fine of 2s 6d.
In reply Hatton said that he would be taking out a separate summons for the abuse that John Fairclough had inflicted upon his wife.
The last part of its moniker was clearly indicative of his move up market, although plays were actually its main genre. On the 5th 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' were performed in the theatre.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the deranged sexton at St Helens cemetery, the rigged school exams scandal, the coal miners that went on a bender, the lamp thieving from a Duke Street shop and the Haydock hair-pulling squabble.