150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (18th - 24th MAY 1870)
This week's stories include a claim of attempted rape in Bold Park, the ex-workhouse master who claimed persecution, there's short measure at the Lamb Inn in College Street and the poor woman arrested for sleeping rough in the grounds of a Prescot mansion.
We begin during the evening of the 18th when Lowe House Church presented a Grand Soiree in the Volunteer Hall. Their choir and several artistes performed.
For several months last year the antics of Thomas Holmes had dominated these articles. For the benefit of new readers he was the master of Whiston Workhouse (pictured above) who was sacked for making an inmate pregnant and had a long list of other complaints made against him. Holmes had even attacked a doctor at St Helens Junction station who had reported his behaviour.
The Prescot Board of Guardians oversaw Whiston Workhouse and on the 19th a letter from Thomas Holmes was read out at their fortnightly meeting. The man had always blamed other people for what had happened and alleged a conspiracy had been at work – despite the huge weight of evidence against him. In his letter Holmes wrote: "If ever there was a persecuted man, I am that individual", and added that he was "out of health with anxiety, and have been for some time." He claimed that he was still owed £17 of back salary, which the Guardians agreed to pay.
They also considered a report by the Visiting Commissioner in Lunacy, after he'd made an inspection of the workhouse in April. Mr Cleaton said that out of the 49 paupers of unsound mind, one called William Smith should be transferred to Rainhill Asylum because of his violent conduct. A second person should also be considered for transfer.
The commissioner found the workhouse hospital to be in a very satisfactory state as regards the inmates and their clothing. However Mr Cleaton felt the beds for the sick paupers should be made of a softer material than straw – such as hair or flock. He also thought that the dormitory used by the men and the day room used by the women were overcrowded. This was disputed by the Guardians and the master of the workhouse, Henry Pepper, said the house had been overcrowded at the time of the visit but wasn't anymore. There was a difference of opinion between the Guardians as to whether flock beds or ones filled with hair should be purchased. Eventually they decided to buy a dozen flock ones.
On the 21st the bowling green of the Gerard Arms in Dentons Green was opened with a contest to win a large ham. James Rawlinson was the new owner and his advert in the Newspaper said: "The Green is in excellent condition, and the Proprietor will make it his study to secure the comfort of all visitors."
On the 23rd a platelayer called William Eden appeared in St Helens Petty Sessions charged with attempted rape in a plantation on the edge of Bold Park. A woman called Catherine Hocker told the Bench that she had been out selling fish and then met up with a friend at a Bold Heath alehouse. Eden was there and bought Catherine several glasses of whiskey, although she said she only drank some of it. She then moved onto another public house to sell her fish and was followed by Eden, a man who she knew as a neighbour at Marshalls Cross.
Catherine then described how after leaving the second house, Eden had gone after her and thrown her down and attempted to rape her. She said she was covered in blood but resisted him and shouted for help. When a policeman came on the scene, the man then ran off. It was her friend Mrs Ramsey who had summoned the police and she gave evidence of seeing Eden attack Catherine. Then afterwards Mrs Ramsey said she saw the man with his clothing "deranged" hiding in a ditch.
However Eden's solicitor claimed that his client believed that Catherine had taken half a sovereign from him and the "scuffle" was through him trying to reclaim it from her. It appears to have been an unlikely tale but the Bench seems to have been convinced by it. They decided to dismiss the case on condition that Eden gave some compensation to the woman. However, oddly, the unspecified amount of cash was not for her injuries but for Catherine Hocker's "loss of time".
This is how the Newspaper described another case in the Petty Sessions: "Nancy Taylor, a woman with two terrible black eyes, applied for a summons against her husband for beating her on Sunday. The woman's arms were discoloured from bruises, and she said her whole body was in a similar condition. A warrant was granted for his apprehension."
If a man failed to make payments to the mother of his illegitimate child, he could be sent to prison. Mary Ashurst charged Richard Felton in the Petty Sessions with neglecting to pay an affiliation (maintenance) order. The amount owed was over £2 and as most orders stipulated weekly payments of around 2 shillings a week, it sounds as if the man had not paid Mary for over 5 months. An order was made for Felton to make the payments in instalments and if he failed to do so, he would serve six weeks in prison.
The police regularly checked up on many aspects of the running of pubs and beerhouses – including whether their glasses were the right measure. Alice McCrae appeared in the court on behalf of her husband William, who was the publican at the Lamb Inn in College Street.
The 53-year-old Irishman was accused of having six half-pint glasses that were short of measure. His wife explained that they had only recently taken over the Lamb and had bought the glasses from the previous tenant. That did not satisfy the magistrates who fined William McCrae 20 shillings and costs – that was about a week's wages for many.
Shawls were quite handy for hiding stolen goods. Alice Dyson appeared in the court charged with stealing 2lbs of meat from John Hewitt's butchers in Eccleston Street in Prescot. The woman had paid for one cut of mutton but had hidden a second cut under her shawl. However the butcher was wise to the theft and Alice was handed 14 days in prison.
It's strange how the authorities felt sleeping rough was a dreadful crime, invariably sending offenders to prison. This is how the Prescot Reporter described Ellen Smith's appearance in court on the 23rd, ridiculing the poor woman in the bargain: "At the Prescot police court on Monday, Ellen Smith, single woman, a member of the universal Smith family, was charged with defrauding the company of lodging-house keepers (limited), whose domiciles are pleasantly situated on Mill-brow, by sleeping in the open air.
"P.C. Crozier said that whilst on duty in the grounds of Miss Willis, Hurst House, on Sunday morning, at two o’clock, he found the prisoner asleep in one of the chairs in the garden, when, after gently rousing her, he brought her to finish her slumbers in the police office, in order to prevent the night air injuriously affecting her constitution. Mr. Evans [the magistrate] thought a continuation of the slumbers for fourteen nights in the Kirkdale County Reception Rooms [gaol], would be beneficial in many ways, and made an order to that effect."
It's interesting that the police were busy patrolling the grounds of the wealthy Miss Willis when they stumbled upon Ellen Smith. The lead magistrate in the case, William Evans, would actually buy Hurst House upon the death of Frances Willis. He was a wealthy coal and salt mine owner, although his eldest son Richard Evans was more well known in the mining world, especially around Haydock.
And finally I had always assumed that the term "dressing in drag" was of fairly recent vintage. But not so. The St Helens Newspaper wrote this on the 24th about some men who had been dressing as females in London: "The women personators were further examined at Bow-street (London) police court on Saturday. The evidence given, although it did not materially strengthen the case against them, was of a curious character, and implicated several other persons in the dressing in “drag.” They were again remanded."
Next week's stories will include the start of the Prescot sex scandal, an American circus and menagerie performs in St Helens, a rapid writing course is held in Church Street, the family shindy in Sutton and a campaign is launched to preserve Thatto Heath.
We begin during the evening of the 18th when Lowe House Church presented a Grand Soiree in the Volunteer Hall. Their choir and several artistes performed.
The Prescot Board of Guardians oversaw Whiston Workhouse and on the 19th a letter from Thomas Holmes was read out at their fortnightly meeting. The man had always blamed other people for what had happened and alleged a conspiracy had been at work – despite the huge weight of evidence against him. In his letter Holmes wrote: "If ever there was a persecuted man, I am that individual", and added that he was "out of health with anxiety, and have been for some time." He claimed that he was still owed £17 of back salary, which the Guardians agreed to pay.
They also considered a report by the Visiting Commissioner in Lunacy, after he'd made an inspection of the workhouse in April. Mr Cleaton said that out of the 49 paupers of unsound mind, one called William Smith should be transferred to Rainhill Asylum because of his violent conduct. A second person should also be considered for transfer.
The commissioner found the workhouse hospital to be in a very satisfactory state as regards the inmates and their clothing. However Mr Cleaton felt the beds for the sick paupers should be made of a softer material than straw – such as hair or flock. He also thought that the dormitory used by the men and the day room used by the women were overcrowded. This was disputed by the Guardians and the master of the workhouse, Henry Pepper, said the house had been overcrowded at the time of the visit but wasn't anymore. There was a difference of opinion between the Guardians as to whether flock beds or ones filled with hair should be purchased. Eventually they decided to buy a dozen flock ones.
On the 21st the bowling green of the Gerard Arms in Dentons Green was opened with a contest to win a large ham. James Rawlinson was the new owner and his advert in the Newspaper said: "The Green is in excellent condition, and the Proprietor will make it his study to secure the comfort of all visitors."
On the 23rd a platelayer called William Eden appeared in St Helens Petty Sessions charged with attempted rape in a plantation on the edge of Bold Park. A woman called Catherine Hocker told the Bench that she had been out selling fish and then met up with a friend at a Bold Heath alehouse. Eden was there and bought Catherine several glasses of whiskey, although she said she only drank some of it. She then moved onto another public house to sell her fish and was followed by Eden, a man who she knew as a neighbour at Marshalls Cross.
Catherine then described how after leaving the second house, Eden had gone after her and thrown her down and attempted to rape her. She said she was covered in blood but resisted him and shouted for help. When a policeman came on the scene, the man then ran off. It was her friend Mrs Ramsey who had summoned the police and she gave evidence of seeing Eden attack Catherine. Then afterwards Mrs Ramsey said she saw the man with his clothing "deranged" hiding in a ditch.
However Eden's solicitor claimed that his client believed that Catherine had taken half a sovereign from him and the "scuffle" was through him trying to reclaim it from her. It appears to have been an unlikely tale but the Bench seems to have been convinced by it. They decided to dismiss the case on condition that Eden gave some compensation to the woman. However, oddly, the unspecified amount of cash was not for her injuries but for Catherine Hocker's "loss of time".
This is how the Newspaper described another case in the Petty Sessions: "Nancy Taylor, a woman with two terrible black eyes, applied for a summons against her husband for beating her on Sunday. The woman's arms were discoloured from bruises, and she said her whole body was in a similar condition. A warrant was granted for his apprehension."
If a man failed to make payments to the mother of his illegitimate child, he could be sent to prison. Mary Ashurst charged Richard Felton in the Petty Sessions with neglecting to pay an affiliation (maintenance) order. The amount owed was over £2 and as most orders stipulated weekly payments of around 2 shillings a week, it sounds as if the man had not paid Mary for over 5 months. An order was made for Felton to make the payments in instalments and if he failed to do so, he would serve six weeks in prison.
The police regularly checked up on many aspects of the running of pubs and beerhouses – including whether their glasses were the right measure. Alice McCrae appeared in the court on behalf of her husband William, who was the publican at the Lamb Inn in College Street.
The 53-year-old Irishman was accused of having six half-pint glasses that were short of measure. His wife explained that they had only recently taken over the Lamb and had bought the glasses from the previous tenant. That did not satisfy the magistrates who fined William McCrae 20 shillings and costs – that was about a week's wages for many.
Shawls were quite handy for hiding stolen goods. Alice Dyson appeared in the court charged with stealing 2lbs of meat from John Hewitt's butchers in Eccleston Street in Prescot. The woman had paid for one cut of mutton but had hidden a second cut under her shawl. However the butcher was wise to the theft and Alice was handed 14 days in prison.
It's strange how the authorities felt sleeping rough was a dreadful crime, invariably sending offenders to prison. This is how the Prescot Reporter described Ellen Smith's appearance in court on the 23rd, ridiculing the poor woman in the bargain: "At the Prescot police court on Monday, Ellen Smith, single woman, a member of the universal Smith family, was charged with defrauding the company of lodging-house keepers (limited), whose domiciles are pleasantly situated on Mill-brow, by sleeping in the open air.
"P.C. Crozier said that whilst on duty in the grounds of Miss Willis, Hurst House, on Sunday morning, at two o’clock, he found the prisoner asleep in one of the chairs in the garden, when, after gently rousing her, he brought her to finish her slumbers in the police office, in order to prevent the night air injuriously affecting her constitution. Mr. Evans [the magistrate] thought a continuation of the slumbers for fourteen nights in the Kirkdale County Reception Rooms [gaol], would be beneficial in many ways, and made an order to that effect."
It's interesting that the police were busy patrolling the grounds of the wealthy Miss Willis when they stumbled upon Ellen Smith. The lead magistrate in the case, William Evans, would actually buy Hurst House upon the death of Frances Willis. He was a wealthy coal and salt mine owner, although his eldest son Richard Evans was more well known in the mining world, especially around Haydock.
And finally I had always assumed that the term "dressing in drag" was of fairly recent vintage. But not so. The St Helens Newspaper wrote this on the 24th about some men who had been dressing as females in London: "The women personators were further examined at Bow-street (London) police court on Saturday. The evidence given, although it did not materially strengthen the case against them, was of a curious character, and implicated several other persons in the dressing in “drag.” They were again remanded."
Next week's stories will include the start of the Prescot sex scandal, an American circus and menagerie performs in St Helens, a rapid writing course is held in Church Street, the family shindy in Sutton and a campaign is launched to preserve Thatto Heath.
This week's stories include a claim of attempted rape in Bold Park, the ex-workhouse master who claimed persecution, there's short measure at the Lamb Inn in College Street and the poor woman arrested for sleeping rough in the grounds of a Prescot mansion.
We begin during the evening of the 18th when Lowe House Church presented a Grand Soiree in the Volunteer Hall. Their choir and several artistes performed.
For several months last year the antics of Thomas Holmes had dominated these articles.
For the benefit of new readers he was the master of Whiston Workhouse (pictured above) who was sacked for making an inmate pregnant and had a long list of other complaints made against him.
Holmes had even attacked a doctor at St Helens Junction station who had reported his behaviour.
The Prescot Board of Guardians oversaw Whiston Workhouse and on the 19th a letter from Thomas Holmes was read out at their fortnightly meeting.
The man had always blamed other people for what had happened and alleged a conspiracy had been at work – despite the huge weight of evidence against him.
In his letter Holmes wrote: "If ever there was a persecuted man, I am that individual", and added that he was "out of health with anxiety, and have been for some time."
He claimed that he was still owed £17 of back salary, which the Guardians agreed to pay.
They also considered a report by the Visiting Commissioner in Lunacy, after he'd made an inspection of the workhouse in April.
Mr Cleaton said that out of the 49 paupers of unsound mind, one called William Smith should be transferred to Rainhill Asylum because of his violent conduct. A second person should also be considered for transfer.
The commissioner found the workhouse hospital to be in a very satisfactory state as regards the inmates and their clothing.
However Mr Cleaton felt the beds for the sick paupers should be made of a softer material than straw – such as hair or flock.
He also thought that the dormitory used by the men and the day room used by the women were overcrowded.
This was disputed by the Guardians and the master of the workhouse, Henry Pepper, said the house had been overcrowded at the time of the visit but wasn't anymore.
There was a difference of opinion between the Guardians as to whether flock beds or ones filled with hair should be purchased. Eventually they decided to buy a dozen flock ones.
On the 21st the bowling green of the Gerard Arms in Dentons Green was opened with a contest to win a large ham.
James Rawlinson was the new owner and his advert in the Newspaper said: "The Green is in excellent condition, and the Proprietor will make it his study to secure the comfort of all visitors."
On the 23rd a platelayer called William Eden appeared in St Helens Petty Sessions charged with attempted rape in a plantation on the edge of Bold Park.
A woman called Catherine Hocker told the Bench that she had been out selling fish and then met up with a friend at a Bold Heath alehouse.
Eden was there and bought Catherine several glasses of whiskey, although she said she only drank some of it.
She then moved onto another public house to sell her fish and was followed by Eden, a man who she knew as a neighbour at Marshalls Cross.
Catherine then described how after leaving the second house, Eden had gone after her and thrown her down and attempted to rape her.
She said she was covered in blood but resisted him and shouted for help. When a policeman came on the scene, the man then ran off.
It was her friend Mrs Ramsey who had summoned the police and she gave evidence of seeing Eden attack Catherine.
Then afterwards Mrs Ramsey said she saw the man with his clothing "deranged" hiding in a ditch.
However Eden's solicitor claimed that his client believed that Catherine had taken half a sovereign from him and the "scuffle" was through him trying to reclaim it from her.
It appears to have been an unlikely tale but the Bench seems to have been convinced by it. They decided to dismiss the case on condition that Eden gave some compensation to the woman.
However, oddly, the unspecified amount of cash was not for her injuries but for Catherine Hocker's "loss of time".
This is how the Newspaper described another case in the Petty Sessions:
"Nancy Taylor, a woman with two terrible black eyes, applied for a summons against her husband for beating her on Sunday. The woman's arms were discoloured from bruises, and she said her whole body was in a similar condition. A warrant was granted for his apprehension."
If a man failed to make payments to the mother of his illegitimate child, he could be sent to prison.
Mary Ashurst charged Richard Felton in the Petty Sessions with neglecting to pay an affiliation (maintenance) order.
The amount owed was over £2 and as most orders stipulated weekly payments of around 2 shillings a week, it sounds as if the man had not paid Mary for over 5 months.
An order was made for Felton to make the payments in instalments and if he failed to do so, he would serve six weeks in prison.
The police regularly checked up on many aspects of the running of pubs and beerhouses – including whether their glasses were the right measure.
Alice McCrae appeared in the court on behalf of her husband William, who was the publican at the Lamb Inn in College Street.
The 53-year-old Irishman was accused of having six half-pint glasses that were short of measure.
His wife explained that they had only recently taken over the Lamb and had bought the glasses from the previous tenant.
That did not satisfy the magistrates who fined William McCrae 20 shillings and costs – that was about a week's wages for many.
Shawls were quite handy for hiding stolen goods. Alice Dyson appeared in the court charged with stealing 2lbs of meat from John Hewitt's butchers in Eccleston Street in Prescot.
The woman had paid for one cut of mutton but had hidden a second cut under her shawl. However the butcher was wise to the theft and Alice was handed 14 days in prison.
It's strange how the authorities felt sleeping rough was a dreadful crime, invariably sending offenders to prison.
This is how the Prescot Reporter described Ellen Smith's appearance in court on the 23rd, ridiculing the poor woman in the bargain:
"At the Prescot police court on Monday, Ellen Smith, single woman, a member of the universal Smith family, was charged with defrauding the company of lodging-house keepers (limited), whose domiciles are pleasantly situated on Mill-brow, by sleeping in the open air.
"P.C. Crozier said that whilst on duty in the grounds of Miss Willis, Hurst House, on Sunday morning, at two o’clock, he found the prisoner asleep in one of the chairs in the garden, when, after gently rousing her, he brought her to finish her slumbers in the police office, in order to prevent the night air injuriously affecting her constitution.
"Mr. Evans [the magistrate] thought a continuation of the slumbers for fourteen nights in the Kirkdale County Reception Rooms [gaol], would be beneficial in many ways, and made an order to that effect."
It's interesting that the police were busy patrolling the grounds of the wealthy Miss Willis when they stumbled upon Ellen Smith.
The lead magistrate in the case, William Evans, would actually buy Hurst House upon the death of Frances Willis.
He was a wealthy coal and salt mine owner, although his eldest son Richard Evans was more well known in the mining world, especially around Haydock.
And finally I had always assumed that the term "dressing in drag" was of fairly recent vintage. But not so.
The St Helens Newspaper wrote this on the 24th about some men who had been dressing as females in London:
"The women personators were further examined at Bow-street (London) police court on Saturday. The evidence given, although it did not materially strengthen the case against them, was of a curious character, and implicated several other persons in the dressing in “drag.” They were again remanded."
Next week's stories will include the start of the Prescot sex scandal, an American circus and menagerie performs in St Helens, a rapid writing course is held in Church Street, the family shindy in Sutton and a campaign to preserve Thatto Heath.
We begin during the evening of the 18th when Lowe House Church presented a Grand Soiree in the Volunteer Hall. Their choir and several artistes performed.
For the benefit of new readers he was the master of Whiston Workhouse (pictured above) who was sacked for making an inmate pregnant and had a long list of other complaints made against him.
Holmes had even attacked a doctor at St Helens Junction station who had reported his behaviour.
The Prescot Board of Guardians oversaw Whiston Workhouse and on the 19th a letter from Thomas Holmes was read out at their fortnightly meeting.
The man had always blamed other people for what had happened and alleged a conspiracy had been at work – despite the huge weight of evidence against him.
In his letter Holmes wrote: "If ever there was a persecuted man, I am that individual", and added that he was "out of health with anxiety, and have been for some time."
He claimed that he was still owed £17 of back salary, which the Guardians agreed to pay.
They also considered a report by the Visiting Commissioner in Lunacy, after he'd made an inspection of the workhouse in April.
Mr Cleaton said that out of the 49 paupers of unsound mind, one called William Smith should be transferred to Rainhill Asylum because of his violent conduct. A second person should also be considered for transfer.
The commissioner found the workhouse hospital to be in a very satisfactory state as regards the inmates and their clothing.
However Mr Cleaton felt the beds for the sick paupers should be made of a softer material than straw – such as hair or flock.
He also thought that the dormitory used by the men and the day room used by the women were overcrowded.
This was disputed by the Guardians and the master of the workhouse, Henry Pepper, said the house had been overcrowded at the time of the visit but wasn't anymore.
There was a difference of opinion between the Guardians as to whether flock beds or ones filled with hair should be purchased. Eventually they decided to buy a dozen flock ones.
On the 21st the bowling green of the Gerard Arms in Dentons Green was opened with a contest to win a large ham.
James Rawlinson was the new owner and his advert in the Newspaper said: "The Green is in excellent condition, and the Proprietor will make it his study to secure the comfort of all visitors."
On the 23rd a platelayer called William Eden appeared in St Helens Petty Sessions charged with attempted rape in a plantation on the edge of Bold Park.
A woman called Catherine Hocker told the Bench that she had been out selling fish and then met up with a friend at a Bold Heath alehouse.
Eden was there and bought Catherine several glasses of whiskey, although she said she only drank some of it.
She then moved onto another public house to sell her fish and was followed by Eden, a man who she knew as a neighbour at Marshalls Cross.
Catherine then described how after leaving the second house, Eden had gone after her and thrown her down and attempted to rape her.
She said she was covered in blood but resisted him and shouted for help. When a policeman came on the scene, the man then ran off.
It was her friend Mrs Ramsey who had summoned the police and she gave evidence of seeing Eden attack Catherine.
Then afterwards Mrs Ramsey said she saw the man with his clothing "deranged" hiding in a ditch.
However Eden's solicitor claimed that his client believed that Catherine had taken half a sovereign from him and the "scuffle" was through him trying to reclaim it from her.
It appears to have been an unlikely tale but the Bench seems to have been convinced by it. They decided to dismiss the case on condition that Eden gave some compensation to the woman.
However, oddly, the unspecified amount of cash was not for her injuries but for Catherine Hocker's "loss of time".
This is how the Newspaper described another case in the Petty Sessions:
"Nancy Taylor, a woman with two terrible black eyes, applied for a summons against her husband for beating her on Sunday. The woman's arms were discoloured from bruises, and she said her whole body was in a similar condition. A warrant was granted for his apprehension."
If a man failed to make payments to the mother of his illegitimate child, he could be sent to prison.
Mary Ashurst charged Richard Felton in the Petty Sessions with neglecting to pay an affiliation (maintenance) order.
The amount owed was over £2 and as most orders stipulated weekly payments of around 2 shillings a week, it sounds as if the man had not paid Mary for over 5 months.
An order was made for Felton to make the payments in instalments and if he failed to do so, he would serve six weeks in prison.
The police regularly checked up on many aspects of the running of pubs and beerhouses – including whether their glasses were the right measure.
Alice McCrae appeared in the court on behalf of her husband William, who was the publican at the Lamb Inn in College Street.
The 53-year-old Irishman was accused of having six half-pint glasses that were short of measure.
His wife explained that they had only recently taken over the Lamb and had bought the glasses from the previous tenant.
That did not satisfy the magistrates who fined William McCrae 20 shillings and costs – that was about a week's wages for many.
Shawls were quite handy for hiding stolen goods. Alice Dyson appeared in the court charged with stealing 2lbs of meat from John Hewitt's butchers in Eccleston Street in Prescot.
The woman had paid for one cut of mutton but had hidden a second cut under her shawl. However the butcher was wise to the theft and Alice was handed 14 days in prison.
It's strange how the authorities felt sleeping rough was a dreadful crime, invariably sending offenders to prison.
This is how the Prescot Reporter described Ellen Smith's appearance in court on the 23rd, ridiculing the poor woman in the bargain:
"At the Prescot police court on Monday, Ellen Smith, single woman, a member of the universal Smith family, was charged with defrauding the company of lodging-house keepers (limited), whose domiciles are pleasantly situated on Mill-brow, by sleeping in the open air.
"P.C. Crozier said that whilst on duty in the grounds of Miss Willis, Hurst House, on Sunday morning, at two o’clock, he found the prisoner asleep in one of the chairs in the garden, when, after gently rousing her, he brought her to finish her slumbers in the police office, in order to prevent the night air injuriously affecting her constitution.
"Mr. Evans [the magistrate] thought a continuation of the slumbers for fourteen nights in the Kirkdale County Reception Rooms [gaol], would be beneficial in many ways, and made an order to that effect."
It's interesting that the police were busy patrolling the grounds of the wealthy Miss Willis when they stumbled upon Ellen Smith.
The lead magistrate in the case, William Evans, would actually buy Hurst House upon the death of Frances Willis.
He was a wealthy coal and salt mine owner, although his eldest son Richard Evans was more well known in the mining world, especially around Haydock.
And finally I had always assumed that the term "dressing in drag" was of fairly recent vintage. But not so.
The St Helens Newspaper wrote this on the 24th about some men who had been dressing as females in London:
"The women personators were further examined at Bow-street (London) police court on Saturday. The evidence given, although it did not materially strengthen the case against them, was of a curious character, and implicated several other persons in the dressing in “drag.” They were again remanded."
Next week's stories will include the start of the Prescot sex scandal, an American circus and menagerie performs in St Helens, a rapid writing course is held in Church Street, the family shindy in Sutton and a campaign to preserve Thatto Heath.