150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 10 - 16 JUNE 1874
This week's many stories include the violent woman who told magistrates her motto was death or glory, the fire at Pewfall Colliery, a defence of the bricks used in the new town hall, the fake traveller at the Junction Hotel in Rainford, the battle of the St Helens billposters and the woman who sought revenge against a witness in a court case.
We begin with the new Town Hall which was currently under construction in what would become known as Corporation Street. At last week's council meeting there had been much criticism of the work. Councillor Fidler stated that he had never seen a "more shameful kind of brick" and Cllr Thomason said the bricks were scarcely good enough for a stable, adding: "Not only are they unfit for such an elevation, but the workmanship is disgraceful".
As a result the council's New Town Hall Committee held a meeting on the site of the building on the 10th to discuss the situation with the architect. As might be expected Henry Sumners strongly defended the work "from the aspersions cast upon it" – as the St Helens Newspaper put it – and he was able to satisfy the committee that the builder was adhering to his contract.
The front page of the Prescot Reporter on the 13th contained this advert: "POLICE NOTICE. TEN SHILLINGS REWARD! Lost, Stolen, or Strayed, from the lawn of “Prescot House,” on Monday afternoon, the 8th June, A FEMALE DONKEY, never been shod, and the hair about her legs cut in several places by children. Whoever will give such information to Mr. Supt. Fowler as will lead to her recovery, will receive the above reward. Anyone detaining her after this notice will be prosecuted. Police Station, Prescot, 10th June, 1874."
The St Helens Newspaper was published on the 13th and published this account of a court case in which Mary Ford was charged with assaulting Bridget McCormick: "Mr. Swift appeared for the complainant, who said that on Thursday evening last the defendant came to her house to complain of a small boy. Some words took place followed by a scrimmage, in which defendant's son distinguished himself as a valiant assailant of women.
"Complainant said that he was knocking her mother about, and she went to interfere, whereupon defendant rushed at her with a thick stick, and gave her a blow with it upon the head which inflicted a severe wound. The defendant brought the stick to court that it might be seen. She flourished it about in such a liberal way that [Police] Superintendent Ludlam, who sat near, had substantial reason to feel his position uncomfortable. She is a woman who has an exceedingly glib tongue, and she cross-examined the witnesses for the prosecutrix to the motions of the stick.
"After she had commenced the assault, a rush was made by some women to secure the weapon, but the defendant wielded it so viciously that those who ventured too near retired at least as rapidly as they had advanced, and when the battle was over she remained in possession of her battle axe. She proclaimed in court that her motto was “Death or glory.” The Chairman fined her 10s and costs – the costs to include the fee of the advocate."
There were some interesting items in the "To Be Sold" section of the Newspaper – what we would call the classifieds. Lowe House Church was selling off their "excellent" organ at a price of 200 guineas, "to be removed at the expense and risk of the purchaser". One might wonder why the church was selling their organ if it was so excellent. The answer, they said, was that a larger one was being installed.
If you didn't want an organ you could buy a piano which was being sold by the residents of 70 Liverpool Road in St Helens. Their ad said: "Splendid new walnut cottage piano, seven octaves, beautiful carved front, brilliant tone. A great sacrifice for ready money."
There was also a "good second-hand" bread van available from 2 Baldwin Street. Of course, horses would have hauled it and I wonder what would have made the vehicle distinctive as a bread van? A "three-horse steam engine" was also on sale – although no horses were included!
Beer could not be sold on Sunday mornings, although licensees were permitted to serve thirsty travellers who may have walked some distance and needed refreshments. But then how do you define what a traveller is? Someone who has walked 50 yards or 50 miles? It was not until 1910 that an Act of Parliament solved the quandary by stipulating a three-mile traveller rule.
Alfred Lee was the proprietor of the Junction Hotel in Rainford and also, incidentally, manufactured his own version of Worcestershire Sauce. He appears to have tipped the police off that a supposed travelling drinker was not what he claimed, as the landlord would have been prosecuted if the police had learnt of it and that could have affected his licence.
On the 15th Michael Maloy appeared in St Helens Petty Sessions accused of falsely representing himself to be a traveller. After being served beer in the Junction with another man, Maloy admitted to the landlord Lee that he was not really a traveller but was meeting his cousin. In court it was claimed that the other man was the traveller but Maloy was fined 10 shillings or must serve 14 days in prison.
In August 1873 one of the best-known men in St Helens had died at the age of 61. That was James Berry of George Street who for many years had been the Town Crier of St Helens. His official duties had of late been few and his main business was as a billposter and distributor of handbills. William McBretney claimed to be Berry's successor having supposedly acquired the business from his widow.
One of his bill-posting clients was the Theatre Royal, then located in the premises we know as the Citadel. But he fell out with its manager, George Charles, and consequently stopped posting the theatre's events' notices. So the theatre manager decided to set up his own billposting firm called Charles & Co. That led to a row in the street and in March McBretney had issued a summons against Charles accusing him of using false and defamatory language towards him – but the magistrates in the Petty Sessions dismissed the case.
This week the row between Charles & Co and McBretney took centre stage in the St Helens County Court in East Street where it was claimed that the latter did not own Berry's old billposting business after all. As well as acquiring his ladders, paste cans and brushes, the new owner had exclusive rights to use what were called posting stations. These were in the form of outside walls or hoardings for which rent was paid to the owner allowing billposters to stick up their notices.
It seems that McBretney had attempted to buy the business but James Berry's son, Eli, had returned from America and on March 10th sold it instead to George Charles. In the meantime McBretney had made arrangements to use a posting station on the corner of Westfield Street and Rigby Street and had paid rent to its owner for his exclusive use. But later Charles paid for his own use of the same wall, after explaining to its owner that McBretney had no right to succeed Berry.
As a result both McBretney and Charles & Co had been using the same wall and sticking their notices over the other's posters and in court both sides brought actions against each other. William McBretney sought £4 damages for his posters being covered up and George Charles wanted 50 shillings.
The judge ruled that both of their claims were excessive, but thought Charles was entitled to 30 shillings and McBretney 10 shillings. He also ruled that Charles & Co was the actual lessee of the posting station at the corner of Rigby and Westfield streets, with McBretney having misled the owner by wrongly claiming to have acquired Berry's business.
Some defendants in the criminal courts – or their family members – were not prepared to wait long to extract revenge against witnesses who had given evidence against them in court. Last week Bridget Wynne's son, Patrick, had been in St Helens Petty Sessions to face an assault charge with Mary Cooney appearing as a witness.
As the latter had left the building, Mrs Wynne had caught up with Mrs Cooney and given her a blow to her breast. However, in order to thwart pickpockets that was the place where Mary hid her purse. It was full of coppers and Mrs Cooney told another hearing on the 15th that the impact of the defendant's fist against her money had been very painful for her.
I should imagine that it would have brought tears to Bridget Wynne's eyes too! For her doubly painful punch the woman was fined 10 shillings and costs. The stupidity of Mrs Cooney's action was that at the original hearing her son Patrick had been cleared of his assault charge.
And finally, on the morning of the 16th Pewfall Colliery, near Haydock, was discovered to be on fire. The pit had stopped working for Newton Races and had yet to resume production. So only one worker, a furnaceman, was on duty and he was believed to have caused the conflagration through taking ashes from one shaft to another. It was thought that a draught had kindled up the smouldering ashes and then set fire to the coal. Soon the pit was full of smoke which suffocated the unfortunate furnaceman.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the children's Race Friday parades, the pipe stealing in Bridge Street, the intolerable smell from an East Street ashpit and how a breach of the peace in Greenbank was punished by a 9-month prison sentence.
We begin with the new Town Hall which was currently under construction in what would become known as Corporation Street. At last week's council meeting there had been much criticism of the work. Councillor Fidler stated that he had never seen a "more shameful kind of brick" and Cllr Thomason said the bricks were scarcely good enough for a stable, adding: "Not only are they unfit for such an elevation, but the workmanship is disgraceful".
As a result the council's New Town Hall Committee held a meeting on the site of the building on the 10th to discuss the situation with the architect. As might be expected Henry Sumners strongly defended the work "from the aspersions cast upon it" – as the St Helens Newspaper put it – and he was able to satisfy the committee that the builder was adhering to his contract.
The front page of the Prescot Reporter on the 13th contained this advert: "POLICE NOTICE. TEN SHILLINGS REWARD! Lost, Stolen, or Strayed, from the lawn of “Prescot House,” on Monday afternoon, the 8th June, A FEMALE DONKEY, never been shod, and the hair about her legs cut in several places by children. Whoever will give such information to Mr. Supt. Fowler as will lead to her recovery, will receive the above reward. Anyone detaining her after this notice will be prosecuted. Police Station, Prescot, 10th June, 1874."
The St Helens Newspaper was published on the 13th and published this account of a court case in which Mary Ford was charged with assaulting Bridget McCormick: "Mr. Swift appeared for the complainant, who said that on Thursday evening last the defendant came to her house to complain of a small boy. Some words took place followed by a scrimmage, in which defendant's son distinguished himself as a valiant assailant of women.
"Complainant said that he was knocking her mother about, and she went to interfere, whereupon defendant rushed at her with a thick stick, and gave her a blow with it upon the head which inflicted a severe wound. The defendant brought the stick to court that it might be seen. She flourished it about in such a liberal way that [Police] Superintendent Ludlam, who sat near, had substantial reason to feel his position uncomfortable. She is a woman who has an exceedingly glib tongue, and she cross-examined the witnesses for the prosecutrix to the motions of the stick.
"After she had commenced the assault, a rush was made by some women to secure the weapon, but the defendant wielded it so viciously that those who ventured too near retired at least as rapidly as they had advanced, and when the battle was over she remained in possession of her battle axe. She proclaimed in court that her motto was “Death or glory.” The Chairman fined her 10s and costs – the costs to include the fee of the advocate."
There were some interesting items in the "To Be Sold" section of the Newspaper – what we would call the classifieds. Lowe House Church was selling off their "excellent" organ at a price of 200 guineas, "to be removed at the expense and risk of the purchaser". One might wonder why the church was selling their organ if it was so excellent. The answer, they said, was that a larger one was being installed.
If you didn't want an organ you could buy a piano which was being sold by the residents of 70 Liverpool Road in St Helens. Their ad said: "Splendid new walnut cottage piano, seven octaves, beautiful carved front, brilliant tone. A great sacrifice for ready money."
There was also a "good second-hand" bread van available from 2 Baldwin Street. Of course, horses would have hauled it and I wonder what would have made the vehicle distinctive as a bread van? A "three-horse steam engine" was also on sale – although no horses were included!
Beer could not be sold on Sunday mornings, although licensees were permitted to serve thirsty travellers who may have walked some distance and needed refreshments. But then how do you define what a traveller is? Someone who has walked 50 yards or 50 miles? It was not until 1910 that an Act of Parliament solved the quandary by stipulating a three-mile traveller rule.
On the 15th Michael Maloy appeared in St Helens Petty Sessions accused of falsely representing himself to be a traveller. After being served beer in the Junction with another man, Maloy admitted to the landlord Lee that he was not really a traveller but was meeting his cousin. In court it was claimed that the other man was the traveller but Maloy was fined 10 shillings or must serve 14 days in prison.
In August 1873 one of the best-known men in St Helens had died at the age of 61. That was James Berry of George Street who for many years had been the Town Crier of St Helens. His official duties had of late been few and his main business was as a billposter and distributor of handbills. William McBretney claimed to be Berry's successor having supposedly acquired the business from his widow.
One of his bill-posting clients was the Theatre Royal, then located in the premises we know as the Citadel. But he fell out with its manager, George Charles, and consequently stopped posting the theatre's events' notices. So the theatre manager decided to set up his own billposting firm called Charles & Co. That led to a row in the street and in March McBretney had issued a summons against Charles accusing him of using false and defamatory language towards him – but the magistrates in the Petty Sessions dismissed the case.
This week the row between Charles & Co and McBretney took centre stage in the St Helens County Court in East Street where it was claimed that the latter did not own Berry's old billposting business after all. As well as acquiring his ladders, paste cans and brushes, the new owner had exclusive rights to use what were called posting stations. These were in the form of outside walls or hoardings for which rent was paid to the owner allowing billposters to stick up their notices.
It seems that McBretney had attempted to buy the business but James Berry's son, Eli, had returned from America and on March 10th sold it instead to George Charles. In the meantime McBretney had made arrangements to use a posting station on the corner of Westfield Street and Rigby Street and had paid rent to its owner for his exclusive use. But later Charles paid for his own use of the same wall, after explaining to its owner that McBretney had no right to succeed Berry.
As a result both McBretney and Charles & Co had been using the same wall and sticking their notices over the other's posters and in court both sides brought actions against each other. William McBretney sought £4 damages for his posters being covered up and George Charles wanted 50 shillings.
The judge ruled that both of their claims were excessive, but thought Charles was entitled to 30 shillings and McBretney 10 shillings. He also ruled that Charles & Co was the actual lessee of the posting station at the corner of Rigby and Westfield streets, with McBretney having misled the owner by wrongly claiming to have acquired Berry's business.
Some defendants in the criminal courts – or their family members – were not prepared to wait long to extract revenge against witnesses who had given evidence against them in court. Last week Bridget Wynne's son, Patrick, had been in St Helens Petty Sessions to face an assault charge with Mary Cooney appearing as a witness.
As the latter had left the building, Mrs Wynne had caught up with Mrs Cooney and given her a blow to her breast. However, in order to thwart pickpockets that was the place where Mary hid her purse. It was full of coppers and Mrs Cooney told another hearing on the 15th that the impact of the defendant's fist against her money had been very painful for her.
I should imagine that it would have brought tears to Bridget Wynne's eyes too! For her doubly painful punch the woman was fined 10 shillings and costs. The stupidity of Mrs Cooney's action was that at the original hearing her son Patrick had been cleared of his assault charge.
And finally, on the morning of the 16th Pewfall Colliery, near Haydock, was discovered to be on fire. The pit had stopped working for Newton Races and had yet to resume production. So only one worker, a furnaceman, was on duty and he was believed to have caused the conflagration through taking ashes from one shaft to another. It was thought that a draught had kindled up the smouldering ashes and then set fire to the coal. Soon the pit was full of smoke which suffocated the unfortunate furnaceman.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the children's Race Friday parades, the pipe stealing in Bridge Street, the intolerable smell from an East Street ashpit and how a breach of the peace in Greenbank was punished by a 9-month prison sentence.
This week's many stories include the violent woman who told magistrates her motto was death or glory, the fire at Pewfall Colliery, a defence of the bricks used in the new town hall, the fake traveller at the Junction Hotel in Rainford, the battle of the St Helens billposters and the woman who sought revenge against a witness in a court case.
We begin with the new Town Hall which was currently under construction in what would become known as Corporation Street.
At last week's council meeting there had been much criticism of the work.
Councillor Fidler stated that he had never seen a "more shameful kind of brick" and Cllr Thomason said the bricks were scarcely good enough for a stable, adding: "Not only are they unfit for such an elevation, but the workmanship is disgraceful".
As a result the council's New Town Hall Committee held a meeting on the site of the building on the 10th to discuss the situation with the architect.
As might be expected Henry Sumners strongly defended the work "from the aspersions cast upon it" – as the St Helens Newspaper put it – and he was able to satisfy the committee that the builder was adhering to his contract.
The front page of the Prescot Reporter on the 13th contained this advert:
"POLICE NOTICE. TEN SHILLINGS REWARD! Lost, Stolen, or Strayed, from the lawn of “Prescot House,” on Monday afternoon, the 8th June, A FEMALE DONKEY, never been shod, and the hair about her legs cut in several places by children.
"Whoever will give such information to Mr. Supt. Fowler as will lead to her recovery, will receive the above reward. Anyone detaining her after this notice will be prosecuted. Police Station, Prescot, 10th June, 1874."
The St Helens Newspaper was published on the 13th and published this account of a court case in which Mary Ford was charged with assaulting Bridget McCormick:
"Mr. Swift appeared for the complainant, who said that on Thursday evening last the defendant came to her house to complain of a small boy.
"Some words took place followed by a scrimmage, in which defendant's son distinguished himself as a valiant assailant of women.
"Complainant said that he was knocking her mother about, and she went to interfere, whereupon defendant rushed at her with a thick stick, and gave her a blow with it upon the head which inflicted a severe wound.
"The defendant brought the stick to court that it might be seen. She flourished it about in such a liberal way that [Police] Superintendent Ludlam, who sat near, had substantial reason to feel his position uncomfortable.
"She is a woman who has an exceedingly glib tongue, and she cross-examined the witnesses for the prosecutrix to the motions of the stick.
"After she had commenced the assault, a rush was made by some women to secure the weapon, but the defendant wielded it so viciously that those who ventured too near retired at least as rapidly as they had advanced, and when the battle was over she remained in possession of her battle axe.
"She proclaimed in court that her motto was “Death or glory.” The Chairman fined her 10s and costs – the costs to include the fee of the advocate."
There were some interesting items in the "To Be Sold" section of the Newspaper – what we would call the classifieds.
Lowe House Church was selling off their "excellent" organ at a price of 200 guineas, "to be removed at the expense and risk of the purchaser".
One might wonder why the church was selling their organ if it was so excellent. The answer, they said, was that a larger one was being installed.
If you didn't want an organ you could buy a piano which was being sold by the residents of 70 Liverpool Road in St Helens. Their ad said:
"Splendid new walnut cottage piano, seven octaves, beautiful carved front, brilliant tone. A great sacrifice for ready money."
There was also a "good second-hand" bread van available from 2 Baldwin Street. Of course, horses would have hauled it and I wonder what would have made the vehicle distinctive as a bread van?
A "three-horse steam engine" was also on sale – although no horses were included!
Beer could not be sold on Sunday mornings, although licensees were permitted to serve thirsty travellers who may have walked some distance and needed refreshments.
But then how do you define what a traveller is? Someone who has walked 50 yards or 50 miles?
It was not until 1910 that an Act of Parliament solved the quandary by stipulating a three-mile traveller rule.
Alfred Lee was the proprietor of the Junction Hotel in Rainford and also, incidentally, manufactured his own version of Worcestershire Sauce.
He appears to have tipped the police off that a supposed travelling drinker was not what he claimed, as the landlord would have been prosecuted if the police had learnt of it and that could have affected his licence.
On the 15th Michael Maloy appeared in St Helens Petty Sessions accused of falsely representing himself to be a traveller.
After being served beer in the Junction with another man, Maloy admitted to the landlord Lee that he was not really a traveller but was meeting his cousin.
In court it was claimed that the other man was the traveller but Maloy was fined 10 shillings or must serve 14 days in prison.
In August 1873 one of the best-known men in St Helens had died at the age of 61.
That was James Berry of George Street who for many years had been the Town Crier of St Helens.
His official duties had of late been few and his main business was as a billposter and distributor of handbills.
William McBretney claimed to be Berry's successor having supposedly acquired the business from his widow.
One of his bill-posting clients was the Theatre Royal, then located in the premises we know as the Citadel.
But he fell out with its manager, George Charles, and consequently stopped posting the theatre's events' notices.
So the theatre manager decided to set up his own billposting firm called Charles & Co.
That led to a row in the street and in March McBretney had issued a summons against Charles accusing him of using false and defamatory language towards him – but the magistrates in the Petty Sessions dismissed the case.
This week the row between Charles & Co and McBretney took centre stage in the St Helens County Court in East Street where it was claimed that the latter did not own Berry's old billposting business after all.
As well as acquiring his ladders, paste cans and brushes, the new owner had exclusive rights to use what were called posting stations.
These were in the form of outside walls or hoardings for which rent was paid to the owner allowing billposters to stick up their notices.
It seems that McBretney had attempted to buy the business but James Berry's son, Eli, had returned from America and on March 10th sold it instead to George Charles.
In the meantime McBretney had made arrangements to use a posting station on the corner of Westfield Street and Rigby Street and had paid rent to its owner for his exclusive use.
But later Charles paid for his own use of the same wall, after explaining to its owner that McBretney had no right to succeed Berry.
As a result both McBretney and Charles & Co had been using the same wall and sticking their notices over the other's posters and in court both sides brought actions against each other.
William McBretney sought £4 damages for his posters being covered up and George Charles wanted 50 shillings.
The judge ruled that both of their claims were excessive, but thought Charles was entitled to 30 shillings and McBretney 10 shillings.
He also ruled that Charles & Co was the actual lessee of the posting station at the corner of Rigby and Westfield streets, with McBretney having misled the owner by wrongly claiming to have acquired Berry's business.
Some defendants in the criminal courts – or their family members – were not prepared to wait long to extract revenge against witnesses who had given evidence against them in court.
Last week Bridget Wynne's son, Patrick, had been in St Helens Petty Sessions to face an assault charge with Mary Cooney appearing as a witness.
As the latter had left the building, Mrs Wynne had caught up with Mrs Cooney and given her a blow to her breast.
However, in order to thwart pickpockets that was the place where Mary hid her purse.
It was full of coppers and Mrs Cooney told another hearing on the 15th that the impact of the defendant's fist against her money had been very painful for her. I should imagine that it would have brought tears to Bridget Wynne's eyes too!
For her doubly painful punch the woman was fined 10 shillings and costs. The stupidity of Mrs Cooney's action was that at the original hearing her son Patrick had been cleared of his assault charge.
And finally, on the morning of the 16th Pewfall Colliery, near Haydock, was discovered to be on fire. The pit had stopped working for Newton Races and had yet to resume production.
So only one worker, a furnaceman, was on duty and he was believed to have caused the conflagration through taking ashes from one shaft to another.
It was thought that a draught had kindled up the smouldering ashes and then set fire to the coal.
Soon the pit was full of smoke which suffocated the unfortunate furnaceman.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the children's Race Friday parades, the pipe stealing in Bridge Street, the intolerable smell from an East Street ashpit and how a breach of the peace in Greenbank was punished by a 9-month prison sentence.
We begin with the new Town Hall which was currently under construction in what would become known as Corporation Street.
At last week's council meeting there had been much criticism of the work.
Councillor Fidler stated that he had never seen a "more shameful kind of brick" and Cllr Thomason said the bricks were scarcely good enough for a stable, adding: "Not only are they unfit for such an elevation, but the workmanship is disgraceful".
As a result the council's New Town Hall Committee held a meeting on the site of the building on the 10th to discuss the situation with the architect.
As might be expected Henry Sumners strongly defended the work "from the aspersions cast upon it" – as the St Helens Newspaper put it – and he was able to satisfy the committee that the builder was adhering to his contract.
The front page of the Prescot Reporter on the 13th contained this advert:
"POLICE NOTICE. TEN SHILLINGS REWARD! Lost, Stolen, or Strayed, from the lawn of “Prescot House,” on Monday afternoon, the 8th June, A FEMALE DONKEY, never been shod, and the hair about her legs cut in several places by children.
"Whoever will give such information to Mr. Supt. Fowler as will lead to her recovery, will receive the above reward. Anyone detaining her after this notice will be prosecuted. Police Station, Prescot, 10th June, 1874."
The St Helens Newspaper was published on the 13th and published this account of a court case in which Mary Ford was charged with assaulting Bridget McCormick:
"Mr. Swift appeared for the complainant, who said that on Thursday evening last the defendant came to her house to complain of a small boy.
"Some words took place followed by a scrimmage, in which defendant's son distinguished himself as a valiant assailant of women.
"Complainant said that he was knocking her mother about, and she went to interfere, whereupon defendant rushed at her with a thick stick, and gave her a blow with it upon the head which inflicted a severe wound.
"The defendant brought the stick to court that it might be seen. She flourished it about in such a liberal way that [Police] Superintendent Ludlam, who sat near, had substantial reason to feel his position uncomfortable.
"She is a woman who has an exceedingly glib tongue, and she cross-examined the witnesses for the prosecutrix to the motions of the stick.
"After she had commenced the assault, a rush was made by some women to secure the weapon, but the defendant wielded it so viciously that those who ventured too near retired at least as rapidly as they had advanced, and when the battle was over she remained in possession of her battle axe.
"She proclaimed in court that her motto was “Death or glory.” The Chairman fined her 10s and costs – the costs to include the fee of the advocate."
There were some interesting items in the "To Be Sold" section of the Newspaper – what we would call the classifieds.
Lowe House Church was selling off their "excellent" organ at a price of 200 guineas, "to be removed at the expense and risk of the purchaser".
One might wonder why the church was selling their organ if it was so excellent. The answer, they said, was that a larger one was being installed.
If you didn't want an organ you could buy a piano which was being sold by the residents of 70 Liverpool Road in St Helens. Their ad said:
"Splendid new walnut cottage piano, seven octaves, beautiful carved front, brilliant tone. A great sacrifice for ready money."
There was also a "good second-hand" bread van available from 2 Baldwin Street. Of course, horses would have hauled it and I wonder what would have made the vehicle distinctive as a bread van?
A "three-horse steam engine" was also on sale – although no horses were included!
Beer could not be sold on Sunday mornings, although licensees were permitted to serve thirsty travellers who may have walked some distance and needed refreshments.
But then how do you define what a traveller is? Someone who has walked 50 yards or 50 miles?
It was not until 1910 that an Act of Parliament solved the quandary by stipulating a three-mile traveller rule.
He appears to have tipped the police off that a supposed travelling drinker was not what he claimed, as the landlord would have been prosecuted if the police had learnt of it and that could have affected his licence.
On the 15th Michael Maloy appeared in St Helens Petty Sessions accused of falsely representing himself to be a traveller.
After being served beer in the Junction with another man, Maloy admitted to the landlord Lee that he was not really a traveller but was meeting his cousin.
In court it was claimed that the other man was the traveller but Maloy was fined 10 shillings or must serve 14 days in prison.
In August 1873 one of the best-known men in St Helens had died at the age of 61.
That was James Berry of George Street who for many years had been the Town Crier of St Helens.
His official duties had of late been few and his main business was as a billposter and distributor of handbills.
William McBretney claimed to be Berry's successor having supposedly acquired the business from his widow.
One of his bill-posting clients was the Theatre Royal, then located in the premises we know as the Citadel.
But he fell out with its manager, George Charles, and consequently stopped posting the theatre's events' notices.
So the theatre manager decided to set up his own billposting firm called Charles & Co.
That led to a row in the street and in March McBretney had issued a summons against Charles accusing him of using false and defamatory language towards him – but the magistrates in the Petty Sessions dismissed the case.
This week the row between Charles & Co and McBretney took centre stage in the St Helens County Court in East Street where it was claimed that the latter did not own Berry's old billposting business after all.
As well as acquiring his ladders, paste cans and brushes, the new owner had exclusive rights to use what were called posting stations.
These were in the form of outside walls or hoardings for which rent was paid to the owner allowing billposters to stick up their notices.
It seems that McBretney had attempted to buy the business but James Berry's son, Eli, had returned from America and on March 10th sold it instead to George Charles.
In the meantime McBretney had made arrangements to use a posting station on the corner of Westfield Street and Rigby Street and had paid rent to its owner for his exclusive use.
But later Charles paid for his own use of the same wall, after explaining to its owner that McBretney had no right to succeed Berry.
As a result both McBretney and Charles & Co had been using the same wall and sticking their notices over the other's posters and in court both sides brought actions against each other.
William McBretney sought £4 damages for his posters being covered up and George Charles wanted 50 shillings.
The judge ruled that both of their claims were excessive, but thought Charles was entitled to 30 shillings and McBretney 10 shillings.
He also ruled that Charles & Co was the actual lessee of the posting station at the corner of Rigby and Westfield streets, with McBretney having misled the owner by wrongly claiming to have acquired Berry's business.
Some defendants in the criminal courts – or their family members – were not prepared to wait long to extract revenge against witnesses who had given evidence against them in court.
Last week Bridget Wynne's son, Patrick, had been in St Helens Petty Sessions to face an assault charge with Mary Cooney appearing as a witness.
As the latter had left the building, Mrs Wynne had caught up with Mrs Cooney and given her a blow to her breast.
However, in order to thwart pickpockets that was the place where Mary hid her purse.
It was full of coppers and Mrs Cooney told another hearing on the 15th that the impact of the defendant's fist against her money had been very painful for her. I should imagine that it would have brought tears to Bridget Wynne's eyes too!
For her doubly painful punch the woman was fined 10 shillings and costs. The stupidity of Mrs Cooney's action was that at the original hearing her son Patrick had been cleared of his assault charge.
And finally, on the morning of the 16th Pewfall Colliery, near Haydock, was discovered to be on fire. The pit had stopped working for Newton Races and had yet to resume production.
So only one worker, a furnaceman, was on duty and he was believed to have caused the conflagration through taking ashes from one shaft to another.
It was thought that a draught had kindled up the smouldering ashes and then set fire to the coal.
Soon the pit was full of smoke which suffocated the unfortunate furnaceman.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the children's Race Friday parades, the pipe stealing in Bridge Street, the intolerable smell from an East Street ashpit and how a breach of the peace in Greenbank was punished by a 9-month prison sentence.