150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (7th - 13th JUNE 1871)
This week's many stories include the 13-year-old girl from College Street imprisoned for theft, the unwanted kissing on the streets of Prescot, a double family tragedy at Pewfall Colliery, the outspoken solicitor Thomas Swift is sued for slander and the new St Helens pubs that contained no beer.
We begin on the 7th when the Liverpool Mercury reported on a case in the Prescot Petty Sessions of unwanted kissing. The paper wrote: "A young man, named Joseph Meredith, was charged with assaulting Mary Barrow, the assault consisting in kissing her on the public road against her will. The case was instituted to put a stop to a habit which is becoming common amongst the amorous youths of Prescot. Meredith said it was but a lark, and for the lark he had to pay 16s. 6d." The St Helens Newspaper wrote that the actual charge that Meredith had faced for his kissing spree had been "assault and beating".
The paper reported on another case in Prescot Petty Sessions in which Patrick Cairnes summoned Thomas Hammill for assault – seemingly because of a previous refusal to stand bail for him. The Newspaper said:
"The defendant met him at Rainhill, and without the smallest courtesy, hit the complainant on the side of the head with his can. Complainant knocked him down in return, and would no doubt have had the best of the fight, if Hammill's wife had not been present. As it was the wife created such a diversion in her husband's favour, that the complainant was completely defeated. A warrant was ordered." Perhaps Hammill (who did not turn up in court) should have said "Good evening" first and shown a bit of courtesy before bashing Patrick Cairnes with his can!
A Grand Bazaar was held on the 7th and 8th at Rainhill School. The event was organised to help reduce the £875 debt on the enlargement of St Ann's church in Warrington Road and the extension of its graveyard. The Rainhill Asylum band played during each evening and it was reported that many of the most influential families of Rainhill and its neighbourhood were in attendance. Later in the week the Rev. Walter Clay, the Vicar of Rainhill, was able to report that the gross receipts amounted to £1,050, which should have taken care of his debt problem.
At the St Helens Petty Sessions on the 8th, James Plunkett was charged with desertion of his family – a crime that the Liverpool Mercury said was almost a daily occurrence in St Helens. Plunkett had walked out on his two children, leaving the authorities to look after them and was sent to prison for three weeks.
Working down coalmines used to be a family affair. Once it became illegal for females to go down the pit, it was left to fathers and sons to continue the tradition. Dad would be the "hewer" or coal-getter – using an axe or pick to dig out the precious coal – and his boy would be the "drawer", who took the dug coal away. Sometimes the father and son team would die together.
On the 8th the inquest on 57-year-old James Twist and his 15-year-old son Edward were held at the Owl's Nest Inn in Blackbrook. The pair had been crushed to death down Pewfall Colliery, near Haydock, by what was described as a large mass of stone. This had become detached from the pit roof and also struck down a third family member who escaped with severe bruises. On the same day an inquest was held at the Railway Inn at Garswood on William Speakman, who worked at the Seneley Green Colliery. Again stones and debris falling from the underground pit roof caused his demise.
A public meeting attended by 500 people was held in the Engineer Drill Hall in Croppers Hill (shown above) on the 8th to discuss the new concept that had come to St Helens – a pub without beer! In the 1870s there were very few places where people could meet and socialise – apart from the public house. Even inquests were held in pubs. So a local chap called Menzies – who reportedly was keen to "reform the habits of the working classes" – was opening two establishments without drink in St Helens.
Essentially they were non-alcoholic clubrooms or temperance bars – if you like – but the idea was quite novel and the meeting heard from a man from Leeds where 14 of these houses were operating. The Wigan Observer wrote: "There was much enthusiasm exhibited by the audience, and promises of support tendered." Mr Menzies planned to open a British Workman Public House in Liverpool Road and another at the other end of the borough. They would be non-profitmaking and each venue would contain a reading room and smoking room on the ground floor.
On the 9th Thomas Tunstall, from Stubshaw Cross in Ashton, appeared in court charged with committing wilful damage at the Garswood Hall Collieries. After being sacked from the mine, Tunstall had returned and driven a number of three-inch nails into the headgear seemingly as an act of revenge. He was ordered to pay a fine of 5 shillings, the cost of the damage and the court costs.
Three weeks earlier I reported how bigmouth lawyer Thomas Swift had once again wound someone up in court. When one of his cases had been called at St Helens Petty Sessions, Swift had accused magistrate John Bibby of "manifesting a strong prejudice" against him over a long period. He requested an adjournment saying there was no probability of his client receiving fair play or having justice done as long as Bibby acted as chairman.
This understandably enraged the wealthy owner of the Ravenhead Copper Works and on the 10th an application for an order against Swift was made in the Court of Queen's Bench. A Mr Metcalfe applied on behalf of John Bibby for the solicitor to show cause why a "criminal information should not be filed against him for slander uttered to the applicant in his magisterial capacity." In other words Swift was being sued for slander and the application was granted.
The newspapers' spelling of the names of those involved in court cases during the 19th century was very often incorrect. There were clearly no case lists for reporters to refer to and so they spelt the names of defendants and witnesses as they heard them being spoken. It was reported that on the 10th in St Helens Petty Sessions: "Mary Kearney, juvenile, was charged with stealing 20lb. of iron from the premises of Messrs. Pilkington, and sent to prison for fourteen days." Checking the recently completed 1871 census, it appears that Mary's surname was actually Carney and that she was living in College Street. The thirteen-year-old joined the long list of St Helens' kids sent to prison for theft – possibly at the bidding of her parents.
And finally, this article in the Liverpool Mercury intrigued me this week. It is about a campaign to introduce the metric system in British schools – yes, 150 years ago! It also covered the decimalisation of coinage, which as we know took a further 100 years to occur:
"THE METRIC SYSTEM – On the invitation of the council of the International Decimal Association and the metric committee of the British Association, a conference took place on Monday, in the lecture theatre of the Kensington Museum, on the teaching of the metric system of weights and measures in schools. The Earl Fortescue presided. The points urged were the great inconvenience arising from the want of international uniformity of weights, and of a system adequate to the requirements of trade and the purposes of science; the simplicity and easy use of a complete metric system; the facility of introducing binary divisions in such a system, while preserving the strictly decimal numeration.
"Also the saving of time in educating; that a time should be fixed (three or five years) for the introduction of teaching it compulsorily in schools; that it was now recognised and used in countries with which our trade in 1869 amounted to £356,000,000, or 66 per cent. of the whole trade of the country. That its general adoption would pave the way for the introduction of that great desideratum an international coinage, and the necessity of legislation on the Compulsory principle.
"Resolutions were carried declaring that the metrical system commends itself for educational purposes by its simplicity and unity, its compactness and adaptability to all the wants of life, the ease with which it may be taught in schools, and the great economy of time it would effect in the work of elementary education. Also that the introduction of the decimal division in weights, measures, and coins would confer a decided boon on the general community.
"The noble Chairman congratulated the conference upon the progress the metric system had made, and especially on the adhesion to it, not only of associated chambers of commerce and the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, but various other agricultural associations."
Next Week's stories will include the man accused of setting fire to St Helens Town Hall, the boys soundly whipped for throwing stones in Prescot, the Ormskirk Street mask dispute, the Haydock Mission School treat and Newton Races takes place.
We begin on the 7th when the Liverpool Mercury reported on a case in the Prescot Petty Sessions of unwanted kissing. The paper wrote: "A young man, named Joseph Meredith, was charged with assaulting Mary Barrow, the assault consisting in kissing her on the public road against her will. The case was instituted to put a stop to a habit which is becoming common amongst the amorous youths of Prescot. Meredith said it was but a lark, and for the lark he had to pay 16s. 6d." The St Helens Newspaper wrote that the actual charge that Meredith had faced for his kissing spree had been "assault and beating".
The paper reported on another case in Prescot Petty Sessions in which Patrick Cairnes summoned Thomas Hammill for assault – seemingly because of a previous refusal to stand bail for him. The Newspaper said:
"The defendant met him at Rainhill, and without the smallest courtesy, hit the complainant on the side of the head with his can. Complainant knocked him down in return, and would no doubt have had the best of the fight, if Hammill's wife had not been present. As it was the wife created such a diversion in her husband's favour, that the complainant was completely defeated. A warrant was ordered." Perhaps Hammill (who did not turn up in court) should have said "Good evening" first and shown a bit of courtesy before bashing Patrick Cairnes with his can!
A Grand Bazaar was held on the 7th and 8th at Rainhill School. The event was organised to help reduce the £875 debt on the enlargement of St Ann's church in Warrington Road and the extension of its graveyard. The Rainhill Asylum band played during each evening and it was reported that many of the most influential families of Rainhill and its neighbourhood were in attendance. Later in the week the Rev. Walter Clay, the Vicar of Rainhill, was able to report that the gross receipts amounted to £1,050, which should have taken care of his debt problem.
At the St Helens Petty Sessions on the 8th, James Plunkett was charged with desertion of his family – a crime that the Liverpool Mercury said was almost a daily occurrence in St Helens. Plunkett had walked out on his two children, leaving the authorities to look after them and was sent to prison for three weeks.
Working down coalmines used to be a family affair. Once it became illegal for females to go down the pit, it was left to fathers and sons to continue the tradition. Dad would be the "hewer" or coal-getter – using an axe or pick to dig out the precious coal – and his boy would be the "drawer", who took the dug coal away. Sometimes the father and son team would die together.
On the 8th the inquest on 57-year-old James Twist and his 15-year-old son Edward were held at the Owl's Nest Inn in Blackbrook. The pair had been crushed to death down Pewfall Colliery, near Haydock, by what was described as a large mass of stone. This had become detached from the pit roof and also struck down a third family member who escaped with severe bruises. On the same day an inquest was held at the Railway Inn at Garswood on William Speakman, who worked at the Seneley Green Colliery. Again stones and debris falling from the underground pit roof caused his demise.
Essentially they were non-alcoholic clubrooms or temperance bars – if you like – but the idea was quite novel and the meeting heard from a man from Leeds where 14 of these houses were operating. The Wigan Observer wrote: "There was much enthusiasm exhibited by the audience, and promises of support tendered." Mr Menzies planned to open a British Workman Public House in Liverpool Road and another at the other end of the borough. They would be non-profitmaking and each venue would contain a reading room and smoking room on the ground floor.
On the 9th Thomas Tunstall, from Stubshaw Cross in Ashton, appeared in court charged with committing wilful damage at the Garswood Hall Collieries. After being sacked from the mine, Tunstall had returned and driven a number of three-inch nails into the headgear seemingly as an act of revenge. He was ordered to pay a fine of 5 shillings, the cost of the damage and the court costs.
Three weeks earlier I reported how bigmouth lawyer Thomas Swift had once again wound someone up in court. When one of his cases had been called at St Helens Petty Sessions, Swift had accused magistrate John Bibby of "manifesting a strong prejudice" against him over a long period. He requested an adjournment saying there was no probability of his client receiving fair play or having justice done as long as Bibby acted as chairman.
This understandably enraged the wealthy owner of the Ravenhead Copper Works and on the 10th an application for an order against Swift was made in the Court of Queen's Bench. A Mr Metcalfe applied on behalf of John Bibby for the solicitor to show cause why a "criminal information should not be filed against him for slander uttered to the applicant in his magisterial capacity." In other words Swift was being sued for slander and the application was granted.
The newspapers' spelling of the names of those involved in court cases during the 19th century was very often incorrect. There were clearly no case lists for reporters to refer to and so they spelt the names of defendants and witnesses as they heard them being spoken. It was reported that on the 10th in St Helens Petty Sessions: "Mary Kearney, juvenile, was charged with stealing 20lb. of iron from the premises of Messrs. Pilkington, and sent to prison for fourteen days." Checking the recently completed 1871 census, it appears that Mary's surname was actually Carney and that she was living in College Street. The thirteen-year-old joined the long list of St Helens' kids sent to prison for theft – possibly at the bidding of her parents.
And finally, this article in the Liverpool Mercury intrigued me this week. It is about a campaign to introduce the metric system in British schools – yes, 150 years ago! It also covered the decimalisation of coinage, which as we know took a further 100 years to occur:
"THE METRIC SYSTEM – On the invitation of the council of the International Decimal Association and the metric committee of the British Association, a conference took place on Monday, in the lecture theatre of the Kensington Museum, on the teaching of the metric system of weights and measures in schools. The Earl Fortescue presided. The points urged were the great inconvenience arising from the want of international uniformity of weights, and of a system adequate to the requirements of trade and the purposes of science; the simplicity and easy use of a complete metric system; the facility of introducing binary divisions in such a system, while preserving the strictly decimal numeration.
"Also the saving of time in educating; that a time should be fixed (three or five years) for the introduction of teaching it compulsorily in schools; that it was now recognised and used in countries with which our trade in 1869 amounted to £356,000,000, or 66 per cent. of the whole trade of the country. That its general adoption would pave the way for the introduction of that great desideratum an international coinage, and the necessity of legislation on the Compulsory principle.
"Resolutions were carried declaring that the metrical system commends itself for educational purposes by its simplicity and unity, its compactness and adaptability to all the wants of life, the ease with which it may be taught in schools, and the great economy of time it would effect in the work of elementary education. Also that the introduction of the decimal division in weights, measures, and coins would confer a decided boon on the general community.
"The noble Chairman congratulated the conference upon the progress the metric system had made, and especially on the adhesion to it, not only of associated chambers of commerce and the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, but various other agricultural associations."
Next Week's stories will include the man accused of setting fire to St Helens Town Hall, the boys soundly whipped for throwing stones in Prescot, the Ormskirk Street mask dispute, the Haydock Mission School treat and Newton Races takes place.
This week's many stories include the 13-year-old girl from College Street imprisoned for theft, the unwanted kissing on the streets of Prescot, a double family tragedy at Pewfall Colliery, the outspoken solicitor Thomas Swift is sued for slander and the new St Helens pubs that contained no beer.
We begin on the 7th when the Liverpool Mercury reported on a case in the Prescot Petty Sessions of unwanted kissing. The paper wrote:
"A young man, named Joseph Meredith, was charged with assaulting Mary Barrow, the assault consisting in kissing her on the public road against her will.
"The case was instituted to put a stop to a habit which is becoming common amongst the amorous youths of Prescot. Meredith said it was but a lark, and for the lark he had to pay 16s. 6d."
The St Helens Newspaper wrote that the actual charge that Meredith had faced for his kissing spree had been "assault and beating".
The paper reported on another case in Prescot Petty Sessions in which Patrick Cairnes summoned Thomas Hammill for assault – seemingly because of a previous refusal to stand bail for him. The Newspaper said:
"The defendant met him at Rainhill, and without the smallest courtesy, hit the complainant on the side of the head with his can.
"Complainant knocked him down in return, and would no doubt have had the best of the fight, if Hammill's wife had not been present.
"As it was the wife created such a diversion in her husband's favour, that the complainant was completely defeated. A warrant was ordered."
Perhaps Hammill (who did not turn up in court) should have said "Good evening" first and shown a bit of courtesy before bashing Patrick Cairnes with his can!
A Grand Bazaar was held on the 7th and 8th at Rainhill School. The event was organised to help reduce the £875 debt on the enlargement of St Ann's church in Warrington Road and the extension of its graveyard.
The Rainhill Asylum band played during each evening and it was reported that many of the most influential families of Rainhill and its neighbourhood were in attendance.
Later in the week the Rev. Walter Clay, the Vicar of Rainhill, was able to report that the gross receipts amounted to £1,050, which should have taken care of his debt problem.
At the St Helens Petty Sessions on the 8th, James Plunkett was charged with desertion of his family – a crime that the Liverpool Mercury said was almost a daily occurrence in St Helens.
Plunkett had walked out on his two children, leaving the authorities to look after them and was sent to prison for three weeks.
Working down coalmines used to be a family affair. Once it became illegal for females to go down the pit, it was left to fathers and sons to continue the tradition.
Dad would be the "hewer" or coal-getter – using an axe or pick to dig out the precious coal – and his boy would be the "drawer", who took the dug coal away. Sometimes the father and son team would die together.
On the 8th the inquest on 57-year-old James Twist and his 15-year-old son Edward were held at the Owl's Nest Inn in Blackbrook.
The pair had been crushed to death down Pewfall Colliery, near Haydock, by what was described as a large mass of stone.
This had become detached from the pit roof and also struck down a third family member who escaped with severe bruises.
On the same day an inquest was held at the Railway Inn at Garswood on William Speakman, who worked at the Seneley Green Colliery. Again stones and debris falling from the underground pit roof caused his demise.
A public meeting attended by 500 people was held in the Engineer Drill Hall in Croppers Hill (shown above) on the 8th to discuss the new concept that had come to St Helens – a pub without beer!
In the 1870s there were very few places where people could meet and socialise – apart from the public house. Even inquests were held in pubs.
So a local chap called Menzies – who reportedly was keen to "reform the habits of the working classes" – was opening two establishments without drink in St Helens.
Essentially they were non-alcoholic clubrooms or temperance bars – if you like – but the idea was quite novel and the meeting heard from a man from Leeds where 14 of these houses were operating.
The Wigan Observer wrote: "There was much enthusiasm exhibited by the audience, and promises of support tendered."
Mr Menzies planned to open a British Workman Public House in Liverpool Road and another at the other end of the borough.
They would be non-profitmaking and each venue would contain a reading room and smoking room on the ground floor.
On the 9th Thomas Tunstall, from Stubshaw Cross in Ashton, appeared in court charged with committing wilful damage at the Garswood Hall Collieries.
After being sacked from the mine, Tunstall had returned and driven a number of three-inch nails into the headgear seemingly as an act of revenge. He was ordered to pay a fine of 5 shillings, the cost of the damage and the court costs.
Three weeks earlier I reported how bigmouth lawyer Thomas Swift had once again wound someone up in court.
When one of his cases had been called at St Helens Petty Sessions, Swift had accused magistrate John Bibby of "manifesting a strong prejudice" against him over a long period.
He requested an adjournment saying there was no probability of his client receiving fair play or having justice done as long as Bibby acted as chairman.
This understandably enraged the wealthy owner of the Ravenhead Copper Works and on the 10th an application for an order against Swift was made in the Court of Queen's Bench.
A Mr Metcalfe applied on behalf of John Bibby for the solicitor to show cause why a "criminal information should not be filed against him for slander uttered to the applicant in his magisterial capacity."
In other words Swift was being sued for slander and the application was granted.
The newspapers' spelling of the names of those involved in court cases during the 19th century was very often incorrect.
There were clearly no case lists for reporters to refer to and so they spelt the names of defendants and witnesses as they heard them being spoken.
It was reported that on the 10th in St Helens Petty Sessions: "Mary Kearney, juvenile, was charged with stealing 20lb. of iron from the premises of Messrs. Pilkington, and sent to prison for fourteen days."
Checking the recently completed 1871 census, it appears that Mary's surname was actually Carney and that she was living in College Street.
The thirteen-year-old joined the long list of St Helens' kids sent to prison for theft – possibly at the bidding of her parents.
And finally, this article in the Liverpool Mercury intrigued me this week.
It is about a campaign to introduce the metric system in British schools – yes, 150 years ago!
It also covered the decimalisation of coinage, which as we know took a further 100 years to occur:
"THE METRIC SYSTEM – On the invitation of the council of the International Decimal Association and the metric committee of the British Association, a conference took place on Monday, in the lecture theatre of the Kensington Museum, on the teaching of the metric system of weights and measures in schools. The Earl Fortescue presided.
"The points urged were the great inconvenience arising from the want of international uniformity of weights, and of a system adequate to the requirements of trade and the purposes of science; the simplicity and easy use of a complete metric system; the facility of introducing binary divisions in such a system, while preserving the strictly decimal numeration.
"Also the saving of time in educating; that a time should be fixed (three or five years) for the introduction of teaching it compulsorily in schools; that it was now recognised and used in countries with which our trade in 1869 amounted to £356,000,000, or 66 per cent. of the whole trade of the country.
"That its general adoption would pave the way for the introduction of that great desideratum an international coinage, and the necessity of legislation on the Compulsory principle.
"Resolutions were carried declaring that the metrical system commends itself for educational purposes by its simplicity and unity, its compactness and adaptability to all the wants of life, the ease with which it may be taught in schools, and the great economy of time it would effect in the work of elementary education.
"Also that the introduction of the decimal division in weights, measures, and coins would confer a decided boon on the general community.
"The noble Chairman congratulated the conference upon the progress the metric system had made, and especially on the adhesion to it, not only of associated chambers of commerce and the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, but various other agricultural associations."
Next Week's stories will include the man accused of setting fire to St Helens Town Hall, the boys soundly whipped for throwing stones in Prescot, the Ormskirk Street mask dispute, the Haydock Mission School treat and Newton Races takes place.
We begin on the 7th when the Liverpool Mercury reported on a case in the Prescot Petty Sessions of unwanted kissing. The paper wrote:
"A young man, named Joseph Meredith, was charged with assaulting Mary Barrow, the assault consisting in kissing her on the public road against her will.
"The case was instituted to put a stop to a habit which is becoming common amongst the amorous youths of Prescot. Meredith said it was but a lark, and for the lark he had to pay 16s. 6d."
The St Helens Newspaper wrote that the actual charge that Meredith had faced for his kissing spree had been "assault and beating".
The paper reported on another case in Prescot Petty Sessions in which Patrick Cairnes summoned Thomas Hammill for assault – seemingly because of a previous refusal to stand bail for him. The Newspaper said:
"The defendant met him at Rainhill, and without the smallest courtesy, hit the complainant on the side of the head with his can.
"Complainant knocked him down in return, and would no doubt have had the best of the fight, if Hammill's wife had not been present.
"As it was the wife created such a diversion in her husband's favour, that the complainant was completely defeated. A warrant was ordered."
Perhaps Hammill (who did not turn up in court) should have said "Good evening" first and shown a bit of courtesy before bashing Patrick Cairnes with his can!
A Grand Bazaar was held on the 7th and 8th at Rainhill School. The event was organised to help reduce the £875 debt on the enlargement of St Ann's church in Warrington Road and the extension of its graveyard.
The Rainhill Asylum band played during each evening and it was reported that many of the most influential families of Rainhill and its neighbourhood were in attendance.
Later in the week the Rev. Walter Clay, the Vicar of Rainhill, was able to report that the gross receipts amounted to £1,050, which should have taken care of his debt problem.
At the St Helens Petty Sessions on the 8th, James Plunkett was charged with desertion of his family – a crime that the Liverpool Mercury said was almost a daily occurrence in St Helens.
Plunkett had walked out on his two children, leaving the authorities to look after them and was sent to prison for three weeks.
Working down coalmines used to be a family affair. Once it became illegal for females to go down the pit, it was left to fathers and sons to continue the tradition.
Dad would be the "hewer" or coal-getter – using an axe or pick to dig out the precious coal – and his boy would be the "drawer", who took the dug coal away. Sometimes the father and son team would die together.
On the 8th the inquest on 57-year-old James Twist and his 15-year-old son Edward were held at the Owl's Nest Inn in Blackbrook.
The pair had been crushed to death down Pewfall Colliery, near Haydock, by what was described as a large mass of stone.
This had become detached from the pit roof and also struck down a third family member who escaped with severe bruises.
On the same day an inquest was held at the Railway Inn at Garswood on William Speakman, who worked at the Seneley Green Colliery. Again stones and debris falling from the underground pit roof caused his demise.
In the 1870s there were very few places where people could meet and socialise – apart from the public house. Even inquests were held in pubs.
So a local chap called Menzies – who reportedly was keen to "reform the habits of the working classes" – was opening two establishments without drink in St Helens.
Essentially they were non-alcoholic clubrooms or temperance bars – if you like – but the idea was quite novel and the meeting heard from a man from Leeds where 14 of these houses were operating.
The Wigan Observer wrote: "There was much enthusiasm exhibited by the audience, and promises of support tendered."
Mr Menzies planned to open a British Workman Public House in Liverpool Road and another at the other end of the borough.
They would be non-profitmaking and each venue would contain a reading room and smoking room on the ground floor.
On the 9th Thomas Tunstall, from Stubshaw Cross in Ashton, appeared in court charged with committing wilful damage at the Garswood Hall Collieries.
After being sacked from the mine, Tunstall had returned and driven a number of three-inch nails into the headgear seemingly as an act of revenge. He was ordered to pay a fine of 5 shillings, the cost of the damage and the court costs.
Three weeks earlier I reported how bigmouth lawyer Thomas Swift had once again wound someone up in court.
When one of his cases had been called at St Helens Petty Sessions, Swift had accused magistrate John Bibby of "manifesting a strong prejudice" against him over a long period.
He requested an adjournment saying there was no probability of his client receiving fair play or having justice done as long as Bibby acted as chairman.
This understandably enraged the wealthy owner of the Ravenhead Copper Works and on the 10th an application for an order against Swift was made in the Court of Queen's Bench.
A Mr Metcalfe applied on behalf of John Bibby for the solicitor to show cause why a "criminal information should not be filed against him for slander uttered to the applicant in his magisterial capacity."
In other words Swift was being sued for slander and the application was granted.
The newspapers' spelling of the names of those involved in court cases during the 19th century was very often incorrect.
There were clearly no case lists for reporters to refer to and so they spelt the names of defendants and witnesses as they heard them being spoken.
It was reported that on the 10th in St Helens Petty Sessions: "Mary Kearney, juvenile, was charged with stealing 20lb. of iron from the premises of Messrs. Pilkington, and sent to prison for fourteen days."
Checking the recently completed 1871 census, it appears that Mary's surname was actually Carney and that she was living in College Street.
The thirteen-year-old joined the long list of St Helens' kids sent to prison for theft – possibly at the bidding of her parents.
And finally, this article in the Liverpool Mercury intrigued me this week.
It is about a campaign to introduce the metric system in British schools – yes, 150 years ago!
It also covered the decimalisation of coinage, which as we know took a further 100 years to occur:
"THE METRIC SYSTEM – On the invitation of the council of the International Decimal Association and the metric committee of the British Association, a conference took place on Monday, in the lecture theatre of the Kensington Museum, on the teaching of the metric system of weights and measures in schools. The Earl Fortescue presided.
"The points urged were the great inconvenience arising from the want of international uniformity of weights, and of a system adequate to the requirements of trade and the purposes of science; the simplicity and easy use of a complete metric system; the facility of introducing binary divisions in such a system, while preserving the strictly decimal numeration.
"Also the saving of time in educating; that a time should be fixed (three or five years) for the introduction of teaching it compulsorily in schools; that it was now recognised and used in countries with which our trade in 1869 amounted to £356,000,000, or 66 per cent. of the whole trade of the country.
"That its general adoption would pave the way for the introduction of that great desideratum an international coinage, and the necessity of legislation on the Compulsory principle.
"Resolutions were carried declaring that the metrical system commends itself for educational purposes by its simplicity and unity, its compactness and adaptability to all the wants of life, the ease with which it may be taught in schools, and the great economy of time it would effect in the work of elementary education.
"Also that the introduction of the decimal division in weights, measures, and coins would confer a decided boon on the general community.
"The noble Chairman congratulated the conference upon the progress the metric system had made, and especially on the adhesion to it, not only of associated chambers of commerce and the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, but various other agricultural associations."
Next Week's stories will include the man accused of setting fire to St Helens Town Hall, the boys soundly whipped for throwing stones in Prescot, the Ormskirk Street mask dispute, the Haydock Mission School treat and Newton Races takes place.