On Saturday a celery show was held at the White Lion Hotel, together with a competition for the best plate of potatoes (any variety). All the celery was of good quality, and the judge, Mr. H. Johnson, of Pilsley, had much difficulty in determining the three winners. These were:- 1, J. Ward, 3lbs. 8oz.; 2, F. Hancock (Pilsley), 2lbs. 9oz.; 3, Jos. Stones, 2lbs. 6oz. It was equally difficult to judge the winners of the potato competition, but F. Shaw (Tibshelf) was chosen the winner, with F. Hancock (Pilsley) second, and F. Shaw (Tibshelf) third.
A concert and social took place at the Sherwood Street Methodist Church on Saturday evening. The choir sang ... Miss Alice Booth, was the soprano soloist and beautifully sang. Miss Joyce Bingham sang splendidly. Misses A. Hawley and N. Evans contributed as a pianoforte duet the second movement from Beethoven's First Symphony. A most enjoyable time was spent, Mr. Arthur Hawley being chairman. The Womens' Own members provided the refreshments which were served after the concert.
Harvest festival services were held at the Wesleyan Church on Sunday, the preacher morning and evening being Mr. J. Boothby, of South Normanton. In the morning the choir sang, ... At the evening service the choir beautifully rendered Parry's setting of "Crossing the Bar" in memory of the late Mr. Hill (an old member). There were good congregations, especially in the evening, and the church was tastefully decorated by the members. The choir was conducted by Mr. Donald Weston, and the organist was Mr. William Ball. On the Saturday prior to the festival a meat tea was held in the Wesleyan Schoolroom, while on Monday there was the usual sale of fruit and vegetables.
The Union of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, the Primitive Methodist Church, and United Methodist Church was commemorated at the Wesleyan Church on Sunday afternoon. The ceremony commenced with the reading of a brief statement to explain the union, after which prayer was said, and the Benediction was sung. The members of the three churches then united in singing, and representatives of each of the churches read a portion of Scripture. The Wesleyan Church was represented by a senior friend, who read a piece from Psalm 46, a Sunday School teacher read a portion of Psalm 67 for United Methodist Church, while a scholar read part of Psalm 27 for the Primitive Methodist Church. The whole company sang, and at three p.m. a broadcast message was received. The service was concluded by the singing of "All people that on earth do dwell," and the Benediction.
The winter season of Wednesday evening concerts was inaugurated at the Wesleyan Church last week, with an entertainment consisting of two sketches and a radio gramophone recital. Mrs. A. Tomlinson presided, and a portion of a broadcast concert by the Ripley United Band was first enjoyed. Then followed the sketch in which the character of the henpecked husband was well portrayed by Mr. R. Bailey. Mr. W. Bailey gave a good imitation of the domineering wife, while Mr. L. Bailey's performance of the other husband left little to be desired. After the interval, Mr. Turner started the gramophone with a few records of nautical flavour, and a sketch followed. Mr. F. Hill played the role of the captain, Miss Mary Oldham represented the captain's wife with considerable skill. Mr. L. Bailey looked a real ancient mariner, while Mr. R. Bailey's fortune telling was a very popular feature. As a result of the concert the Sunday School stall at the forthcoming bazaar will benefit to the extent of about £5.
The wedding took place at Huthwaite Parish Church on Saturday of last week of Miss Norah England, youngest daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. J.W. England, formerly of Regent Street, Sutton, and Mr. Leonard T. Edlington, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Edlington, Grimsby. The Rev. W.L. Boulton performed the ceremony.
The bride was given away by Mr. C. Dove (friend of bride's parents). Two bridesmaids were Miss Elsie Dove (friend of bride), Miss Audrey Edlington (sister of groom), Miss Norah Rowland and Miss Marion Whelton (nieces of bride). ... Mr. H.W. Edlington (brother of groom) was the best man. On leaving the Church the bride was presented with a horse shoe by Miss N. Rowland.
A reception was held at the home of the bride's sister, and later the happy couple left for their honeymoon at Scarborough. Many valuable gifts were received from relatives and friends, including an oak bedroom suite from the bridegroom's parents. The bride's gift to the bridegroom was a pair of gloves, and the bridegroom's gift to the bride was a white crystal necklace. The bridegroom presented each of the maids with a blue crystal necklace.
THE appalling conditions under which a man, his wife and two children lived were described at the Mansfield Petty Sessions yesterday (Mr. A.H. Bonser in the chair), when Elijah Bacon and Georgina Bacon, both of 6, New Fall Street, Huthwaite, were charged with unlawfully and wilfully neglecting their children, Jessie and Leonard Bacon, aged 12 and 8 years respectively, in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to their health.
Under Notice Since 1925. Mr. W. Gamble prosecuted on behalf of the N.S.P.C.C., and said the case had been under the notice of the Society on an off since 1925, except in 1928, when conditions were very much improved. Since the beginning of this year the condition of things had become so bad that the Society had no alternative but to prosecute. During the time the case had been under the supervision of the Society repeated warnings had ben given to defendants, both verbally and in writing, and promises had been made to improve things. The offences consisted of insufficient food and clothing, the bodies of the children were verminous, and their heads covered in lice, and complaints had been received from the schools they attended and from the police. When the children were inspected they were found in a shocking condition, and not fit to sit with other children.
"The house was in an appalling condition," added Mr. Gamble. "The rooms stunk, and the bed clothing was covered with livestock. There were two beds, on one of which there was only a dirty mattress, and the other, in which the whole family slept, was covered with a thin dirty blanket and two dirty old coats, and was in a particularly filthy condition."
The children were constantly allowed to be out at night as late as 11 and 12 o'clock, observed Mr. Gamble, the house being locked up and the children unable to get in to go to bed. On several occasions the children had obtained food from neighbours. The children were appallingly under-nourished and ill-clad, and there was no reason whatever for it as the father received 27s. 6d. per week unemployment benefit and 11s. 6d. pension. The children were in such a bad condition on September 2nd that they had to be taken to the County Institution, where the child Jessie was found to be in a very poor condition.
Inspector Banyard said when he visited defendants house on the date in question he found the living room in a filthy state, and on the top of the table were cooking and eating utensils which looked as though these had not been washed for days. The bedroom reeked with a filthy smell and the bed in which the family slept was infested with fleas, whilst the room was alive with flies. Witness went to Blackwell Road Schools and saw the child Jessie, who was scantily clad, very poorly nourished and her head alive with lice. Subsequently witness saw the boy Leonard at the Common Road Schools. He was wearing a dirty jersey which was in tatters and his shirt underneath was in rages. The boy was in a poor condition, but was fairly well nourished.
Witness added that after making further inquiries, he waited for the girl coming home from school. She had to obtain the key and let herself in, and all there was to eat in the house was half a loaf of bread and a tiny piece of lard, not sufficient to cover one slice of bread. Witness said he had pleaded with the defendants many times to improve things and the promised to do so.
When told about the insufficient bed-clothes, Mrs. Bacon made the excuse that she had some blankets in the wash at her sister's. She made the same excuse when witness's predecessor visited her in 1925. Last June, when witness visited defendants premises, he found the eating and cooking utensils in the same filthy condition, as he had done on each of the several other occasions he had visited the place.
Mrs. Maud Goddard, of 8, New Fall Street, Huthwaite, said she had known defendants for some time and had often given the children food. The children were out at all hours, and witness had left them at 10.45 p.m. to go to bed. She had known the children to be out at 12 midnight at week-ends. Witness said Mrs. Bacon came to her on the Friday of Inspector Banyard's visit and asked her if she had any blankets or money to lend her.
Mrs. Bacon: It's false; it's her who asked me that. (Laughter).
Another neighbour, Mrs. Annie Hughes, of 4, New Fall Street, said she had lived next door to defendants every since they came to the house, and had given food to the children on three occasions. She had seen the children out at night between 11 and 12 o'clock.
Mrs. Sarah Ann Clarke, who keeps a chip shop at the corner of New Fall Street, said defendants' children were always round the door begging and were often there when she closed the shop at 10 o'clock.
P.c. Reddish said between 8.50 p.m. and 9.30 p.m. on May 23rd last he saw defendants' children hanging about in New Fall Street. It was raining hard at the time and they had neither hats nor coats on and could not get into the house. At 10.30 p.m. on August 7th, witness again saw the children out. There were no other children about at the time and defendants' house was in total darkness.
D. Anderson, of Huthwaite, gave evidence of examining the two children on September 2nd and finding the head of the girl absolutely covered with lice. She was rather poorly clad and badly nourished. The boy was fairly well nourished, but his body was covered with flea bites. On going to the bedroom and lifting up the dirty covering of the bed in which all the family slept, he could see fleas jumping about. There was no food in the pantry except a bit of bread and lard.
Asked by the Magistrates' Clerk if he had anything to say to male defendant said it was a pity they (meaning the witnesses) had nothing else to do.
Mrs. Bacon: Inspector Banyard wants to look at some other children; I have seen some having a bath and you could not stick a pin in them for flea bites. You can stick a pin in mine.
After a retirement by the Bench, the Chairman said both defendants ought to be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for allowing such filthy conditions as they had the means to live decently. They were a disgrace to society, and would both have to go to gaol for six months.
The Bench made an order for the children to remain in the County Institution for the time being.
Congratulations are extended to Master Jim Wright and Miss Constance Ensor, who have passed the first part of the Bishop's Certificate of the Diocesan Scripture examination.
The Brunts School Orchestra, under the direction of Mr. F. Oakley, B.A. (Sutton), provided an entertainment at the Wesleyan Chapel, Huthwaite, on Wednesday. Musical solos and elocutionary items were rendered. The chair lady was Mrs. A. Tomlinson, and the proceeds were devoted to the fund for the forthcoming bazaar.
The annual flag day in aid of Royal Institution for the Blind was very successful, and congratulations are due to Miss K. Searson, who organised the event, and Mr. Goodall and Miss Pritchett, who helped in the counting of the collection. Miss Searson received a letter of acknowledgement from the Secretary of the Institution thanking her for the £12 received, which sum was £3 greater than last year's collection.
During the first part of next week at the Lyric Theatre a picture adapted from the novel by Zane Grey, "Riders of the Purple Sage," will be the chief feature. ... During the second half of the week, the film to be screened is adapted from a poem by Will Carleton- "Over the Hill." James Dunn - "the boy with a smile" - Sally Eilias and Mae Marsh occupy the principal parts ...
Through his mother, a Huthwaite youth, Austin Robertson, of Ashfield Road, brought an action at the Mansfield County Court on Monday, for £100 damages against the Midland General Omnibus Co., Ltd. Robertson, now 17 years of age, was 16 when the accident happened in June of last year, and he sustained serious injuries to his leg and ankle necessitating his being an in-patient of the Mansfield Hospital for 10 weeks. The claim failed, it being held that negligence had not been proved.
Mr. E.B. Hibbert, who appeared for the plaintiff, said the action was brought on his behalf by his mother, Mrs. Agnes McLeish Robertson, a widow, of Ashfield Road, Huthwaite. Plaintiff received serious injury to his right leg, and was to some extent permanently injured. The issue of the case was whether there was negligence on the part of the company's servant.
As the vehicle was slowing up near Ashfield Road, the plaintiff got up from his seat, walked along the gangway and stood on the step at the front exit, holding on to the handrail. While plaintiff stood at the door, the conductor called out, "Be careful," and then he (the conductor) went to the back of the 'bus. Before the 'bus had stopped plaintiff's feet shot from under him, he partially slithered down the slope, making a desperate attempt to cling to the handrail, but his strength gave out, and he fell to the ground with a scream. The back wheel of the 'bus caught his right leg, injuring it severely. Mr. Hibbert said the suggestion was that there was negligence on the part of the conductor in permitting a state of things which led to the accident...
Lengthy court questioning finally concludes with:-
Mr. Hibbert replied that there was clear evidence of negligence, and argued the step of the 'bus was worn
P.c. Reddish, who examined the step of the 'bus ten minutes after the accident, said that while it was not brand new, the diamond criss-cross was not worn off, and its condition was not dangerous.
The Judge held that the plaintiff could not succeed in his claim. He was a person over 16 years of age at the time, and it was not the duty of the conductor to take him by the hand and see him safely off the 'bus. As to the condition of the step of the 'bus there was no evidence to show that it was dangerous, or that it was in such a state as to have caused the plaintiff to slip. In those circumstances there must be judgement for the defendant company with costs.
Written 03 Mar 12 Revised 03 Mar 12 © by Gary Elliott