Archived Extracts

On Monday evening the Urban District Council selected the tenants for the twelve new Council Houses. There were over 80 applications and some of the ladies who hoped for a new house waited outside the Council Chamber while the deliberations were in progress. On Monday evening the Council sat from 6.30 p.m. to 10 o'clock, so it seems they prefer making a little overtime in order to thoroughly transact business. The next housing scheme will be at Station Road, and some of the preliminaries have already been settled.

On Saturday the Huthwaite Urban District Council Bowling Club opened the season with a friendly game among the club members. The teams were captained by Mr. T. Bradley and Mr. A. Purdy, and the latter's was the successful team. Tea was laid for 30 in the Lecture Hall, the President of the Club (Mr. A. Dickens) being present. The catering was carried out by Mesdames Bradley, Purdy, Hill, Hunt, A. Herrod and Webb. One of the best known members of the club, Mr. J. Smith, ahs been bereaved of a daughter, and was therefore unable to be present. Sympathy was expressed to him by Mr. Dickens, and a vote of condolence was passed by the members standing in silence. The club has an excellent muster of experienced players, and is looking forward to a very successful season. Their photograph was taken during the afternoon.

Disquieting news awaited the members of the Parish Church Council at their last meeting, over which the Vicar presided. The rev. gentleman drew their attention to the condition of the church roof which is in a leaky state owing to the crumbling of the tiles over the whole of the fabric. There was a danger, he pointed out, of water soaking into the roof timbers, and ultimately rotting them. The roof is a very fine one, and for it to be damaged in that way would be a calamity. The only remedy was a complete re-covering of the whole of the building with a more reliable material than had been used before, which had not lasted anything like the period it should have done. The total cost would be almost £400 and there was not much likelihood of grants from outside towards the cost. One member of the Council suggested that some of the present tiles might be used again, but the chairman said that they were all decaying; none of them could be depended upon to last. It was decided that the work should be taken in hand, but not until there were sufficient funds available for it to be thoroughly and permanently carried out. It was decided to hold a carnival again this summer and a start was made on fixing the details. The question of new sanctuary curtains and altar frontals was also brought up and it was stated that the cost of these would be almost £90. Having regard to more pressing matters, it was agreed to waive the question of the chancel embellishments for the present.

  A child who, it was stated, "has not had one ray of sunshine in her life and has not been given a reasonable chance to be happy" was the subject of two charges against Baden Powell Hayes, of 28, Club Yard, Huthwaite, at the Mansfield Petty Sessions (Mr. A.H. Bonser in the chair) yesterday.
  Hayes was charged that on April 20th and on other dates he ill-treated his child Dora Hayes, aged 11 years, in a manner likely to cause her unnecessary suffering, and was further charged with having assaulted the girl on April 20th.
  With regard to the first charge Hayes said he was guilty in some respects but not in others, and he pleaded "not guilty" to the charge of assault.
  Prosecuting on behalf of the N.S.P.C.C., Mr. W. Gamble said the case was of a somewhat serious character. The child was apparently unwanted, and ample evidence would be forthcoming to show that the child had not received that consideration or treatment to which an ordinary child is entitled. She had been sent out scouring dustbins in the neighbourhood to collect ashes, etc., for the fire, and she also had to go out at night to sell boots, which, defendant, as a rag and bone gatherer, obtained and repaired. Unless what the girl di was satisfactory she had to go through the mill. Defendant was living with another woman, and they apparently did not realise their obligations to the child.

  Inspector Banyard, of the N.S.P.C.C., said when he examined the child on April 20th he found a severe wound over the right eye, which was swollen, and abrasions on the right cheek. Her right hand looked as though it had been trampled on. Withness asked the child how she came by these injuries, and, looking at her father, she replied "I fell down, sir."
  In reply to the Magistrates' Clerk, the Inspector said the case had been under the notice of his predecessor in 1921, and witness also had the case under his observation from 1928 to 1929.
  P.c. Fletcher said he was with the Inspector when he made the inspection of the child, and agreed with the Inspector's statements with regard to the condition of the child.
  The grandmother of the child, Mary Ellen Clarke, of 62, Main Street, Huthwaite, said on April 20th she saw Hayes come down the yard and she went into her house. Later she heard the child scream, and on running back up the yard witness saw Hayes give the child a blow with his hand. Witness ran back into the house terrified. Later she saw the child, whose face was bruised and lip bleeding and one of her hands was marked. The child had to go picking cinders out of ashpits before breakfast and during dinner time, and at night she had to take out the baby and go from door to door selling shoes that defendant had picked of dirt tips.
  Nellie Marson, of 16, Pilsworth's Yard, Huthwaite, said on April 20th she saw Hayes run the child down the yard and strike yer with his fist. The child tumbled down and defendant kicked her on her left thigh. Witness next saw Hayes run for a Mr. Shacklock and got hold of his throat.
  The Mr. Shacklock mentioned by the previous witness also spoke to seeing Hayes knock down the child by hitting her in the middle of the back and kick her. Defendant then took hold of his (witness's) throat and said he would throttle him. Witness added that last October he saw Hayes hit the child with the buckle end of a belt two inches broad, which made the child scream.

Evelyn Atkins, a school nurse employed by the Notts. Education Committee, said she had known Dora Hayes for five years. During the past six months the child had been rather neglected, in consequence of which witness visited the child's home. For a short time after the visit the child was in a better condition, but she had gone back again. In October last year the schoolmistress called witness's attention to a scalp wound the child had.
  "I do not think the child has been given a reasonable chance to be happy," remarked witness, "and has not had one ray of sunshine in her life."
  Dr. Joseph Gaston, of Huthwaite, said on April 20th he examined the child and found bruises over the right eye and a considerable swelling down the right cheek, a swollen upper lip with a wound and some bruises on the back of her fingers of the right hand. The injuries were consistent with ill-treatment.
  Hayes (on oath) said when Mrs. Clarke came and asked why he was going to hit the child on April 20th, he had never hit the child and had no intention of doing so. The child went into her grandmother's and when defendant was fetching her back she fell in a hole in the yard and he fell over her. The whole trouble was due to the child's grandmother, who said she was not going to rest until she had got the noose round his neck. Defendant admitted "clouting" the girl a time or two, but said he never forced her to pick cinders.
  Defendant's housekeeper, Hetty Eaton, gave evidence in support of Hayes' statements.
  After a retirement, the Chairman said the magistrates regarded the case as very serious and on of brutal treatment. One could not understand the mentality of a man who knocked his children about as defendant did. They thought defendant should be taught a lesson; and he would be sent to prison for three months in each case, the sentences to run consecutively - six months in all.
  In reply to the Magistrates' Clerk, Mr. Gamble said the child was at present in the County Institution, and he suggested she stayed there for the time being. The Bench agreed to this courses.