150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (14th - 20th DECEMBER 1870)
This week's stories include an allegation of penny pinching at Whiston Workhouse, the lack of places to spend a penny in St Helens, the cheating Liverpool Road grocer, a train crash in Peasley Cross, the Cowley boys "reunion" and the workhouse prepares for Christmas.
We begin on the 14th at a meeting of St Helens Council's Water, Lighting and General Purposes Committee when a petition from twenty market stallholders was discussed. They requested that the market in the town be closed on Boxing Day, which the committee agreed to.
On the 14th Cowley British Schools held their annual reunion. The school was then in North Road (pictured above) and known to most folk as "Lacey's". That was after the longstanding head Newton Lacey who had been in charge since 1846 but would resign in five years time when all teachers had to be qualified. Central Modern, incidentally, would later be built on the same site as the Cowley School.
We would probably call the Cowley reunion a speech day. That was because the attendees comprised relatives and friends of the present scholars, rather than it being a get together of former ones. That said some old boys did show up to inspect an exhibition of maps and drawings made by the present pupils and join in with a concert by the school choir.
The Prescot Union Guardians met on the 15th and discussed their cook's living quarters within Whiston Workhouse. One of the reasons that the recently appointed cook had quit her job was that the woman complained about having no proper place to sleep. The Clerk confirmed that there was no dedicated room for the cook, as such. She had just the kitchen and a loft and in order to access the latter a ladder needed to be climbed!
The matter was referred to the institution's House Committee for them to look into. It was also decided that the pauper's annual Christmas Dinner would be served on Boxing Day, as Christmas Day fell on a Sunday. A Mr Fazakerly from Rainhill had offered to exhibit his magic lantern in the workhouse "for the amusement of the inmates" and his offer was accepted.
The chaotic nature of the railways led to yet another train crash on the 16th, this time in Peasley Cross. The 9.30am train from St Helens Junction to Wigan was carrying 40 passengers when it hit a coal train that was taking in water. Most of the passengers were thrown off their seats and three men were injured.
As there was no hospital yet in St Helens, the trio was taken to the Temperance Hotel in George Street. That was just three minutes away from the railway station and so did a lot of business with injured passengers. The railway company had their own appointed doctors for treating their passengers when injured in the regular crashes and Dr James Ricketts of Cotham Street attended to the men. Many other passengers were considerably shaken but managed to continue their journey. I hope they all sued!
The editor and proprietor of the St Helens Newspaper, Bernard Dromgoole, often made himself unpopular with his highly critical editorials and was sued for libel on several occasions. On the 17th Henry Pepper, the Master of Whiston Workhouse (aka Governor), was the man in Dromgoole's sights. This was after the Guardians at their recent meeting had boasted how efficient they were at running the workhouse compared to other places. However that was not how Dromgoole saw it:
"Five pennies and three-sixteenths of a penny per head per day is the cost of maintaining a full-grown, able-bodied pauper at the present Union Workhouse. We suppose the above amount includes the cost of clothing. If the statement is correct, while we wonder how it is done, we begin to believe the reports which have for some time reached us of the pinching system pursued by the present Governor, Mr. Pepper, and the public, or such of them as have the privilege on access to the Whiston Workhouse, never need lack an opportunity of witnessing the wonderful and spectral exhibition of “Pepper's Ghost”." The so-called Pepper's Ghost was an illusion technique used in the theatre and at fairs, which was very popular in the 1860s and ‘70s.
Also on the 17th, the 47th St Helens battalion of the Lancashire Rifle Volunteers began their annual 4-day Christmas shoot on their range at St Helens Junction. There were few details of the prizes in the newspaper reports this year but two years ago 300 men had competed for 200 prizes, which mainly comprised food – such as game, geese, ducks, beef, mutton, ale etc. However there was also what the Liverpool Mercury described as a "live donkey of the shaggy species" that one "lucky" part-time soldier won.
In the St Helens Petty Sessions on the 19th, James Pennington from Sutton was charged with committing a nuisance in Victoria Passage (pictured above). That was the entry between Bridge Street and Naylor Street and the "nuisance" was the usual euphemism for urinating. We know that for certain in this case as Major Pilkington on the Bench railed against the lack of public conveniences in the town.
The Chairman said they were obliged to fine Pennington but would enter a protest against the present arrangements. However the fine was only one shilling and as Pilkington was on the Town Council, it might be seen as a protest against himself for not installing any loos. Victoria Passage figured a lot in court as Superintendent James Ludlam – the man in charge of St Helens Police – lived at one end of it. So the bobbies appear to have paid special attention to the goings on within. Some brave souls would even take a pee against the superintendent's door!
Henry Flint got short shrift from the Bench when he complained in the Petty Sessions about the level of his fine. The 32-year-old grocer from Liverpool Road had been ordered to pay £3 and costs for having nine weights incorrect – the equivalent of around three weeks' wages for many. This was the era when most grocery products were not pre-packed but were weighed for the customer and if the scales were wrong, extra profits could be made. Henry Flint said it was a great hardship to be fined so heavily but Major Pilkington replied that it was a greater hardship for poor people to be "defrauded out of their just measure".
John McCarter from Peasley Cross was in trouble for breaching the Inland Revenue Act. The 45-year-old shopkeeper was accused of keeping two dogs without a licence and he was fined 30 shillings and costs. The Revenue was then responsible for licences for such things as dogs and guns and would instigate prosecutions against those evading the tax.
There were never many Christmas advertisements in the local papers 150 years ago. However the Tuesday edition of the St Helens Newspaper on the 20th had this ad from Dromgoole's stationers in Hardshaw Street:
"Christmas comes but once a year!!! TISSUE PAPERS in all colours for Christmas decorations – 5 sheets for one penny. Presents for Christmas and New Year. Work boxes, albums, writing cases, books and puzzle boxes. Games of every description."
I published this advert from butcher John Harrison from Market Street a fortnight ago. It was also in the Newspaper this week and I'm repeating it simply because I love it! (I think it’s the "Ahs" that gets me going): "CHRISTMAS GEESE! Geese for Christmas and New Year. Turkeys! Turkeys!! Turkeys!!! For Christmas. Ah! Ah!! Ah!!! And the above will all be fat, and this year's birds. Pigs! Pigs!! Pigs!!! FAT PIGS FOR CHRISTMAS, Ah! And for the New year."
Peter McKinley had premises in Bridge Street and Market Street and announced that he was "now showing an extensive assortment of foreign toys, and other fancy goods, suitable for Christmas presents, New Year's gifts, and Christmas-tree decorations." And that was it for Christmas ads.
In the Prescot Petty Sessions on the 20th Peter Gorman was charged with having struck an "old man" named Thomas Murphy over the head with a whip handle. The only Thomas Murphy listed in the 1871 census (over the age of 17) was a 56-year-old pedlar. Peter Gorman is shown as his neighbour and listed as a 24-year-old dealer in cattle.
Superintendent Fowler was in charge of Prescot Police and he told the court that Gorman was a well-conducted person when sober but a single glass of ale would turn him into a "violent and dangerous character". He had been twelve times charged with drunkenness and disorderly conduct and once been placed in the "lunatic asylum" at Rainhill. The magistrates sentenced Gorman to a fine of 23 shillings, including costs, with the alternative of a month in prison.
Next week's stories will be posted a day earlier than usual on Thursday 24th at noon and include the Christmas produce on display in St Helens, the greatest brute in all Prescot is brought to court and the Christmas skaters on Carr Mill Dam and Eccleston Mere.
We begin on the 14th at a meeting of St Helens Council's Water, Lighting and General Purposes Committee when a petition from twenty market stallholders was discussed. They requested that the market in the town be closed on Boxing Day, which the committee agreed to.
We would probably call the Cowley reunion a speech day. That was because the attendees comprised relatives and friends of the present scholars, rather than it being a get together of former ones. That said some old boys did show up to inspect an exhibition of maps and drawings made by the present pupils and join in with a concert by the school choir.
The Prescot Union Guardians met on the 15th and discussed their cook's living quarters within Whiston Workhouse. One of the reasons that the recently appointed cook had quit her job was that the woman complained about having no proper place to sleep. The Clerk confirmed that there was no dedicated room for the cook, as such. She had just the kitchen and a loft and in order to access the latter a ladder needed to be climbed!
The matter was referred to the institution's House Committee for them to look into. It was also decided that the pauper's annual Christmas Dinner would be served on Boxing Day, as Christmas Day fell on a Sunday. A Mr Fazakerly from Rainhill had offered to exhibit his magic lantern in the workhouse "for the amusement of the inmates" and his offer was accepted.
The chaotic nature of the railways led to yet another train crash on the 16th, this time in Peasley Cross. The 9.30am train from St Helens Junction to Wigan was carrying 40 passengers when it hit a coal train that was taking in water. Most of the passengers were thrown off their seats and three men were injured.
As there was no hospital yet in St Helens, the trio was taken to the Temperance Hotel in George Street. That was just three minutes away from the railway station and so did a lot of business with injured passengers. The railway company had their own appointed doctors for treating their passengers when injured in the regular crashes and Dr James Ricketts of Cotham Street attended to the men. Many other passengers were considerably shaken but managed to continue their journey. I hope they all sued!
The editor and proprietor of the St Helens Newspaper, Bernard Dromgoole, often made himself unpopular with his highly critical editorials and was sued for libel on several occasions. On the 17th Henry Pepper, the Master of Whiston Workhouse (aka Governor), was the man in Dromgoole's sights. This was after the Guardians at their recent meeting had boasted how efficient they were at running the workhouse compared to other places. However that was not how Dromgoole saw it:
"Five pennies and three-sixteenths of a penny per head per day is the cost of maintaining a full-grown, able-bodied pauper at the present Union Workhouse. We suppose the above amount includes the cost of clothing. If the statement is correct, while we wonder how it is done, we begin to believe the reports which have for some time reached us of the pinching system pursued by the present Governor, Mr. Pepper, and the public, or such of them as have the privilege on access to the Whiston Workhouse, never need lack an opportunity of witnessing the wonderful and spectral exhibition of “Pepper's Ghost”." The so-called Pepper's Ghost was an illusion technique used in the theatre and at fairs, which was very popular in the 1860s and ‘70s.
Also on the 17th, the 47th St Helens battalion of the Lancashire Rifle Volunteers began their annual 4-day Christmas shoot on their range at St Helens Junction. There were few details of the prizes in the newspaper reports this year but two years ago 300 men had competed for 200 prizes, which mainly comprised food – such as game, geese, ducks, beef, mutton, ale etc. However there was also what the Liverpool Mercury described as a "live donkey of the shaggy species" that one "lucky" part-time soldier won.
The Chairman said they were obliged to fine Pennington but would enter a protest against the present arrangements. However the fine was only one shilling and as Pilkington was on the Town Council, it might be seen as a protest against himself for not installing any loos. Victoria Passage figured a lot in court as Superintendent James Ludlam – the man in charge of St Helens Police – lived at one end of it. So the bobbies appear to have paid special attention to the goings on within. Some brave souls would even take a pee against the superintendent's door!
Henry Flint got short shrift from the Bench when he complained in the Petty Sessions about the level of his fine. The 32-year-old grocer from Liverpool Road had been ordered to pay £3 and costs for having nine weights incorrect – the equivalent of around three weeks' wages for many. This was the era when most grocery products were not pre-packed but were weighed for the customer and if the scales were wrong, extra profits could be made. Henry Flint said it was a great hardship to be fined so heavily but Major Pilkington replied that it was a greater hardship for poor people to be "defrauded out of their just measure".
John McCarter from Peasley Cross was in trouble for breaching the Inland Revenue Act. The 45-year-old shopkeeper was accused of keeping two dogs without a licence and he was fined 30 shillings and costs. The Revenue was then responsible for licences for such things as dogs and guns and would instigate prosecutions against those evading the tax.
There were never many Christmas advertisements in the local papers 150 years ago. However the Tuesday edition of the St Helens Newspaper on the 20th had this ad from Dromgoole's stationers in Hardshaw Street:
"Christmas comes but once a year!!! TISSUE PAPERS in all colours for Christmas decorations – 5 sheets for one penny. Presents for Christmas and New Year. Work boxes, albums, writing cases, books and puzzle boxes. Games of every description."
I published this advert from butcher John Harrison from Market Street a fortnight ago. It was also in the Newspaper this week and I'm repeating it simply because I love it! (I think it’s the "Ahs" that gets me going): "CHRISTMAS GEESE! Geese for Christmas and New Year. Turkeys! Turkeys!! Turkeys!!! For Christmas. Ah! Ah!! Ah!!! And the above will all be fat, and this year's birds. Pigs! Pigs!! Pigs!!! FAT PIGS FOR CHRISTMAS, Ah! And for the New year."
Peter McKinley had premises in Bridge Street and Market Street and announced that he was "now showing an extensive assortment of foreign toys, and other fancy goods, suitable for Christmas presents, New Year's gifts, and Christmas-tree decorations." And that was it for Christmas ads.
In the Prescot Petty Sessions on the 20th Peter Gorman was charged with having struck an "old man" named Thomas Murphy over the head with a whip handle. The only Thomas Murphy listed in the 1871 census (over the age of 17) was a 56-year-old pedlar. Peter Gorman is shown as his neighbour and listed as a 24-year-old dealer in cattle.
Superintendent Fowler was in charge of Prescot Police and he told the court that Gorman was a well-conducted person when sober but a single glass of ale would turn him into a "violent and dangerous character". He had been twelve times charged with drunkenness and disorderly conduct and once been placed in the "lunatic asylum" at Rainhill. The magistrates sentenced Gorman to a fine of 23 shillings, including costs, with the alternative of a month in prison.
Next week's stories will be posted a day earlier than usual on Thursday 24th at noon and include the Christmas produce on display in St Helens, the greatest brute in all Prescot is brought to court and the Christmas skaters on Carr Mill Dam and Eccleston Mere.
This week's stories include an allegation of penny pinching at Whiston Workhouse, the lack of places to spend a penny in St Helens, the cheating Liverpool Road grocer, a train crash in Peasley Cross, the Cowley boys "reunion" and the workhouse prepares for Christmas.
We begin on the 14th at a meeting of St Helens Council's Water, Lighting and General Purposes Committee when a petition from twenty market stallholders was discussed.
They requested that the market in the town be closed on Boxing Day, which the committee agreed to.
On the 14th Cowley British Schools held their annual reunion. The school was then in North Road (pictured above) and known to most folk as "Lacey's".
That was after the longstanding head Newton Lacey who had been in charge since 1846 but would resign in five years time when all teachers had to be qualified.
Central Modern, incidentally, would later be built on the same site as the Cowley School.
We would probably call the Cowley reunion a speech day. That was because the attendees comprised relatives and friends of the present scholars, rather than it being a get together of former ones.
That said some old boys did show up to inspect an exhibition of maps and drawings made by the present pupils and join in with a concert by the school choir.
The Prescot Union Guardians met on the 15th and discussed their cook's living quarters within Whiston Workhouse.
One of the reasons that the recently appointed cook had quit her job was that the woman complained about having no proper place to sleep.
The Clerk confirmed that there was no dedicated room for the cook, as such.
She had just the kitchen and a loft and in order to access the latter a ladder needed to be climbed!
The matter was referred to the institution's House Committee for them to look into.
It was also decided that the pauper's annual Christmas Dinner would be served on Boxing Day, as Christmas Day fell on a Sunday.
A Mr Fazakerly from Rainhill had offered to exhibit his magic lantern in the workhouse "for the amusement of the inmates" and his offer was accepted.
The chaotic nature of the railways led to yet another train crash on the 16th, this time in Peasley Cross.
The 9.30am train from St Helens Junction to Wigan was carrying 40 passengers when it hit a coal train that was taking in water.
Most of the passengers were thrown off their seats and three men were injured.
As there was no hospital yet in St Helens, the trio was taken to the Temperance Hotel in George Street.
That was just three minutes away from the railway station and so did a lot of business with injured passengers.
The railway company had their own appointed doctors for treating their passengers when they were injured in the regular crashes and Dr James Ricketts of Cotham Street attended to the men.
Many other passengers were considerably shaken but managed to continue their journey. I hope they all sued!
The editor and proprietor of the St Helens Newspaper, Bernard Dromgoole, often made himself unpopular with his highly critical editorials and was sued for libel on several occasions.
On the 17th Henry Pepper, the Master of Whiston Workhouse (aka Governor), was the man in Dromgoole's sights.
This was after the Guardians at their recent meeting had boasted how efficient they were at running the workhouse compared to other places. However that was not how Dromgoole saw it:
"Five pennies and three-sixteenths of a penny per head per day is the cost of maintaining a full-grown, able-bodied pauper at the present Union Workhouse. We suppose the above amount includes the cost of clothing.
"If the statement is correct, while we wonder how it is done, we begin to believe the reports which have for some time reached us of the pinching system pursued by the present Governor, Mr. Pepper, and the public, or such of them as have the privilege on access to the Whiston Workhouse, never need lack an opportunity of witnessing the wonderful and spectral exhibition of “Pepper's Ghost”."
The so-called Pepper's Ghost was an illusion technique used in the theatre and at fairs, which was very popular in the 1860s and ‘70s.
Also on the 17th, the 47th St Helens battalion of the Lancashire Rifle Volunteers began their annual 4-day Christmas shoot on their range at St Helens Junction.
There were few details of the prizes in the newspaper reports this year but two years ago 300 men had competed for 200 prizes, which mainly comprised food – such as game, geese, ducks, beef, mutton, ale etc.
However there was also what the Liverpool Mercury described as a "live donkey of the shaggy species" that one "lucky" part-time soldier won.
In the St Helens Petty Sessions on the 19th, James Pennington from Sutton was charged with committing a nuisance in Victoria Passage (pictured above).
That was the entry between Bridge Street and Naylor Street and the "nuisance" was the usual euphemism for urinating.
We know that for certain in this case as Major Pilkington on the Bench railed against the lack of public conveniences in the town.
The Chairman said they were obliged to fine Pennington but would enter a protest against the present arrangements.
However the fine was only one shilling and as Pilkington was on the Town Council, it might be seen as a protest against himself for not installing any loos.
Victoria Passage figured a lot in court as Superintendent James Ludlam – the man in charge of St Helens Police – lived at one end of it.
So the bobbies appear to have paid special attention to the goings on within. Some brave souls would even take a pee against the superintendent's door!
Henry Flint got short shrift from the Bench when he complained in the Petty Sessions about the level of his fine.
The 32-year-old grocer from Liverpool Road had been ordered to pay £3 and costs for having nine weights incorrect – the equivalent of around three weeks' wages for many.
This was the era when most grocery products were not pre-packed but were weighed for the customer and if the scales were wrong, extra profits could be made.
Henry Flint said it was a great hardship to be fined so heavily but Major Pilkington replied that it was a greater hardship for poor people to be "defrauded out of their just measure".
John McCarter from Peasley Cross was in trouble for breaching the Inland Revenue Act.
The 45-year-old shopkeeper was accused of keeping two dogs without a licence and he was fined 30 shillings and costs.
The Revenue was then responsible for licences for such things as dogs and guns and would instigate prosecutions against those evading the tax.
There were never many Christmas advertisements in the local papers 150 years ago.
However the Tuesday edition of the St Helens Newspaper on the 20th had this ad from Dromgoole's stationers in Hardshaw Street:
"Christmas comes but once a year!!! TISSUE PAPERS in all colours for Christmas decorations – 5 sheets for one penny. Presents for Christmas and New Year. Work boxes, albums, writing cases, books and puzzle boxes. Games of every description."
I published this advert from butcher John Harrison from Market Street a fortnight ago. It was also in the Newspaper this week and I'm repeating it simply because I love it! (I think it’s the "Ahs" that gets me going):
"CHRISTMAS GEESE! Geese for Christmas and New Year. Turkeys! Turkeys!! Turkeys!!! For Christmas. Ah! Ah!! Ah!!! And the above will all be fat, and this year's birds. Pigs! Pigs!! Pigs!!! FAT PIGS FOR CHRISTMAS, Ah! And for the New year."
Peter McKinley had premises in Bridge Street and Market Street and announced that he was "now showing an extensive assortment of foreign toys, and other fancy goods, suitable for Christmas presents, New Year's gifts, and Christmas-tree decorations." And that was it for Christmas ads.
In the Prescot Petty Sessions on the 20th Peter Gorman was charged with having struck an "old man" named Thomas Murphy over the head with a whip handle.
The only Thomas Murphy listed in the 1871 census (over the age of 17) was a 56-year-old pedlar.
Peter Gorman is shown as his neighbour and listed as a 24-year-old dealer in cattle.
Superintendent Fowler was in charge of Prescot Police and he told the court that Gorman was a well-conducted person when sober but a single glass of ale would turn him into a "violent and dangerous character".
He had been twelve times charged with drunkenness and disorderly conduct and once been placed in the "lunatic asylum" at Rainhill.
The magistrates sentenced Gorman to a fine of 23 shillings, including costs, with the alternative of a month in prison.
Next week's stories will be posted a day earlier than usual on Thursday 24th at noon and include the Christmas produce on display in St Helens, the greatest brute in all Prescot is brought to court and the Christmas skaters on Carr Mill Dam and Eccleston Mere.
We begin on the 14th at a meeting of St Helens Council's Water, Lighting and General Purposes Committee when a petition from twenty market stallholders was discussed.
They requested that the market in the town be closed on Boxing Day, which the committee agreed to.
That was after the longstanding head Newton Lacey who had been in charge since 1846 but would resign in five years time when all teachers had to be qualified.
Central Modern, incidentally, would later be built on the same site as the Cowley School.
We would probably call the Cowley reunion a speech day. That was because the attendees comprised relatives and friends of the present scholars, rather than it being a get together of former ones.
That said some old boys did show up to inspect an exhibition of maps and drawings made by the present pupils and join in with a concert by the school choir.
The Prescot Union Guardians met on the 15th and discussed their cook's living quarters within Whiston Workhouse.
One of the reasons that the recently appointed cook had quit her job was that the woman complained about having no proper place to sleep.
The Clerk confirmed that there was no dedicated room for the cook, as such.
She had just the kitchen and a loft and in order to access the latter a ladder needed to be climbed!
The matter was referred to the institution's House Committee for them to look into.
It was also decided that the pauper's annual Christmas Dinner would be served on Boxing Day, as Christmas Day fell on a Sunday.
A Mr Fazakerly from Rainhill had offered to exhibit his magic lantern in the workhouse "for the amusement of the inmates" and his offer was accepted.
The chaotic nature of the railways led to yet another train crash on the 16th, this time in Peasley Cross.
The 9.30am train from St Helens Junction to Wigan was carrying 40 passengers when it hit a coal train that was taking in water.
Most of the passengers were thrown off their seats and three men were injured.
As there was no hospital yet in St Helens, the trio was taken to the Temperance Hotel in George Street.
That was just three minutes away from the railway station and so did a lot of business with injured passengers.
The railway company had their own appointed doctors for treating their passengers when they were injured in the regular crashes and Dr James Ricketts of Cotham Street attended to the men.
Many other passengers were considerably shaken but managed to continue their journey. I hope they all sued!
The editor and proprietor of the St Helens Newspaper, Bernard Dromgoole, often made himself unpopular with his highly critical editorials and was sued for libel on several occasions.
On the 17th Henry Pepper, the Master of Whiston Workhouse (aka Governor), was the man in Dromgoole's sights.
This was after the Guardians at their recent meeting had boasted how efficient they were at running the workhouse compared to other places. However that was not how Dromgoole saw it:
"Five pennies and three-sixteenths of a penny per head per day is the cost of maintaining a full-grown, able-bodied pauper at the present Union Workhouse. We suppose the above amount includes the cost of clothing.
"If the statement is correct, while we wonder how it is done, we begin to believe the reports which have for some time reached us of the pinching system pursued by the present Governor, Mr. Pepper, and the public, or such of them as have the privilege on access to the Whiston Workhouse, never need lack an opportunity of witnessing the wonderful and spectral exhibition of “Pepper's Ghost”."
The so-called Pepper's Ghost was an illusion technique used in the theatre and at fairs, which was very popular in the 1860s and ‘70s.
Also on the 17th, the 47th St Helens battalion of the Lancashire Rifle Volunteers began their annual 4-day Christmas shoot on their range at St Helens Junction.
There were few details of the prizes in the newspaper reports this year but two years ago 300 men had competed for 200 prizes, which mainly comprised food – such as game, geese, ducks, beef, mutton, ale etc.
However there was also what the Liverpool Mercury described as a "live donkey of the shaggy species" that one "lucky" part-time soldier won.
That was the entry between Bridge Street and Naylor Street and the "nuisance" was the usual euphemism for urinating.
We know that for certain in this case as Major Pilkington on the Bench railed against the lack of public conveniences in the town.
The Chairman said they were obliged to fine Pennington but would enter a protest against the present arrangements.
However the fine was only one shilling and as Pilkington was on the Town Council, it might be seen as a protest against himself for not installing any loos.
Victoria Passage figured a lot in court as Superintendent James Ludlam – the man in charge of St Helens Police – lived at one end of it.
So the bobbies appear to have paid special attention to the goings on within. Some brave souls would even take a pee against the superintendent's door!
Henry Flint got short shrift from the Bench when he complained in the Petty Sessions about the level of his fine.
The 32-year-old grocer from Liverpool Road had been ordered to pay £3 and costs for having nine weights incorrect – the equivalent of around three weeks' wages for many.
This was the era when most grocery products were not pre-packed but were weighed for the customer and if the scales were wrong, extra profits could be made.
Henry Flint said it was a great hardship to be fined so heavily but Major Pilkington replied that it was a greater hardship for poor people to be "defrauded out of their just measure".
John McCarter from Peasley Cross was in trouble for breaching the Inland Revenue Act.
The 45-year-old shopkeeper was accused of keeping two dogs without a licence and he was fined 30 shillings and costs.
The Revenue was then responsible for licences for such things as dogs and guns and would instigate prosecutions against those evading the tax.
There were never many Christmas advertisements in the local papers 150 years ago.
However the Tuesday edition of the St Helens Newspaper on the 20th had this ad from Dromgoole's stationers in Hardshaw Street:
"Christmas comes but once a year!!! TISSUE PAPERS in all colours for Christmas decorations – 5 sheets for one penny. Presents for Christmas and New Year. Work boxes, albums, writing cases, books and puzzle boxes. Games of every description."
I published this advert from butcher John Harrison from Market Street a fortnight ago. It was also in the Newspaper this week and I'm repeating it simply because I love it! (I think it’s the "Ahs" that gets me going):
"CHRISTMAS GEESE! Geese for Christmas and New Year. Turkeys! Turkeys!! Turkeys!!! For Christmas. Ah! Ah!! Ah!!! And the above will all be fat, and this year's birds. Pigs! Pigs!! Pigs!!! FAT PIGS FOR CHRISTMAS, Ah! And for the New year."
Peter McKinley had premises in Bridge Street and Market Street and announced that he was "now showing an extensive assortment of foreign toys, and other fancy goods, suitable for Christmas presents, New Year's gifts, and Christmas-tree decorations." And that was it for Christmas ads.
In the Prescot Petty Sessions on the 20th Peter Gorman was charged with having struck an "old man" named Thomas Murphy over the head with a whip handle.
The only Thomas Murphy listed in the 1871 census (over the age of 17) was a 56-year-old pedlar.
Peter Gorman is shown as his neighbour and listed as a 24-year-old dealer in cattle.
Superintendent Fowler was in charge of Prescot Police and he told the court that Gorman was a well-conducted person when sober but a single glass of ale would turn him into a "violent and dangerous character".
He had been twelve times charged with drunkenness and disorderly conduct and once been placed in the "lunatic asylum" at Rainhill.
The magistrates sentenced Gorman to a fine of 23 shillings, including costs, with the alternative of a month in prison.
Next week's stories will be posted a day earlier than usual on Thursday 24th at noon and include the Christmas produce on display in St Helens, the greatest brute in all Prescot is brought to court and the Christmas skaters on Carr Mill Dam and Eccleston Mere.