150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (18 - 24 SEPTEMBER 1873)
This week's many stories include the brainless fraud at Peasley Cross Colliery, the maintenance of a St Helens boy on a reformatory ship, the annual flower show in Victoria Pleasure Grounds in Thatto Heath, the Irish boys that spent a night in Whiston Workhouse but refused to work and the debate over whether a house in Bridge Street with rain pouring through its roof was fit to live in.
Although the 1870s were hard times for many people in St Helens, others did quite nicely and this week a couple of better off groups tucked into a good feast. The first event took place in Rainford, which now had its own local board that administered the village's affairs. At the conclusion of their meeting its members held a dinner at the Eagle and Child Inn to mark the end of their year. The St Helens Newspaper described the spread as "of a sumptuous and inviting character", and then added: "the proceedings were most harmonious".
Meanwhile, the St Helens Licensed Victuallers Association held their annual meeting and dinner at the Victoria Hotel in Rainhill this week. After enjoying their meal the association's officers were elected for the coming year and other business undertaken. Toasts to Queen Victoria, the Church and others were an essential part of such nosh-ups and the Newspaper wrote:
"The usual loyal toasts were proposed and duly honoured, and also success to the leading firms of the district, the honorary members, and officers for the past year. The remainder of the evening was spent with songs and recitations, and after thanks had been returned to the host and hostess the company repaired to their homes highly delighted with the day's out and friendly intercourse with other members of the trade."
I think we have to place the crime of Robert Aspinall into the "brainless" category. The mineworker had been employed at Peasley Cross Colliery but when he went to collect his pay he asked to also receive the wages of a man called Clark. He claimed they were both moving on to work at a mine in Appleton and Clark had authorised him to pick up his money. That came to £1 12s 6d but his claim was a lie which was quickly exposed when Clark went for his cash.
Initially Robert Aspinall denied having drawn Clark's wages but once proceedings were initiated against him he admitted responsibility. In the St Helens Petty Sessions this week Aspinall asked to be allowed to repay the money by working at the mine, but instead was committed to take his trial at Kirkdale Assizes. The St Helens Newspaper wrote: "He broke down at the decision, and cried like a child." The 22-year-old Aspinall had a previous conviction for stealing money in Widnes and in October at the assizes was sentenced to 6 months in prison.
In July fourteen-year-old Michael Judge had been sent to prison for a month and then on to a reformatory for five years for stealing from St Helens Market. However, having their child placed in an institution did not mean that parents could wash their hands of them. Fathers were required to contribute to the cost of their keep and this week Thomas Judge was summoned to St Helens Petty Sessions to make payments towards the support of his son.
Michael was confined to the Clarence Reformatory ship, which since 1864 had been run by the Liverpool Catholic Reformatory Association. The converted warship was moored on the Mersey at New Ferry, near Birkenhead, and accommodated around 200 bad lads until 1884. That was when six of the boys set fire to the ship!
The court was told that Thomas Judge earned 18 shillings a week and he caused laughter in the court when he said: "If my son can't keep himself on the reformatory ship, they should kick him ashore". The Bench ordered him to pay one shilling a week towards Michael's keep. This was the second time that the father had been brought to court as in 1870 another son had been committed to the Clarence after stealing from St Helens Market.
Denis Keenan was described as a militiaman and he appeared in court in uniform charged with deserting his family and leaving them chargeable to the Prescot Union. They were the body that provided subsistence payments to impoverished families but would attempt to claw the money back from the husbands. A relieving officer said the man owed a total of £3 12s 6d and asked for Keenan's committal to prison unless he paid up.
It was stated that runaway husbands abandoning their responsibilities were on the increase and at present the Prescot Union were supporting 22 such wives and 68 children. The Bench made an immediate order for Denis Keenan to find the money or serve three months in prison.
In an extraordinary case St Helens Corporation summoned the owner of a property in Bridge Street for allowing it to become unfit for habitation. The town's Inspector of Nuisances said he had visited the rented home on August 18th and found it unfit to live in as rain was coming through the roof. The landlord was John Kitchen who had promised the inspector that he would close up the premises but had failed to do so.
After the inspector had reported the matter to the council's Health Committee, it was decided that a summons should be issued against Kitchen. The landlord argued that the case was a "vexatious and vindictive" one and the Clerk to the court said he thought it was a matter for the tenant and landlord to resolve between them. And somewhat bizarrely he commented that a hole in a house roof would more likely promote ventilation than otherwise. That, of course, is true, but not necessarily a feature that the residents would like!
The Chairman of the Bench – without inspecting the property – added that he did not think the term unfit for habitation applied to a house with a bad roof. In his defence the landlord said he had given his tenants notice to quit but they would not leave. The Bench dismissed the case and Mr Kitchen applied for costs, saying he was worth £250 a year and he should be paid according to that scale for the time that he'd wasted in court. The magistrates caved in and awarded him ten shillings.
Alice Hayes was a well-known prostitute who had only recently been released from prison on licence. But she failed to report to the police as had been required by the terms of her licence and on the 18th had been returned to gaol for a week. As soon as she was back in St Helens Alice was in trouble again. This week she was charged with seeking prostitution and sent to Kirkdale prison to serve another month.
And Sarah Mather was charged with stealing a pair of boots from her father's house. Thomas Mather said his daughter was turning out to be a "very bad girl" and he wanted her committing to a reformatory – but the Bench said at 17 she was too old. Sarah said she wanted to be sent away somewhere, as she would never be able to do any good for her parents as she had several bad companions that were "constantly leading me on to wickedness". So Sarah was despatched to a place where there were loads of wicked people – Kirkdale Gaol, where she would spend a month. Now there's Victorian logic for you!
The St Helens Floral and Horticultural Society held their annual show on the 24th and 25th at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds in Thatto Heath. The gardens' location was close to present day Whittle Street. That appears to have been named after its proprietor Charles Whittle and somehow the pleasure grounds managed to bypass the filthy St Helens atmosphere that often prevented flowers from blooming. The Liverpool Mercury wrote:
"The pleasure grounds are noted for their beauty, and when the show is held there great numbers of persons are attracted to the place, their principal object apparently being to inspect the greenhouses and gardens of the proprietor, and to pass a few happy moments in the delightful shady bowers with which the grounds abound." However, as well as showing off its own gardens, exhibitors were invited to compete for prizes at the show. But there were very few competitors this year, underlining the fact that not many people in St Helens had gardens and those that did had difficulty growing anything.
And finally, Whiston Workhouse had a transient ward for tramps and the like who wanted somewhere to sleep for the night and a bite of breakfast before moving on. However, the clue as to what was expected of you in the workhouse was in its name. Even those making fleeting stays had to do a few hours of work to pay for their hospitality – as meagre as it was – and if you refused, you were prosecuted.
On the 24th six boys that had come over from Dublin appeared in Prescot Police Court, charged with refusing to work after receiving relief at Whiston Workhouse. Their punishment was harsh, with the lads sentenced to serve ten days hard labour in Kirkdale Gaol.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the advent of the pail toilet, the fearsome butcher in the marketplace, the stunted creature in Ormskirk Street that held onto a big bobby's beard and the Sutton pub landlord whose floor was blood-stained.
Meanwhile, the St Helens Licensed Victuallers Association held their annual meeting and dinner at the Victoria Hotel in Rainhill this week. After enjoying their meal the association's officers were elected for the coming year and other business undertaken. Toasts to Queen Victoria, the Church and others were an essential part of such nosh-ups and the Newspaper wrote:
"The usual loyal toasts were proposed and duly honoured, and also success to the leading firms of the district, the honorary members, and officers for the past year. The remainder of the evening was spent with songs and recitations, and after thanks had been returned to the host and hostess the company repaired to their homes highly delighted with the day's out and friendly intercourse with other members of the trade."
I think we have to place the crime of Robert Aspinall into the "brainless" category. The mineworker had been employed at Peasley Cross Colliery but when he went to collect his pay he asked to also receive the wages of a man called Clark. He claimed they were both moving on to work at a mine in Appleton and Clark had authorised him to pick up his money. That came to £1 12s 6d but his claim was a lie which was quickly exposed when Clark went for his cash.
Initially Robert Aspinall denied having drawn Clark's wages but once proceedings were initiated against him he admitted responsibility. In the St Helens Petty Sessions this week Aspinall asked to be allowed to repay the money by working at the mine, but instead was committed to take his trial at Kirkdale Assizes. The St Helens Newspaper wrote: "He broke down at the decision, and cried like a child." The 22-year-old Aspinall had a previous conviction for stealing money in Widnes and in October at the assizes was sentenced to 6 months in prison.
In July fourteen-year-old Michael Judge had been sent to prison for a month and then on to a reformatory for five years for stealing from St Helens Market. However, having their child placed in an institution did not mean that parents could wash their hands of them. Fathers were required to contribute to the cost of their keep and this week Thomas Judge was summoned to St Helens Petty Sessions to make payments towards the support of his son.
Michael was confined to the Clarence Reformatory ship, which since 1864 had been run by the Liverpool Catholic Reformatory Association. The converted warship was moored on the Mersey at New Ferry, near Birkenhead, and accommodated around 200 bad lads until 1884. That was when six of the boys set fire to the ship!
The court was told that Thomas Judge earned 18 shillings a week and he caused laughter in the court when he said: "If my son can't keep himself on the reformatory ship, they should kick him ashore". The Bench ordered him to pay one shilling a week towards Michael's keep. This was the second time that the father had been brought to court as in 1870 another son had been committed to the Clarence after stealing from St Helens Market.
Denis Keenan was described as a militiaman and he appeared in court in uniform charged with deserting his family and leaving them chargeable to the Prescot Union. They were the body that provided subsistence payments to impoverished families but would attempt to claw the money back from the husbands. A relieving officer said the man owed a total of £3 12s 6d and asked for Keenan's committal to prison unless he paid up.
It was stated that runaway husbands abandoning their responsibilities were on the increase and at present the Prescot Union were supporting 22 such wives and 68 children. The Bench made an immediate order for Denis Keenan to find the money or serve three months in prison.
In an extraordinary case St Helens Corporation summoned the owner of a property in Bridge Street for allowing it to become unfit for habitation. The town's Inspector of Nuisances said he had visited the rented home on August 18th and found it unfit to live in as rain was coming through the roof. The landlord was John Kitchen who had promised the inspector that he would close up the premises but had failed to do so.
After the inspector had reported the matter to the council's Health Committee, it was decided that a summons should be issued against Kitchen. The landlord argued that the case was a "vexatious and vindictive" one and the Clerk to the court said he thought it was a matter for the tenant and landlord to resolve between them. And somewhat bizarrely he commented that a hole in a house roof would more likely promote ventilation than otherwise. That, of course, is true, but not necessarily a feature that the residents would like!
The Chairman of the Bench – without inspecting the property – added that he did not think the term unfit for habitation applied to a house with a bad roof. In his defence the landlord said he had given his tenants notice to quit but they would not leave. The Bench dismissed the case and Mr Kitchen applied for costs, saying he was worth £250 a year and he should be paid according to that scale for the time that he'd wasted in court. The magistrates caved in and awarded him ten shillings.
Alice Hayes was a well-known prostitute who had only recently been released from prison on licence. But she failed to report to the police as had been required by the terms of her licence and on the 18th had been returned to gaol for a week. As soon as she was back in St Helens Alice was in trouble again. This week she was charged with seeking prostitution and sent to Kirkdale prison to serve another month.
And Sarah Mather was charged with stealing a pair of boots from her father's house. Thomas Mather said his daughter was turning out to be a "very bad girl" and he wanted her committing to a reformatory – but the Bench said at 17 she was too old. Sarah said she wanted to be sent away somewhere, as she would never be able to do any good for her parents as she had several bad companions that were "constantly leading me on to wickedness". So Sarah was despatched to a place where there were loads of wicked people – Kirkdale Gaol, where she would spend a month. Now there's Victorian logic for you!
The St Helens Floral and Horticultural Society held their annual show on the 24th and 25th at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds in Thatto Heath. The gardens' location was close to present day Whittle Street. That appears to have been named after its proprietor Charles Whittle and somehow the pleasure grounds managed to bypass the filthy St Helens atmosphere that often prevented flowers from blooming. The Liverpool Mercury wrote:
"The pleasure grounds are noted for their beauty, and when the show is held there great numbers of persons are attracted to the place, their principal object apparently being to inspect the greenhouses and gardens of the proprietor, and to pass a few happy moments in the delightful shady bowers with which the grounds abound." However, as well as showing off its own gardens, exhibitors were invited to compete for prizes at the show. But there were very few competitors this year, underlining the fact that not many people in St Helens had gardens and those that did had difficulty growing anything.
And finally, Whiston Workhouse had a transient ward for tramps and the like who wanted somewhere to sleep for the night and a bite of breakfast before moving on. However, the clue as to what was expected of you in the workhouse was in its name. Even those making fleeting stays had to do a few hours of work to pay for their hospitality – as meagre as it was – and if you refused, you were prosecuted.
On the 24th six boys that had come over from Dublin appeared in Prescot Police Court, charged with refusing to work after receiving relief at Whiston Workhouse. Their punishment was harsh, with the lads sentenced to serve ten days hard labour in Kirkdale Gaol.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the advent of the pail toilet, the fearsome butcher in the marketplace, the stunted creature in Ormskirk Street that held onto a big bobby's beard and the Sutton pub landlord whose floor was blood-stained.
This week's many stories include the brainless fraud at Peasley Cross Colliery, the maintenance of a St Helens boy on a reformatory ship, the annual flower show in Victoria Pleasure Grounds in Thatto Heath, the Irish boys that spent a night in Whiston Workhouse but refused to work and the debate over whether a house in Bridge Street with rain pouring through its roof was fit to live in.
Although the 1870s were hard times for many people in St Helens, others did quite nicely and this week a couple of better off groups tucked into a good feast.
The first event took place in Rainford, which now had its own local board that administered the village's affairs.
At the conclusion of their meeting its members held a dinner at the Eagle and Child Inn to mark the end of their year.
The St Helens Newspaper described the spread as "of a sumptuous and inviting character", and then added: "the proceedings were most harmonious".
Meanwhile, the St Helens Licensed Victuallers Association held their annual meeting and dinner at the Victoria Hotel in Rainhill this week.
After enjoying their meal the association's officers were elected for the coming year and other business undertaken.
Toasts to Queen Victoria, the Church and others were an essential part of such nosh-ups and the Newspaper wrote:
"The usual loyal toasts were proposed and duly honoured, and also success to the leading firms of the district, the honorary members, and officers for the past year.
"The remainder of the evening was spent with songs and recitations, and after thanks had been returned to the host and hostess the company repaired to their homes highly delighted with the day's out and friendly intercourse with other members of the trade."
I think we have to place the crime of Robert Aspinall into the "brainless" category.
The mineworker had been employed at Peasley Cross Colliery but when he went to collect his pay he asked to also receive the wages of a man called Clark.
He claimed they were both moving on to work at a mine in Appleton and Clark had authorised him to pick up his money.
That came to £1 12s 6d but his claim was a lie which was quickly exposed when Clark went for his cash.
Initially Robert Aspinall denied having drawn Clark's wages but once proceedings were initiated against him he admitted responsibility.
In the St Helens Petty Sessions this week Aspinall asked to be allowed to repay the money by working at the mine, but instead was committed to take his trial at Kirkdale Assizes.
The St Helens Newspaper wrote: "He broke down at the decision, and cried like a child."
The 22-year-old Aspinall had a previous conviction for stealing money in Widnes and in October at the assizes was sentenced to 6 months in prison.
In July fourteen-year-old Michael Judge had been sent to prison for a month and then on to a reformatory for five years for stealing from St Helens Market.
However, having their child placed in an institution did not mean that parents could wash their hands of them.
Fathers were required to contribute to the cost of their keep and this week Thomas Judge was summoned to St Helens Petty Sessions to make payments towards the support of his son.
Michael was confined to the Clarence Reformatory ship, which since 1864 had been run by the Liverpool Catholic Reformatory Association.
The converted warship was moored on the Mersey at New Ferry, near Birkenhead, and accommodated around 200 bad lads until 1884. That was when six of the boys set fire to the ship!
The court was told that Thomas Judge earned 18 shillings a week and he caused laughter in the court when he said:
"If my son can't keep himself on the reformatory ship, they should kick him ashore". The Bench ordered him to pay one shilling a week towards Michael's keep.
This was the second time that the father had been brought to court as in 1870 another son had been committed to the Clarence after stealing from St Helens Market.
Denis Keenan was described as a militiaman and he appeared in court in uniform charged with deserting his family and leaving them chargeable to the Prescot Union.
They were the body that provided subsistence payments to impoverished families but would attempt to claw the money back from the husbands.
A relieving officer said the man owed a total of £3 12s 6d and asked for Keenan's committal to prison unless he paid up.
It was stated that runaway husbands abandoning their responsibilities were on the increase and at present the Prescot Union were supporting 22 such wives and 68 children.
The Bench made an immediate order for Denis Keenan to find the money or serve three months in prison.
In an extraordinary case St Helens Corporation summoned the owner of a property in Bridge Street for allowing it to become unfit for habitation.
The town's Inspector of Nuisances said he had visited the rented home on August 18th and found it unfit to live in as rain was coming through the roof.
The landlord was John Kitchen who had promised the inspector that he would close up the premises but had failed to do so.
After the inspector had reported the matter to the council's Health Committee, it was decided that a summons should be issued against Kitchen.
The landlord argued that the case was a "vexatious and vindictive" one and the Clerk to the court said he thought it was a matter for the tenant and landlord to resolve between them.
And somewhat bizarrely he commented that a hole in a house roof would more likely promote ventilation than otherwise. That, of course, is true, but not necessarily a feature that the residents would like!
The Chairman of the Bench – without inspecting the property – added that he did not think the term unfit for habitation applied to a house with a bad roof.
In his defence the landlord said he had given his tenants notice to quit but they would not leave.
The Bench dismissed the case and Mr Kitchen applied for costs, saying he was worth £250 a year and he should be paid according to that scale for the time that he'd wasted in court. The magistrates caved in and awarded him ten shillings.
Alice Hayes was a well-known prostitute who had only recently been released from prison on licence.
But she failed to report to the police as had been required by the terms of her licence and on the 18th had been returned to gaol for a week.
As soon as she was back in St Helens Alice was in trouble again. This week she was charged with seeking prostitution and sent to Kirkdale prison to serve another month.
And Sarah Mather was charged with stealing a pair of boots from her father's house. Thomas Mather said his daughter was turning out to be a "very bad girl" and he wanted her committing to a reformatory – but the Bench said at 17 she was too old.
Sarah said she wanted to be sent away somewhere, as she would never be able to do any good for her parents as she had several bad companions that were "constantly leading me on to wickedness".
So Sarah was despatched to a place where there were loads of wicked people – Kirkdale Gaol, where she would spend a month. Now there's Victorian logic for you!
The St Helens Floral and Horticultural Society held their annual show on the 24th and 25th at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds in Thatto Heath.
The gardens' location was close to present day Whittle Street. That appears to have been named after its proprietor Charles Whittle and somehow the pleasure grounds managed to bypass the filthy St Helens atmosphere that often prevented flowers from blooming. The Liverpool Mercury wrote:
"The pleasure grounds are noted for their beauty, and when the show is held there great numbers of persons are attracted to the place, their principal object apparently being to inspect the greenhouses and gardens of the proprietor, and to pass a few happy moments in the delightful shady bowers with which the grounds abound."
However, as well as showing off its own gardens, exhibitors were invited to compete for prizes at the show.
But there were very few competitors this year, underlining the fact that not many people in St Helens had gardens and those that did had difficulty growing anything.
And finally, Whiston Workhouse had a transient ward for tramps and the like who wanted somewhere to sleep for the night and a bite of breakfast before moving on.
However, the clue as to what was expected of you in the workhouse was in its name. Even those making fleeting stays had to do a few hours of work to pay for their hospitality – as meagre as it was – and if you refused, you were prosecuted.
On the 24th six boys that had come over from Dublin appeared in Prescot Police Court, charged with refusing to work after receiving relief at Whiston Workhouse.
Their punishment was harsh, with the lads sentenced to serve ten days hard labour in Kirkdale Gaol.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the advent of the pail toilet, the fearsome butcher in the marketplace, the stunted creature in Ormskirk Street that held onto a big bobby's beard and the Sutton pub landlord whose floor was blood-stained.
Although the 1870s were hard times for many people in St Helens, others did quite nicely and this week a couple of better off groups tucked into a good feast.
The first event took place in Rainford, which now had its own local board that administered the village's affairs.
The St Helens Newspaper described the spread as "of a sumptuous and inviting character", and then added: "the proceedings were most harmonious".
Meanwhile, the St Helens Licensed Victuallers Association held their annual meeting and dinner at the Victoria Hotel in Rainhill this week.
After enjoying their meal the association's officers were elected for the coming year and other business undertaken.
Toasts to Queen Victoria, the Church and others were an essential part of such nosh-ups and the Newspaper wrote:
"The usual loyal toasts were proposed and duly honoured, and also success to the leading firms of the district, the honorary members, and officers for the past year.
"The remainder of the evening was spent with songs and recitations, and after thanks had been returned to the host and hostess the company repaired to their homes highly delighted with the day's out and friendly intercourse with other members of the trade."
I think we have to place the crime of Robert Aspinall into the "brainless" category.
The mineworker had been employed at Peasley Cross Colliery but when he went to collect his pay he asked to also receive the wages of a man called Clark.
He claimed they were both moving on to work at a mine in Appleton and Clark had authorised him to pick up his money.
That came to £1 12s 6d but his claim was a lie which was quickly exposed when Clark went for his cash.
Initially Robert Aspinall denied having drawn Clark's wages but once proceedings were initiated against him he admitted responsibility.
In the St Helens Petty Sessions this week Aspinall asked to be allowed to repay the money by working at the mine, but instead was committed to take his trial at Kirkdale Assizes.
The St Helens Newspaper wrote: "He broke down at the decision, and cried like a child."
The 22-year-old Aspinall had a previous conviction for stealing money in Widnes and in October at the assizes was sentenced to 6 months in prison.
In July fourteen-year-old Michael Judge had been sent to prison for a month and then on to a reformatory for five years for stealing from St Helens Market.
However, having their child placed in an institution did not mean that parents could wash their hands of them.
Fathers were required to contribute to the cost of their keep and this week Thomas Judge was summoned to St Helens Petty Sessions to make payments towards the support of his son.
Michael was confined to the Clarence Reformatory ship, which since 1864 had been run by the Liverpool Catholic Reformatory Association.
The converted warship was moored on the Mersey at New Ferry, near Birkenhead, and accommodated around 200 bad lads until 1884. That was when six of the boys set fire to the ship!
The court was told that Thomas Judge earned 18 shillings a week and he caused laughter in the court when he said:
"If my son can't keep himself on the reformatory ship, they should kick him ashore". The Bench ordered him to pay one shilling a week towards Michael's keep.
This was the second time that the father had been brought to court as in 1870 another son had been committed to the Clarence after stealing from St Helens Market.
Denis Keenan was described as a militiaman and he appeared in court in uniform charged with deserting his family and leaving them chargeable to the Prescot Union.
They were the body that provided subsistence payments to impoverished families but would attempt to claw the money back from the husbands.
A relieving officer said the man owed a total of £3 12s 6d and asked for Keenan's committal to prison unless he paid up.
It was stated that runaway husbands abandoning their responsibilities were on the increase and at present the Prescot Union were supporting 22 such wives and 68 children.
The Bench made an immediate order for Denis Keenan to find the money or serve three months in prison.
In an extraordinary case St Helens Corporation summoned the owner of a property in Bridge Street for allowing it to become unfit for habitation.
The town's Inspector of Nuisances said he had visited the rented home on August 18th and found it unfit to live in as rain was coming through the roof.
The landlord was John Kitchen who had promised the inspector that he would close up the premises but had failed to do so.
After the inspector had reported the matter to the council's Health Committee, it was decided that a summons should be issued against Kitchen.
The landlord argued that the case was a "vexatious and vindictive" one and the Clerk to the court said he thought it was a matter for the tenant and landlord to resolve between them.
And somewhat bizarrely he commented that a hole in a house roof would more likely promote ventilation than otherwise. That, of course, is true, but not necessarily a feature that the residents would like!
The Chairman of the Bench – without inspecting the property – added that he did not think the term unfit for habitation applied to a house with a bad roof.
In his defence the landlord said he had given his tenants notice to quit but they would not leave.
The Bench dismissed the case and Mr Kitchen applied for costs, saying he was worth £250 a year and he should be paid according to that scale for the time that he'd wasted in court. The magistrates caved in and awarded him ten shillings.
Alice Hayes was a well-known prostitute who had only recently been released from prison on licence.
But she failed to report to the police as had been required by the terms of her licence and on the 18th had been returned to gaol for a week.
As soon as she was back in St Helens Alice was in trouble again. This week she was charged with seeking prostitution and sent to Kirkdale prison to serve another month.
And Sarah Mather was charged with stealing a pair of boots from her father's house. Thomas Mather said his daughter was turning out to be a "very bad girl" and he wanted her committing to a reformatory – but the Bench said at 17 she was too old.
Sarah said she wanted to be sent away somewhere, as she would never be able to do any good for her parents as she had several bad companions that were "constantly leading me on to wickedness".
So Sarah was despatched to a place where there were loads of wicked people – Kirkdale Gaol, where she would spend a month. Now there's Victorian logic for you!
The St Helens Floral and Horticultural Society held their annual show on the 24th and 25th at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds in Thatto Heath.
The gardens' location was close to present day Whittle Street. That appears to have been named after its proprietor Charles Whittle and somehow the pleasure grounds managed to bypass the filthy St Helens atmosphere that often prevented flowers from blooming. The Liverpool Mercury wrote:
"The pleasure grounds are noted for their beauty, and when the show is held there great numbers of persons are attracted to the place, their principal object apparently being to inspect the greenhouses and gardens of the proprietor, and to pass a few happy moments in the delightful shady bowers with which the grounds abound."
However, as well as showing off its own gardens, exhibitors were invited to compete for prizes at the show.
But there were very few competitors this year, underlining the fact that not many people in St Helens had gardens and those that did had difficulty growing anything.
And finally, Whiston Workhouse had a transient ward for tramps and the like who wanted somewhere to sleep for the night and a bite of breakfast before moving on.
However, the clue as to what was expected of you in the workhouse was in its name. Even those making fleeting stays had to do a few hours of work to pay for their hospitality – as meagre as it was – and if you refused, you were prosecuted.
On the 24th six boys that had come over from Dublin appeared in Prescot Police Court, charged with refusing to work after receiving relief at Whiston Workhouse.
Their punishment was harsh, with the lads sentenced to serve ten days hard labour in Kirkdale Gaol.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the advent of the pail toilet, the fearsome butcher in the marketplace, the stunted creature in Ormskirk Street that held onto a big bobby's beard and the Sutton pub landlord whose floor was blood-stained.