150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (30th NOV. - 6th DEC. 1870)
This week's many stories include the Parr scandal of a married woman and a 16-year-old boy, the man given 3 months for sleeping in the open air in Rainford and the prosecution of the Prescot apprentice watchmaker for not turning up to work.
We begin on December 1st when the Prescot Board of Guardians met and were told that the new Whiston Workhouse cook had quit. The work of feeding around 380 people had proved too much for Mrs Holmes, although she would have had some help from several inmates. Getting a good, reliable cook was proving a problem for the Guardians – who implemented the Poor Law in the St Helens and Prescot districts. The previous incumbent, Mrs Roby, had regularly got drunk and the Chairman of the Guardians had called her "callous as a rhinoceros's hide".
However one of the guardians told the meeting that he thought she should be re-hired, saying: "She was, no doubt, fond of a glass of ale, but what cook was not?" However the workhouse master had said he would not be responsible for the stores if Mrs Roby was re-engaged, as she had apparently been helping herself to stock. After a discussion it was decided that another woman should be hired as cook, as long as her testimonials proved satisfactory.
The workhouse – which took in paupers from St Helens and district – had a live-in tailor to do running repairs. There was a proposal to replace him with a cheaper version, as reported by the Newspaper:
"The master reported that a tailor from Birkenhead had offered to do the tailoring of the house for 2s. 6d. a week, and his board. The present workhouse tailor charged 12s. a week, and he was old and feeble, and unable, though not unwilling, to work. Mr. Penketh [Guardian] – What age is this man from Birkenhead? The Clerk [to the Guardians] – He is about forty-five years of age. He is a drunkard whilst outside the workhouse, and the only time he can keep sober is when he is inside.
"Mr. Croft [Guardian] – I must condemn the economy which would make us dismiss an old servant, because we can get a new one to work for us at a cheaper rate. If you want to economise, select some of your big officers and pull his salary down. Why, it is as bad as Gladstone's conduct, dismissing poor dock men, and making his son a Lord of the Treasury. (Laughter) I don't like the idea of paying a tradesman 2s. 6d. a week. You may rest assured he had an eye after the cabbage when he offered to work at that low sum. (Hear, hear, and laughter)."
I can't find any other references to the expression "eye after the cabbage". It obviously means some sort of hidden agenda but perhaps was a rarely used Lancashire term.
A man was sent to KIrkdale Gaol (shown above) for three months with hard labour on the 3rd, essentially, for sleeping out in the open air. Thomas Shuttleworth – described as a "strongly-built young man" – was woken by PC Wilson at 4am as he lay by a ditch near Rainford. As the constable arrested him a tussle ensued which led to the officer dislocating a thumb. Shuttleworth had previously served 15 months for committing burglaries in Rainford and Knowsley. So the Bench deemed him a dangerous character and returned him to Kirkdale.
There was a juicy case in the Police Court on the 5th as a Parr woman summoned a 16-year-old boy for telling lies. All females were ordered out of the court at the start of the hearing – a sure sign of scandal! However it really wasn't all that bad by our standards. William Shaw had simply been telling people that he'd had "illicit intercourse" with his married neighbour Mary Smith, although he might not have phrased it that way! The husband of the 34-year-old mother of four from Old Fold, near Chancery Lane, had heard of the claims and was understandably hopping mad. Mrs Smith completely denied any impropriety and wanted the boy bound over to keep the peace in order to shut him up.
William gave evidence that the woman had pulled him onto the sofa and had initiated the "illicit intercourse" – as described by the St Helens Newspaper – which was then repeated on several occasions. But he admitted in court that he had only spoken of the affair after there had been a row between Mary Smith and his mother. That provided a motive for fabricating the claims and although to my mind the boy's detailed testimony was quite compelling, the three magistrates on the Bench felt differently, as the Newspaper reported:
"Mr. Daglish [Chairman] – It is the unanimous opinion of the bench that this is a most malignant charge against this respectable woman, and that there is no truth whatsoever in it. It is a most disgraceful charge, and is all the result of malice. That is our unanimous opinion." The Newspaper seemed to agree, as the headline to their report read: "An Infamous Charge Against A Respectable Married Woman".
Also in court was a miner called Thomas Huyton who had stolen a basket of groceries off Agnes Topping from Blackbrook. She'd gone for a drink in the White Lion in Church Street and taken her shopping with her. Huyton was sat nearby and after Mrs Topping left her seat for a short time, he and the basket did a runner. The police subsequently found the basket at his lodgings and Huyton was sent to prison for a month.
Butcher John Harrison of Market Street – who certainly liked his exclamation marks and saying "Ah!" – had this advert in the Newspaper on the 6th: "CHRISTMAS GEESE! Geese for Christmas and New Year. Turkeys! Turkeys!! Turkeys!!! For Christmas. Ah! Ah!! Ah!!! And the above will all be fat, and this year's birds. Pigs! Pigs!! Pigs!!! FAT PIGS FOR CHRISTMAS, Ah! And for the New year."
We first came across James Berry and his young apprentice James Hunter in June last year. In the 1871 census Berry describes himself as a watch manufacturer employing 15 men and 11 boys. The 36-year-old was then living in Fall Lane, which was a major street in Prescot, near modern-day Derby Street. Bound apprentices were contractually tied to their employer until they turned 21 and obtained their indentures. If these lads failed to turn up to their jobs, they could be prosecuted and sent to jail.
The last we heard of James Hunter was that after being summoned to court he'd made a promise to return to his job and as a result the charge against him had been dropped. However in the Prescot Petty Sessions on the 6th there was a reference to the boy having served a short prison term for not going to work. His boss James Berry told the court that the lad had been employed by him for four years and was an excellent workman but had "fallen into evil company". If he were sure that Hunter would return to his job and conduct himself properly in future, he said he would overlook the offence.
Admiral Hornby on the Bench said he did not want to send the prisoner back to gaol but needed a guarantee that he would "amend his habits". Mr Berry then told the magistrates that the boy's mother had made him a promise that she would see that James went to his job. So the watchmaker said he would delay the prosecution until January to see whether the lad shaped up. The Chairman agreed to dismiss the prisoner but warned young James that if he were ever again brought before him for not turning up to work, he would sentence him to the longest term in prison that the law allowed.
At many events held in St Helens some 150 years or so ago, the entertainment was described as provided by "Messrs. Gardner's Band". Little information is ever revealed about them, although they appear to have been a family group. During the evening of the 6th a special benefit concert was held in the Volunteer Hall (pictured above) for one of their number who had gone almost completely blind and could no longer work. On numerous occasions during the past twenty years John Gardner had given his musical services for free and so now was the time for some payback. The "Grand Miscellaneous Concert" featured many vocalists, choirs and the St Helens Glee Club, who were all performing to help out John.
You often had a good idea when 19th century concerts would end if the better class of patron were expected to attend. That was because they had to arrange in advance their collection from the hall by a servant or cab driver. So adverts for such events would state: "Carriages may be ordered for such-a-time", which in the case of the benefit concert was 10:15pm. Ticket prices cost a tanner in the gallery and in the rear seats, although the well-heeled could pay three shillings to reserve a seat at the front. With no amplification for artistes in the 19th century, the poor at the back of the hall had to hope that the singers knew how to project their voices.
Next week's stories will include the horse rug stolen in Moss Bank, the Parr Street drunkenness dispute, the riderless horse in Eccleston and the drunk who turned himself in at the St Helens Police Station.
We begin on December 1st when the Prescot Board of Guardians met and were told that the new Whiston Workhouse cook had quit. The work of feeding around 380 people had proved too much for Mrs Holmes, although she would have had some help from several inmates. Getting a good, reliable cook was proving a problem for the Guardians – who implemented the Poor Law in the St Helens and Prescot districts. The previous incumbent, Mrs Roby, had regularly got drunk and the Chairman of the Guardians had called her "callous as a rhinoceros's hide".
However one of the guardians told the meeting that he thought she should be re-hired, saying: "She was, no doubt, fond of a glass of ale, but what cook was not?" However the workhouse master had said he would not be responsible for the stores if Mrs Roby was re-engaged, as she had apparently been helping herself to stock. After a discussion it was decided that another woman should be hired as cook, as long as her testimonials proved satisfactory.
The workhouse – which took in paupers from St Helens and district – had a live-in tailor to do running repairs. There was a proposal to replace him with a cheaper version, as reported by the Newspaper:
"The master reported that a tailor from Birkenhead had offered to do the tailoring of the house for 2s. 6d. a week, and his board. The present workhouse tailor charged 12s. a week, and he was old and feeble, and unable, though not unwilling, to work. Mr. Penketh [Guardian] – What age is this man from Birkenhead? The Clerk [to the Guardians] – He is about forty-five years of age. He is a drunkard whilst outside the workhouse, and the only time he can keep sober is when he is inside.
"Mr. Croft [Guardian] – I must condemn the economy which would make us dismiss an old servant, because we can get a new one to work for us at a cheaper rate. If you want to economise, select some of your big officers and pull his salary down. Why, it is as bad as Gladstone's conduct, dismissing poor dock men, and making his son a Lord of the Treasury. (Laughter) I don't like the idea of paying a tradesman 2s. 6d. a week. You may rest assured he had an eye after the cabbage when he offered to work at that low sum. (Hear, hear, and laughter)."
I can't find any other references to the expression "eye after the cabbage". It obviously means some sort of hidden agenda but perhaps was a rarely used Lancashire term.
There was a juicy case in the Police Court on the 5th as a Parr woman summoned a 16-year-old boy for telling lies. All females were ordered out of the court at the start of the hearing – a sure sign of scandal! However it really wasn't all that bad by our standards. William Shaw had simply been telling people that he'd had "illicit intercourse" with his married neighbour Mary Smith, although he might not have phrased it that way! The husband of the 34-year-old mother of four from Old Fold, near Chancery Lane, had heard of the claims and was understandably hopping mad. Mrs Smith completely denied any impropriety and wanted the boy bound over to keep the peace in order to shut him up.
William gave evidence that the woman had pulled him onto the sofa and had initiated the "illicit intercourse" – as described by the St Helens Newspaper – which was then repeated on several occasions. But he admitted in court that he had only spoken of the affair after there had been a row between Mary Smith and his mother. That provided a motive for fabricating the claims and although to my mind the boy's detailed testimony was quite compelling, the three magistrates on the Bench felt differently, as the Newspaper reported:
"Mr. Daglish [Chairman] – It is the unanimous opinion of the bench that this is a most malignant charge against this respectable woman, and that there is no truth whatsoever in it. It is a most disgraceful charge, and is all the result of malice. That is our unanimous opinion." The Newspaper seemed to agree, as the headline to their report read: "An Infamous Charge Against A Respectable Married Woman".
Also in court was a miner called Thomas Huyton who had stolen a basket of groceries off Agnes Topping from Blackbrook. She'd gone for a drink in the White Lion in Church Street and taken her shopping with her. Huyton was sat nearby and after Mrs Topping left her seat for a short time, he and the basket did a runner. The police subsequently found the basket at his lodgings and Huyton was sent to prison for a month.
Butcher John Harrison of Market Street – who certainly liked his exclamation marks and saying "Ah!" – had this advert in the Newspaper on the 6th: "CHRISTMAS GEESE! Geese for Christmas and New Year. Turkeys! Turkeys!! Turkeys!!! For Christmas. Ah! Ah!! Ah!!! And the above will all be fat, and this year's birds. Pigs! Pigs!! Pigs!!! FAT PIGS FOR CHRISTMAS, Ah! And for the New year."
We first came across James Berry and his young apprentice James Hunter in June last year. In the 1871 census Berry describes himself as a watch manufacturer employing 15 men and 11 boys. The 36-year-old was then living in Fall Lane, which was a major street in Prescot, near modern-day Derby Street. Bound apprentices were contractually tied to their employer until they turned 21 and obtained their indentures. If these lads failed to turn up to their jobs, they could be prosecuted and sent to jail.
The last we heard of James Hunter was that after being summoned to court he'd made a promise to return to his job and as a result the charge against him had been dropped. However in the Prescot Petty Sessions on the 6th there was a reference to the boy having served a short prison term for not going to work. His boss James Berry told the court that the lad had been employed by him for four years and was an excellent workman but had "fallen into evil company". If he were sure that Hunter would return to his job and conduct himself properly in future, he said he would overlook the offence.
Admiral Hornby on the Bench said he did not want to send the prisoner back to gaol but needed a guarantee that he would "amend his habits". Mr Berry then told the magistrates that the boy's mother had made him a promise that she would see that James went to his job. So the watchmaker said he would delay the prosecution until January to see whether the lad shaped up. The Chairman agreed to dismiss the prisoner but warned young James that if he were ever again brought before him for not turning up to work, he would sentence him to the longest term in prison that the law allowed.
You often had a good idea when 19th century concerts would end if the better class of patron were expected to attend. That was because they had to arrange in advance their collection from the hall by a servant or cab driver. So adverts for such events would state: "Carriages may be ordered for such-a-time", which in the case of the benefit concert was 10:15pm. Ticket prices cost a tanner in the gallery and in the rear seats, although the well-heeled could pay three shillings to reserve a seat at the front. With no amplification for artistes in the 19th century, the poor at the back of the hall had to hope that the singers knew how to project their voices.
Next week's stories will include the horse rug stolen in Moss Bank, the Parr Street drunkenness dispute, the riderless horse in Eccleston and the drunk who turned himself in at the St Helens Police Station.
This week's many stories include the Parr scandal of a married woman and a 16-year-old boy, the man given 3 months for sleeping in the open air in Rainford and the prosecution of the Prescot apprentice watchmaker for not turning up to work.
We begin on December 1st when the Prescot Board of Guardians met and were told that the new Whiston Workhouse cook had quit.
The work of feeding around 380 people had proved too much for Mrs Holmes, although she would have had some help from several inmates.
Getting a good, reliable cook was proving a problem for the Guardians – who implemented the Poor Law in the St Helens and Prescot districts.
The previous incumbent, Mrs Roby, had regularly got drunk and the Chairman of the Guardians had called her "callous as a rhinoceros's hide".
However one of the guardians told the meeting that he thought she should be re-hired, saying: "She was, no doubt, fond of a glass of ale, but what cook was not?"
However the workhouse master had said he would not be responsible for the stores if Mrs Roby was re-engaged, as she had apparently been helping herself to stock.
After a discussion it was decided that another woman should be hired as cook, as long as her testimonials proved satisfactory.
The workhouse – which took in paupers from St Helens and district – had a live-in tailor to do running repairs.
There was a proposal to replace him with a cheaper version, as reported by the Newspaper:
"The master reported that a tailor from Birkenhead had offered to do the tailoring of the house for 2s. 6d. a week, and his board. The present workhouse tailor charged 12s. a week, and he was old and feeble, and unable, though not unwilling, to work.
"Mr. Penketh [Guardian] – What age is this man from Birkenhead? The Clerk [to the Guardians] – He is about forty-five years of age. He is a drunkard whilst outside the workhouse, and the only time he can keep sober is when he is inside.
"Mr. Croft [Guardian] – I must condemn the economy which would make us dismiss an old servant, because we can get a new one to work for us at a cheaper rate. If you want to economise, select some of your big officers and pull his salary down.
"Why, it is as bad as Gladstone's conduct, dismissing poor dock men, and making his son a Lord of the Treasury. (Laughter) I don't like the idea of paying a tradesman 2s. 6d. a week. You may rest assured he had an eye after the cabbage when he offered to work at that low sum. (Hear, hear, and laughter)."
I can't find any other references to the expression "eye after the cabbage".
It obviously means some sort of hidden agenda but perhaps was a rarely used Lancashire term.
A man was sent to KIrkdale Gaol (shown above) for three months with hard labour on the 3rd, essentially, for sleeping out in the open air.
Thomas Shuttleworth – described as a "strongly-built young man" – was woken by PC Wilson at 4am as he lay by a ditch near Rainford.
As the constable arrested him a tussle ensued which led to the officer dislocating a thumb.
Shuttleworth had previously served 15 months for committing burglaries in Rainford and Knowsley.
So the Bench deemed him a dangerous character and returned him to Kirkdale.
There was a juicy case in the Police Court on the 5th as a Parr woman summoned a 16-year-old boy for telling lies.
All females were ordered out of the court at the start of the hearing – a sure sign of scandal! However it really wasn't all that bad by our standards.
William Shaw had simply been telling people that he'd had "illicit intercourse" with his married neighbour Mary Smith, although he might not have phrased it that way!
The husband of the 34-year-old mother of four from Old Fold, near Chancery Lane, had heard of the claims and was understandably hopping mad.
Mrs Smith completely denied any impropriety and wanted the boy bound over to keep the peace in order to shut him up.
William gave evidence that the woman had pulled him onto the sofa and had initiated the "illicit intercourse" – as described by the St Helens Newspaper – which was then repeated on several occasions.
But he admitted in court that he had only spoken of the affair after there had been a row between Mary Smith and his mother.
That provided a motive for fabricating the claims and although to my mind the boy's detailed testimony was quite compelling, the three magistrates on the Bench felt differently, as the Newspaper reported:
"Mr. Daglish [Chairman] – It is the unanimous opinion of the bench that this is a most malignant charge against this respectable woman, and that there is no truth whatsoever in it. It is a most disgraceful charge, and is all the result of malice. That is our unanimous opinion."
The Newspaper seemed to agree, as the headline to their report read: "An Infamous Charge Against A Respectable Married Woman".
Also in court was a miner called Thomas Huyton who had stolen a basket of groceries off Agnes Topping from Blackbrook.
She'd gone for a drink in the White Lion in Church Street and taken her shopping with her.
Huyton was sat nearby and after Mrs Topping left her seat for a short time, he and the basket did a runner.
The police subsequently found the basket at his lodgings and Huyton was sent to prison for a month.
Butcher John Harrison of Market Street – who certainly liked his exclamation marks and saying "Ah!" – had this advert in the Newspaper on the 6th:
"CHRISTMAS GEESE! Geese for Christmas and New Year. Turkeys! Turkeys!! Turkeys!!! For Christmas. Ah! Ah!! Ah!!! And the above will all be fat, and this year's birds. Pigs! Pigs!! Pigs!!! FAT PIGS FOR CHRISTMAS, Ah! And for the New year."
We first came across James Berry and his young apprentice James Hunter in June last year.
In the 1871 census Berry describes himself as a watch manufacturer employing 15 men and 11 boys.
The 36-year-old was then living in Fall Lane, which was a major street in Prescot, near modern-day Derby Street.
Bound apprentices were contractually tied to their employer until they turned 21 and obtained their indentures.
If these lads failed to turn up to their jobs, they could be prosecuted and sent to jail.
The last we heard of James Hunter was that after being summoned to court he'd made a promise to return to his job and as a result the charge against him had been dropped.
However in the Prescot Petty Sessions on the 6th there was a reference to the boy having served a short prison term for not going to work.
His boss James Berry told the court that the lad had been employed by him for four years and was an excellent workman but had "fallen into evil company".
If he were sure that Hunter would return to his job and conduct himself properly in future, he said he would overlook the offence.
Admiral Hornby on the Bench said he did not want to send the prisoner back to gaol but needed a guarantee that he would "amend his habits".
Mr Berry then told the magistrates that the boy's mother had made him a promise that she would see that James went to his job.
So the watchmaker said he would delay the prosecution until January to see whether the lad shaped up.
The Chairman agreed to dismiss the prisoner but warned young James that if he were ever again brought before him for not turning up to work, he would sentence him to the longest term in prison that the law allowed.
At many events held in St Helens some 150 years or so ago, the entertainment was described as provided by "Messrs. Gardner's Band".
Little information is ever revealed about them, although they appear to have been a family group.
During the evening of the 6th a special benefit concert was held in the Volunteer Hall (pictured above) for one of their number who had gone almost completely blind and could no longer work.
On numerous occasions during the past twenty years John Gardner had given his musical services for free and so now was the time for some payback.
The "Grand Miscellaneous Concert" featured many vocalists, choirs and the St Helens Glee Club, who were all performing to help out John.
You often had a good idea when 19th century concerts would end if the better class of patron were expected to attend.
That was because they had to arrange in advance their collection from the hall by a servant or cab driver.
So adverts for such events would state: "Carriages may be ordered for such-a-time", which in the case of the benefit concert was 10:15pm.
Ticket prices cost a tanner in the gallery and in the rear seats, although the well-heeled could pay three shillings to reserve a seat at the front.
With no amplification for artistes in the 19th century, the poor at the back of the hall had to hope that the singers knew how to project their voices.
Next week's stories will include the horse rug stolen in Moss Bank, the Parr Street drunkenness dispute, the riderless horse in Eccleston and the drunk who turned himself in at the St Helens Police Station.
We begin on December 1st when the Prescot Board of Guardians met and were told that the new Whiston Workhouse cook had quit.
The work of feeding around 380 people had proved too much for Mrs Holmes, although she would have had some help from several inmates.
Getting a good, reliable cook was proving a problem for the Guardians – who implemented the Poor Law in the St Helens and Prescot districts.
The previous incumbent, Mrs Roby, had regularly got drunk and the Chairman of the Guardians had called her "callous as a rhinoceros's hide".
However one of the guardians told the meeting that he thought she should be re-hired, saying: "She was, no doubt, fond of a glass of ale, but what cook was not?"
However the workhouse master had said he would not be responsible for the stores if Mrs Roby was re-engaged, as she had apparently been helping herself to stock.
After a discussion it was decided that another woman should be hired as cook, as long as her testimonials proved satisfactory.
The workhouse – which took in paupers from St Helens and district – had a live-in tailor to do running repairs.
There was a proposal to replace him with a cheaper version, as reported by the Newspaper:
"The master reported that a tailor from Birkenhead had offered to do the tailoring of the house for 2s. 6d. a week, and his board. The present workhouse tailor charged 12s. a week, and he was old and feeble, and unable, though not unwilling, to work.
"Mr. Penketh [Guardian] – What age is this man from Birkenhead? The Clerk [to the Guardians] – He is about forty-five years of age. He is a drunkard whilst outside the workhouse, and the only time he can keep sober is when he is inside.
"Mr. Croft [Guardian] – I must condemn the economy which would make us dismiss an old servant, because we can get a new one to work for us at a cheaper rate. If you want to economise, select some of your big officers and pull his salary down.
"Why, it is as bad as Gladstone's conduct, dismissing poor dock men, and making his son a Lord of the Treasury. (Laughter) I don't like the idea of paying a tradesman 2s. 6d. a week. You may rest assured he had an eye after the cabbage when he offered to work at that low sum. (Hear, hear, and laughter)."
I can't find any other references to the expression "eye after the cabbage".
It obviously means some sort of hidden agenda but perhaps was a rarely used Lancashire term.
Thomas Shuttleworth – described as a "strongly-built young man" – was woken by PC Wilson at 4am as he lay by a ditch near Rainford.
As the constable arrested him a tussle ensued which led to the officer dislocating a thumb.
Shuttleworth had previously served 15 months for committing burglaries in Rainford and Knowsley.
So the Bench deemed him a dangerous character and returned him to Kirkdale.
There was a juicy case in the Police Court on the 5th as a Parr woman summoned a 16-year-old boy for telling lies.
All females were ordered out of the court at the start of the hearing – a sure sign of scandal! However it really wasn't all that bad by our standards.
William Shaw had simply been telling people that he'd had "illicit intercourse" with his married neighbour Mary Smith, although he might not have phrased it that way!
The husband of the 34-year-old mother of four from Old Fold, near Chancery Lane, had heard of the claims and was understandably hopping mad.
Mrs Smith completely denied any impropriety and wanted the boy bound over to keep the peace in order to shut him up.
William gave evidence that the woman had pulled him onto the sofa and had initiated the "illicit intercourse" – as described by the St Helens Newspaper – which was then repeated on several occasions.
But he admitted in court that he had only spoken of the affair after there had been a row between Mary Smith and his mother.
That provided a motive for fabricating the claims and although to my mind the boy's detailed testimony was quite compelling, the three magistrates on the Bench felt differently, as the Newspaper reported:
"Mr. Daglish [Chairman] – It is the unanimous opinion of the bench that this is a most malignant charge against this respectable woman, and that there is no truth whatsoever in it. It is a most disgraceful charge, and is all the result of malice. That is our unanimous opinion."
The Newspaper seemed to agree, as the headline to their report read: "An Infamous Charge Against A Respectable Married Woman".
Also in court was a miner called Thomas Huyton who had stolen a basket of groceries off Agnes Topping from Blackbrook.
She'd gone for a drink in the White Lion in Church Street and taken her shopping with her.
Huyton was sat nearby and after Mrs Topping left her seat for a short time, he and the basket did a runner.
The police subsequently found the basket at his lodgings and Huyton was sent to prison for a month.
Butcher John Harrison of Market Street – who certainly liked his exclamation marks and saying "Ah!" – had this advert in the Newspaper on the 6th:
"CHRISTMAS GEESE! Geese for Christmas and New Year. Turkeys! Turkeys!! Turkeys!!! For Christmas. Ah! Ah!! Ah!!! And the above will all be fat, and this year's birds. Pigs! Pigs!! Pigs!!! FAT PIGS FOR CHRISTMAS, Ah! And for the New year."
We first came across James Berry and his young apprentice James Hunter in June last year.
In the 1871 census Berry describes himself as a watch manufacturer employing 15 men and 11 boys.
The 36-year-old was then living in Fall Lane, which was a major street in Prescot, near modern-day Derby Street.
Bound apprentices were contractually tied to their employer until they turned 21 and obtained their indentures.
If these lads failed to turn up to their jobs, they could be prosecuted and sent to jail.
The last we heard of James Hunter was that after being summoned to court he'd made a promise to return to his job and as a result the charge against him had been dropped.
However in the Prescot Petty Sessions on the 6th there was a reference to the boy having served a short prison term for not going to work.
His boss James Berry told the court that the lad had been employed by him for four years and was an excellent workman but had "fallen into evil company".
If he were sure that Hunter would return to his job and conduct himself properly in future, he said he would overlook the offence.
Admiral Hornby on the Bench said he did not want to send the prisoner back to gaol but needed a guarantee that he would "amend his habits".
Mr Berry then told the magistrates that the boy's mother had made him a promise that she would see that James went to his job.
So the watchmaker said he would delay the prosecution until January to see whether the lad shaped up.
The Chairman agreed to dismiss the prisoner but warned young James that if he were ever again brought before him for not turning up to work, he would sentence him to the longest term in prison that the law allowed.
At many events held in St Helens some 150 years or so ago, the entertainment was described as provided by "Messrs. Gardner's Band".
Little information is ever revealed about them, although they appear to have been a family group.
On numerous occasions during the past twenty years John Gardner had given his musical services for free and so now was the time for some payback.
The "Grand Miscellaneous Concert" featured many vocalists, choirs and the St Helens Glee Club, who were all performing to help out John.
You often had a good idea when 19th century concerts would end if the better class of patron were expected to attend.
That was because they had to arrange in advance their collection from the hall by a servant or cab driver.
So adverts for such events would state: "Carriages may be ordered for such-a-time", which in the case of the benefit concert was 10:15pm.
Ticket prices cost a tanner in the gallery and in the rear seats, although the well-heeled could pay three shillings to reserve a seat at the front.
With no amplification for artistes in the 19th century, the poor at the back of the hall had to hope that the singers knew how to project their voices.
Next week's stories will include the horse rug stolen in Moss Bank, the Parr Street drunkenness dispute, the riderless horse in Eccleston and the drunk who turned himself in at the St Helens Police Station.