150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (20th - 26th JANUARY 1870)
This week's stories include the man imprisoned for singing in the street, an allegation that an Eccleston council by-election was corrupt, the deaf blacksmith on the Parr branch railway line, road rage near Rainford and the two Peasley Cross women who fought each other most savagely.
We begin on the 21st when a by-election took place for the Eccleston Ward. This had been caused by Councillor John Fidler's resignation after the brewery boss had been made bankrupt. The polling station was the Star Inn in Liverpool Road and the original four candidates had been whittled down to two, after one had pulled out and the other declared ineligible. The two remaining contestants were candlemaker William Blinkhorn from St Ann's and Mr W. Morton.
There was no secret ballot in 1870 and all votes cast in elections were a public record. Election officials posted regular updates during the day so that those interested – and most folk in St Helens weren't – could see who had voted and who was leading the poll. With so few people entitled to vote the polling station was only open for seven hours and by 12:20pm Morton had accrued 73 votes and Blinkhorn 40. The by-election was the first opportunity for St Helens' women to take advantage of the passing of the 1869 Municipal Franchise Act. This had given the vote to some female ratepayers but it could only be used in local elections. The St Helens Newspaper wrote:
"One of the features of the day was the appearance of a number of female burgesses [voters], who came with their papers and registered their votes in the most business-like manner. In each case of a female voter the lady had the honour of a warm reception from friends and opponents alike. The preponderance of this element was on the side of Mr. Morton, which surprised one of the gentlemen taking an interest in the election, as he thought the fact of Mr. Blinkhorn being considerably the younger candidate would have attracted the fair sex to his side."
Morton continued his early lead throughout the day and won with 189 votes against Blinkhorn's 119. How many of Morton's votes were corruptly obtained is, however, anyone's guess. The Newspaper had claimed on a number of occasions that elections in St Helens were highly corrupt, writing in 1863: "Not only is bribery by drink carried on to a great extent, but personation and false representation are practised to a degree unknown in any other town and a great disgrace to this."
Nothing appears to have changed since then, as this letter that was published in the Newspaper after the election suggests: "Sir, Can nothing be done to put an end to the disgraceful practices resorted to at our Municipal Election? At the late election voters were brought in conveyances to the place of polling, and if they voted for Mr. Morton they were regaled with beer and other intoxicating drinks".
Regular readers will be aware how 150 years ago courts routinely handed out severe sentences for relatively minor offences. However the magistrates sank to a new low on the 22nd when in St Helens Police Court Patrick Lynch was sent to prison for simply singing. The Newspaper wrote: "It appears that Patrick ekes out a living by carolling from door to door, exchanging songs for pence where people are disposed to make the barter. A good deal of his vocal sweetness is necessarily lost on the desert air, from the necessity of singing first, and depending on his chance of reward afterwards."
Constable Nicholson had already warned Patrick Lynch that singing for money was against the law. This was after he had caught him vocalising in Raven Street, off Church Street. However Lynch disregarded his warning and on the following day the officer saw him singing in front of a crowd in Ormskirk Street and so took him to the station. The magistrates decided that the man needed to give his vocal chords a week's rest as they sentenced him to seven days in Kirkdale Gaol.
Walking on the railway lines in St Helens was very common. It was often a more direct route and the roads were often in a poor condition. However walking the lines was dangerous and especially not recommended for those who were deaf and had been drinking. A blacksmith called Reeves appears to have ticked both boxes and during the evening of the 22nd visited a Sutton pub.
The man foolishly decided to walk home on the Parr branch line but didn't apparently hear the approach of an engine. It would have been very dark with little opportunity for the engine driver to see Reeves walking on the line. So the man was knocked down and his "mangled body" – as described by the St Helens Newspaper – was found by another man similarly dicing with death on the line.
At the St Helens Petty Sessions on the 24th Mary Leslie summoned Maria Heron for assault, with the former appearing in court with a marked and swollen face and blackened eyes. The two women were neighbours and they appeared to live in Exchange Street in Peasley Cross. Mary told the Bench that that she had simply complained to Maria about the conduct of her child.
The woman's response had been to seize her by the hair and then strike her with something that split her hand open and she then became unconscious. Thomas Leslie gave evidence that he had seen Mary lying on Maria's floor with the woman and one of her sons beating his wife and calling her vile names. There was often a religious / sectarian dimension to arguments between Catholics and Protestants and these “vile names” all had "Orange" appended to them as adjectives.
However it will not surprise you to read that the defendant had quite a different tale to tell! Maria said that when the incident occurred she was in bed and she dashed down the stairs upon hearing her son scream. She then claimed that Mary Leslie assaulted her and a fight took place between the pair in which Mary was the loser.
A young woman named Ellen Yates supported Maria's account. She added that both women had been "rolling on the floor fighting together most savagely" and Mary had knocked herself out after her head struck a bar. Ellen's brother gave similar evidence and the Bench decided to bind both Mary and Maria over to keep the peace.
We might describe another incident that was related in court as an example of "road rage". It concerned William Berry and John Kerr whose paths had crossed near Rainford. Both were driving their horse-driven vehicles in opposite directions with Kerr claiming that Berry had been driving furiously. This caused their wheels to collide and Kerr said he told Berry that he'd hear of what had happened again – implying that court proceedings would be brought against him.
Kerr said his statement had exasperated Berry who proceeded to assault him with a whip. The defence case was that John Kerr had been driving in the middle of the road and as the pair passed each other Kerr struck Berry's horse. This led to some words in which Kerr had tried to get Berry to fight. The latter was fined ten shillings and costs, which he called a "great imposition".
In another case Henry Marsh was charged with intending to commit a breach of the peace by participating in a prize-fight. Last year the St Helens Newspaper had been highly critical of the police for failing to stop a 60-round fight in Thatto Heath, writing: "We may, perhaps, be favoured with a few more of these degrading and brutal exhibitions if the supine and effete management of our police force is permitted to continue."
So Superintendent Fowler had this time been quick off the mark after being tipped off about the fight and immediately arrested Marsh. He pleaded guilty and was bound over to keep the peace for six months. Two days later Marsh's opponent appeared in court and received a similar punishment.
On the 25th a Whiston carter named Lowe – who was the son of the landlord of the Green Dragon – had what the Prescot Reporter called a "wonderful escape from instant death". St Helens Corporation was sinking a well in connection with the building of a pumping station in Cumber Lane and the young man had been taking bricks to the works. In attempting to get his horse and cart into the correct position to offload the bricks, Lowe's foot caught against a plank and he was thrown to the ground.
One of the wheels of his vehicle passed over the back of his head, completely embedding his face in soft clay. Upon Lowe's head being raised from the clay it was found that the wheel had removed his scalp and – as was the usual practice – he was taken to his home and medical assistance summoned. A Prescot surgeon dressed the wound and discovered that the skull had not been fractured – as had been feared – and it was considered likely that the young man would survive.
And to end a couple of dances that were held on the 26th. The 47th Lancashire Rifle Volunteers of St Helens held their annual ball in the Volunteer Hall with dancing to a quadrille band beginning at 9pm. All military personnel – including the volunteers – had to be in uniform. Meanwhile in Rainhill, the Black Horse Inn held their second Grand Annual Ball with tickets costing 2s 6d.
Next week's stories will include the thousand skaters on St. Ann's Dam, the dumping of night soil on the street, the Prescot landlord charged with harbouring a policeman, the boy who made whip handles out of trees in what became Victoria Park and the woman who wanted a gold ring and dress before she would marry her child's father.
We begin on the 21st when a by-election took place for the Eccleston Ward. This had been caused by Councillor John Fidler's resignation after the brewery boss had been made bankrupt. The polling station was the Star Inn in Liverpool Road and the original four candidates had been whittled down to two, after one had pulled out and the other declared ineligible. The two remaining contestants were candlemaker William Blinkhorn from St Ann's and Mr W. Morton.
There was no secret ballot in 1870 and all votes cast in elections were a public record. Election officials posted regular updates during the day so that those interested – and most folk in St Helens weren't – could see who had voted and who was leading the poll. With so few people entitled to vote the polling station was only open for seven hours and by 12:20pm Morton had accrued 73 votes and Blinkhorn 40. The by-election was the first opportunity for St Helens' women to take advantage of the passing of the 1869 Municipal Franchise Act. This had given the vote to some female ratepayers but it could only be used in local elections. The St Helens Newspaper wrote:
"One of the features of the day was the appearance of a number of female burgesses [voters], who came with their papers and registered their votes in the most business-like manner. In each case of a female voter the lady had the honour of a warm reception from friends and opponents alike. The preponderance of this element was on the side of Mr. Morton, which surprised one of the gentlemen taking an interest in the election, as he thought the fact of Mr. Blinkhorn being considerably the younger candidate would have attracted the fair sex to his side."
Morton continued his early lead throughout the day and won with 189 votes against Blinkhorn's 119. How many of Morton's votes were corruptly obtained is, however, anyone's guess. The Newspaper had claimed on a number of occasions that elections in St Helens were highly corrupt, writing in 1863: "Not only is bribery by drink carried on to a great extent, but personation and false representation are practised to a degree unknown in any other town and a great disgrace to this."
Nothing appears to have changed since then, as this letter that was published in the Newspaper after the election suggests: "Sir, Can nothing be done to put an end to the disgraceful practices resorted to at our Municipal Election? At the late election voters were brought in conveyances to the place of polling, and if they voted for Mr. Morton they were regaled with beer and other intoxicating drinks".
Regular readers will be aware how 150 years ago courts routinely handed out severe sentences for relatively minor offences. However the magistrates sank to a new low on the 22nd when in St Helens Police Court Patrick Lynch was sent to prison for simply singing. The Newspaper wrote: "It appears that Patrick ekes out a living by carolling from door to door, exchanging songs for pence where people are disposed to make the barter. A good deal of his vocal sweetness is necessarily lost on the desert air, from the necessity of singing first, and depending on his chance of reward afterwards."
Constable Nicholson had already warned Patrick Lynch that singing for money was against the law. This was after he had caught him vocalising in Raven Street, off Church Street. However Lynch disregarded his warning and on the following day the officer saw him singing in front of a crowd in Ormskirk Street and so took him to the station. The magistrates decided that the man needed to give his vocal chords a week's rest as they sentenced him to seven days in Kirkdale Gaol.
Walking on the railway lines in St Helens was very common. It was often a more direct route and the roads were often in a poor condition. However walking the lines was dangerous and especially not recommended for those who were deaf and had been drinking. A blacksmith called Reeves appears to have ticked both boxes and during the evening of the 22nd visited a Sutton pub.
The man foolishly decided to walk home on the Parr branch line but didn't apparently hear the approach of an engine. It would have been very dark with little opportunity for the engine driver to see Reeves walking on the line. So the man was knocked down and his "mangled body" – as described by the St Helens Newspaper – was found by another man similarly dicing with death on the line.
At the St Helens Petty Sessions on the 24th Mary Leslie summoned Maria Heron for assault, with the former appearing in court with a marked and swollen face and blackened eyes. The two women were neighbours and they appeared to live in Exchange Street in Peasley Cross. Mary told the Bench that that she had simply complained to Maria about the conduct of her child.
The woman's response had been to seize her by the hair and then strike her with something that split her hand open and she then became unconscious. Thomas Leslie gave evidence that he had seen Mary lying on Maria's floor with the woman and one of her sons beating his wife and calling her vile names. There was often a religious / sectarian dimension to arguments between Catholics and Protestants and these “vile names” all had "Orange" appended to them as adjectives.
However it will not surprise you to read that the defendant had quite a different tale to tell! Maria said that when the incident occurred she was in bed and she dashed down the stairs upon hearing her son scream. She then claimed that Mary Leslie assaulted her and a fight took place between the pair in which Mary was the loser.
A young woman named Ellen Yates supported Maria's account. She added that both women had been "rolling on the floor fighting together most savagely" and Mary had knocked herself out after her head struck a bar. Ellen's brother gave similar evidence and the Bench decided to bind both Mary and Maria over to keep the peace.
We might describe another incident that was related in court as an example of "road rage". It concerned William Berry and John Kerr whose paths had crossed near Rainford. Both were driving their horse-driven vehicles in opposite directions with Kerr claiming that Berry had been driving furiously. This caused their wheels to collide and Kerr said he told Berry that he'd hear of what had happened again – implying that court proceedings would be brought against him.
Kerr said his statement had exasperated Berry who proceeded to assault him with a whip. The defence case was that John Kerr had been driving in the middle of the road and as the pair passed each other Kerr struck Berry's horse. This led to some words in which Kerr had tried to get Berry to fight. The latter was fined ten shillings and costs, which he called a "great imposition".
In another case Henry Marsh was charged with intending to commit a breach of the peace by participating in a prize-fight. Last year the St Helens Newspaper had been highly critical of the police for failing to stop a 60-round fight in Thatto Heath, writing: "We may, perhaps, be favoured with a few more of these degrading and brutal exhibitions if the supine and effete management of our police force is permitted to continue."
So Superintendent Fowler had this time been quick off the mark after being tipped off about the fight and immediately arrested Marsh. He pleaded guilty and was bound over to keep the peace for six months. Two days later Marsh's opponent appeared in court and received a similar punishment.
On the 25th a Whiston carter named Lowe – who was the son of the landlord of the Green Dragon – had what the Prescot Reporter called a "wonderful escape from instant death". St Helens Corporation was sinking a well in connection with the building of a pumping station in Cumber Lane and the young man had been taking bricks to the works. In attempting to get his horse and cart into the correct position to offload the bricks, Lowe's foot caught against a plank and he was thrown to the ground.
One of the wheels of his vehicle passed over the back of his head, completely embedding his face in soft clay. Upon Lowe's head being raised from the clay it was found that the wheel had removed his scalp and – as was the usual practice – he was taken to his home and medical assistance summoned. A Prescot surgeon dressed the wound and discovered that the skull had not been fractured – as had been feared – and it was considered likely that the young man would survive.
And to end a couple of dances that were held on the 26th. The 47th Lancashire Rifle Volunteers of St Helens held their annual ball in the Volunteer Hall with dancing to a quadrille band beginning at 9pm. All military personnel – including the volunteers – had to be in uniform. Meanwhile in Rainhill, the Black Horse Inn held their second Grand Annual Ball with tickets costing 2s 6d.
Next week's stories will include the thousand skaters on St. Ann's Dam, the dumping of night soil on the street, the Prescot landlord charged with harbouring a policeman, the boy who made whip handles out of trees in what became Victoria Park and the woman who wanted a gold ring and dress before she would marry her child's father.
This week's stories include the man imprisoned for singing in the street, an allegation that an Eccleston council by-election was corrupt, the deaf blacksmith on the Parr branch railway line, road rage near Rainford and the two Peasley Cross women who fought each other most savagely.
We begin on the 21st when a by-election took place for the Eccleston Ward.
This had been caused by Councillor John Fidler's resignation after the brewery boss had been made bankrupt.
The polling station was the Star Inn in Liverpool Road and the original four candidates had been whittled down to two, after one had pulled out and the other declared ineligible.
The two remaining contestants were candlemaker William Blinkhorn from St Ann's and Mr W. Morton.
There was no secret ballot in 1870 and all votes cast in elections were a public record.
Election officials posted regular updates during the day so that those interested – and most folk in St Helens weren't – could see who had voted and who was leading the poll.
With so few people entitled to vote the polling station was only open for seven hours and by 12:20pm Morton had accrued 73 votes and Blinkhorn 40.
The by-election was the first opportunity for St Helens' women to take advantage of the passing of the 1869 Municipal Franchise Act.
This had given the vote to some female ratepayers but it could only be used in local elections. The St Helens Newspaper wrote:
"One of the features of the day was the appearance of a number of female burgesses [voters], who came with their papers and registered their votes in the most business-like manner. In each case of a female voter the lady had the honour of a warm reception from friends and opponents alike.
"The preponderance of this element was on the side of Mr. Morton, which surprised one of the gentlemen taking an interest in the election, as he thought the fact of Mr. Blinkhorn being considerably the younger candidate would have attracted the fair sex to his side."
Morton continued his early lead throughout the day and won with 189 votes against Blinkhorn's 119.
How many of Morton's votes were corruptly obtained is, however, anyone's guess.
The Newspaper had claimed on a number of occasions that elections in St Helens were highly corrupt, writing in 1863:
"Not only is bribery by drink carried on to a great extent, but personation and false representation are practised to a degree unknown in any other town and a great disgrace to this."
Nothing appears to have changed since then, as this letter that was published in the Newspaper after the election suggests:
"Sir, Can nothing be done to put an end to the disgraceful practices resorted to at our Municipal Election? At the late election voters were brought in conveyances to the place of polling, and if they voted for Mr. Morton they were regaled with beer and other intoxicating drinks".
Regular readers will be aware how 150 years ago courts routinely handed out severe sentences for relatively minor offences.
However the magistrates sank to a new low on the 22nd when in St Helens Police Court Patrick Lynch was sent to prison for simply singing. The Newspaper wrote:
"It appears that Patrick ekes out a living by carolling from door to door, exchanging songs for pence where people are disposed to make the barter. A good deal of his vocal sweetness is necessarily lost on the desert air, from the necessity of singing first, and depending on his chance of reward afterwards."
Constable Nicholson had already warned Patrick Lynch that singing for money was against the law.
This was after he had caught him vocalising in Raven Street, off Church Street.
However Lynch disregarded his warning and on the following day the officer saw him singing in front of a crowd in Ormskirk Street and so took him to the station.
The magistrates decided that the man needed to give his vocal chords a week's rest as they sentenced him to seven days in Kirkdale Gaol.
Walking on the railway lines in St Helens was very common. It was often a more direct route and the roads were often in a poor condition.
However walking the lines was dangerous and especially not recommended for those who were deaf and had been drinking.
A blacksmith called Reeves appears to have ticked both boxes and during the evening of the 22nd visited a Sutton pub.
The man foolishly decided to walk home on the Parr branch line but didn't apparently hear the approach of an engine.
It would have been very dark with little opportunity for the engine driver to see Reeves walking on the line.
So the man was knocked down and his "mangled body" – as described by the St Helens Newspaper – was found by another man similarly dicing with death on the line.
At the St Helens Petty Sessions on the 24th Mary Leslie summoned Maria Heron for assault, with the former appearing in court with a marked and swollen face and blackened eyes.
The two women were neighbours and they appeared to live in Exchange Street in Peasley Cross.
Mary told the Bench that that she had simply complained to Maria about the conduct of her child.
The woman's response had been to seize her by the hair and then strike her with something that split her hand open and she then became unconscious.
Thomas Leslie gave evidence that he had seen Mary lying on Maria's floor with the woman and one of her sons beating his wife and calling her vile names.
There was often a religious / sectarian dimension to arguments between Catholics and Protestants and these “vile names” all had "Orange" appended to them as adjectives.
However it will not surprise you to read that the defendant had quite a different tale to tell!
Maria said that when the incident occurred she was in bed and she dashed down the stairs upon hearing her son scream.
She then claimed that Mary Leslie assaulted her and a fight took place between the pair in which Mary was the loser. A young woman named Ellen Yates supported Maria's account.
She added that both women had been "rolling on the floor fighting together most savagely" and Mary had knocked herself out after her head struck a bar.
Ellen's brother gave similar evidence and the Bench decided to bind both Mary and Maria over to keep the peace.
We might describe another incident that was related in court as an example of "road rage".
It concerned William Berry and John Kerr whose paths had crossed near Rainford.
Both were driving their horse-driven vehicles in opposite directions with Kerr claiming that Berry had been driving furiously.
This caused their wheels to collide and Kerr said he told Berry that he'd hear of what had happened again – implying that court proceedings would be brought against him.
Kerr said his statement had exasperated Berry who proceeded to assault him with a whip.
The defence case was that John Kerr had been driving in the middle of the road and as the pair passed each other Kerr struck Berry's horse.
This led to some words in which Kerr had tried to get Berry to fight. The latter was fined ten shillings and costs, which he called a "great imposition".
In another case Henry Marsh was charged with intending to commit a breach of the peace by participating in a prize-fight.
Last year the St Helens Newspaper had been highly critical of the police for failing to stop a 60-round fight in Thatto Heath, writing:
"We may, perhaps, be favoured with a few more of these degrading and brutal exhibitions if the supine and effete management of our police force is permitted to continue."
So Superintendent Fowler had this time been quick off the mark after being tipped off about the fight and immediately arrested Marsh.
He pleaded guilty and was bound over to keep the peace for six months. Two days later Marsh's opponent appeared in court and received a similar punishment.
On the 25th a Whiston carter named Lowe – who was the son of the landlord of the Green Dragon – had what the Prescot Reporter called a "wonderful escape from instant death".
St Helens Corporation was sinking a well in connection with the building of a pumping station in Cumber Lane and the young man had been taking bricks to the works.
In attempting to get his horse and cart into the correct position to offload the bricks, Lowe's foot caught against a plank and he was thrown to the ground.
One of the wheels of his vehicle passed over the back of his head, completely embedding his face in soft clay.
Upon Lowe's head being raised from the clay it was found that the wheel had removed his scalp and – as was the usual practice – he was taken to his home and medical assistance summoned.
A Prescot surgeon dressed the wound and discovered that the skull had not been fractured – as had been feared – and it was considered likely that the young man would survive.
And to end a couple of dances that were held on the 26th.
The 47th Lancashire Rifle Volunteers of St Helens held their annual ball in the Volunteer Hall with dancing to a quadrille band beginning at 9pm. All military personnel – including the volunteers – had to be in uniform.
Meanwhile in Rainhill, the Black Horse Inn held their second Grand Annual Ball with tickets costing 2s 6d.
Next week's stories will include the thousand skaters on St. Ann's Dam, the dumping of night soil on the street, the Prescot landlord charged with harbouring a policeman, the boy who made whip handles out of trees in what became Victoria Park and the woman who wanted a gold ring and dress before she would marry her child's father.
We begin on the 21st when a by-election took place for the Eccleston Ward.
This had been caused by Councillor John Fidler's resignation after the brewery boss had been made bankrupt.
The polling station was the Star Inn in Liverpool Road and the original four candidates had been whittled down to two, after one had pulled out and the other declared ineligible.
The two remaining contestants were candlemaker William Blinkhorn from St Ann's and Mr W. Morton.
There was no secret ballot in 1870 and all votes cast in elections were a public record.
Election officials posted regular updates during the day so that those interested – and most folk in St Helens weren't – could see who had voted and who was leading the poll.
With so few people entitled to vote the polling station was only open for seven hours and by 12:20pm Morton had accrued 73 votes and Blinkhorn 40.
The by-election was the first opportunity for St Helens' women to take advantage of the passing of the 1869 Municipal Franchise Act.
This had given the vote to some female ratepayers but it could only be used in local elections. The St Helens Newspaper wrote:
"One of the features of the day was the appearance of a number of female burgesses [voters], who came with their papers and registered their votes in the most business-like manner. In each case of a female voter the lady had the honour of a warm reception from friends and opponents alike.
"The preponderance of this element was on the side of Mr. Morton, which surprised one of the gentlemen taking an interest in the election, as he thought the fact of Mr. Blinkhorn being considerably the younger candidate would have attracted the fair sex to his side."
Morton continued his early lead throughout the day and won with 189 votes against Blinkhorn's 119.
How many of Morton's votes were corruptly obtained is, however, anyone's guess.
The Newspaper had claimed on a number of occasions that elections in St Helens were highly corrupt, writing in 1863:
"Not only is bribery by drink carried on to a great extent, but personation and false representation are practised to a degree unknown in any other town and a great disgrace to this."
Nothing appears to have changed since then, as this letter that was published in the Newspaper after the election suggests:
"Sir, Can nothing be done to put an end to the disgraceful practices resorted to at our Municipal Election? At the late election voters were brought in conveyances to the place of polling, and if they voted for Mr. Morton they were regaled with beer and other intoxicating drinks".
Regular readers will be aware how 150 years ago courts routinely handed out severe sentences for relatively minor offences.
However the magistrates sank to a new low on the 22nd when in St Helens Police Court Patrick Lynch was sent to prison for simply singing. The Newspaper wrote:
"It appears that Patrick ekes out a living by carolling from door to door, exchanging songs for pence where people are disposed to make the barter. A good deal of his vocal sweetness is necessarily lost on the desert air, from the necessity of singing first, and depending on his chance of reward afterwards."
Constable Nicholson had already warned Patrick Lynch that singing for money was against the law.
This was after he had caught him vocalising in Raven Street, off Church Street.
However Lynch disregarded his warning and on the following day the officer saw him singing in front of a crowd in Ormskirk Street and so took him to the station.
The magistrates decided that the man needed to give his vocal chords a week's rest as they sentenced him to seven days in Kirkdale Gaol.
Walking on the railway lines in St Helens was very common. It was often a more direct route and the roads were often in a poor condition.
However walking the lines was dangerous and especially not recommended for those who were deaf and had been drinking.
A blacksmith called Reeves appears to have ticked both boxes and during the evening of the 22nd visited a Sutton pub.
The man foolishly decided to walk home on the Parr branch line but didn't apparently hear the approach of an engine.
It would have been very dark with little opportunity for the engine driver to see Reeves walking on the line.
So the man was knocked down and his "mangled body" – as described by the St Helens Newspaper – was found by another man similarly dicing with death on the line.
At the St Helens Petty Sessions on the 24th Mary Leslie summoned Maria Heron for assault, with the former appearing in court with a marked and swollen face and blackened eyes.
The two women were neighbours and they appeared to live in Exchange Street in Peasley Cross.
Mary told the Bench that that she had simply complained to Maria about the conduct of her child.
The woman's response had been to seize her by the hair and then strike her with something that split her hand open and she then became unconscious.
Thomas Leslie gave evidence that he had seen Mary lying on Maria's floor with the woman and one of her sons beating his wife and calling her vile names.
There was often a religious / sectarian dimension to arguments between Catholics and Protestants and these “vile names” all had "Orange" appended to them as adjectives.
However it will not surprise you to read that the defendant had quite a different tale to tell!
Maria said that when the incident occurred she was in bed and she dashed down the stairs upon hearing her son scream.
She then claimed that Mary Leslie assaulted her and a fight took place between the pair in which Mary was the loser. A young woman named Ellen Yates supported Maria's account.
She added that both women had been "rolling on the floor fighting together most savagely" and Mary had knocked herself out after her head struck a bar.
Ellen's brother gave similar evidence and the Bench decided to bind both Mary and Maria over to keep the peace.
We might describe another incident that was related in court as an example of "road rage".
It concerned William Berry and John Kerr whose paths had crossed near Rainford.
Both were driving their horse-driven vehicles in opposite directions with Kerr claiming that Berry had been driving furiously.
This caused their wheels to collide and Kerr said he told Berry that he'd hear of what had happened again – implying that court proceedings would be brought against him.
Kerr said his statement had exasperated Berry who proceeded to assault him with a whip.
The defence case was that John Kerr had been driving in the middle of the road and as the pair passed each other Kerr struck Berry's horse.
This led to some words in which Kerr had tried to get Berry to fight. The latter was fined ten shillings and costs, which he called a "great imposition".
In another case Henry Marsh was charged with intending to commit a breach of the peace by participating in a prize-fight.
Last year the St Helens Newspaper had been highly critical of the police for failing to stop a 60-round fight in Thatto Heath, writing:
"We may, perhaps, be favoured with a few more of these degrading and brutal exhibitions if the supine and effete management of our police force is permitted to continue."
So Superintendent Fowler had this time been quick off the mark after being tipped off about the fight and immediately arrested Marsh.
He pleaded guilty and was bound over to keep the peace for six months. Two days later Marsh's opponent appeared in court and received a similar punishment.
On the 25th a Whiston carter named Lowe – who was the son of the landlord of the Green Dragon – had what the Prescot Reporter called a "wonderful escape from instant death".
St Helens Corporation was sinking a well in connection with the building of a pumping station in Cumber Lane and the young man had been taking bricks to the works.
In attempting to get his horse and cart into the correct position to offload the bricks, Lowe's foot caught against a plank and he was thrown to the ground.
One of the wheels of his vehicle passed over the back of his head, completely embedding his face in soft clay.
Upon Lowe's head being raised from the clay it was found that the wheel had removed his scalp and – as was the usual practice – he was taken to his home and medical assistance summoned.
A Prescot surgeon dressed the wound and discovered that the skull had not been fractured – as had been feared – and it was considered likely that the young man would survive.
And to end a couple of dances that were held on the 26th.
The 47th Lancashire Rifle Volunteers of St Helens held their annual ball in the Volunteer Hall with dancing to a quadrille band beginning at 9pm. All military personnel – including the volunteers – had to be in uniform.
Meanwhile in Rainhill, the Black Horse Inn held their second Grand Annual Ball with tickets costing 2s 6d.
Next week's stories will include the thousand skaters on St. Ann's Dam, the dumping of night soil on the street, the Prescot landlord charged with harbouring a policeman, the boy who made whip handles out of trees in what became Victoria Park and the woman who wanted a gold ring and dress before she would marry her child's father.