150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 19 - 25 OCTOBER 1876
This week's many stories include the accusation of extravagance made against the Prescot Guardians, there's criticism of the St Helens Free Library, a discussion on the bread ration at Whiston Workhouse and the harsh punishment for a troublesome resident of Gillars Green.
We start on the 19th when a meeting of the Prescot Guardians took place in the boardroom at Whiston Workhouse (pictured above). As part of a discussion about Rainford, it was mentioned that the township was growing. In 1868 Rainford had 516 ratepayers but there were now 650. However, Rainford was not expanding as fast as the town of St Helens.
It was disclosed at the meeting that they now had two relieving officers to cover St Helens and they were trying to set up two offices where outdoor relief could be administered. They were currently using the old town hall building but the two relieving officers were looking for another suitable location to serve the Sutton and Eccleston division.
The St Helens Newspaper could be critical of the Prescot Guardians for the lunches that they treated themselves to at their fortnightly meetings. In 1870 the paper felt some of the members did not take their work seriously enough, with many instances of "ludicrous and inappropriate jocosity [jocularity]".
Some guardians were accused of "gliding out" of the boardroom at Whiston Workhouse – where the meetings were held – and refreshing themselves in the Green Dragon Inn before returning. The paper claimed their meetings were unnecessarily dragged out. But once word came through from the kitchen that their dinners were ready, the remaining business was rushed through!
Their elected positions as guardians of the poor were unpaid and as well as supervising the large workhouse, they organised the so-called outdoor relief to poverty-stricken folk living in the community. And so they were entitled to some refreshments while undertaking their important work.
But at the meeting this week some harsh words were spoken by a guardian called William Meadows, who was a tar distiller from Rainhill, in connection with their Special Relief Committee. The guardians had a number of sub-committees and their normal relief sub-committee met every fortnight.
They approved applications from the extreme poor living out of the workhouse who wanted Poor Law relief, which, on average, was only 2 or 3 shillings per week. However, the meagre amount of money came from the district's ratepayers and it was a duty of the guardians to ensure only what they considered to be the deserving poor received assistance.
And so some time ago, a Special Relief Committee had been formed to meticulously investigate all claims, including those paupers who were living in the workhouse. But Mr Meadows described how astonished he had been to see such a large number of guardians on the special committee enjoying a dinner at the ratepayers' expense.
He said the chairman of the Special Relief Committee had told him that he'd originally envisaged having only five members. However, any of the 29 guardians were entitled to join his committee and it had simply grown.
The committee had been established in April and had held six sittings but Meadows accused their members of extravagance. He said they had claimed £27 for expenses for dinners and travel costs – but had only made savings in relief payments of 10 shilling a week.
And it was revealed that the special relief committee had been removing what they felt were undeserving persons from their lists only for the individual to re-apply to the normal relief committee and be granted their money again! But the chairman said more savings than Meadows claimed had been made with 818 cases investigated and the potential annual savings were in the hundreds of pounds.
The guardians also discussed the serving of bread in the workhouse with one member complaining about a great amount of waste. He said some paupers ate less than others and called for the bread to be cut into smaller pieces. However, their Clerk explained that the matter had been considered previously and an experiment had taken place in which smaller portions of bread had been served.
But he said the paupers had not been happy and had demanded their full 6 ounces of bread per person. The Poor Law Board, which regulated workhouses, had set 6oz as part of their daily diet and the paupers had said it was up to them whether they ate it all or not.
A letter had recently been published in the St Helens Newspaper complaining how the Free Library (as it was always called) had very restricted opening hours. The Mechanics Institute had started the first free public lending library at the old Town Hall and when the institute closed about 1870, St Helens Corporation had taken it over.
It contained over 3,000 volumes and by 1876 was still operating out of the fire-damaged old hall in New Market Place. However, the library's opening hours were only 7 to 8pm on three evenings a week and in an editorial the Newspaper said they agreed with their correspondent that the library room should be much more accessible, writing:
"A good library is potent for good, and it would be highly discreditable to all concerned should its value be in any way marred for want of effort or self-sacrifice in responsible persons." At the end of 1877 the library would transfer to the new Town Hall in Corporation Street and both expand its catalogue and opening hours.
There were several regular sub-headings in the Newspaper's account of the St Helens Petty Sessions. These include "Drunk and Disorderly", "Carters' Offences" and "Women's Quarrels". There was no equivalent "Men's Quarrels", although there were plenty of those in the 1870s!
But women being at home virtually all day and often sharing facilities with troublesome neighbours often led to many rows. There were two such cases featured in the Newspaper this week, with one of them demonstrating how a complainant in court would often tell a partial story.
Margaret Flynn had accused Mary Clayton of assault and told how she had been visiting her neighbour's house when Mary spat in her face and accused her of robbing her employers. Margaret also claimed to have been twice assaulted by Mary, despite Mary's own mother's attempts at stopping her.
But the woman was only fined 6p and costs, which was as about as notional a punishment as you could get. And the reason, the Newspaper explained, was that subsequent evidence showed that the complainant was "not altogether free from blame", although they did not elaborate on what she had done.
But there was a far harsher punishment for the defendant in the second case, in which it was explained that a troublesome woman had moved into a peaceful community near Gillars Green in Eccleston. Julia Devine told the court how she had lived in her home for more than 12 years and had never had a wrong word with anyone until Ann Winstanley had arrived nine months ago. She claimed that Ann was "a woman of most violent and disorderly character".
Many residents used a communal water supply and Mrs Devine told how on one evening she had gone outside to fill her kettle and seen the defendant standing at her own door. Julia said Ann commenced using "vile and abusive language" and had charged her with improper conduct with her lodgers and with other men in the neighbourhood.
Mrs Winstanley had even accused Mrs Devine of similar behaviour with Ann's own husband. But after hearing the evidence and with his client having been unable to prove her claims, Ann's solicitor advised her to plead guilty, which she did.
And she was told that she would be bound over to keep the peace for three months but had to find sureties totalling £20 or go to prison for a month. Very likely, the latter course would have occurred, as £20 was a huge amount.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Bulgarian Atrocities Fund, the Mayor complains of a monstrous nuisance, the strange act of pedestrianism on St Helens Fairground and a call for councillors to act with decorum and decency.
It was disclosed at the meeting that they now had two relieving officers to cover St Helens and they were trying to set up two offices where outdoor relief could be administered. They were currently using the old town hall building but the two relieving officers were looking for another suitable location to serve the Sutton and Eccleston division.
The St Helens Newspaper could be critical of the Prescot Guardians for the lunches that they treated themselves to at their fortnightly meetings. In 1870 the paper felt some of the members did not take their work seriously enough, with many instances of "ludicrous and inappropriate jocosity [jocularity]".
Some guardians were accused of "gliding out" of the boardroom at Whiston Workhouse – where the meetings were held – and refreshing themselves in the Green Dragon Inn before returning. The paper claimed their meetings were unnecessarily dragged out. But once word came through from the kitchen that their dinners were ready, the remaining business was rushed through!
Their elected positions as guardians of the poor were unpaid and as well as supervising the large workhouse, they organised the so-called outdoor relief to poverty-stricken folk living in the community. And so they were entitled to some refreshments while undertaking their important work.
But at the meeting this week some harsh words were spoken by a guardian called William Meadows, who was a tar distiller from Rainhill, in connection with their Special Relief Committee. The guardians had a number of sub-committees and their normal relief sub-committee met every fortnight.
They approved applications from the extreme poor living out of the workhouse who wanted Poor Law relief, which, on average, was only 2 or 3 shillings per week. However, the meagre amount of money came from the district's ratepayers and it was a duty of the guardians to ensure only what they considered to be the deserving poor received assistance.
And so some time ago, a Special Relief Committee had been formed to meticulously investigate all claims, including those paupers who were living in the workhouse. But Mr Meadows described how astonished he had been to see such a large number of guardians on the special committee enjoying a dinner at the ratepayers' expense.
He said the chairman of the Special Relief Committee had told him that he'd originally envisaged having only five members. However, any of the 29 guardians were entitled to join his committee and it had simply grown.
The committee had been established in April and had held six sittings but Meadows accused their members of extravagance. He said they had claimed £27 for expenses for dinners and travel costs – but had only made savings in relief payments of 10 shilling a week.
And it was revealed that the special relief committee had been removing what they felt were undeserving persons from their lists only for the individual to re-apply to the normal relief committee and be granted their money again! But the chairman said more savings than Meadows claimed had been made with 818 cases investigated and the potential annual savings were in the hundreds of pounds.
The guardians also discussed the serving of bread in the workhouse with one member complaining about a great amount of waste. He said some paupers ate less than others and called for the bread to be cut into smaller pieces. However, their Clerk explained that the matter had been considered previously and an experiment had taken place in which smaller portions of bread had been served.
But he said the paupers had not been happy and had demanded their full 6 ounces of bread per person. The Poor Law Board, which regulated workhouses, had set 6oz as part of their daily diet and the paupers had said it was up to them whether they ate it all or not.
A letter had recently been published in the St Helens Newspaper complaining how the Free Library (as it was always called) had very restricted opening hours. The Mechanics Institute had started the first free public lending library at the old Town Hall and when the institute closed about 1870, St Helens Corporation had taken it over.
It contained over 3,000 volumes and by 1876 was still operating out of the fire-damaged old hall in New Market Place. However, the library's opening hours were only 7 to 8pm on three evenings a week and in an editorial the Newspaper said they agreed with their correspondent that the library room should be much more accessible, writing:
"A good library is potent for good, and it would be highly discreditable to all concerned should its value be in any way marred for want of effort or self-sacrifice in responsible persons." At the end of 1877 the library would transfer to the new Town Hall in Corporation Street and both expand its catalogue and opening hours.
There were several regular sub-headings in the Newspaper's account of the St Helens Petty Sessions. These include "Drunk and Disorderly", "Carters' Offences" and "Women's Quarrels". There was no equivalent "Men's Quarrels", although there were plenty of those in the 1870s!
But women being at home virtually all day and often sharing facilities with troublesome neighbours often led to many rows. There were two such cases featured in the Newspaper this week, with one of them demonstrating how a complainant in court would often tell a partial story.
Margaret Flynn had accused Mary Clayton of assault and told how she had been visiting her neighbour's house when Mary spat in her face and accused her of robbing her employers. Margaret also claimed to have been twice assaulted by Mary, despite Mary's own mother's attempts at stopping her.
But the woman was only fined 6p and costs, which was as about as notional a punishment as you could get. And the reason, the Newspaper explained, was that subsequent evidence showed that the complainant was "not altogether free from blame", although they did not elaborate on what she had done.
But there was a far harsher punishment for the defendant in the second case, in which it was explained that a troublesome woman had moved into a peaceful community near Gillars Green in Eccleston. Julia Devine told the court how she had lived in her home for more than 12 years and had never had a wrong word with anyone until Ann Winstanley had arrived nine months ago. She claimed that Ann was "a woman of most violent and disorderly character".
Many residents used a communal water supply and Mrs Devine told how on one evening she had gone outside to fill her kettle and seen the defendant standing at her own door. Julia said Ann commenced using "vile and abusive language" and had charged her with improper conduct with her lodgers and with other men in the neighbourhood.
Mrs Winstanley had even accused Mrs Devine of similar behaviour with Ann's own husband. But after hearing the evidence and with his client having been unable to prove her claims, Ann's solicitor advised her to plead guilty, which she did.
And she was told that she would be bound over to keep the peace for three months but had to find sureties totalling £20 or go to prison for a month. Very likely, the latter course would have occurred, as £20 was a huge amount.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Bulgarian Atrocities Fund, the Mayor complains of a monstrous nuisance, the strange act of pedestrianism on St Helens Fairground and a call for councillors to act with decorum and decency.
This week's many stories include the accusation of extravagance made against the Prescot Guardians, there's criticism of the St Helens Free Library, a discussion on the bread ration at Whiston Workhouse and the harsh punishment for a troublesome resident of Gillars Green.
We start on the 19th when a meeting of the Prescot Guardians took place in the boardroom at Whiston Workhouse (pictured above).
As part of a discussion about Rainford, it was mentioned that the township was growing. In 1868 Rainford had 516 ratepayers but there were now 650.
However, Rainford was not expanding as fast as the town of St Helens.
It was disclosed at the meeting that they now had two relieving officers to cover St Helens and they were trying to set up two offices where outdoor relief could be administered.
They were currently using the old town hall building but the two relieving officers were looking for another suitable location to serve the Sutton and Eccleston division.
The St Helens Newspaper could be critical of the Prescot Guardians for the lunches that they treated themselves to at their fortnightly meetings.
In 1870 the paper felt some of the members did not take their work seriously enough, with many instances of "ludicrous and inappropriate jocosity [jocularity]".
Some guardians were accused of "gliding out" of the boardroom at Whiston Workhouse – where the meetings were held – and refreshing themselves in the Green Dragon Inn before returning.
The paper claimed their meetings were unnecessarily dragged out. But once word came through from the kitchen that their dinners were ready, the remaining business was rushed through!
Their elected positions as guardians of the poor were unpaid and as well as supervising the large workhouse, they organised the so-called outdoor relief to poverty-stricken folk living in the community.
And so they were entitled to some refreshments while undertaking their important work.
But at the meeting this week some harsh words were spoken by a guardian called William Meadows, who was a tar distiller from Rainhill, in connection with their Special Relief Committee.
The guardians had a number of sub-committees and their normal relief sub-committee met every fortnight.
They approved applications from the extreme poor living out of the workhouse who wanted Poor Law relief, which, on average, was only 2 or 3 shillings per week.
However, the meagre amount of money came from the district's ratepayers and it was a duty of the guardians to ensure only what they considered to be the deserving poor received assistance.
And so some time ago, a Special Relief Committee had been formed to meticulously investigate all claims, including those paupers who were living in the workhouse.
But Mr Meadows described how astonished he had been to see such a large number of guardians on the special committee enjoying a dinner at the ratepayers' expense.
He said the chairman of the Special Relief Committee had told him that he'd originally envisaged having only five members.
However, any of the 29 guardians were entitled to join his committee and it had simply grown.
The committee had been established in April and had held six sittings but Meadows accused their members of extravagance.
He said they had claimed £27 for expenses for dinners and travel costs – but had only made savings in relief payments of 10 shilling a week.
And it was revealed that the special relief committee had been removing what they felt were undeserving persons from their lists only for the individual to re-apply to the normal relief committee and be granted their money again!
But the chairman said more savings than Meadows claimed had been made with 818 cases investigated and the potential annual savings were in the hundreds of pounds.
The guardians also discussed the serving of bread in the workhouse with one member complaining about a great amount of waste.
He said some paupers ate less than others and called for the bread to be cut into smaller pieces.
However, their Clerk explained that the matter had been considered previously and an experiment had taken place in which smaller portions of bread had been served.
But he said the paupers had not been happy and had demanded their full 6 ounces of bread per person.
The Poor Law Board, which regulated workhouses, had set 6oz as part of their daily diet and the paupers had said it was up to them whether they ate it all or not.
A letter had recently been published in the St Helens Newspaper complaining how the Free Library (as it was always called) had very restricted opening hours.
The Mechanics Institute had started the first free public lending library at the old Town Hall and when the institute closed about 1870, St Helens Corporation had taken it over.
It contained over 3,000 volumes and by 1876 was still operating out of the fire-damaged old hall in New Market Place.
However, the library's opening hours were only 7 to 8pm on three evenings a week and in an editorial the Newspaper said they agreed with their correspondent that the library room should be much more accessible, writing:
"A good library is potent for good, and it would be highly discreditable to all concerned should its value be in any way marred for want of effort or self-sacrifice in responsible persons."
At the end of 1877 the library would transfer to the new Town Hall in Corporation Street and both expand its catalogue and opening hours.
There were several regular sub-headings in the Newspaper's account of the St Helens Petty Sessions.
These include "Drunk and Disorderly", "Carters' Offences" and "Women's Quarrels".
There was no equivalent "Men's Quarrels", although there were plenty of those in the 1870s!
But women being at home virtually all day and often sharing facilities with troublesome neighbours often led to many rows.
There were two such cases featured in the Newspaper this week, with one of them demonstrating how a complainant in court would often tell a partial story.
Margaret Flynn had accused Mary Clayton of assault and told how she had been visiting her neighbour's house when Mary spat in her face and accused her of robbing her employers.
Margaret also claimed to have been twice assaulted by Mary, despite Mary's own mother's attempts at stopping her.
But the woman was only fined 6p and costs, which was as about as notional a punishment as you could get.
And the reason, the Newspaper explained, was that subsequent evidence showed that the complainant was "not altogether free from blame", although they did not elaborate on what she had done.
But there was a far harsher punishment for the defendant in the second case, in which it was explained that a troublesome woman had moved into a peaceful community near Gillars Green in Eccleston.
Julia Devine told the court how she had lived in her home for more than 12 years and had never had a wrong word with anyone until Ann Winstanley had arrived nine months ago.
She claimed that Ann was "a woman of most violent and disorderly character".
Many residents used a communal water supply and Mrs Devine told how on one evening she had gone outside to fill her kettle and seen the defendant standing at her own door.
Julia said Ann commenced using "vile and abusive language" and had charged her with improper conduct with her lodgers and with other men in the neighbourhood.
Mrs Winstanley had even accused Mrs Devine of similar behaviour with Ann's own husband.
But after hearing the evidence and with his client having been unable to prove her claims, Ann's solicitor advised her to plead guilty, which she did.
And she was told that she would be bound over to keep the peace for three months but had to find sureties totalling £20 or go to prison for a month.
Very likely, the latter course would have occurred, as £20 was a huge amount.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Bulgarian Atrocities Fund, the Mayor complains of a monstrous nuisance, the strange act of pedestrianism on St Helens Fairground and a call for councillors to act with decorum and decency.
As part of a discussion about Rainford, it was mentioned that the township was growing. In 1868 Rainford had 516 ratepayers but there were now 650.
However, Rainford was not expanding as fast as the town of St Helens.
It was disclosed at the meeting that they now had two relieving officers to cover St Helens and they were trying to set up two offices where outdoor relief could be administered.
They were currently using the old town hall building but the two relieving officers were looking for another suitable location to serve the Sutton and Eccleston division.
The St Helens Newspaper could be critical of the Prescot Guardians for the lunches that they treated themselves to at their fortnightly meetings.
In 1870 the paper felt some of the members did not take their work seriously enough, with many instances of "ludicrous and inappropriate jocosity [jocularity]".
Some guardians were accused of "gliding out" of the boardroom at Whiston Workhouse – where the meetings were held – and refreshing themselves in the Green Dragon Inn before returning.
The paper claimed their meetings were unnecessarily dragged out. But once word came through from the kitchen that their dinners were ready, the remaining business was rushed through!
Their elected positions as guardians of the poor were unpaid and as well as supervising the large workhouse, they organised the so-called outdoor relief to poverty-stricken folk living in the community.
And so they were entitled to some refreshments while undertaking their important work.
But at the meeting this week some harsh words were spoken by a guardian called William Meadows, who was a tar distiller from Rainhill, in connection with their Special Relief Committee.
The guardians had a number of sub-committees and their normal relief sub-committee met every fortnight.
They approved applications from the extreme poor living out of the workhouse who wanted Poor Law relief, which, on average, was only 2 or 3 shillings per week.
However, the meagre amount of money came from the district's ratepayers and it was a duty of the guardians to ensure only what they considered to be the deserving poor received assistance.
And so some time ago, a Special Relief Committee had been formed to meticulously investigate all claims, including those paupers who were living in the workhouse.
But Mr Meadows described how astonished he had been to see such a large number of guardians on the special committee enjoying a dinner at the ratepayers' expense.
He said the chairman of the Special Relief Committee had told him that he'd originally envisaged having only five members.
However, any of the 29 guardians were entitled to join his committee and it had simply grown.
The committee had been established in April and had held six sittings but Meadows accused their members of extravagance.
He said they had claimed £27 for expenses for dinners and travel costs – but had only made savings in relief payments of 10 shilling a week.
And it was revealed that the special relief committee had been removing what they felt were undeserving persons from their lists only for the individual to re-apply to the normal relief committee and be granted their money again!
But the chairman said more savings than Meadows claimed had been made with 818 cases investigated and the potential annual savings were in the hundreds of pounds.
The guardians also discussed the serving of bread in the workhouse with one member complaining about a great amount of waste.
He said some paupers ate less than others and called for the bread to be cut into smaller pieces.
However, their Clerk explained that the matter had been considered previously and an experiment had taken place in which smaller portions of bread had been served.
But he said the paupers had not been happy and had demanded their full 6 ounces of bread per person.
The Poor Law Board, which regulated workhouses, had set 6oz as part of their daily diet and the paupers had said it was up to them whether they ate it all or not.
A letter had recently been published in the St Helens Newspaper complaining how the Free Library (as it was always called) had very restricted opening hours.
The Mechanics Institute had started the first free public lending library at the old Town Hall and when the institute closed about 1870, St Helens Corporation had taken it over.
It contained over 3,000 volumes and by 1876 was still operating out of the fire-damaged old hall in New Market Place.
However, the library's opening hours were only 7 to 8pm on three evenings a week and in an editorial the Newspaper said they agreed with their correspondent that the library room should be much more accessible, writing:
"A good library is potent for good, and it would be highly discreditable to all concerned should its value be in any way marred for want of effort or self-sacrifice in responsible persons."
At the end of 1877 the library would transfer to the new Town Hall in Corporation Street and both expand its catalogue and opening hours.
There were several regular sub-headings in the Newspaper's account of the St Helens Petty Sessions.
These include "Drunk and Disorderly", "Carters' Offences" and "Women's Quarrels".
There was no equivalent "Men's Quarrels", although there were plenty of those in the 1870s!
But women being at home virtually all day and often sharing facilities with troublesome neighbours often led to many rows.
There were two such cases featured in the Newspaper this week, with one of them demonstrating how a complainant in court would often tell a partial story.
Margaret Flynn had accused Mary Clayton of assault and told how she had been visiting her neighbour's house when Mary spat in her face and accused her of robbing her employers.
Margaret also claimed to have been twice assaulted by Mary, despite Mary's own mother's attempts at stopping her.
But the woman was only fined 6p and costs, which was as about as notional a punishment as you could get.
And the reason, the Newspaper explained, was that subsequent evidence showed that the complainant was "not altogether free from blame", although they did not elaborate on what she had done.
But there was a far harsher punishment for the defendant in the second case, in which it was explained that a troublesome woman had moved into a peaceful community near Gillars Green in Eccleston.
Julia Devine told the court how she had lived in her home for more than 12 years and had never had a wrong word with anyone until Ann Winstanley had arrived nine months ago.
She claimed that Ann was "a woman of most violent and disorderly character".
Many residents used a communal water supply and Mrs Devine told how on one evening she had gone outside to fill her kettle and seen the defendant standing at her own door.
Julia said Ann commenced using "vile and abusive language" and had charged her with improper conduct with her lodgers and with other men in the neighbourhood.
Mrs Winstanley had even accused Mrs Devine of similar behaviour with Ann's own husband.
But after hearing the evidence and with his client having been unable to prove her claims, Ann's solicitor advised her to plead guilty, which she did.
And she was told that she would be bound over to keep the peace for three months but had to find sureties totalling £20 or go to prison for a month.
Very likely, the latter course would have occurred, as £20 was a huge amount.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Bulgarian Atrocities Fund, the Mayor complains of a monstrous nuisance, the strange act of pedestrianism on St Helens Fairground and a call for councillors to act with decorum and decency.