150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (16th - 22nd JANUARY 1873)
This week's many stories include the opening of the St Helens Cottage Hospital, the respectable Rainford coal thieves, the stone throwing boys who joined in an adult dispute, the hypocritical Liverpool Road man that beat his wife for drinking and a court takes pity on a "dissipated old" Clock Face man who was only in his fifties!
We begin on the 18th when a lengthy article was published in the St Helens Newspaper on the new hospital that had just opened its doors – the town's first infirmary (pictured above, prior to alterations). The newspaper stated that the site in Marshalls Cross Road had been carefully chosen as it: "…adjoined a main road, was so far out of reach of population as to be free from noise and bustle and stood within a few minutes' walk of a number of large and busy manufactories."
Pure air had also been sought – but that was virtually impossible then in smelly St Helens! And so the promoters had to settle for the next best thing, as the paper described: "Although the air which the patients will have to breathe is not as clear as we could wish, it will be found an agreeable change from the heavy odours of the manufactories and the more populous localities."
This notice was also published in the paper: "St. Helens Cottage Hospital. Established 1873. – The Institution will be ready on Wednesday, the 15th inst., for the Reception of Patients. Every Patient will be required to pay One Shilling per day towards the expenses of the Institution as long as he remains in it. Accidents will be admitted at all times, but a guarantee must be given that either the patients, their friends, or their employers, will pay the 1s. a day.
"All other cases will be admitted on a recommendation of a subscriber, accompanied by a certificate from a medical man that the case is a proper one to be received into the hospital. At present the Hospital is not prepared for the reception of patients suffering from contagious diseases. Any patient may be visited by any minister of religion, he may wish to see, at any time. Visitors will be admitted daily between the hours of ten and twelve. Communications to be addressed To the MATRON of the ST. HELENS COTTAGE HOSPITAL, Sutton."
Another notice offered classes by Miss Maby in "dancing, calisthenics and deportment" at the Raven Hotel. And at the Anchor Hotel in Ormskirk Street, Miss Nelly Stuart was offering lessons "on the pianoforte, harmonium, or in singing".
The Newspaper also reported on a recent case in the St Helens Petty Sessions in which a woman called Mary Hall had brought summonses against John Holland and brothers Thomas and Patrick Baxter. No addresses were reported – although Greenbank or Parr would be the likeliest of places. Mrs Hall said she had been cleaning her doorstep when the three boys suddenly started throwing stones at her.
She explained that she went inside to escape the fusillade but the missile chucking continued into her home. Of course, Mrs Hall portrayed herself as an innocent victim of the assault. But rows between children would often escalate to their parents – or the kids would join in existing disputes between adults. It had been the latter in this case as witnesses gave evidence that the woman had had a barney in the street with a neighbour.
The row had resulted in Mrs Hall attempting to "stop her opponent's mouth with a floor cloth", as the Newspaper put it. It doesn't sound as if Mary Hall was very popular, as once her summonses had been issued, a mother had warned her that she was in danger of being "shifted out of the neighbourhood". After hearing the other side of the case the magistrates dismissed it.
Parr Street appears to have been the address of Maria Judge who had taken out a summons against Ellen Handley in another squabble between women that was played out in court. Mrs Judge accused Mrs Handley of calling her very irritating names and throwing the "liquid contents of a vessel" upon her. That appeared to be the Newspaper's unique way of saying she'd chucked a bucket of water over her!
Mrs Handley claimed her action had not been unprovoked, saying her foe had attempted to break down her door with what she called a large panmug despite carrying a child in her arms. The magistrates decided to settle the matter by making Ellen Handley pay the court costs.
In 1871 the Newspaper had described John Feigh as "a little fellow" in relating how the boy had been sent to prison for a week for begging in Waterloo Street. This week they reported how he had been sentenced to six more weeks in Kirkdale Gaol after breaking into a house in Mount Street – which used to be near Liverpool Street – and stealing several articles. The lad didn't stand a chance, as he was the son of notorious character Dennis Feigh, who was always in and out of prison himself.
That was unlike Jane Johnson and Jane Perry. The Newspaper described them as "respectable looking women" after they had been charged with stealing 130 lbs of coal from the Rainford Colliery Company. The prosecutor told the court that for some time the bosses at the coal mine had believed that various people had been helping themselves to their coal.
Coal stealing often resulted in a week or two in prison and the colliery might have been expected to press for deterrent prison sentences for the two women. However, because Mrs Johnson and Mrs Perry were the wives of respectable working men, the company said they would let them off if they promised not to steal any more coal.
The perceived respectability of your family could have a considerable bearing on how you were treated in court. Your age could also affect the outcome of a court case – although only very young children and the very elderly were usually let off on that ground. But Robert Rimmer was allowed to leave court with just a caution this week for sleeping in an outhouse because he was considered to be an old man.
Census records suggest Robert was only in his mid-50s but he had been drinking hard for the last two years since he and his brother Henry had been evicted from their farm. They'd run Gartons farm in Clock Face before being told to quit – perhaps, through not paying their rent. During the last two years Robert Rimmer had been before the magistrates six times for drunkenness.
On this occasion the Newspaper wrote that the man had a "very dissipated appearance, was miserably dressed, and seemed to be a stranger to soap and water." Although sleeping out was usually an imprisonable offence, the Chairman of the Bench said he did not like to send so old a man to prison and so he was discharged with a warning.
Under the headline "Another Wife Beating Case", the paper also wrote: "A woman who gave the name of Gallagher, appeared [in court] to seek a warrant against her husband for an assault. Her eyes were very much blackened and disfigured. Supt. Ludlam gave Gallagher a bad character, and his Worship granted the warrant."
Men accused of wife beating often blamed their wives and in Michael Gallagher's case, he said he objected to his wife having a drink with some other ladies. Of course, the man could booze to his heart's content but his wife was not allowed to take a drop to brighten up her hard and dull life. This is how his case was subsequently reported:
"Michael Gallagher was brought up on warrant, charged with assaulting his wife, and it appeared from her statement, that he gave her rough usage last Saturday night, in pursuance of a regular system of ill-treatment. The prisoner, in defence, alleged that his wife aggravated him by drinking with other women, and refusing to abandon their company.
"His Worship told him he wanted to make his wife sober, without setting the example himself, and the case generally reminded him of the old story of the pot, and the kettle. However, the husband must not beat his wife in that manner, and therefore he would have to find a surety to keep the peace for six months." The 1871 census had the couple living at what was described as the "Back of Liverpool Road". Michael Gallagher was 28 and a labourer in a foundry and Eliza was 29. They had two daughters aged two and four.
On the 19th, what was described as a "solemn unveiling of a new beautiful statue of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (from a design of a celebrated Tyrolese Artist)", was held at St Ann's Catholic Church in Sutton (illustrated above). After the evening service, a procession took place. The church was then usually referred to as St Ann's and not St Anne's (and Blessed Dominic) as it is known today.
Shawls were quite handy for hiding all sorts of stolen goods. I've previously described cases where thefts of mutton and boots had taken place from shops by being concealed under shawls. However, Ellen Pigot from Boundary Road was the first woman I've heard of who used her wrap to stash fish! On the 20th Mrs Pigot appeared in the Petty Sessions charged with stealing a haddock from Elizabeth Jackson's market stall and she was given ten days hard labour in prison.
And finally, the annual tea party and ball in aid of St Joseph's RC schools in Peasley Cross was held on the 21st at the Volunteer Hall, where most large events were then held in St Helens. Tea was on the tables at 6:30pm with dancing starting at 8:30pm.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the night soil sale in Parr, the improvements planned for the town's inadequate railway station and the man who refused to pay his wife's debts is sued in St Helens County Court.
Pure air had also been sought – but that was virtually impossible then in smelly St Helens! And so the promoters had to settle for the next best thing, as the paper described: "Although the air which the patients will have to breathe is not as clear as we could wish, it will be found an agreeable change from the heavy odours of the manufactories and the more populous localities."
This notice was also published in the paper: "St. Helens Cottage Hospital. Established 1873. – The Institution will be ready on Wednesday, the 15th inst., for the Reception of Patients. Every Patient will be required to pay One Shilling per day towards the expenses of the Institution as long as he remains in it. Accidents will be admitted at all times, but a guarantee must be given that either the patients, their friends, or their employers, will pay the 1s. a day.
"All other cases will be admitted on a recommendation of a subscriber, accompanied by a certificate from a medical man that the case is a proper one to be received into the hospital. At present the Hospital is not prepared for the reception of patients suffering from contagious diseases. Any patient may be visited by any minister of religion, he may wish to see, at any time. Visitors will be admitted daily between the hours of ten and twelve. Communications to be addressed To the MATRON of the ST. HELENS COTTAGE HOSPITAL, Sutton."
Another notice offered classes by Miss Maby in "dancing, calisthenics and deportment" at the Raven Hotel. And at the Anchor Hotel in Ormskirk Street, Miss Nelly Stuart was offering lessons "on the pianoforte, harmonium, or in singing".
The Newspaper also reported on a recent case in the St Helens Petty Sessions in which a woman called Mary Hall had brought summonses against John Holland and brothers Thomas and Patrick Baxter. No addresses were reported – although Greenbank or Parr would be the likeliest of places. Mrs Hall said she had been cleaning her doorstep when the three boys suddenly started throwing stones at her.
She explained that she went inside to escape the fusillade but the missile chucking continued into her home. Of course, Mrs Hall portrayed herself as an innocent victim of the assault. But rows between children would often escalate to their parents – or the kids would join in existing disputes between adults. It had been the latter in this case as witnesses gave evidence that the woman had had a barney in the street with a neighbour.
The row had resulted in Mrs Hall attempting to "stop her opponent's mouth with a floor cloth", as the Newspaper put it. It doesn't sound as if Mary Hall was very popular, as once her summonses had been issued, a mother had warned her that she was in danger of being "shifted out of the neighbourhood". After hearing the other side of the case the magistrates dismissed it.
Parr Street appears to have been the address of Maria Judge who had taken out a summons against Ellen Handley in another squabble between women that was played out in court. Mrs Judge accused Mrs Handley of calling her very irritating names and throwing the "liquid contents of a vessel" upon her. That appeared to be the Newspaper's unique way of saying she'd chucked a bucket of water over her!
Mrs Handley claimed her action had not been unprovoked, saying her foe had attempted to break down her door with what she called a large panmug despite carrying a child in her arms. The magistrates decided to settle the matter by making Ellen Handley pay the court costs.
In 1871 the Newspaper had described John Feigh as "a little fellow" in relating how the boy had been sent to prison for a week for begging in Waterloo Street. This week they reported how he had been sentenced to six more weeks in Kirkdale Gaol after breaking into a house in Mount Street – which used to be near Liverpool Street – and stealing several articles. The lad didn't stand a chance, as he was the son of notorious character Dennis Feigh, who was always in and out of prison himself.
That was unlike Jane Johnson and Jane Perry. The Newspaper described them as "respectable looking women" after they had been charged with stealing 130 lbs of coal from the Rainford Colliery Company. The prosecutor told the court that for some time the bosses at the coal mine had believed that various people had been helping themselves to their coal.
Coal stealing often resulted in a week or two in prison and the colliery might have been expected to press for deterrent prison sentences for the two women. However, because Mrs Johnson and Mrs Perry were the wives of respectable working men, the company said they would let them off if they promised not to steal any more coal.
The perceived respectability of your family could have a considerable bearing on how you were treated in court. Your age could also affect the outcome of a court case – although only very young children and the very elderly were usually let off on that ground. But Robert Rimmer was allowed to leave court with just a caution this week for sleeping in an outhouse because he was considered to be an old man.
Census records suggest Robert was only in his mid-50s but he had been drinking hard for the last two years since he and his brother Henry had been evicted from their farm. They'd run Gartons farm in Clock Face before being told to quit – perhaps, through not paying their rent. During the last two years Robert Rimmer had been before the magistrates six times for drunkenness.
On this occasion the Newspaper wrote that the man had a "very dissipated appearance, was miserably dressed, and seemed to be a stranger to soap and water." Although sleeping out was usually an imprisonable offence, the Chairman of the Bench said he did not like to send so old a man to prison and so he was discharged with a warning.
Under the headline "Another Wife Beating Case", the paper also wrote: "A woman who gave the name of Gallagher, appeared [in court] to seek a warrant against her husband for an assault. Her eyes were very much blackened and disfigured. Supt. Ludlam gave Gallagher a bad character, and his Worship granted the warrant."
Men accused of wife beating often blamed their wives and in Michael Gallagher's case, he said he objected to his wife having a drink with some other ladies. Of course, the man could booze to his heart's content but his wife was not allowed to take a drop to brighten up her hard and dull life. This is how his case was subsequently reported:
"Michael Gallagher was brought up on warrant, charged with assaulting his wife, and it appeared from her statement, that he gave her rough usage last Saturday night, in pursuance of a regular system of ill-treatment. The prisoner, in defence, alleged that his wife aggravated him by drinking with other women, and refusing to abandon their company.
"His Worship told him he wanted to make his wife sober, without setting the example himself, and the case generally reminded him of the old story of the pot, and the kettle. However, the husband must not beat his wife in that manner, and therefore he would have to find a surety to keep the peace for six months." The 1871 census had the couple living at what was described as the "Back of Liverpool Road". Michael Gallagher was 28 and a labourer in a foundry and Eliza was 29. They had two daughters aged two and four.
Shawls were quite handy for hiding all sorts of stolen goods. I've previously described cases where thefts of mutton and boots had taken place from shops by being concealed under shawls. However, Ellen Pigot from Boundary Road was the first woman I've heard of who used her wrap to stash fish! On the 20th Mrs Pigot appeared in the Petty Sessions charged with stealing a haddock from Elizabeth Jackson's market stall and she was given ten days hard labour in prison.
And finally, the annual tea party and ball in aid of St Joseph's RC schools in Peasley Cross was held on the 21st at the Volunteer Hall, where most large events were then held in St Helens. Tea was on the tables at 6:30pm with dancing starting at 8:30pm.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the night soil sale in Parr, the improvements planned for the town's inadequate railway station and the man who refused to pay his wife's debts is sued in St Helens County Court.
This week's many stories include the opening of the St Helens Cottage Hospital, the respectable Rainford coal thieves, the stone throwing boys who joined in an adult dispute, the hypocritical Liverpool Road man that beat his wife for drinking and a court takes pity on a "dissipated old" Clock Face man who was only in his fifties!
We begin on the 18th when a lengthy article was published in the St Helens Newspaper on the new hospital that had just opened its doors – the town's first infirmary (pictured above, prior to alterations).
The newspaper stated that the site in Marshalls Cross Road had been carefully chosen as it:
"…adjoined a main road, was so far out of reach of population as to be free from noise and bustle and stood within a few minutes' walk of a number of large and busy manufactories."
Pure air had also been sought – but that was virtually impossible then in smelly St Helens! And so the promoters had to settle for the next best thing, as the paper described:
"Although the air which the patients will have to breathe is not as clear as we could wish, it will be found an agreeable change from the heavy odours of the manufactories and the more populous localities."
This notice was also published in the paper:
"St. Helens Cottage Hospital. Established 1873. – The Institution will be ready on Wednesday, the 15th inst., for the Reception of Patients.
"Every Patient will be required to pay One Shilling per day towards the expenses of the Institution as long as he remains in it.
"Accidents will be admitted at all times, but a guarantee must be given that either the patients, their friends, or their employers, will pay the 1s. a day.
"All other cases will be admitted on a recommendation of a subscriber, accompanied by a certificate from a medical man that the case is a proper one to be received into the hospital.
"At present the Hospital is not prepared for the reception of patients suffering from contagious diseases.
"Any patient may be visited by any minister of religion, he may wish to see, at any time. Visitors will be admitted daily between the hours of ten and twelve.
"Communications to be addressed To the MATRON of the ST. HELENS COTTAGE HOSPITAL, Sutton."
Another notice offered classes by Miss Maby in "dancing, calisthenics and deportment" at the Raven Hotel.
And at the Anchor Hotel in Ormskirk Street, Miss Nelly Stuart was offering lessons "on the pianoforte, harmonium, or in singing".
The Newspaper also reported on a recent case in the St Helens Petty Sessions in which a woman called Mary Hall had brought summonses against John Holland and brothers Thomas and Patrick Baxter.
No addresses were reported – although Greenbank or Parr would be the likeliest of places.
Mrs Hall said she had been cleaning her doorstep when the three boys suddenly started throwing stones at her.
She explained that she went inside to escape the fusillade but the missile chucking continued into her home.
Of course, Mrs Hall portrayed herself as an innocent victim of the assault. But rows between children would often escalate to their parents – or the kids would join in existing disputes between adults.
It had been the latter in this case as witnesses gave evidence that the woman had had a barney in the street with a neighbour.
The row had resulted in Mrs Hall attempting to "stop her opponent's mouth with a floor cloth", as the Newspaper put it.
It doesn't sound as if Mary Hall was very popular, as once her summonses had been issued, a mother had warned her that she was in danger of being "shifted out of the neighbourhood".
After hearing the other side of the case the magistrates dismissed it.
Parr Street appears to have been the address of Maria Judge who had taken out a summons against Ellen Handley in another squabble between women that was played out in court.
Mrs Judge accused Mrs Handley of calling her very irritating names and throwing the "liquid contents of a vessel" upon her.
That appeared to be the Newspaper's unique way of saying she'd chucked a bucket of water over her!
Mrs Handley claimed her action had not been unprovoked, saying her foe had attempted to break down her door with what she called a large panmug despite carrying a child in her arms.
The magistrates decided to settle the matter by making Ellen Handley pay the court costs.
In 1871 the Newspaper had described John Feigh as "a little fellow" in relating how the boy had been sent to prison for a week for begging in Waterloo Street.
This week they reported how he had been sentenced to six more weeks in Kirkdale Gaol after breaking into a house in Mount Street – which used to be near Liverpool Street – and stealing several articles.
The lad didn't stand a chance, as he was the son of notorious character Dennis Feigh, who was always in and out of prison himself.
That was unlike Jane Johnson and Jane Perry. The Newspaper described them as "respectable looking women" after they had been charged with stealing 130 lbs of coal from the Rainford Colliery Company.
The prosecutor told the court that for some time the bosses at the coal mine had believed that various people had been helping themselves to their coal.
Coal stealing often resulted in a week or two in prison and the colliery might have been expected to press for deterrent prison sentences for the two women.
However, because Mrs Johnson and Mrs Perry were the wives of respectable working men, the company said they would let them off if they promised not to steal any more coal.
The perceived respectability of your family could have a considerable bearing on how you were treated in court.
Your age could also affect the outcome of a court case – although only very young children and the very elderly were usually let off on that ground.
But Robert Rimmer was allowed to leave court with just a caution this week for sleeping in an outhouse because he was considered to be an old man.
Census records suggest Robert was only in his mid-50s but he had been drinking hard for the last two years since he and his brother Henry had been evicted from their farm.
They'd run Gartons farm in Clock Face before being told to quit – perhaps, through not paying their rent.
During the last two years Robert Rimmer had been before the magistrates six times for drunkenness.
On this occasion the Newspaper wrote that the man had a "very dissipated appearance, was miserably dressed, and seemed to be a stranger to soap and water."
Although sleeping out was usually an imprisonable offence, the Chairman of the Bench said he did not like to send so old a man to prison and so he was discharged with a warning.
Under the headline "Another Wife Beating Case", the paper also wrote:
"A woman who gave the name of Gallagher, appeared [in court] to seek a warrant against her husband for an assault. Her eyes were very much blackened and disfigured. Supt. Ludlam gave Gallagher a bad character, and his Worship granted the warrant."
Men accused of wife beating often blamed their wives and in Michael Gallagher's case, he said he objected to his wife having a drink with some other ladies.
Of course, the man could booze to his heart's content but his wife was not allowed to take a drop to brighten up her hard and dull life. This is how his case was subsequently reported:
"Michael Gallagher was brought up on warrant, charged with assaulting his wife, and it appeared from her statement, that he gave her rough usage last Saturday night, in pursuance of a regular system of ill-treatment.
"The prisoner, in defence, alleged that his wife aggravated him by drinking with other women, and refusing to abandon their company.
"His Worship told him he wanted to make his wife sober, without setting the example himself, and the case generally reminded him of the old story of the pot, and the kettle.
"However, the husband must not beat his wife in that manner, and therefore he would have to find a surety to keep the peace for six months."
The 1871 census had the couple living at what was described as the "Back of Liverpool Road". Michael Gallagher was 28 and a labourer in a foundry and Eliza was 29. They had two daughters aged two and four.
On the 19th, what was described as a "solemn unveiling of a new beautiful statue of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (from a design of a celebrated Tyrolese Artist)", was held at St Ann's Catholic Church in Sutton (illustrated above). After the evening service, a procession took place.
The church was then usually referred to as St Ann's and not St Anne's (and Blessed Dominic) as it is known today.
Shawls were quite handy for hiding all sorts of stolen goods. I've previously described cases where thefts of mutton and boots had taken place from shops by being concealed under shawls.
However, Ellen Pigot from Boundary Road was the first woman I've heard of who used her wrap to stash fish!
On the 20th Mrs Pigot appeared in the Petty Sessions charged with stealing a haddock from Elizabeth Jackson's market stall and she was given ten days hard labour in prison.
And finally, the annual tea party and ball in aid of St Joseph's RC schools in Peasley Cross was held on the 21st at the Volunteer Hall, where most large events were then held in St Helens. Tea was on the tables at 6:30pm with dancing starting at 8:30pm.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the night soil sale in Parr, the improvements planned for the town's inadequate railway station and the man who refused to pay his wife's debts is sued in St Helens County Court.
The newspaper stated that the site in Marshalls Cross Road had been carefully chosen as it:
"…adjoined a main road, was so far out of reach of population as to be free from noise and bustle and stood within a few minutes' walk of a number of large and busy manufactories."
Pure air had also been sought – but that was virtually impossible then in smelly St Helens! And so the promoters had to settle for the next best thing, as the paper described:
"Although the air which the patients will have to breathe is not as clear as we could wish, it will be found an agreeable change from the heavy odours of the manufactories and the more populous localities."
This notice was also published in the paper:
"St. Helens Cottage Hospital. Established 1873. – The Institution will be ready on Wednesday, the 15th inst., for the Reception of Patients.
"Every Patient will be required to pay One Shilling per day towards the expenses of the Institution as long as he remains in it.
"Accidents will be admitted at all times, but a guarantee must be given that either the patients, their friends, or their employers, will pay the 1s. a day.
"All other cases will be admitted on a recommendation of a subscriber, accompanied by a certificate from a medical man that the case is a proper one to be received into the hospital.
"At present the Hospital is not prepared for the reception of patients suffering from contagious diseases.
"Any patient may be visited by any minister of religion, he may wish to see, at any time. Visitors will be admitted daily between the hours of ten and twelve.
"Communications to be addressed To the MATRON of the ST. HELENS COTTAGE HOSPITAL, Sutton."
Another notice offered classes by Miss Maby in "dancing, calisthenics and deportment" at the Raven Hotel.
And at the Anchor Hotel in Ormskirk Street, Miss Nelly Stuart was offering lessons "on the pianoforte, harmonium, or in singing".
The Newspaper also reported on a recent case in the St Helens Petty Sessions in which a woman called Mary Hall had brought summonses against John Holland and brothers Thomas and Patrick Baxter.
No addresses were reported – although Greenbank or Parr would be the likeliest of places.
Mrs Hall said she had been cleaning her doorstep when the three boys suddenly started throwing stones at her.
She explained that she went inside to escape the fusillade but the missile chucking continued into her home.
Of course, Mrs Hall portrayed herself as an innocent victim of the assault. But rows between children would often escalate to their parents – or the kids would join in existing disputes between adults.
It had been the latter in this case as witnesses gave evidence that the woman had had a barney in the street with a neighbour.
The row had resulted in Mrs Hall attempting to "stop her opponent's mouth with a floor cloth", as the Newspaper put it.
It doesn't sound as if Mary Hall was very popular, as once her summonses had been issued, a mother had warned her that she was in danger of being "shifted out of the neighbourhood".
After hearing the other side of the case the magistrates dismissed it.
Parr Street appears to have been the address of Maria Judge who had taken out a summons against Ellen Handley in another squabble between women that was played out in court.
Mrs Judge accused Mrs Handley of calling her very irritating names and throwing the "liquid contents of a vessel" upon her.
That appeared to be the Newspaper's unique way of saying she'd chucked a bucket of water over her!
Mrs Handley claimed her action had not been unprovoked, saying her foe had attempted to break down her door with what she called a large panmug despite carrying a child in her arms.
The magistrates decided to settle the matter by making Ellen Handley pay the court costs.
In 1871 the Newspaper had described John Feigh as "a little fellow" in relating how the boy had been sent to prison for a week for begging in Waterloo Street.
This week they reported how he had been sentenced to six more weeks in Kirkdale Gaol after breaking into a house in Mount Street – which used to be near Liverpool Street – and stealing several articles.
The lad didn't stand a chance, as he was the son of notorious character Dennis Feigh, who was always in and out of prison himself.
That was unlike Jane Johnson and Jane Perry. The Newspaper described them as "respectable looking women" after they had been charged with stealing 130 lbs of coal from the Rainford Colliery Company.
The prosecutor told the court that for some time the bosses at the coal mine had believed that various people had been helping themselves to their coal.
Coal stealing often resulted in a week or two in prison and the colliery might have been expected to press for deterrent prison sentences for the two women.
However, because Mrs Johnson and Mrs Perry were the wives of respectable working men, the company said they would let them off if they promised not to steal any more coal.
The perceived respectability of your family could have a considerable bearing on how you were treated in court.
Your age could also affect the outcome of a court case – although only very young children and the very elderly were usually let off on that ground.
But Robert Rimmer was allowed to leave court with just a caution this week for sleeping in an outhouse because he was considered to be an old man.
Census records suggest Robert was only in his mid-50s but he had been drinking hard for the last two years since he and his brother Henry had been evicted from their farm.
They'd run Gartons farm in Clock Face before being told to quit – perhaps, through not paying their rent.
During the last two years Robert Rimmer had been before the magistrates six times for drunkenness.
On this occasion the Newspaper wrote that the man had a "very dissipated appearance, was miserably dressed, and seemed to be a stranger to soap and water."
Although sleeping out was usually an imprisonable offence, the Chairman of the Bench said he did not like to send so old a man to prison and so he was discharged with a warning.
Under the headline "Another Wife Beating Case", the paper also wrote:
"A woman who gave the name of Gallagher, appeared [in court] to seek a warrant against her husband for an assault. Her eyes were very much blackened and disfigured. Supt. Ludlam gave Gallagher a bad character, and his Worship granted the warrant."
Men accused of wife beating often blamed their wives and in Michael Gallagher's case, he said he objected to his wife having a drink with some other ladies.
Of course, the man could booze to his heart's content but his wife was not allowed to take a drop to brighten up her hard and dull life. This is how his case was subsequently reported:
"Michael Gallagher was brought up on warrant, charged with assaulting his wife, and it appeared from her statement, that he gave her rough usage last Saturday night, in pursuance of a regular system of ill-treatment.
"The prisoner, in defence, alleged that his wife aggravated him by drinking with other women, and refusing to abandon their company.
"His Worship told him he wanted to make his wife sober, without setting the example himself, and the case generally reminded him of the old story of the pot, and the kettle.
"However, the husband must not beat his wife in that manner, and therefore he would have to find a surety to keep the peace for six months."
The 1871 census had the couple living at what was described as the "Back of Liverpool Road". Michael Gallagher was 28 and a labourer in a foundry and Eliza was 29. They had two daughters aged two and four.
The church was then usually referred to as St Ann's and not St Anne's (and Blessed Dominic) as it is known today.
Shawls were quite handy for hiding all sorts of stolen goods. I've previously described cases where thefts of mutton and boots had taken place from shops by being concealed under shawls.
However, Ellen Pigot from Boundary Road was the first woman I've heard of who used her wrap to stash fish!
On the 20th Mrs Pigot appeared in the Petty Sessions charged with stealing a haddock from Elizabeth Jackson's market stall and she was given ten days hard labour in prison.
And finally, the annual tea party and ball in aid of St Joseph's RC schools in Peasley Cross was held on the 21st at the Volunteer Hall, where most large events were then held in St Helens. Tea was on the tables at 6:30pm with dancing starting at 8:30pm.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the night soil sale in Parr, the improvements planned for the town's inadequate railway station and the man who refused to pay his wife's debts is sued in St Helens County Court.