150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (19th - 25th SEPTEMBER 1872)
This week's stories include the remarkable funeral procession of glass boss William Pilkington, a wantonly cruel brute appears in court, the inspection of local reformatory schools, the coming of age celebrations in Garswood and the Eccleston man who declared that he intended to cut somebody's ears off.
We begin on the 19th with the funeral of William Pilkington Snr, one of the founders of the glassworks that bore his name. As the hearse containing his body moved slowly from Sutton to its destination at St Helens Cemetery, a remarkable procession was formed. The bell of the parish church tolled solemnly in a muffled tone as 22 policemen, 12 firemen, 100 tradesmen, 5 mourning coaches, 18 private carriages and 200 Pilkington employees formed a cortege.
The Newspaper wrote: "The people of St. Helens are not much given to demonstrating on such occasions, but there were circumstances in this case of so exceptional a character as to evoke extraordinary feeling. The procession moved with slow steps through Church-street, fringed along its length with hundreds of people, who formed no part of it, but had gathered there out of the universal feeling of respect [for] the memory of the deceased.
"By Church-street, Ormskirk-street, Baldwin-street, and Duke-street, the cortege proceeded, gaining accessions at every yard, and between rows of houses which presented no more sign of life than if the day had been the Sabbath; and despite the crowding of the multitude of mourners, the silence was only broken by the footfalls of men and horses."
There were two reformatories located within the St Helens district and this week the Inspector of Certified Reformatory and Industrial Schools issued their annual reports. The St Helens Reformatory for Roman Catholic Girls was at Blackbrook and on the day of inspection had 18 inmates on its books.
I think in modern Ofsted speak, "satisfactory" would be its overall grade but with areas for improvement. For example, the inspector's comments included these remarks: "The health and general condition was good. The arrangement of the school and the workrooms was not convenient. The girls were fairly conducted. Educational state fair, but industrial training not yet much developed."
There was also the Farm School Reformatory in Newton which had 124 boys registered on the day of inspection. That, again, was only performing reasonably well, with the inspector stating that he had been disappointed with the state of the boys' education. However, he was impressed with the genuine effort that the teachers and management appeared to be making. It was just that their results were not great.
Perhaps, if the lads had spent more time in school rather than working, their scholastic performances would have been better. What was described as a "considerable number" of the boys were employed in the paper and printing works in the neighbourhood, with others tilling the land, tailoring or engaging in shoemaking.
On the 20th The St Helens Newspaper headlined their short report on George Clarke "A Wantonly Cruel Brute" – and he did seem to have been a nasty piece of work. After beating his wife Ann, she fled from their home in Parr to seek refuge at the home of a woman called Smith. Clarke followed his wife to the house and assaulted Mrs Smith for giving his spouse shelter. Then he went to the works where Mr Smith was employed and attacked him. George Clarke was fined a total of 40 shillings and costs, which was probably at least a fortnight's wages and, as usual, I do wonder what became of his wife Ann after that.
Farmer Esther Webster of Mill Lane in Sutton appeared in court on the 30th charged with driving three cows on the road that were afflicted with foot and mouth disease. The head of St Helens Police, Supt. James Ludlam, said after he was informed of the presence of the disease in her stock, he gave Mrs Webster strict instructions with regard to the cattle's isolation. But he then learned that she had driven three cows across a public road and into another field. The Bench did not consider the offence that serious as the cows had not been taken very far and only fined Mrs Webster 6d and costs.
On the 23rd William Seddon was summoned to St Helens Petty Sessions by his wife Jane to face a charge of assault – although he displayed his contempt for the proceedings by not turning up. In the 1871 census the couple was living in Eccleston with four children, the oldest of which were two sons aged 17 and 20. Mrs Seddon told the court that her husband had eaten his dinner last Saturday week and then declared his intention of cutting someone's ears off before nightfall. Anybody, seemingly, would do as long as they possessed a pair of ears.
Upon coming home drunk later that evening, William announced that he had now decided to cut someone's head off instead! Seddon's son asked for an explanation for his father's threats for which he was challenged to a fight. Mrs Seddon went between her son and husband and was assaulted by the latter who said he would cut off her ears. It seems that no ears or heads, or anything else, were actually chopped off by the man, as he was only charged with assault.
It had been a bold step for Jane Seddon to bring an action against her husband. But it was likely not to have been the first time that William had caused trouble and so Jane may well have felt that she had to do something. And she had two sons at home that she might have considered old enough to protect her from any revenge that her husband had in mind.
Unfortunately, the magistrates did not seem to take the case very seriously. They could have issued a warrant for the man's arrest, as a result of him not appearing in court. He could have had sureties imposed on him to ensure good behaviour for the next few months. But instead, they simply fined him 10 shillings and costs, which, in total, probably amounted to almost a week's wages, with Jane Seddon suffering as much as her husband from the lost income.
Also in court was Ann Potter who was summoned by Ellen Norbury for assault. The latter had been standing on the Navigation Bridge, near the Navigation Tavern in St Helens (pictured above), when the defendant walked up to her and hit her. Usually in these cases some provocation had taken place, which the person making the complaint conveniently forgets to mention in court.
However, this case was different for the simple reason that it had been mistaken identity. Ellen Norbury had looked like another person "against whom defendant cherished a spite" – as the St Helens Newspaper put it. Mrs Norbury told the court that she would have let the matter drop if Ann Potter had apologised. The Bench again did not appear to take this case seriously, as the magistrates simply told the defendant, Ann Potter, to pay the court costs and issued no fine.
This week there were three days of festivities in the Garswood and Ashton districts to celebrate the coming of age of William Causfield Gerard. The lieutenant in the Life Guards was the son of the huge landowner Sir Robert Gerard and more than 2,000 invitations had been distributed around the neighbourhood in honour of the occasion. On the first day of festivities, the 10,000-acre Garswood Park was thrown open. A series of field sports and an equestrian display were organised, with a sumptuous dinner held for 300 of the guests. The St Helens Newspaper wrote:
"Despite the alternating gloom and sunshine, the little village of Ashton-in-Makerfield was gay with bunting, and flags fluttered in the breeze from the lofty and picturesque tower of the parish church. Flags waved also from Garswood Hall, and at various parts of the ground. A bonfire was lighted on Billinge Hill in the evening, by the residents on the estate in that locality. There was no stint in providing materials, and when night came on, the huge flame was visible for miles around. It burned during the greater part of the night, and was even flashing fitfully in the grey and misty darkened dawn of Wednesday morning."
On day 2 it rained, with the Preston Chronicle writing: "Those who braved the pelting storm were obliged to shelter in the marquee as the rain had driven away the acrobats and washed away all the out-of-door amusements." Two hundred cottagers on the estate were treated to dinner and in the evening a grand ball was held in Garswood Hall (pictured above), attended by about 200 guests. On the final day, thousands of schoolchildren visited the park and hundreds of members of the Lancashire Hussars also attended.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the cowardly assault on a Prescot watchmaker at Gillars Green, the controversial closing of pubs at 11pm until 7am, a woman's mysterious death in Baxters Lane and the brainless wages theft at Sutton Oak Station.
We begin on the 19th with the funeral of William Pilkington Snr, one of the founders of the glassworks that bore his name. As the hearse containing his body moved slowly from Sutton to its destination at St Helens Cemetery, a remarkable procession was formed. The bell of the parish church tolled solemnly in a muffled tone as 22 policemen, 12 firemen, 100 tradesmen, 5 mourning coaches, 18 private carriages and 200 Pilkington employees formed a cortege.
The Newspaper wrote: "The people of St. Helens are not much given to demonstrating on such occasions, but there were circumstances in this case of so exceptional a character as to evoke extraordinary feeling. The procession moved with slow steps through Church-street, fringed along its length with hundreds of people, who formed no part of it, but had gathered there out of the universal feeling of respect [for] the memory of the deceased.
"By Church-street, Ormskirk-street, Baldwin-street, and Duke-street, the cortege proceeded, gaining accessions at every yard, and between rows of houses which presented no more sign of life than if the day had been the Sabbath; and despite the crowding of the multitude of mourners, the silence was only broken by the footfalls of men and horses."
There were two reformatories located within the St Helens district and this week the Inspector of Certified Reformatory and Industrial Schools issued their annual reports. The St Helens Reformatory for Roman Catholic Girls was at Blackbrook and on the day of inspection had 18 inmates on its books.
I think in modern Ofsted speak, "satisfactory" would be its overall grade but with areas for improvement. For example, the inspector's comments included these remarks: "The health and general condition was good. The arrangement of the school and the workrooms was not convenient. The girls were fairly conducted. Educational state fair, but industrial training not yet much developed."
There was also the Farm School Reformatory in Newton which had 124 boys registered on the day of inspection. That, again, was only performing reasonably well, with the inspector stating that he had been disappointed with the state of the boys' education. However, he was impressed with the genuine effort that the teachers and management appeared to be making. It was just that their results were not great.
Perhaps, if the lads had spent more time in school rather than working, their scholastic performances would have been better. What was described as a "considerable number" of the boys were employed in the paper and printing works in the neighbourhood, with others tilling the land, tailoring or engaging in shoemaking.
On the 20th The St Helens Newspaper headlined their short report on George Clarke "A Wantonly Cruel Brute" – and he did seem to have been a nasty piece of work. After beating his wife Ann, she fled from their home in Parr to seek refuge at the home of a woman called Smith. Clarke followed his wife to the house and assaulted Mrs Smith for giving his spouse shelter. Then he went to the works where Mr Smith was employed and attacked him. George Clarke was fined a total of 40 shillings and costs, which was probably at least a fortnight's wages and, as usual, I do wonder what became of his wife Ann after that.
Farmer Esther Webster of Mill Lane in Sutton appeared in court on the 30th charged with driving three cows on the road that were afflicted with foot and mouth disease. The head of St Helens Police, Supt. James Ludlam, said after he was informed of the presence of the disease in her stock, he gave Mrs Webster strict instructions with regard to the cattle's isolation. But he then learned that she had driven three cows across a public road and into another field. The Bench did not consider the offence that serious as the cows had not been taken very far and only fined Mrs Webster 6d and costs.
On the 23rd William Seddon was summoned to St Helens Petty Sessions by his wife Jane to face a charge of assault – although he displayed his contempt for the proceedings by not turning up. In the 1871 census the couple was living in Eccleston with four children, the oldest of which were two sons aged 17 and 20. Mrs Seddon told the court that her husband had eaten his dinner last Saturday week and then declared his intention of cutting someone's ears off before nightfall. Anybody, seemingly, would do as long as they possessed a pair of ears.
Upon coming home drunk later that evening, William announced that he had now decided to cut someone's head off instead! Seddon's son asked for an explanation for his father's threats for which he was challenged to a fight. Mrs Seddon went between her son and husband and was assaulted by the latter who said he would cut off her ears. It seems that no ears or heads, or anything else, were actually chopped off by the man, as he was only charged with assault.
It had been a bold step for Jane Seddon to bring an action against her husband. But it was likely not to have been the first time that William had caused trouble and so Jane may well have felt that she had to do something. And she had two sons at home that she might have considered old enough to protect her from any revenge that her husband had in mind.
Unfortunately, the magistrates did not seem to take the case very seriously. They could have issued a warrant for the man's arrest, as a result of him not appearing in court. He could have had sureties imposed on him to ensure good behaviour for the next few months. But instead, they simply fined him 10 shillings and costs, which, in total, probably amounted to almost a week's wages, with Jane Seddon suffering as much as her husband from the lost income.
However, this case was different for the simple reason that it had been mistaken identity. Ellen Norbury had looked like another person "against whom defendant cherished a spite" – as the St Helens Newspaper put it. Mrs Norbury told the court that she would have let the matter drop if Ann Potter had apologised. The Bench again did not appear to take this case seriously, as the magistrates simply told the defendant, Ann Potter, to pay the court costs and issued no fine.
This week there were three days of festivities in the Garswood and Ashton districts to celebrate the coming of age of William Causfield Gerard. The lieutenant in the Life Guards was the son of the huge landowner Sir Robert Gerard and more than 2,000 invitations had been distributed around the neighbourhood in honour of the occasion. On the first day of festivities, the 10,000-acre Garswood Park was thrown open. A series of field sports and an equestrian display were organised, with a sumptuous dinner held for 300 of the guests. The St Helens Newspaper wrote:
"Despite the alternating gloom and sunshine, the little village of Ashton-in-Makerfield was gay with bunting, and flags fluttered in the breeze from the lofty and picturesque tower of the parish church. Flags waved also from Garswood Hall, and at various parts of the ground. A bonfire was lighted on Billinge Hill in the evening, by the residents on the estate in that locality. There was no stint in providing materials, and when night came on, the huge flame was visible for miles around. It burned during the greater part of the night, and was even flashing fitfully in the grey and misty darkened dawn of Wednesday morning."
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the cowardly assault on a Prescot watchmaker at Gillars Green, the controversial closing of pubs at 11pm until 7am, a woman's mysterious death in Baxters Lane and the brainless wages theft at Sutton Oak Station.
This week's stories include the remarkable funeral procession of glass boss William Pilkington, a wantonly cruel brute appears in court, the inspection of local reformatory schools, the coming of age celebrations in Garswood and the Eccleston man who declared that he intended to cut somebody's ears off.
We begin on the 19th with the funeral of William Pilkington Snr, one of the founders of the glassworks that bore his name.
As the hearse containing his body moved slowly from Sutton to its destination at St Helens Cemetery, a remarkable procession was formed.
The bell of the parish church tolled solemnly in a muffled tone as 22 policemen, 12 firemen, 100 tradesmen, 5 mourning coaches, 18 private carriages and 200 Pilkington employees formed a cortege.
The Newspaper wrote: "The people of St. Helens are not much given to demonstrating on such occasions, but there were circumstances in this case of so exceptional a character as to evoke extraordinary feeling.
"The procession moved with slow steps through Church-street, fringed along its length with hundreds of people, who formed no part of it, but had gathered there out of the universal feeling of respect [for] the memory of the deceased.
"By Church-street, Ormskirk-street, Baldwin-street, and Duke-street, the cortege proceeded, gaining accessions at every yard, and between rows of houses which presented no more sign of life than if the day had been the Sabbath; and despite the crowding of the multitude of mourners, the silence was only broken by the footfalls of men and horses."
There were two reformatories located within the St Helens district and this week the Inspector of Certified Reformatory and Industrial Schools issued their annual reports.
The St Helens Reformatory for Roman Catholic Girls was at Blackbrook and on the day of inspection had 18 inmates on its books.
I think in modern Ofsted speak, "satisfactory" would be its overall grade but with areas for improvement. For example, the inspector's comments included these remarks:
"The health and general condition was good. The arrangement of the school and the workrooms was not convenient. The girls were fairly conducted. Educational state fair, but industrial training not yet much developed."
There was also the Farm School Reformatory in Newton which had 124 boys registered on the day of inspection.
That, again, was only performing reasonably well, with the inspector stating that he had been disappointed with the state of the boys' education.
However, he was impressed with the genuine effort that the teachers and management appeared to be making. It was just that their results were not great.
Perhaps, if the lads had spent more time in school rather than working, their scholastic performances would have been better.
What was described as a "considerable number" of the boys were employed in the paper and printing works in the neighbourhood, with others tilling the land, tailoring or engaging in shoemaking.
On the 20th The St Helens Newspaper headlined their short report on George Clarke "A Wantonly Cruel Brute" – and he did seem to have been a nasty piece of work.
After beating his wife Ann, she fled from their home in Parr to seek refuge at the home of a woman called Smith.
Clarke followed his wife to the house and assaulted Mrs Smith for giving his spouse shelter.
Then he went to the works where Mr Smith was employed and attacked him.
George Clarke was fined a total of 40 shillings and costs, which was probably at least a fortnight's wages and, as usual, I do wonder what became of his wife Ann after that.
Farmer Esther Webster of Mill Lane in Sutton appeared in court on the 30th charged with driving three cows on the road that were afflicted with foot and mouth disease.
The head of St Helens Police, Supt. James Ludlam, said after he was informed of the presence of the disease in her stock, he gave Mrs Webster strict instructions with regard to the cattle's isolation.
But he then learned that she had driven three cows across a public road and into another field.
The Bench did not consider the offence that serious as the cows had not been taken very far and only fined Mrs Webster 6d and costs.
On the 23rd William Seddon was summoned to St Helens Petty Sessions by his wife Jane to face a charge of assault – although he displayed his contempt for the proceedings by not turning up.
In the 1871 census the couple was living in Eccleston with four children, the oldest of which were two sons aged 17 and 20.
Mrs Seddon told the court that her husband had eaten his dinner last Saturday week and then declared his intention of cutting someone's ears off before nightfall. Anybody, seemingly, would do as long as they possessed a pair of ears.
Upon coming home drunk later that evening, William announced that he had now decided to cut someone's head off instead!
Seddon's son asked for an explanation for his father's threats for which he was challenged to a fight.
Mrs Seddon went between her son and husband and was assaulted by the latter who said he would cut off her ears.
It seems that no ears or heads, or anything else, were actually chopped off by the man, as he was only charged with assault.
It had been a bold step for Jane Seddon to bring an action against her husband.
But it was likely not to have been the first time that William had caused trouble and so Jane may well have felt that she had to do something.
And she had two sons at home that she might have considered old enough to protect her from any revenge that her husband had in mind.
Unfortunately, the magistrates did not seem to take the case very seriously.
They could have issued a warrant for the man's arrest, as a result of him not appearing in court.
He could have had sureties imposed on him to ensure good behaviour for the next few months.
But instead, they simply fined him 10 shillings and costs, which, in total, probably amounted to almost a week's wages, with Jane Seddon suffering as much as her husband from the lost income.
Also in court was Ann Potter who was summoned by Ellen Norbury for assault.
The latter had been standing on the Navigation Bridge, near the Navigation Tavern in St Helens (pictured above), when the defendant walked up to her and hit her.
Usually in these cases some provocation had taken place, which the person making the complaint conveniently forgets to mention in court.
However, this case was different for the simple reason that it had been mistaken identity.
Ellen Norbury had looked like another person "against whom defendant cherished a spite" – as the St Helens Newspaper put it.
Mrs Norbury told the court that she would have let the matter drop if Ann Potter had apologised.
The Bench again did not appear to take this case seriously, as the magistrates simply told the defendant, Ann Potter, to pay the court costs and issued no fine.
This week there were three days of festivities in the Garswood and Ashton districts to celebrate the coming of age of William Causfield Gerard.
The lieutenant in the Life Guards was the son of the huge landowner Sir Robert Gerard and more than 2,000 invitations had been distributed around the neighbourhood in honour of the occasion.
On the first day of festivities, the 10,000-acre Garswood Park was thrown open. A series of field sports and an equestrian display were organised, with a sumptuous dinner held for 300 of the guests. The St Helens Newspaper wrote:
"Despite the alternating gloom and sunshine, the little village of Ashton-in-Makerfield was gay with bunting, and flags fluttered in the breeze from the lofty and picturesque tower of the parish church. Flags waved also from Garswood Hall, and at various parts of the ground.
"A bonfire was lighted on Billinge Hill in the evening, by the residents on the estate in that locality. There was no stint in providing materials, and when night came on, the huge flame was visible for miles around.
"It burned during the greater part of the night, and was even flashing fitfully in the grey and misty darkened dawn of Wednesday morning."
On day 2 it rained, with the Preston Chronicle writing:
"Those who braved the pelting storm were obliged to shelter in the marquee as the rain had driven away the acrobats and washed away all the out-of-door amusements."
Two hundred cottagers on the estate were treated to dinner and in the evening a grand ball was held in Garswood Hall (pictured above), attended by about 200 guests.
On the final day, thousands of schoolchildren visited the park and hundreds of members of the Lancashire Hussars also attended.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the cowardly assault on a Prescot watchmaker at Gillars Green, the controversial closing of pubs at 11pm until 7am, a woman's mysterious death in Baxters Lane and the brainless wages theft at Sutton Oak Station.
We begin on the 19th with the funeral of William Pilkington Snr, one of the founders of the glassworks that bore his name.
As the hearse containing his body moved slowly from Sutton to its destination at St Helens Cemetery, a remarkable procession was formed.
The bell of the parish church tolled solemnly in a muffled tone as 22 policemen, 12 firemen, 100 tradesmen, 5 mourning coaches, 18 private carriages and 200 Pilkington employees formed a cortege.
The Newspaper wrote: "The people of St. Helens are not much given to demonstrating on such occasions, but there were circumstances in this case of so exceptional a character as to evoke extraordinary feeling.
"The procession moved with slow steps through Church-street, fringed along its length with hundreds of people, who formed no part of it, but had gathered there out of the universal feeling of respect [for] the memory of the deceased.
"By Church-street, Ormskirk-street, Baldwin-street, and Duke-street, the cortege proceeded, gaining accessions at every yard, and between rows of houses which presented no more sign of life than if the day had been the Sabbath; and despite the crowding of the multitude of mourners, the silence was only broken by the footfalls of men and horses."
There were two reformatories located within the St Helens district and this week the Inspector of Certified Reformatory and Industrial Schools issued their annual reports.
The St Helens Reformatory for Roman Catholic Girls was at Blackbrook and on the day of inspection had 18 inmates on its books.
I think in modern Ofsted speak, "satisfactory" would be its overall grade but with areas for improvement. For example, the inspector's comments included these remarks:
"The health and general condition was good. The arrangement of the school and the workrooms was not convenient. The girls were fairly conducted. Educational state fair, but industrial training not yet much developed."
There was also the Farm School Reformatory in Newton which had 124 boys registered on the day of inspection.
That, again, was only performing reasonably well, with the inspector stating that he had been disappointed with the state of the boys' education.
However, he was impressed with the genuine effort that the teachers and management appeared to be making. It was just that their results were not great.
Perhaps, if the lads had spent more time in school rather than working, their scholastic performances would have been better.
What was described as a "considerable number" of the boys were employed in the paper and printing works in the neighbourhood, with others tilling the land, tailoring or engaging in shoemaking.
On the 20th The St Helens Newspaper headlined their short report on George Clarke "A Wantonly Cruel Brute" – and he did seem to have been a nasty piece of work.
After beating his wife Ann, she fled from their home in Parr to seek refuge at the home of a woman called Smith.
Clarke followed his wife to the house and assaulted Mrs Smith for giving his spouse shelter.
Then he went to the works where Mr Smith was employed and attacked him.
George Clarke was fined a total of 40 shillings and costs, which was probably at least a fortnight's wages and, as usual, I do wonder what became of his wife Ann after that.
Farmer Esther Webster of Mill Lane in Sutton appeared in court on the 30th charged with driving three cows on the road that were afflicted with foot and mouth disease.
The head of St Helens Police, Supt. James Ludlam, said after he was informed of the presence of the disease in her stock, he gave Mrs Webster strict instructions with regard to the cattle's isolation.
But he then learned that she had driven three cows across a public road and into another field.
The Bench did not consider the offence that serious as the cows had not been taken very far and only fined Mrs Webster 6d and costs.
On the 23rd William Seddon was summoned to St Helens Petty Sessions by his wife Jane to face a charge of assault – although he displayed his contempt for the proceedings by not turning up.
In the 1871 census the couple was living in Eccleston with four children, the oldest of which were two sons aged 17 and 20.
Mrs Seddon told the court that her husband had eaten his dinner last Saturday week and then declared his intention of cutting someone's ears off before nightfall. Anybody, seemingly, would do as long as they possessed a pair of ears.
Upon coming home drunk later that evening, William announced that he had now decided to cut someone's head off instead!
Seddon's son asked for an explanation for his father's threats for which he was challenged to a fight.
Mrs Seddon went between her son and husband and was assaulted by the latter who said he would cut off her ears.
It seems that no ears or heads, or anything else, were actually chopped off by the man, as he was only charged with assault.
It had been a bold step for Jane Seddon to bring an action against her husband.
But it was likely not to have been the first time that William had caused trouble and so Jane may well have felt that she had to do something.
And she had two sons at home that she might have considered old enough to protect her from any revenge that her husband had in mind.
Unfortunately, the magistrates did not seem to take the case very seriously.
They could have issued a warrant for the man's arrest, as a result of him not appearing in court.
He could have had sureties imposed on him to ensure good behaviour for the next few months.
But instead, they simply fined him 10 shillings and costs, which, in total, probably amounted to almost a week's wages, with Jane Seddon suffering as much as her husband from the lost income.
Also in court was Ann Potter who was summoned by Ellen Norbury for assault.
Usually in these cases some provocation had taken place, which the person making the complaint conveniently forgets to mention in court.
However, this case was different for the simple reason that it had been mistaken identity.
Ellen Norbury had looked like another person "against whom defendant cherished a spite" – as the St Helens Newspaper put it.
Mrs Norbury told the court that she would have let the matter drop if Ann Potter had apologised.
The Bench again did not appear to take this case seriously, as the magistrates simply told the defendant, Ann Potter, to pay the court costs and issued no fine.
This week there were three days of festivities in the Garswood and Ashton districts to celebrate the coming of age of William Causfield Gerard.
The lieutenant in the Life Guards was the son of the huge landowner Sir Robert Gerard and more than 2,000 invitations had been distributed around the neighbourhood in honour of the occasion.
On the first day of festivities, the 10,000-acre Garswood Park was thrown open. A series of field sports and an equestrian display were organised, with a sumptuous dinner held for 300 of the guests. The St Helens Newspaper wrote:
"Despite the alternating gloom and sunshine, the little village of Ashton-in-Makerfield was gay with bunting, and flags fluttered in the breeze from the lofty and picturesque tower of the parish church. Flags waved also from Garswood Hall, and at various parts of the ground.
"A bonfire was lighted on Billinge Hill in the evening, by the residents on the estate in that locality. There was no stint in providing materials, and when night came on, the huge flame was visible for miles around.
"It burned during the greater part of the night, and was even flashing fitfully in the grey and misty darkened dawn of Wednesday morning."
On day 2 it rained, with the Preston Chronicle writing:
"Those who braved the pelting storm were obliged to shelter in the marquee as the rain had driven away the acrobats and washed away all the out-of-door amusements."
On the final day, thousands of schoolchildren visited the park and hundreds of members of the Lancashire Hussars also attended.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the cowardly assault on a Prescot watchmaker at Gillars Green, the controversial closing of pubs at 11pm until 7am, a woman's mysterious death in Baxters Lane and the brainless wages theft at Sutton Oak Station.