150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (26th SEPT. - 2nd OCT. 1872)
This week's stories include the brutal and cowardly assault at Gillars Green, the controversial closing of pubs at 11pm until 7am, the St Helens woman who was still going strong at the age of 101, the brainless wages theft at Sutton Oak Station and a woman's mysterious death in Baxters Lane.
There used to be two pubs in St Helens called the Druids Arms. One was situated in Ashcroft Street in Parr and the other in Sandfield Crescent, near Liverpool Road. It was the latter drinking house that was advertising in the St Helens Newspaper on the 28th. They announced that their concert room would be open for dancing on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the season. Admission was 2d. However, every Friday and Saturday there was free admission to the concert room for a "free and easy". That appears to a reference to a light-hearted singing and drinking night.
I expect both landlords of the two Druids Arms were amongst the 150 publicans that last year had attended a protest meeting in the Fleece Hotel against a proposed new licensing law. The legislation would restrict pub opening hours and the licensees were worried that being open for a reduced number of hours would cost them money.The secretary of the local Licensed Victuallers' Association delivered a furious speech in which he called the legislation a "piece of robbery".
A resolution was passed saying the Bill would "inflict an irreparable amount of injury upon the licensed victualling trade, and at the same time give very great inconvenience to the public." That was because pubs would have to close at 11pm and could not open again until 7am. Traditionally many drinking establishments – especially those closest to factories in St Helens – would open their doors at 5 am or 6 am as men came off their night shift wanting a few drinks before going to bed. Or perhaps feeling the need for a pint or two inside of them before going to work.
The legislation did give licensing magistrates in each locality a little flexibility to amend these opening hours to suit local conditions. An editorial in the Newspaper approved of this week's decision by the Prescot licensing magistrates – whose division covered St Helens and Widnes – to give the new Act a 12-month trial without change.
"There will be conflicting opinions as to the wisdom of this ruling," the paper wrote. "Even amongst the publicans themselves, there is a diversity of feeling on the subject. While some insist that it will be a positive injury to their business, or in other words cause a falling off in their daily receipts, others accept it as tending to save a great expense for gas in the winter months, which has hitherto been borne by the publicans without bringing an adequate return. Each party, of course, will view the matter from a standpoint based on the nature of his custom."
The new Licensing Act had actually been introduced in St Helens some weeks ago on a temporary basis until the Prescot magistrates could properly consider the matter. During that period two men had been sent to prison for assaulting the landlord of the Star Inn in Merton Bank after he'd refused them drink at 11pm. The backlash against the restrictions was a national problem and in a separate article, the Newspaper said members of staff at a tavern in London had got "badly damaged" after attempting to clear their pub at 11pm.
The Newspaper also stated that they were able to prove that St Helens had at times received too much blame for its air pollution and consequent injury to the health of its inhabitants. That was because Ann Birchall of St Thomas Street in St Helens was this month celebrating her 101st birthday. "She is in the enjoyment of tolerably good health, and possesses all her faculties," wrote the paper.
On the 30th Jane Pickavance – described as a "young girl" – brought a case of assault against Margaret Lancaster in the St Helens Petty Sessions. The child alleged that Mrs Lancaster had hit her with a can and cut her face. In her defence, the woman said Jane had caused much annoyance by calling her and her child names. She was fined 5 shillings and costs.
Did you know that the Co-operative Stores in Baldwin Street in St Helens was built on the site of an old workhouse (pictured above)? That had been built in the 1790s as a joint scheme by the Windle and Eccleston townships to care for their paupers. Since its closure in the 1840s, the building had been leased as a lodging house but was now being used as a shop. We know that because a rag and bone dealer called John Murphy gave his address as the old workhouse when he appeared in court charged with possessing "unjust weights" – in other words his scales were inaccurate. He was fined £1.
Three Eccleston men – John Arnold, Peter Arnold and Joseph Rainford – were charged with a brutal and cowardly assault on a Prescot watch-movement maker called William Brown. Mr Brown of Rowson Street was assaulted while going home, knocked down, kicked and beaten until he became unconscious. The attack involving clog-kicking occurred after the 35-year-old had left the Stanley Arms in Gillars Green, Eccleston while carrying a ferret in a bag – although just what the ferret had to do with this story was unexplained! The watchmaker told the court:
"I was perfectly sober. On coming towards Gillar's green I got to an opening near some cottages, and just as I passed the opening John Arnold rushed out and attacked me in a most violent manner. I fell down and received a kick which made me nearly insensible and almost oblivious of everything until Mrs. Lunt came up. The other two came after John, and struck and kicked me. Rainford gave me several blows, although I was so weak that I could do nothing but raise my hand and beg not to be abused anymore.
"When I recovered consciousness it was five o’clock on the following morning, and I was then in a fearful state. My clothes were saturated with blood, and my head was so much bruised that I thought I was going to die. My ribs were very much injured, and ever since I have suffered great pain between the shoulders."
The landlady of the Stanley Arms was Alice Lunt and she gave evidence that William Brown had left her pub at between five and ten minutes to eleven. Soon afterwards, she had gone into her yard to fetch some water and while there heard a cry of murder, and the words "Oh, Jack, don't". Mrs Lunt then stated that she saw William Brown lying on the ground and John Arnold kicking him brutally. Mrs Arnold was also there but said she could do nothing to help.
The landlady then ran back to her pub and returned with her two sons who pulled Arnold off his victim. As the lads were trying to help Brown stand up, the Arnold brothers again threw him down heavily and beat him with their fists and feet. John Lunt, the son of the landlady Alice Lunt, gave evidence that John Arnold had previously told him of having had words with William Brown and had sworn an oath that:
"The first dark night that I meet him I will kill him." John Arnold was fined £4 and the other two attackers told to pay £3 each with costs. Although substantial sums, the violence was not considered severe enough to warrant a prison term – unlike if clothing or coal had been stolen.
There was a rather brainless theft described in St Helens Petty Sessions on October 1st when John Jackson was charged with stealing £41 15s. The stationmaster at Sutton Oak Station (pictured above) had given the platelayer his wages and then briefly left his office, leaving the rest of the railway workmen's cash inside a bag. That had disappeared upon his return and Jackson was immediately suspected and searched. The missing wages were found on him and Jackson was committed to the next quarter sessions at Kirkdale where he could expect to serve several months in prison.
The inquest on Eileen Hart was held on the 2nd. The demise of the 56-year-old from College Street was another mysterious death for a coroner's jury to consider. Its cause could only be speculated on because of the location of Sarah's body. The vegetable seller had been found with severe head injuries at 6am on a railway embankment near to the Dutch Barn Bridge in Baxters Lane. So the assumption had been that a passing engine had struck Sarah – although no train driver had reported an accident. To add to the mystery the location was far from her home and in a contrary direction from where she'd left her friends on the previous night. The jury brought in a verdict of accidental death.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the Japanese ambassadors that visited St Helens, the woman who died from pipe smoking, the Rainford man’s exhausting experience in a brook and Rainhill Hospital seeks a musical tailor.
There used to be two pubs in St Helens called the Druids Arms. One was situated in Ashcroft Street in Parr and the other in Sandfield Crescent, near Liverpool Road. It was the latter drinking house that was advertising in the St Helens Newspaper on the 28th. They announced that their concert room would be open for dancing on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the season. Admission was 2d. However, every Friday and Saturday there was free admission to the concert room for a "free and easy". That appears to a reference to a light-hearted singing and drinking night.
I expect both landlords of the two Druids Arms were amongst the 150 publicans that last year had attended a protest meeting in the Fleece Hotel against a proposed new licensing law. The legislation would restrict pub opening hours and the licensees were worried that being open for a reduced number of hours would cost them money.The secretary of the local Licensed Victuallers' Association delivered a furious speech in which he called the legislation a "piece of robbery".
A resolution was passed saying the Bill would "inflict an irreparable amount of injury upon the licensed victualling trade, and at the same time give very great inconvenience to the public." That was because pubs would have to close at 11pm and could not open again until 7am. Traditionally many drinking establishments – especially those closest to factories in St Helens – would open their doors at 5 am or 6 am as men came off their night shift wanting a few drinks before going to bed. Or perhaps feeling the need for a pint or two inside of them before going to work.
The legislation did give licensing magistrates in each locality a little flexibility to amend these opening hours to suit local conditions. An editorial in the Newspaper approved of this week's decision by the Prescot licensing magistrates – whose division covered St Helens and Widnes – to give the new Act a 12-month trial without change.
"There will be conflicting opinions as to the wisdom of this ruling," the paper wrote. "Even amongst the publicans themselves, there is a diversity of feeling on the subject. While some insist that it will be a positive injury to their business, or in other words cause a falling off in their daily receipts, others accept it as tending to save a great expense for gas in the winter months, which has hitherto been borne by the publicans without bringing an adequate return. Each party, of course, will view the matter from a standpoint based on the nature of his custom."
The new Licensing Act had actually been introduced in St Helens some weeks ago on a temporary basis until the Prescot magistrates could properly consider the matter. During that period two men had been sent to prison for assaulting the landlord of the Star Inn in Merton Bank after he'd refused them drink at 11pm. The backlash against the restrictions was a national problem and in a separate article, the Newspaper said members of staff at a tavern in London had got "badly damaged" after attempting to clear their pub at 11pm.
The Newspaper also stated that they were able to prove that St Helens had at times received too much blame for its air pollution and consequent injury to the health of its inhabitants. That was because Ann Birchall of St Thomas Street in St Helens was this month celebrating her 101st birthday. "She is in the enjoyment of tolerably good health, and possesses all her faculties," wrote the paper.
On the 30th Jane Pickavance – described as a "young girl" – brought a case of assault against Margaret Lancaster in the St Helens Petty Sessions. The child alleged that Mrs Lancaster had hit her with a can and cut her face. In her defence, the woman said Jane had caused much annoyance by calling her and her child names. She was fined 5 shillings and costs.
Three Eccleston men – John Arnold, Peter Arnold and Joseph Rainford – were charged with a brutal and cowardly assault on a Prescot watch-movement maker called William Brown. Mr Brown of Rowson Street was assaulted while going home, knocked down, kicked and beaten until he became unconscious. The attack involving clog-kicking occurred after the 35-year-old had left the Stanley Arms in Gillars Green, Eccleston while carrying a ferret in a bag – although just what the ferret had to do with this story was unexplained! The watchmaker told the court:
"I was perfectly sober. On coming towards Gillar's green I got to an opening near some cottages, and just as I passed the opening John Arnold rushed out and attacked me in a most violent manner. I fell down and received a kick which made me nearly insensible and almost oblivious of everything until Mrs. Lunt came up. The other two came after John, and struck and kicked me. Rainford gave me several blows, although I was so weak that I could do nothing but raise my hand and beg not to be abused anymore.
"When I recovered consciousness it was five o’clock on the following morning, and I was then in a fearful state. My clothes were saturated with blood, and my head was so much bruised that I thought I was going to die. My ribs were very much injured, and ever since I have suffered great pain between the shoulders."
The landlady of the Stanley Arms was Alice Lunt and she gave evidence that William Brown had left her pub at between five and ten minutes to eleven. Soon afterwards, she had gone into her yard to fetch some water and while there heard a cry of murder, and the words "Oh, Jack, don't". Mrs Lunt then stated that she saw William Brown lying on the ground and John Arnold kicking him brutally. Mrs Arnold was also there but said she could do nothing to help.
The landlady then ran back to her pub and returned with her two sons who pulled Arnold off his victim. As the lads were trying to help Brown stand up, the Arnold brothers again threw him down heavily and beat him with their fists and feet. John Lunt, the son of the landlady Alice Lunt, gave evidence that John Arnold had previously told him of having had words with William Brown and had sworn an oath that:
"The first dark night that I meet him I will kill him." John Arnold was fined £4 and the other two attackers told to pay £3 each with costs. Although substantial sums, the violence was not considered severe enough to warrant a prison term – unlike if clothing or coal had been stolen.
The inquest on Eileen Hart was held on the 2nd. The demise of the 56-year-old from College Street was another mysterious death for a coroner's jury to consider. Its cause could only be speculated on because of the location of Sarah's body. The vegetable seller had been found with severe head injuries at 6am on a railway embankment near to the Dutch Barn Bridge in Baxters Lane. So the assumption had been that a passing engine had struck Sarah – although no train driver had reported an accident. To add to the mystery the location was far from her home and in a contrary direction from where she'd left her friends on the previous night. The jury brought in a verdict of accidental death.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the Japanese ambassadors that visited St Helens, the woman who died from pipe smoking, the Rainford man’s exhausting experience in a brook and Rainhill Hospital seeks a musical tailor.
This week's stories include the brutal and cowardly assault at Gillars Green, the controversial closing of pubs at 11pm until 7am, the brainless wages theft at Sutton Oak Station, a woman's mysterious death in Baxters Lane and the St Helens woman defying polluted air and still going strong at the age of 101.
There used to be two pubs in St Helens called the Druids Arms. One was situated in Ashcroft Street in Parr and the other in Sandfield Crescent, near Liverpool Road, in Greenbank.
It was the latter drinking house that was advertising in the St Helens Newspaper on the 28th.
They announced that their concert room would be open for dancing on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the season.
Admission was 2d. However, every Friday and Saturday there was free admission to the concert room for a "free and easy". That appears to a reference to a light-hearted singing and drinking night.
I expect both landlords of the two Druids Arms were amongst the 150 publicans that last year had attended a protest meeting in the Fleece Hotel against a proposed new licensing law.
The legislation would restrict pub opening hours and the licensees were worried that being open for a reduced number of hours would cost them money.
The secretary of the local Licensed Victuallers' Association delivered a furious speech in which he called the legislation a "piece of robbery".
A resolution was passed saying the Bill would "inflict an irreparable amount of injury upon the licensed victualling trade, and at the same time give very great inconvenience to the public."
That was because pubs would have to close at 11pm and could not open again until 7am.
Traditionally many drinking establishments – especially those closest to factories in St Helens – would open their doors at 5 am or 6 am as men came off their night shift wanting a few drinks before going to bed. Or perhaps feeling the need for a pint or two inside of them before going to work.
The legislation did give licensing magistrates in each locality a little flexibility to amend these opening hours to suit local conditions.
An editorial in the Newspaper approved of this week's decision by the Prescot licensing magistrates – whose division covered St Helens and Widnes – to give the new Act a 12-month trial without change.
"There will be conflicting opinions as to the wisdom of this ruling," the paper wrote. "Even amongst the publicans themselves, there is a diversity of feeling on the subject.
"While some insist that it will be a positive injury to their business, or in other words cause a falling off in their daily receipts, others accept it as tending to save a great expense for gas in the winter months, which has hitherto been borne by the publicans without bringing an adequate return.
"Each party, of course, will view the matter from a standpoint based on the nature of his custom."
The new Licensing Act had actually been introduced in St Helens some weeks ago on a temporary basis until the Prescot magistrates could properly consider the matter.
During that period two men had been sent to prison for assaulting the landlord of the Star Inn in Merton Bank after he'd refused them drink at 11pm.
The backlash against the restrictions was a national problem and in a separate article, the Newspaper said members of staff at a tavern in London had got "badly damaged" after attempting to clear their pub at 11pm.
The Newspaper also stated that they were able to prove that St Helens had at times received too much blame for its air pollution and consequent injury to the health of its inhabitants.
That was because Ann Birchall of St Thomas Street in St Helens was this month celebrating her 101st birthday.
"She is in the enjoyment of tolerably good health, and possesses all her faculties," wrote the paper.
On the 30th Jane Pickavance – described as a "young girl" – brought a case of assault against Margaret Lancaster in the St Helens Petty Sessions.
The child alleged that Mrs Lancaster had hit her with a can and cut her face. In her defence, the woman said Jane had caused much annoyance by calling her and her child names. She was fined 5 shillings and costs.
Did you know that the Co-operative Stores in Baldwin Street in St Helens was built on the site of an old workhouse (pictured above)?
That had been built in the 1790s as a joint scheme by the Windle and Eccleston townships to care for their paupers.
Since its closure in the 1840s, the building had been leased as a lodging house but was now being used as a shop.
We know that because a rag and bone dealer called John Murphy gave his address as the old workhouse when he appeared in court charged with possessing "unjust weights" – in other words his scales were inaccurate. He was fined £1.
Three Eccleston men – John Arnold, Peter Arnold and Joseph Rainford – were charged with a brutal and cowardly assault on a Prescot watch-movement maker called William Brown.
Mr Brown of Rowson Street was assaulted while going home, knocked down, kicked and beaten until he became unconscious.
The attack involving clog-kicking occurred after the 35-year-old had left the Stanley Arms in Gillars Green, Eccleston while carrying a ferret in a bag – although just what the ferret had to do with this story was unexplained! The watchmaker told the court:
"I was perfectly sober. On coming towards Gillar's green I got to an opening near some cottages, and just as I passed the opening John Arnold rushed out and attacked me in a most violent manner.
"I fell down and received a kick which made me nearly insensible and almost oblivious of everything until Mrs. Lunt came up. The other two came after John, and struck and kicked me.
"Rainford gave me several blows, although I was so weak that I could do nothing but raise my hand and beg not to be abused anymore.
"When I recovered consciousness it was five o’clock on the following morning, and I was then in a fearful state. My clothes were saturated with blood, and my head was so much bruised that I thought I was going to die.
"My ribs were very much injured, and ever since I have suffered great pain between the shoulders."
The landlady of the Stanley Arms was Alice Lunt and she gave evidence that William Brown had left her pub at between five and ten minutes to eleven.
Soon afterwards, she had gone into her yard to fetch some water and while there heard a cry of murder, and the words "Oh, Jack, don't".
Mrs Lunt then stated that she saw William Brown lying on the ground and John Arnold kicking him brutally. Mrs Arnold was also there but said she could do nothing to help.
The landlady then ran back to her pub and returned with her two sons who pulled Arnold off his victim.
As the lads were trying to help Brown stand up, the Arnold brothers again threw him down heavily and beat him with their fists and feet.
John Lunt, the son of the landlady Alice Lunt, gave evidence that John Arnold had previously told him of having had words with William Brown and had sworn an oath that:
"The first dark night that I meet him I will kill him." John Arnold was fined £4 and the other two attackers told to pay £3 each with costs.
Although substantial sums, the violence was not considered severe enough to warrant a prison term – unlike if clothing or coal had been stolen.
There was a rather brainless theft described in St Helens Petty Sessions on October 1st when John Jackson was charged with stealing £41 15s.
The stationmaster at Sutton Oak Station (pictured above) had given the platelayer his wages and then briefly left his office, leaving the rest of the railway workmen's cash inside a bag.
That had disappeared upon his return and Jackson was immediately suspected and searched.
The missing wages were found on him and Jackson was committed to the next quarter sessions at Kirkdale where he could expect to serve several months in prison.
The inquest on Eileen Hart was held on the 2nd. The demise of the 56-year-old from College Street was another mysterious death for a coroner's jury to consider.
Its cause could only be speculated on because of the location of Sarah's body.
The vegetable seller had been found with severe head injuries at 6am on a railway embankment near to the Dutch Barn Bridge in Baxters Lane.
So the assumption had been that a passing engine had struck Sarah – although no train driver had reported an accident.
To add to the mystery the location was far from her home and in a contrary direction from where she'd left her friends on the previous night. The jury brought in a verdict of accidental death.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the Japanese ambassadors that visited St Helens, the woman who died from pipe smoking, the Rainford man’s exhausting experience in a brook and Rainhill Hospital seeks a musical tailor.
There used to be two pubs in St Helens called the Druids Arms. One was situated in Ashcroft Street in Parr and the other in Sandfield Crescent, near Liverpool Road, in Greenbank.
It was the latter drinking house that was advertising in the St Helens Newspaper on the 28th.
They announced that their concert room would be open for dancing on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the season.
Admission was 2d. However, every Friday and Saturday there was free admission to the concert room for a "free and easy". That appears to a reference to a light-hearted singing and drinking night.
I expect both landlords of the two Druids Arms were amongst the 150 publicans that last year had attended a protest meeting in the Fleece Hotel against a proposed new licensing law.
The legislation would restrict pub opening hours and the licensees were worried that being open for a reduced number of hours would cost them money.
The secretary of the local Licensed Victuallers' Association delivered a furious speech in which he called the legislation a "piece of robbery".
A resolution was passed saying the Bill would "inflict an irreparable amount of injury upon the licensed victualling trade, and at the same time give very great inconvenience to the public."
That was because pubs would have to close at 11pm and could not open again until 7am.
Traditionally many drinking establishments – especially those closest to factories in St Helens – would open their doors at 5 am or 6 am as men came off their night shift wanting a few drinks before going to bed. Or perhaps feeling the need for a pint or two inside of them before going to work.
The legislation did give licensing magistrates in each locality a little flexibility to amend these opening hours to suit local conditions.
An editorial in the Newspaper approved of this week's decision by the Prescot licensing magistrates – whose division covered St Helens and Widnes – to give the new Act a 12-month trial without change.
"There will be conflicting opinions as to the wisdom of this ruling," the paper wrote. "Even amongst the publicans themselves, there is a diversity of feeling on the subject.
"While some insist that it will be a positive injury to their business, or in other words cause a falling off in their daily receipts, others accept it as tending to save a great expense for gas in the winter months, which has hitherto been borne by the publicans without bringing an adequate return.
"Each party, of course, will view the matter from a standpoint based on the nature of his custom."
The new Licensing Act had actually been introduced in St Helens some weeks ago on a temporary basis until the Prescot magistrates could properly consider the matter.
During that period two men had been sent to prison for assaulting the landlord of the Star Inn in Merton Bank after he'd refused them drink at 11pm.
The backlash against the restrictions was a national problem and in a separate article, the Newspaper said members of staff at a tavern in London had got "badly damaged" after attempting to clear their pub at 11pm.
The Newspaper also stated that they were able to prove that St Helens had at times received too much blame for its air pollution and consequent injury to the health of its inhabitants.
That was because Ann Birchall of St Thomas Street in St Helens was this month celebrating her 101st birthday.
"She is in the enjoyment of tolerably good health, and possesses all her faculties," wrote the paper.
On the 30th Jane Pickavance – described as a "young girl" – brought a case of assault against Margaret Lancaster in the St Helens Petty Sessions.
The child alleged that Mrs Lancaster had hit her with a can and cut her face. In her defence, the woman said Jane had caused much annoyance by calling her and her child names. She was fined 5 shillings and costs.
That had been built in the 1790s as a joint scheme by the Windle and Eccleston townships to care for their paupers.
Since its closure in the 1840s, the building had been leased as a lodging house but was now being used as a shop.
We know that because a rag and bone dealer called John Murphy gave his address as the old workhouse when he appeared in court charged with possessing "unjust weights" – in other words his scales were inaccurate. He was fined £1.
Three Eccleston men – John Arnold, Peter Arnold and Joseph Rainford – were charged with a brutal and cowardly assault on a Prescot watch-movement maker called William Brown.
Mr Brown of Rowson Street was assaulted while going home, knocked down, kicked and beaten until he became unconscious.
The attack involving clog-kicking occurred after the 35-year-old had left the Stanley Arms in Gillars Green, Eccleston while carrying a ferret in a bag – although just what the ferret had to do with this story was unexplained! The watchmaker told the court:
"I was perfectly sober. On coming towards Gillar's green I got to an opening near some cottages, and just as I passed the opening John Arnold rushed out and attacked me in a most violent manner.
"I fell down and received a kick which made me nearly insensible and almost oblivious of everything until Mrs. Lunt came up. The other two came after John, and struck and kicked me.
"Rainford gave me several blows, although I was so weak that I could do nothing but raise my hand and beg not to be abused anymore.
"When I recovered consciousness it was five o’clock on the following morning, and I was then in a fearful state. My clothes were saturated with blood, and my head was so much bruised that I thought I was going to die.
"My ribs were very much injured, and ever since I have suffered great pain between the shoulders."
The landlady of the Stanley Arms was Alice Lunt and she gave evidence that William Brown had left her pub at between five and ten minutes to eleven.
Soon afterwards, she had gone into her yard to fetch some water and while there heard a cry of murder, and the words "Oh, Jack, don't".
Mrs Lunt then stated that she saw William Brown lying on the ground and John Arnold kicking him brutally. Mrs Arnold was also there but said she could do nothing to help.
The landlady then ran back to her pub and returned with her two sons who pulled Arnold off his victim.
As the lads were trying to help Brown stand up, the Arnold brothers again threw him down heavily and beat him with their fists and feet.
John Lunt, the son of the landlady Alice Lunt, gave evidence that John Arnold had previously told him of having had words with William Brown and had sworn an oath that:
"The first dark night that I meet him I will kill him." John Arnold was fined £4 and the other two attackers told to pay £3 each with costs.
Although substantial sums, the violence was not considered severe enough to warrant a prison term – unlike if clothing or coal had been stolen.
There was a rather brainless theft described in St Helens Petty Sessions on October 1st when John Jackson was charged with stealing £41 15s.
That had disappeared upon his return and Jackson was immediately suspected and searched.
The missing wages were found on him and Jackson was committed to the next quarter sessions at Kirkdale where he could expect to serve several months in prison.
The inquest on Eileen Hart was held on the 2nd. The demise of the 56-year-old from College Street was another mysterious death for a coroner's jury to consider.
Its cause could only be speculated on because of the location of Sarah's body.
The vegetable seller had been found with severe head injuries at 6am on a railway embankment near to the Dutch Barn Bridge in Baxters Lane.
So the assumption had been that a passing engine had struck Sarah – although no train driver had reported an accident.
To add to the mystery the location was far from her home and in a contrary direction from where she'd left her friends on the previous night. The jury brought in a verdict of accidental death.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the Japanese ambassadors that visited St Helens, the woman who died from pipe smoking, the Rainford man’s exhausting experience in a brook and Rainhill Hospital seeks a musical tailor.