150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 28 APRIL - 4 MAY 1875
This week's many stories include the pauper's complaint over the quality of the scouse served in Whiston Workhouse, the Peasley Cross saw man is brought to book, the stolen shawl that was seen being worn in Church Street, the May Day horse and cart procession, the man killed while walking on the railway line to Sutton Oak station and the stolen boots that were concealed under a shawl.
We begin on the 29th with a meeting of the Prescot Union Board of Guardians. The elected members that oversaw Whiston Workhouse were told that 408 paupers had been in the house during the past week, of which 153 of them were children. Also in the last week 1,215 very poor people living in the St Helens district had been "relieved" by the Guardians – that is being given very small sums to live on. The total doled out was £74 and that works out at little over a shilling each on average.
A government inspector had visited the workhouse on April 23rd and in his report said he was concerned that parts were "greatly overcrowded" and he hoped that the new buildings would soon be completed. The inspector also recommended that the guardians dispensed with the baked suet pudding dinner that had been given to the inmates while he had been in the workhouse. He said the greater part of it had been left uneaten by the women in the house and also those in the adjacent hospital.
The inspector also felt that the patients in the infirmary should have some napkins or small wooden trays on which to eat their meals "so as to obviate the necessity of patients putting their food upon the bed clothes, as the practice tended to anything but cleanliness."
Every now and then a rather bold inmate of the workhouse would complain to the Guardians about their food – but they rarely received satisfaction. This is what the Newspaper wrote:
"One of the female paupers complained that the ‘scouse’ on a certain day named was entirely devoid of meat, and consisted only of “reesty” bacon, potatoes, and water, and was unfit to eat. The woman was called into the room and maintained her statement, saying that it was unfit to support herself and the other able-bodied women who had to wash and work very hard.
"The master of the house and the cook were called in, and the latter produced a sample of some of the bacon that was refused on the day in question, which was handed round the table, and was pronounced by the members to be both sound and good, and after some conversation the matter was referred to the House Committee at the conclusion of the meeting."
It was also revealed that complaints of unfairness had been made in the way that contracts for the supply of provisions were being allocated. It may not always have been great food that was served to the paupers in the workhouse but a lot of it was needed.
And the way the contracts had been awarded in the past was that businesses sent in samples of food and they were judged on their quality (as well as price), with the adjudicators supposedly not knowing whom the provider was.
But the complaint was that private marks upon the parcels of food allowed the judges to know who had sent them in. This was denied but it was decided to change the way such decisions were made to make the process fairer.
Ellen Bellis and Ann Carsons appeared in St Helens Petty Sessions this week to face a joint charge of stealing a shawl. I do find it amazing the number of times I've come across reports of people who've had clothing stolen and weeks later have spotted it being worn in the street.
With a much smaller population in St Helens than today, the chances of such accidental sightings were, of course, much higher – but still it is remarkable. It did not necessarily follow that the person wearing the item was the thief, as was proved in Ellen and Ann's case. The shawl had been stolen in Gerards Bridge from the clothesline of a Mrs Moore.
Three weeks later the latter saw Ann Carsons wearing her shawl in Church Street and had her arrested. The woman appeared in court and claimed that a girl called Ellen Bellis had given the clothing to her. The magistrates decided to discharge Ann but a witness had now come forward to say she had seen young Ellen wearing the shawl before Ann had been taken into custody.
Why the latter had again been brought to court I cannot say – but Ann was discharged for a second time and Ellen Bellis was found guilty and sent to prison for three weeks. From what I can tell the girl was aged about fourteen.
Elizabeth Critchley was also in court charged with stealing a pair of boots from Robert Wallace's shop in Naylor Street, near the marketplace. Shopkeepers and their staff then worked long hours. Despite it being a Monday and so not a particularly busy trading day, Mr Wallace's shop was still open at 8pm.
It was at that time that Mrs Critchley entered his premises and tried on several pairs of slippers, but did not purchase any. As she was leaving, Mr Wallace saw her take a pair of boots off a rod on which they were hanging near the door and conceal them about her person.
The woman hurried away up Naylor Street and Mr Wallace chased after her and accused her of the theft. Mrs Critchley denied stealing the boots but when she was being brought back to the shop she was seen to remove the boots from under her shawl and drop them down a cellar grid.
When taken into custody by the police she blamed her 4-year-old daughter who had been with her for the theft. However, in court Mrs Critchley pleaded guilty and having previously been convicted, was sent to prison for a month.
Walking on the railway lines was very common in St Helens and the practice led to many deaths. This week William Brotherton from Runcorn had been visiting his brother in Blackbrook and needed to get a train home from Sutton Oak station (pictured above). The 52-year-old decided his quickest route was by walking on the railway line but near Redgate Colliery a coal train came up behind him.
The driver Robert Rennan seeing the danger blew his whistle while still 100 yards away and attempted to put his engine into reverse. But it was to no avail as William Brotherton carried on walking, seemingly oblivious to the train with 24 waggons that was travelling behind him. He was instantly killed and at his inquest on the following day held at the Princess Royal Hotel in Park Road, the usual verdict of accidental death was brought in.
Playing pitch and toss was illegal – but only usually merited a small fine. When caught by the police most sensible gamblers would, no doubt, grumble about their intervention over a simple coin game but would accept the inevitable. But not Thomas Meehan and Thomas Doory. PC Armstrong had caught them playing pitch and toss in an entry in Market Street on a Sunday afternoon.
But they resisted their arrest and Meehan knocked the constable down and then both men severely kicked PC Armstrong. He managed to blow his whistle and PC Hargraves came to his rescue, although Doory managed to make his escape but was later arrested. In court their fine for the pitch and toss was only 1 shilling plus costs but they had a further 20 shillings and costs to pay for their assault on the bobby.
May Day was always celebrated in St Helens by a display of horses and carts, as described by the St Helens Newspaper in 1869: "We do not see the morris-dancers in picturesque procession, enlivening our streets, but we have processions of horses which seem to excite just as much interest, and draw as many people from their houses."
This year the event fell on a Saturday and so there was a greater turn out than usual – although the weather was poor with drizzling rain. But there were still huge crowds on the streets that were decorated with flags and bunting and they watched with interest as about 100 carts and waggons and over 200 horses went past.
Greenall's was then known as the St Helens Brewery and it was their custom to give each of their carters a new hat for the May procession and treat them to a dinner in the evening, which this year took place in the White Hart Hotel in Church Street.
A couple of weeks ago I described how a grinder at the Sutton Glass Works named Samuel Wright had been attacked at Peasley Cross Railway station by an unknown assailant. The St Helens Newspaper had used the headline "Attempt To Saw A Man's Head Off", to describe the shocking, unprovoked attack.
On May 3rd Henry Lee appeared in court accused of committing the offence but was only fined £5 for what the magistrates said had been a "grievous assault". That was still a lot of money but if Lee had stolen the saw he would have been sentenced to a month or two in prison. The 1870s were certainly strange times.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Greenbank riot after the police had put a stop to a prize fight, the boys prosecuted for running a foot race in Rainford and the young man who got his girlfriend pregnant but denied responsibility in court.
We begin on the 29th with a meeting of the Prescot Union Board of Guardians. The elected members that oversaw Whiston Workhouse were told that 408 paupers had been in the house during the past week, of which 153 of them were children. Also in the last week 1,215 very poor people living in the St Helens district had been "relieved" by the Guardians – that is being given very small sums to live on. The total doled out was £74 and that works out at little over a shilling each on average.
A government inspector had visited the workhouse on April 23rd and in his report said he was concerned that parts were "greatly overcrowded" and he hoped that the new buildings would soon be completed. The inspector also recommended that the guardians dispensed with the baked suet pudding dinner that had been given to the inmates while he had been in the workhouse. He said the greater part of it had been left uneaten by the women in the house and also those in the adjacent hospital.
The inspector also felt that the patients in the infirmary should have some napkins or small wooden trays on which to eat their meals "so as to obviate the necessity of patients putting their food upon the bed clothes, as the practice tended to anything but cleanliness."
Every now and then a rather bold inmate of the workhouse would complain to the Guardians about their food – but they rarely received satisfaction. This is what the Newspaper wrote:
"One of the female paupers complained that the ‘scouse’ on a certain day named was entirely devoid of meat, and consisted only of “reesty” bacon, potatoes, and water, and was unfit to eat. The woman was called into the room and maintained her statement, saying that it was unfit to support herself and the other able-bodied women who had to wash and work very hard.
"The master of the house and the cook were called in, and the latter produced a sample of some of the bacon that was refused on the day in question, which was handed round the table, and was pronounced by the members to be both sound and good, and after some conversation the matter was referred to the House Committee at the conclusion of the meeting."
It was also revealed that complaints of unfairness had been made in the way that contracts for the supply of provisions were being allocated. It may not always have been great food that was served to the paupers in the workhouse but a lot of it was needed.
And the way the contracts had been awarded in the past was that businesses sent in samples of food and they were judged on their quality (as well as price), with the adjudicators supposedly not knowing whom the provider was.
But the complaint was that private marks upon the parcels of food allowed the judges to know who had sent them in. This was denied but it was decided to change the way such decisions were made to make the process fairer.
Ellen Bellis and Ann Carsons appeared in St Helens Petty Sessions this week to face a joint charge of stealing a shawl. I do find it amazing the number of times I've come across reports of people who've had clothing stolen and weeks later have spotted it being worn in the street.
With a much smaller population in St Helens than today, the chances of such accidental sightings were, of course, much higher – but still it is remarkable. It did not necessarily follow that the person wearing the item was the thief, as was proved in Ellen and Ann's case. The shawl had been stolen in Gerards Bridge from the clothesline of a Mrs Moore.
Three weeks later the latter saw Ann Carsons wearing her shawl in Church Street and had her arrested. The woman appeared in court and claimed that a girl called Ellen Bellis had given the clothing to her. The magistrates decided to discharge Ann but a witness had now come forward to say she had seen young Ellen wearing the shawl before Ann had been taken into custody.
Why the latter had again been brought to court I cannot say – but Ann was discharged for a second time and Ellen Bellis was found guilty and sent to prison for three weeks. From what I can tell the girl was aged about fourteen.
Elizabeth Critchley was also in court charged with stealing a pair of boots from Robert Wallace's shop in Naylor Street, near the marketplace. Shopkeepers and their staff then worked long hours. Despite it being a Monday and so not a particularly busy trading day, Mr Wallace's shop was still open at 8pm.
It was at that time that Mrs Critchley entered his premises and tried on several pairs of slippers, but did not purchase any. As she was leaving, Mr Wallace saw her take a pair of boots off a rod on which they were hanging near the door and conceal them about her person.
The woman hurried away up Naylor Street and Mr Wallace chased after her and accused her of the theft. Mrs Critchley denied stealing the boots but when she was being brought back to the shop she was seen to remove the boots from under her shawl and drop them down a cellar grid.
When taken into custody by the police she blamed her 4-year-old daughter who had been with her for the theft. However, in court Mrs Critchley pleaded guilty and having previously been convicted, was sent to prison for a month.
The driver Robert Rennan seeing the danger blew his whistle while still 100 yards away and attempted to put his engine into reverse. But it was to no avail as William Brotherton carried on walking, seemingly oblivious to the train with 24 waggons that was travelling behind him. He was instantly killed and at his inquest on the following day held at the Princess Royal Hotel in Park Road, the usual verdict of accidental death was brought in.
Playing pitch and toss was illegal – but only usually merited a small fine. When caught by the police most sensible gamblers would, no doubt, grumble about their intervention over a simple coin game but would accept the inevitable. But not Thomas Meehan and Thomas Doory. PC Armstrong had caught them playing pitch and toss in an entry in Market Street on a Sunday afternoon.
But they resisted their arrest and Meehan knocked the constable down and then both men severely kicked PC Armstrong. He managed to blow his whistle and PC Hargraves came to his rescue, although Doory managed to make his escape but was later arrested. In court their fine for the pitch and toss was only 1 shilling plus costs but they had a further 20 shillings and costs to pay for their assault on the bobby.
May Day was always celebrated in St Helens by a display of horses and carts, as described by the St Helens Newspaper in 1869: "We do not see the morris-dancers in picturesque procession, enlivening our streets, but we have processions of horses which seem to excite just as much interest, and draw as many people from their houses."
This year the event fell on a Saturday and so there was a greater turn out than usual – although the weather was poor with drizzling rain. But there were still huge crowds on the streets that were decorated with flags and bunting and they watched with interest as about 100 carts and waggons and over 200 horses went past.
Greenall's was then known as the St Helens Brewery and it was their custom to give each of their carters a new hat for the May procession and treat them to a dinner in the evening, which this year took place in the White Hart Hotel in Church Street.
A couple of weeks ago I described how a grinder at the Sutton Glass Works named Samuel Wright had been attacked at Peasley Cross Railway station by an unknown assailant. The St Helens Newspaper had used the headline "Attempt To Saw A Man's Head Off", to describe the shocking, unprovoked attack.
On May 3rd Henry Lee appeared in court accused of committing the offence but was only fined £5 for what the magistrates said had been a "grievous assault". That was still a lot of money but if Lee had stolen the saw he would have been sentenced to a month or two in prison. The 1870s were certainly strange times.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Greenbank riot after the police had put a stop to a prize fight, the boys prosecuted for running a foot race in Rainford and the young man who got his girlfriend pregnant but denied responsibility in court.
This week's many stories include the pauper's complaint over the quality of the scouse served in Whiston Workhouse, the Peasley Cross saw man is brought to book, the stolen shawl that was seen being worn in Church Street, the May Day horse and cart procession, the man killed while walking on the railway line to Sutton Oak station and the stolen boots that were concealed under a shawl.
We begin on the 29th with a meeting of the Prescot Union Board of Guardians. The elected members that oversaw Whiston Workhouse were told that 408 paupers had been in the house during the past week, of which 153 of them were children.
Also in the last week 1,215 very poor people living in the St Helens district had been "relieved" by the Guardians – that is being given very small sums to live on.
The total doled out was £74 and that works out at little over a shilling each on average.
A government inspector had visited the workhouse on April 23rd and in his report said he was concerned that parts were "greatly overcrowded" and he hoped that the new buildings would soon be completed.
The inspector also recommended that the guardians dispensed with the baked suet pudding dinner that had been given to the inmates while he had been in the workhouse.
He said the greater part of it had been left uneaten by the women in the house and also those in the adjacent hospital.
The inspector also felt that the patients in the infirmary should have some napkins or small wooden trays on which to eat their meals "so as to obviate the necessity of patients putting their food upon the bed clothes, as the practice tended to anything but cleanliness."
Every now and then a rather bold inmate of the workhouse would complain to the Guardians about their food – but they rarely received satisfaction. This is what the Newspaper wrote:
"One of the female paupers complained that the ‘scouse’ on a certain day named was entirely devoid of meat, and consisted only of “reesty” bacon, potatoes, and water, and was unfit to eat.
"The woman was called into the room and maintained her statement, saying that it was unfit to support herself and the other able-bodied women who had to wash and work very hard.
"The master of the house and the cook were called in, and the latter produced a sample of some of the bacon that was refused on the day in question, which was handed round the table, and was pronounced by the members to be both sound and good, and after some conversation the matter was referred to the House Committee at the conclusion of the meeting."
It was also revealed that complaints of unfairness had been made in the way that contracts for the supply of provisions were being allocated.
It may not always have been great food that was served to the paupers in the workhouse but a lot of it was needed.
And the way the contracts had been awarded in the past was that businesses sent in samples of food and they were judged on their quality (as well as price), with the adjudicators supposedly not knowing whom the provider was.
But the complaint was that private marks upon the parcels of food allowed the judges to know who had sent them in.
This was denied but it was decided to change the way such decisions were made to make the process fairer.
Ellen Bellis and Ann Carsons appeared in St Helens Petty Sessions this week to face a joint charge of stealing a shawl.
I do find it amazing the number of times I've come across reports of people who've had clothing stolen and weeks later have spotted it being worn in the street.
With a much smaller population in St Helens than today, the chances of such accidental sightings were, of course, much higher – but still it is remarkable.
It did not necessarily follow that the person wearing the item was the thief, as was proved in Ellen and Ann's case.
The shawl had been stolen in Gerards Bridge from the clothesline of a Mrs Moore.
Three weeks later the latter saw Ann Carsons wearing her shawl in Church Street and had her arrested.
The woman appeared in court and claimed that a girl called Ellen Bellis had given the clothing to her.
The magistrates decided to discharge Ann but a witness had now come forward to say she had seen young Ellen wearing the shawl before Ann had been taken into custody.
Why the latter had again been brought to court I cannot say – but Ann was discharged for a second time and Ellen Bellis was found guilty and sent to prison for 3 weeks. From what I can tell the girl was aged about 14.
Elizabeth Critchley was also in court charged with stealing a pair of boots from Robert Wallace's shop in Naylor Street, near the marketplace.
Shopkeepers and their staff then worked long hours. Despite it being a Monday and so not a particularly busy trading day, Mr Wallace's shop was still open at 8pm.
It was at that time that Mrs Critchley entered his premises and tried on several pairs of slippers, but did not purchase any.
As she was leaving, Mr Wallace saw her take a pair of boots off a rod on which they were hanging near the door and conceal them about her person.
The woman hurried away up Naylor Street and Mr Wallace chased after her and accused her of the theft.
Mrs Critchley denied stealing the boots but when she was being brought back to the shop she was seen to remove the boots from under her shawl and drop them down a cellar grid.
When taken into custody by the police she blamed her 4-year-old daughter who had been with her for the theft.
However, in court Mrs Critchley pleaded guilty and having previously been convicted, was sent to prison for a month.
Walking on the railway lines was very common in St Helens and the practice led to many deaths.
This week William Brotherton from Runcorn had been visiting his brother in Blackbrook and needed to get a train home from Sutton Oak station (pictured above).
The 52-year-old decided his quickest route was by walking on the railway line but near Redgate Colliery a coal train came up behind him.
The driver Robert Rennan seeing the danger blew his whistle while still 100 yards away and attempted to put his engine into reverse.
But it was to no avail as William Brotherton carried on walking, seemingly oblivious to the train with 24 waggons that was travelling behind him.
He was instantly killed and at his inquest on the following day held at the Princess Royal Hotel in Park Road, the usual verdict of accidental death was brought in.
Playing pitch and toss was illegal – but only usually merited a small fine.
When caught by the police most sensible gamblers would, no doubt, grumble about their intervention over a simple coin game but would accept the inevitable.
But not Thomas Meehan and Thomas Doory. PC Armstrong had caught them playing pitch and toss in an entry in Market Street on a Sunday afternoon.
But they resisted their arrest and Meehan knocked the constable down and then both men severely kicked PC Armstrong.
He managed to blow his whistle and PC Hargraves came to his rescue, although Doory managed to make his escape but was later arrested.
In court their fine for the pitch and toss was only 1 shilling plus costs but they had a further 20 shillings and costs to pay for their assault on the bobby.
May Day was always celebrated in St Helens by a display of horses and carts, as described by the St Helens Newspaper in 1869:
"We do not see the morris-dancers in picturesque procession, enlivening our streets, but we have processions of horses which seem to excite just as much interest, and draw as many people from their houses."
This year the event fell on a Saturday and so there was a greater turn out than usual – although the weather was poor with drizzling rain.
But there were still huge crowds on the streets that were decorated with flags and bunting and they watched with interest as about 100 carts and waggons and over 200 horses went past.
Greenall's was then known as the St Helens Brewery and it was their custom to give each of their carters a new hat for the May procession and treat them to a dinner in the evening, which this year took place in the White Hart Hotel in Church Street.
A couple of weeks ago I described how a grinder at the Sutton Glass Works named Samuel Wright had been attacked at Peasley Cross Railway station by an unknown assailant.
The St Helens Newspaper had used the headline "Attempt To Saw A Man's Head Off", to describe the shocking, unprovoked attack.
On May 3rd Henry Lee appeared in court accused of committing the offence but was only fined £5 for what the magistrates said had been a "grievous assault".
That was still a lot of money but if Lee had stolen the saw he would have been sentenced to a month or two in prison. The 1870s were certainly strange times.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Greenbank riot after the police had put a stop to a prize fight, the boys prosecuted for running a foot race in Rainford and the young man who got his girlfriend pregnant but denied responsibility in court.
We begin on the 29th with a meeting of the Prescot Union Board of Guardians. The elected members that oversaw Whiston Workhouse were told that 408 paupers had been in the house during the past week, of which 153 of them were children.
Also in the last week 1,215 very poor people living in the St Helens district had been "relieved" by the Guardians – that is being given very small sums to live on.
The total doled out was £74 and that works out at little over a shilling each on average.
A government inspector had visited the workhouse on April 23rd and in his report said he was concerned that parts were "greatly overcrowded" and he hoped that the new buildings would soon be completed.
The inspector also recommended that the guardians dispensed with the baked suet pudding dinner that had been given to the inmates while he had been in the workhouse.
He said the greater part of it had been left uneaten by the women in the house and also those in the adjacent hospital.
The inspector also felt that the patients in the infirmary should have some napkins or small wooden trays on which to eat their meals "so as to obviate the necessity of patients putting their food upon the bed clothes, as the practice tended to anything but cleanliness."
Every now and then a rather bold inmate of the workhouse would complain to the Guardians about their food – but they rarely received satisfaction. This is what the Newspaper wrote:
"One of the female paupers complained that the ‘scouse’ on a certain day named was entirely devoid of meat, and consisted only of “reesty” bacon, potatoes, and water, and was unfit to eat.
"The woman was called into the room and maintained her statement, saying that it was unfit to support herself and the other able-bodied women who had to wash and work very hard.
"The master of the house and the cook were called in, and the latter produced a sample of some of the bacon that was refused on the day in question, which was handed round the table, and was pronounced by the members to be both sound and good, and after some conversation the matter was referred to the House Committee at the conclusion of the meeting."
It was also revealed that complaints of unfairness had been made in the way that contracts for the supply of provisions were being allocated.
It may not always have been great food that was served to the paupers in the workhouse but a lot of it was needed.
And the way the contracts had been awarded in the past was that businesses sent in samples of food and they were judged on their quality (as well as price), with the adjudicators supposedly not knowing whom the provider was.
But the complaint was that private marks upon the parcels of food allowed the judges to know who had sent them in.
This was denied but it was decided to change the way such decisions were made to make the process fairer.
Ellen Bellis and Ann Carsons appeared in St Helens Petty Sessions this week to face a joint charge of stealing a shawl.
I do find it amazing the number of times I've come across reports of people who've had clothing stolen and weeks later have spotted it being worn in the street.
With a much smaller population in St Helens than today, the chances of such accidental sightings were, of course, much higher – but still it is remarkable.
It did not necessarily follow that the person wearing the item was the thief, as was proved in Ellen and Ann's case.
The shawl had been stolen in Gerards Bridge from the clothesline of a Mrs Moore.
Three weeks later the latter saw Ann Carsons wearing her shawl in Church Street and had her arrested.
The woman appeared in court and claimed that a girl called Ellen Bellis had given the clothing to her.
The magistrates decided to discharge Ann but a witness had now come forward to say she had seen young Ellen wearing the shawl before Ann had been taken into custody.
Why the latter had again been brought to court I cannot say – but Ann was discharged for a second time and Ellen Bellis was found guilty and sent to prison for 3 weeks. From what I can tell the girl was aged about 14.
Elizabeth Critchley was also in court charged with stealing a pair of boots from Robert Wallace's shop in Naylor Street, near the marketplace.
Shopkeepers and their staff then worked long hours. Despite it being a Monday and so not a particularly busy trading day, Mr Wallace's shop was still open at 8pm.
It was at that time that Mrs Critchley entered his premises and tried on several pairs of slippers, but did not purchase any.
As she was leaving, Mr Wallace saw her take a pair of boots off a rod on which they were hanging near the door and conceal them about her person.
The woman hurried away up Naylor Street and Mr Wallace chased after her and accused her of the theft.
Mrs Critchley denied stealing the boots but when she was being brought back to the shop she was seen to remove the boots from under her shawl and drop them down a cellar grid.
When taken into custody by the police she blamed her 4-year-old daughter who had been with her for the theft.
However, in court Mrs Critchley pleaded guilty and having previously been convicted, was sent to prison for a month.
Walking on the railway lines was very common in St Helens and the practice led to many deaths.
The 52-year-old decided his quickest route was by walking on the railway line but near Redgate Colliery a coal train came up behind him.
The driver Robert Rennan seeing the danger blew his whistle while still 100 yards away and attempted to put his engine into reverse.
But it was to no avail as William Brotherton carried on walking, seemingly oblivious to the train with 24 waggons that was travelling behind him.
He was instantly killed and at his inquest on the following day held at the Princess Royal Hotel in Park Road, the usual verdict of accidental death was brought in.
Playing pitch and toss was illegal – but only usually merited a small fine.
When caught by the police most sensible gamblers would, no doubt, grumble about their intervention over a simple coin game but would accept the inevitable.
But not Thomas Meehan and Thomas Doory. PC Armstrong had caught them playing pitch and toss in an entry in Market Street on a Sunday afternoon.
But they resisted their arrest and Meehan knocked the constable down and then both men severely kicked PC Armstrong.
He managed to blow his whistle and PC Hargraves came to his rescue, although Doory managed to make his escape but was later arrested.
In court their fine for the pitch and toss was only 1 shilling plus costs but they had a further 20 shillings and costs to pay for their assault on the bobby.
May Day was always celebrated in St Helens by a display of horses and carts, as described by the St Helens Newspaper in 1869:
"We do not see the morris-dancers in picturesque procession, enlivening our streets, but we have processions of horses which seem to excite just as much interest, and draw as many people from their houses."
This year the event fell on a Saturday and so there was a greater turn out than usual – although the weather was poor with drizzling rain.
But there were still huge crowds on the streets that were decorated with flags and bunting and they watched with interest as about 100 carts and waggons and over 200 horses went past.
Greenall's was then known as the St Helens Brewery and it was their custom to give each of their carters a new hat for the May procession and treat them to a dinner in the evening, which this year took place in the White Hart Hotel in Church Street.
A couple of weeks ago I described how a grinder at the Sutton Glass Works named Samuel Wright had been attacked at Peasley Cross Railway station by an unknown assailant.
The St Helens Newspaper had used the headline "Attempt To Saw A Man's Head Off", to describe the shocking, unprovoked attack.
On May 3rd Henry Lee appeared in court accused of committing the offence but was only fined £5 for what the magistrates said had been a "grievous assault".
That was still a lot of money but if Lee had stolen the saw he would have been sentenced to a month or two in prison. The 1870s were certainly strange times.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Greenbank riot after the police had put a stop to a prize fight, the boys prosecuted for running a foot race in Rainford and the young man who got his girlfriend pregnant but denied responsibility in court.