150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 22 - 28 SEPTEMBER 1875
This week's many stories include the intolerable nuisance of Victoria Passage, the wild Irish farm workers outside Rainford's Derby Arms, the strange death of a well-known St Helens builder, the formation of a shorthand writers association, the brainless theft from a Bridge Street beerhouse and the death of a boy employed at Pilkingtons.
We begin on the 22nd when the children and teachers of the Waterloo Street Wesleyan Sunday School held their annual picnic. Their destination was Roby and they enjoyed playing rounders and bowls on the green at the rear of the Stanley Arms Hotel and some "piano-forte playing and singing" inside the pub.
In January 1876 the St Helens Newspaper would describe the invention of a new writing machine that became known as a typewriter. But it would take some time to get into common use and secretarial jobs be seen as woman's work. Currently, clerical positions were a man's job, writing in longhand, perhaps in elaborate copperplate.
During the evening of the 22nd, a meeting took place in the Mission Hall in Waterloo Street to consider forming a Phonetic Shorthand Writers Association in St Helens. A large number of men attended and it was proposed to organise classes both for those unfamiliar with shorthand and those clerks that were more advanced.
The death of Joseph Smith this week was a further example of the folly of children being employed in industrial settings. The 14-year-old from Glover Street worked at Pilkingtons Glass Works (shown above) and had been sent on a job to a warehouse, which involved crossing one of the railway lines.
Exactly what had occurred was not known but it was supposed that Joseph had attempted to cross by jumping between two railway wagons and had been struck down and crushed. The boy was found suspended by his legs between the buffers and his injuries suggested that he had been dragged some distance. On the 22nd at the Brunswick Hotel in Glover Street, Joseph's inquest was held and the usual verdict of accidental death was returned.
During that evening Thomas Cooney was injured by machinery at the Bridgewater Smelting Works. The 59-year-old from Moorflat (by Baldwin Street) needed to have his right arm amputated after being "most fearfully crushed". Survival after such an amputation in the 1870s could not be guaranteed but Mr Cooney was said to be progressing favourably.
One of the leading builders in St Helens during the 19th century was George Harris, who was responsible for constructing large numbers of cottages, factories and churches. Harris and Sherratt (and later George Harris and Son) also built many of the spacious buildings in the new residential areas of Cowley Hill and St Ann's in Eccleston. But this week the well-off 65-year-old from West Park died in a workhouse hospital after briefly spending time in a police cell.
Mr Harris had been to Liverpool on business and had called into a pub for a whisky after complaining of feeling unwell. During that evening he was found lying on a pavement by a policeman semi-conscious. Unable to give a proper account of himself or explain who he was, Mr Harris was placed in a police lock-up and when his condition deteriorated a police doctor had examined him.
That led to Harris being transferred to a workhouse hospital where he died on the following day. Meanwhile, back in St Helens, Harris's family were very concerned about his mysterious disappearance and had handbills printed asking for information. It was some time before the mystery man who had died in Liverpool could be identified as St Helens' well-known builder.
During the afternoon of the 23rd, the Bishop of Chester held a confirmation service in St Helens Parish Church in which a total of 344 children were confirmed. And during that evening a testimonial was given to John Cross at the Turks Head Inn. Mr Cross had been the managing partner of the Greengate Colliery but had stepped down to devote all his energies to the Royal Colliery at Thatto Heath that he owned.
The workmen employed at Greengate Colliery had clubbed together and bought Mr Cross what was described as a "handsome and elaborate 8-day dining-room clock of solid bronze gilt and onyx, in the Egyptian style, the sides being supported by Sphinxes of solid bronze."
The St Helens newspapers often moaned about the St Helens Fair when it took place off Salisbury Street in April and September of each year. But their complaints were mainly about the behaviour of those that attended, as well the antics of the showmen. However, the authorities were more concerned about stallholders causing an obstruction.
The fair was so popular that spill-over stalls were erected in streets like Brownlow Street that led into the fairground. As a result this week ten persons were summoned to court with the St Helens Newspaper describing them as "peripatetic proprietors of nut-stalls, galvanic batteries, shooting galleries, &c." Most were simply fined a token one shilling and costs for their obstruction.
Victoria Passage used to be adjacent to the Victoria Hotel besides the St Helens Covered Market, although the latter in 1875 had yet to be built. It was a useful shortcut for pedestrians but what the St Helens Newspaper described as an "intolerable nuisance" often took place in the passage during the 19th century.
"Nuisances" might have been a better term, as there were quite a few objectionable behaviours that went on within its walls! These included drunks behaving badly, men relieving themselves, tramps begging from pedestrians and assaults on women brave enough to walk through the passage late at night. And John Feigh of the notorious Feigh family – that were regularly incarcerated in Kirkdale Gaol – was one of those attracted to the dark alleyway.
He appeared in court accused of having insulted young females on the previous Saturday evening as they passed through Victoria Passage. PC Gibb told the court that he had caught young John in the act but the youth that had been with him had got away. John Feigh was a novice at minor crime among his family having only been convicted eight times before.
His father Denis had over 60 convictions to his name and his mother Margaret 20 and recently all five members of the family – namely father, mother and three sons – had been incarcerated at Kirkdale. John was bound over to keep the peace and if sureties were required – as they almost always were – the lad would likely have been unable to pay and so returned to prison.
John Murray was summoned to court this week charged with turning out a cow on unenclosed land that was suffering from foot and mouth disease. The incident had taken place at Sutton and Murray was accused of putting out to graze three of his cows one of which was sick. His wife appeared on her husband's behalf and claimed a policeman had told her to turn out the cows but she was still fined £2 and costs.
The Derby Arms in Rainford was regularly in the news at the moment. The "abominable" claim of homosexuality in the pub's stables was the main talking point but other activity was occurring. This week Michael Brennan and Thady Brennan appeared in court charged with being drunk and disorderly.
They were part of a group of 50 who were said to have been lounging about the corner of the Derby Arms on a Sunday and causing trouble, with a constable saying "the neighbourhood had been in a state of alarm". Thady Brennan had been flourishing a fork over his head and threatening to strike people with it as they were walking to church.
Supt. James Ludlam explained to the magistrates that what had happened was a common occurrence in the outlying districts during harvest time when such places were "fairly invaded by a number of wild Irishmen." They were each fined 10 shillings and costs.
You do have to question the mentality of some folk in the 1870s. With the strict penalty then for stealing clothes, it is a wonder why they would still stupidly take other people's stuff knowing they were bound to be caught and sent to prison. John Kelly had been lodging at Swift's beerhouse in Bridge Street and had helped himself to a fellow lodger's coat and shirt front valued at 5s 6d.
He had taken them while Alfred Bradshaw had been washing himself in the kitchen after hanging up the coat. During the five minutes Bradshaw had been scrubbing himself down, he had twice seen John Kelly pass through the kitchen and then found that his coat had disappeared. Later he saw Kelly in a pub wearing his coat and this week the brainless man was sent to prison for a month with hard labour.
John Risley was also in court charged with breaking into a workshop belonging to Ravenhead Colliery. The 18-year-old had taken some joiners tools and was discovered by the police on the following day in Burchall's pawnshop in the marketplace trying to pledge some of the items. The rest of the tools were discovered buried under an archway in Eccleston and after being committed to take his trial at the next quarter sessions, Risley was sentenced to 6 months in prison.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the St Helens licensing blacklist, the violent storm that struck St Helens, Sutton Cricket Club play an unusual game and the Prescot Guardians are told to stop claiming free meals when attending meetings.
We begin on the 22nd when the children and teachers of the Waterloo Street Wesleyan Sunday School held their annual picnic. Their destination was Roby and they enjoyed playing rounders and bowls on the green at the rear of the Stanley Arms Hotel and some "piano-forte playing and singing" inside the pub.
In January 1876 the St Helens Newspaper would describe the invention of a new writing machine that became known as a typewriter. But it would take some time to get into common use and secretarial jobs be seen as woman's work. Currently, clerical positions were a man's job, writing in longhand, perhaps in elaborate copperplate.
During the evening of the 22nd, a meeting took place in the Mission Hall in Waterloo Street to consider forming a Phonetic Shorthand Writers Association in St Helens. A large number of men attended and it was proposed to organise classes both for those unfamiliar with shorthand and those clerks that were more advanced.
Exactly what had occurred was not known but it was supposed that Joseph had attempted to cross by jumping between two railway wagons and had been struck down and crushed. The boy was found suspended by his legs between the buffers and his injuries suggested that he had been dragged some distance. On the 22nd at the Brunswick Hotel in Glover Street, Joseph's inquest was held and the usual verdict of accidental death was returned.
During that evening Thomas Cooney was injured by machinery at the Bridgewater Smelting Works. The 59-year-old from Moorflat (by Baldwin Street) needed to have his right arm amputated after being "most fearfully crushed". Survival after such an amputation in the 1870s could not be guaranteed but Mr Cooney was said to be progressing favourably.
One of the leading builders in St Helens during the 19th century was George Harris, who was responsible for constructing large numbers of cottages, factories and churches. Harris and Sherratt (and later George Harris and Son) also built many of the spacious buildings in the new residential areas of Cowley Hill and St Ann's in Eccleston. But this week the well-off 65-year-old from West Park died in a workhouse hospital after briefly spending time in a police cell.
Mr Harris had been to Liverpool on business and had called into a pub for a whisky after complaining of feeling unwell. During that evening he was found lying on a pavement by a policeman semi-conscious. Unable to give a proper account of himself or explain who he was, Mr Harris was placed in a police lock-up and when his condition deteriorated a police doctor had examined him.
That led to Harris being transferred to a workhouse hospital where he died on the following day. Meanwhile, back in St Helens, Harris's family were very concerned about his mysterious disappearance and had handbills printed asking for information. It was some time before the mystery man who had died in Liverpool could be identified as St Helens' well-known builder.
During the afternoon of the 23rd, the Bishop of Chester held a confirmation service in St Helens Parish Church in which a total of 344 children were confirmed. And during that evening a testimonial was given to John Cross at the Turks Head Inn. Mr Cross had been the managing partner of the Greengate Colliery but had stepped down to devote all his energies to the Royal Colliery at Thatto Heath that he owned.
The workmen employed at Greengate Colliery had clubbed together and bought Mr Cross what was described as a "handsome and elaborate 8-day dining-room clock of solid bronze gilt and onyx, in the Egyptian style, the sides being supported by Sphinxes of solid bronze."
The St Helens newspapers often moaned about the St Helens Fair when it took place off Salisbury Street in April and September of each year. But their complaints were mainly about the behaviour of those that attended, as well the antics of the showmen. However, the authorities were more concerned about stallholders causing an obstruction.
The fair was so popular that spill-over stalls were erected in streets like Brownlow Street that led into the fairground. As a result this week ten persons were summoned to court with the St Helens Newspaper describing them as "peripatetic proprietors of nut-stalls, galvanic batteries, shooting galleries, &c." Most were simply fined a token one shilling and costs for their obstruction.
Victoria Passage used to be adjacent to the Victoria Hotel besides the St Helens Covered Market, although the latter in 1875 had yet to be built. It was a useful shortcut for pedestrians but what the St Helens Newspaper described as an "intolerable nuisance" often took place in the passage during the 19th century.
"Nuisances" might have been a better term, as there were quite a few objectionable behaviours that went on within its walls! These included drunks behaving badly, men relieving themselves, tramps begging from pedestrians and assaults on women brave enough to walk through the passage late at night. And John Feigh of the notorious Feigh family – that were regularly incarcerated in Kirkdale Gaol – was one of those attracted to the dark alleyway.
He appeared in court accused of having insulted young females on the previous Saturday evening as they passed through Victoria Passage. PC Gibb told the court that he had caught young John in the act but the youth that had been with him had got away. John Feigh was a novice at minor crime among his family having only been convicted eight times before.
His father Denis had over 60 convictions to his name and his mother Margaret 20 and recently all five members of the family – namely father, mother and three sons – had been incarcerated at Kirkdale. John was bound over to keep the peace and if sureties were required – as they almost always were – the lad would likely have been unable to pay and so returned to prison.
John Murray was summoned to court this week charged with turning out a cow on unenclosed land that was suffering from foot and mouth disease. The incident had taken place at Sutton and Murray was accused of putting out to graze three of his cows one of which was sick. His wife appeared on her husband's behalf and claimed a policeman had told her to turn out the cows but she was still fined £2 and costs.
The Derby Arms in Rainford was regularly in the news at the moment. The "abominable" claim of homosexuality in the pub's stables was the main talking point but other activity was occurring. This week Michael Brennan and Thady Brennan appeared in court charged with being drunk and disorderly.
They were part of a group of 50 who were said to have been lounging about the corner of the Derby Arms on a Sunday and causing trouble, with a constable saying "the neighbourhood had been in a state of alarm". Thady Brennan had been flourishing a fork over his head and threatening to strike people with it as they were walking to church.
Supt. James Ludlam explained to the magistrates that what had happened was a common occurrence in the outlying districts during harvest time when such places were "fairly invaded by a number of wild Irishmen." They were each fined 10 shillings and costs.
You do have to question the mentality of some folk in the 1870s. With the strict penalty then for stealing clothes, it is a wonder why they would still stupidly take other people's stuff knowing they were bound to be caught and sent to prison. John Kelly had been lodging at Swift's beerhouse in Bridge Street and had helped himself to a fellow lodger's coat and shirt front valued at 5s 6d.
He had taken them while Alfred Bradshaw had been washing himself in the kitchen after hanging up the coat. During the five minutes Bradshaw had been scrubbing himself down, he had twice seen John Kelly pass through the kitchen and then found that his coat had disappeared. Later he saw Kelly in a pub wearing his coat and this week the brainless man was sent to prison for a month with hard labour.
John Risley was also in court charged with breaking into a workshop belonging to Ravenhead Colliery. The 18-year-old had taken some joiners tools and was discovered by the police on the following day in Burchall's pawnshop in the marketplace trying to pledge some of the items. The rest of the tools were discovered buried under an archway in Eccleston and after being committed to take his trial at the next quarter sessions, Risley was sentenced to 6 months in prison.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the St Helens licensing blacklist, the violent storm that struck St Helens, Sutton Cricket Club play an unusual game and the Prescot Guardians are told to stop claiming free meals when attending meetings.
This week's many stories include the intolerable nuisance of Victoria Passage, the wild Irish farm workers outside Rainford's Derby Arms, the strange death of a well-known St Helens builder, the formation of a shorthand writers association, the brainless theft from a Bridge Street beerhouse and the death of a boy employed at Pilkingtons.
We begin on the 22nd when the children and teachers of the Waterloo Street Wesleyan Sunday School held their annual picnic.
Their destination was Roby and they enjoyed playing rounders and bowls on the green at the rear of the Stanley Arms Hotel and some "piano-forte playing and singing" inside the pub.
In January 1876 the St Helens Newspaper would describe the invention of a new writing machine that became known as a typewriter.
But it would take some time to get into common use and secretarial jobs be seen as woman's work.
Currently, clerical positions were a man's job, writing in longhand, perhaps in elaborate copperplate.
During the evening of the 22nd, a meeting took place in the Mission Hall in Waterloo Street to consider forming a Phonetic Shorthand Writers Association in St Helens.
A large number of men attended and it was proposed to organise classes both for those unfamiliar with shorthand and those clerks that were more advanced.
The death of Joseph Smith this week was a further example of the folly of children being employed in industrial settings.
The 14-year-old from Glover Street worked at Pilkingtons Glass Works (shown above) and had been sent on a job to a warehouse, which involved crossing one of the railway lines.
Exactly what had occurred was not known but it was supposed that Joseph had attempted to cross by jumping between two railway wagons and had been struck down and crushed.
The boy was found suspended by his legs between the buffers and his injuries suggested that he had been dragged some distance.
On the 22nd at the Brunswick Hotel in Glover Street, Joseph's inquest was held and the usual verdict of accidental death was returned.
During that evening Thomas Cooney was injured by machinery at the Bridgewater Smelting Works.
The 59-year-old from Moorflat (by Baldwin Street) needed to have his right arm amputated after being "most fearfully crushed".
Survival after such an amputation in the 1870s could not be guaranteed but Mr Cooney was said to be progressing favourably.
One of the leading builders in St Helens during the 19th century was George Harris, who was responsible for constructing large numbers of cottages, factories and churches.
Harris and Sherratt (and later George Harris and Son) also built many of the spacious buildings in the new residential areas of Cowley Hill and St Ann's in Eccleston.
But this week the well-off 65-year-old from West Park died in a workhouse hospital after briefly spending time in a police cell.
Mr Harris had been to Liverpool on business and had called into a pub for a whisky after complaining of feeling unwell.
During that evening he was found lying on a pavement by a policeman semi-conscious.
Unable to give a proper account of himself or explain who he was, Mr Harris was placed in a police lock-up and when his condition deteriorated a police doctor had examined him.
That led to Harris being transferred to a workhouse hospital where he died on the following day.
Meanwhile, back in St Helens, Harris's family were very concerned about his mysterious disappearance and had handbills printed asking for information.
It was some time before the mystery man who had died in Liverpool could be identified as St Helens' well-known builder.
During the afternoon of the 23rd, the Bishop of Chester held a confirmation service in St Helens Parish Church in which a total of 344 children were confirmed.
And during that evening a testimonial was given to John Cross at the Turks Head Inn.
Mr Cross had been the managing partner of the Greengate Colliery but had stepped down to devote all his energies to the Royal Colliery at Thatto Heath that he owned.
The workmen employed at Greengate Colliery had clubbed together and bought Mr Cross what was described as a "handsome and elaborate 8-day dining-room clock of solid bronze gilt and onyx, in the Egyptian style, the sides being supported by Sphinxes of solid bronze."
The St Helens newspapers often moaned about the St Helens Fair when it took place off Salisbury Street in April and September of each year.
But their complaints were mainly about the behaviour of those that attended, as well the antics of the showmen.
However, the authorities were more concerned about stallholders causing an obstruction.
The fair was so popular that spill-over stalls were erected in streets like Brownlow Street that led into the fairground.
As a result this week ten persons were summoned to court with the St Helens Newspaper describing them as "peripatetic proprietors of nut-stalls, galvanic batteries, shooting galleries, &c."
Most were simply fined a token one shilling and costs for their obstruction.
Victoria Passage used to be adjacent to the Victoria Hotel besides the St Helens Covered Market, although the latter in 1875 had yet to be built.
It was a useful shortcut for pedestrians but what the St Helens Newspaper described as an "intolerable nuisance" often took place in the passage during the 19th century.
"Nuisances" might have been a better term, as there were quite a few objectionable behaviours that went on within its walls!
These included drunks behaving badly, men relieving themselves, tramps begging from pedestrians and assaults on women brave enough to walk through the passage late at night.
And John Feigh of the notorious Feigh family – that were regularly incarcerated in Kirkdale Gaol – was one of those attracted to the dark alleyway.
He appeared in court accused of having insulted young females on the previous Saturday evening as they passed through Victoria Passage.
PC Gibb told the court that he had caught young John in the act but the youth that had been with him had got away.
John Feigh was a novice at minor crime among his family having only been convicted eight times before.
His father Denis had over 60 convictions to his name and his mother Margaret 20 and recently all five members of the family – namely father, mother and three sons – had been incarcerated at Kirkdale.
John was bound over to keep the peace and if sureties were required – as they almost always were – the lad would likely have been unable to pay and so returned to prison.
John Murray was summoned to court this week charged with turning out a cow on unenclosed land that was suffering from foot and mouth disease.
The incident had taken place at Sutton and Murray was accused of putting out to graze three of his cows one of which was sick.
His wife appeared on her husband's behalf and claimed a policeman had told her to turn out the cows but she was still fined £2 and costs.
The Derby Arms in Rainford was regularly in the news at the moment.
The "abominable" claim of homosexuality in the pub's stables was the main talking point but other activity was occurring.
This week Michael Brennan and Thady Brennan appeared in court charged with being drunk and disorderly.
They were part of a group of 50 who were said to have been lounging about the corner of the Derby Arms on a Sunday and causing trouble, with a constable saying "the neighbourhood had been in a state of alarm".
Thady Brennan had been flourishing a fork over his head and threatening to strike people with it as they were walking to church.
Supt. James Ludlam explained to the magistrates that what had happened was a common occurrence in the outlying districts during harvest time when such places were "fairly invaded by a number of wild Irishmen." They were each fined 10 shillings and costs.
You do have to question the mentality of some folk in the 1870s. With the strict penalty then for stealing clothes, it is a wonder why they would still stupidly take other people's stuff knowing they were bound to be caught and sent to prison.
John Kelly had been lodging at Swift's beerhouse in Bridge Street and had helped himself to a fellow lodger's coat and shirt front valued at 5s 6d.
He had taken them while Alfred Bradshaw had been washing himself in the kitchen after hanging up the coat.
During the five minutes Bradshaw had been scrubbing himself down, he had twice seen John Kelly pass through the kitchen and then found that his coat had disappeared.
Later he saw Kelly in a pub wearing his coat and this week the brainless man was sent to prison for a month with hard labour.
John Risley was also in court charged with breaking into a workshop belonging to Ravenhead Colliery.
The 18-year-old had taken some joiners tools and was discovered by the police on the following day in Burchall's pawnshop in the marketplace trying to pledge some of the items.
The rest of the tools were discovered buried under an archway in Eccleston and after being committed to take his trial at the next quarter sessions, Risley was sentenced to 6 months in prison.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the St Helens licensing blacklist, the violent storm that struck St Helens, Sutton Cricket Club play an unusual game and the Prescot Guardians are told to stop claiming free meals when attending meetings.
We begin on the 22nd when the children and teachers of the Waterloo Street Wesleyan Sunday School held their annual picnic.
Their destination was Roby and they enjoyed playing rounders and bowls on the green at the rear of the Stanley Arms Hotel and some "piano-forte playing and singing" inside the pub.
In January 1876 the St Helens Newspaper would describe the invention of a new writing machine that became known as a typewriter.
But it would take some time to get into common use and secretarial jobs be seen as woman's work.
Currently, clerical positions were a man's job, writing in longhand, perhaps in elaborate copperplate.
During the evening of the 22nd, a meeting took place in the Mission Hall in Waterloo Street to consider forming a Phonetic Shorthand Writers Association in St Helens.
A large number of men attended and it was proposed to organise classes both for those unfamiliar with shorthand and those clerks that were more advanced.
The death of Joseph Smith this week was a further example of the folly of children being employed in industrial settings.
Exactly what had occurred was not known but it was supposed that Joseph had attempted to cross by jumping between two railway wagons and had been struck down and crushed.
The boy was found suspended by his legs between the buffers and his injuries suggested that he had been dragged some distance.
On the 22nd at the Brunswick Hotel in Glover Street, Joseph's inquest was held and the usual verdict of accidental death was returned.
During that evening Thomas Cooney was injured by machinery at the Bridgewater Smelting Works.
The 59-year-old from Moorflat (by Baldwin Street) needed to have his right arm amputated after being "most fearfully crushed".
Survival after such an amputation in the 1870s could not be guaranteed but Mr Cooney was said to be progressing favourably.
One of the leading builders in St Helens during the 19th century was George Harris, who was responsible for constructing large numbers of cottages, factories and churches.
Harris and Sherratt (and later George Harris and Son) also built many of the spacious buildings in the new residential areas of Cowley Hill and St Ann's in Eccleston.
But this week the well-off 65-year-old from West Park died in a workhouse hospital after briefly spending time in a police cell.
Mr Harris had been to Liverpool on business and had called into a pub for a whisky after complaining of feeling unwell.
During that evening he was found lying on a pavement by a policeman semi-conscious.
Unable to give a proper account of himself or explain who he was, Mr Harris was placed in a police lock-up and when his condition deteriorated a police doctor had examined him.
That led to Harris being transferred to a workhouse hospital where he died on the following day.
Meanwhile, back in St Helens, Harris's family were very concerned about his mysterious disappearance and had handbills printed asking for information.
It was some time before the mystery man who had died in Liverpool could be identified as St Helens' well-known builder.
During the afternoon of the 23rd, the Bishop of Chester held a confirmation service in St Helens Parish Church in which a total of 344 children were confirmed.
And during that evening a testimonial was given to John Cross at the Turks Head Inn.
Mr Cross had been the managing partner of the Greengate Colliery but had stepped down to devote all his energies to the Royal Colliery at Thatto Heath that he owned.
The workmen employed at Greengate Colliery had clubbed together and bought Mr Cross what was described as a "handsome and elaborate 8-day dining-room clock of solid bronze gilt and onyx, in the Egyptian style, the sides being supported by Sphinxes of solid bronze."
The St Helens newspapers often moaned about the St Helens Fair when it took place off Salisbury Street in April and September of each year.
But their complaints were mainly about the behaviour of those that attended, as well the antics of the showmen.
However, the authorities were more concerned about stallholders causing an obstruction.
The fair was so popular that spill-over stalls were erected in streets like Brownlow Street that led into the fairground.
As a result this week ten persons were summoned to court with the St Helens Newspaper describing them as "peripatetic proprietors of nut-stalls, galvanic batteries, shooting galleries, &c."
Most were simply fined a token one shilling and costs for their obstruction.
Victoria Passage used to be adjacent to the Victoria Hotel besides the St Helens Covered Market, although the latter in 1875 had yet to be built.
It was a useful shortcut for pedestrians but what the St Helens Newspaper described as an "intolerable nuisance" often took place in the passage during the 19th century.
"Nuisances" might have been a better term, as there were quite a few objectionable behaviours that went on within its walls!
These included drunks behaving badly, men relieving themselves, tramps begging from pedestrians and assaults on women brave enough to walk through the passage late at night.
And John Feigh of the notorious Feigh family – that were regularly incarcerated in Kirkdale Gaol – was one of those attracted to the dark alleyway.
He appeared in court accused of having insulted young females on the previous Saturday evening as they passed through Victoria Passage.
PC Gibb told the court that he had caught young John in the act but the youth that had been with him had got away.
John Feigh was a novice at minor crime among his family having only been convicted eight times before.
His father Denis had over 60 convictions to his name and his mother Margaret 20 and recently all five members of the family – namely father, mother and three sons – had been incarcerated at Kirkdale.
John was bound over to keep the peace and if sureties were required – as they almost always were – the lad would likely have been unable to pay and so returned to prison.
John Murray was summoned to court this week charged with turning out a cow on unenclosed land that was suffering from foot and mouth disease.
The incident had taken place at Sutton and Murray was accused of putting out to graze three of his cows one of which was sick.
His wife appeared on her husband's behalf and claimed a policeman had told her to turn out the cows but she was still fined £2 and costs.
The Derby Arms in Rainford was regularly in the news at the moment.
The "abominable" claim of homosexuality in the pub's stables was the main talking point but other activity was occurring.
This week Michael Brennan and Thady Brennan appeared in court charged with being drunk and disorderly.
They were part of a group of 50 who were said to have been lounging about the corner of the Derby Arms on a Sunday and causing trouble, with a constable saying "the neighbourhood had been in a state of alarm".
Thady Brennan had been flourishing a fork over his head and threatening to strike people with it as they were walking to church.
Supt. James Ludlam explained to the magistrates that what had happened was a common occurrence in the outlying districts during harvest time when such places were "fairly invaded by a number of wild Irishmen." They were each fined 10 shillings and costs.
You do have to question the mentality of some folk in the 1870s. With the strict penalty then for stealing clothes, it is a wonder why they would still stupidly take other people's stuff knowing they were bound to be caught and sent to prison.
John Kelly had been lodging at Swift's beerhouse in Bridge Street and had helped himself to a fellow lodger's coat and shirt front valued at 5s 6d.
He had taken them while Alfred Bradshaw had been washing himself in the kitchen after hanging up the coat.
During the five minutes Bradshaw had been scrubbing himself down, he had twice seen John Kelly pass through the kitchen and then found that his coat had disappeared.
Later he saw Kelly in a pub wearing his coat and this week the brainless man was sent to prison for a month with hard labour.
John Risley was also in court charged with breaking into a workshop belonging to Ravenhead Colliery.
The 18-year-old had taken some joiners tools and was discovered by the police on the following day in Burchall's pawnshop in the marketplace trying to pledge some of the items.
The rest of the tools were discovered buried under an archway in Eccleston and after being committed to take his trial at the next quarter sessions, Risley was sentenced to 6 months in prison.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the St Helens licensing blacklist, the violent storm that struck St Helens, Sutton Cricket Club play an unusual game and the Prescot Guardians are told to stop claiming free meals when attending meetings.