On 9 March 1889, two officers, Police Constables Gurney and Southern had been on duty in Westgate, Rotherham. It was around ten minutes before midnight and they had been standing on Oil Mill Fold opposite a lodging house which was run by a woman called Mrs Curtis. Southern poked his colleague in the ribs before pointing out a drunken man, who was so inebriated that he could barely stand. The two officers knew he was a lodger of Mrs Curtis, a man called John Evans, who had lived in Derby although he since had come to Rotherham when he got a job working as a puddler.

On the day in question he had been drinking since around 4 pm, so by the time the two officers saw him, he was visibly not sober. Southern challenged his colleague to ‘lift him’ in other words to arrest the drunken man. However what happened afterwards was a matter of great dispute, although the outcome was that Evans received injuries which, for some time afterwards, resulted in his life being despaired of. As a result, his dying deposition was taken by a Justice of the Peace. It was widely believed that no person in a dying condition would lie, shortly before meeting his Maker. So such depositions were taken very seriously by the legal authorities.

John Evans had not been in Rotherham long and had lived at Mrs Curtis’s lodging house for just a week before the incident had happened. It was later established that his drunken condition had resulted in him not seeing his attacker, although he remembered being thrown to the ground and being kicked savagely on the lower part of his body. All he could remember afterwards was that the man concerned had a dark beard. Consequently, he knew nothing until the next day when he woke up and found his bed full of blood. Only much later did a passing tramp tell him that ‘he had been kicked by a bobby’.

However, it was some days later before the matter was brought to the attention of the Chief Constable of Rotherham himself, Captain Burnett. He immediately went to the workhouse hospital and spoke to Evans. As a result of their conversation, the Police Surgeon, Alfred Robinson was called to examine the injured man. Consequently, Police Constable James Gurney was charged with ‘occasioning actual bodily harm on 9 March to John Evans.’ It seems that the enquiry had caused the officer to be dismissed as he was now being described as ‘an ex-police officer.’ Nevertheless the incident had caused such a stir in the town, that the courtroom was packed with people anxious to see the result.

Accordingly, when Gurney appeared before the magistrates, he was described as being smart and disciplined officer, sporting a dark beard. The case was prosecuted by Mr Hickmott on behalf of the Rotherham Watch Committee. He told the court that the deceased, Evans had been leading and somewhat roving life and that on the night in question he was indeed considerably the worse for liquor. The next witness was police surgeon, Alfred Robinson who told the court that he had first seen John Evans on Wednesday 20 March at the workhouse hospital. He said the man had some serious bruising and was suffering from a haemorrhage in the stomach where had been kicked.

The surgeon said that the bruise was a large one and was approximately the size of a man’s hand. His injuries were so severe that it was assumed that he would die and accordingly his deposition had been taken. When asked why he hadn’t sought medical attention earlier, Evans had no answer to give. The prosecution admitted that there had been no witnesses as to what had actually happened and then told the court that Constable Southern was unable to attend that day as he had gone down with a case of measles. When it was time for John Evans to give his testimony, he said that after the attack he was in the workhouse hospital on Wednesday 24 April when he was approached by a man he did not know.

The man asked him if, during the attack he had recognised his attacker and Evans stated that he did not know him. The man who, he said was sporting a dark beard, told him that he had seen the incident and that his attacker had a much darker beard than he had himself and had a much rougher voice. Then to Evans surprise the man told him that if he would say as much to the legal authorities when questioned that he would ‘make him a present when the trial was over.’ Another police officer, Police Constable Boler was the next to give evidence. He stated that around 3.30 am on 9 March he had met Constable Gurney at the police station who told him that ‘he had kicked a man.’

However that officer told him that he could not lock him up, as he had been on private property at the time. Also later they had discussed the condition of the man in the workhouse hospital, although Gurney again denied that it was the man that he had kicked. Nevertheless he also told his colleague ‘for Gods sake don’t say anything about it.’ Captain Burnett was the next witness and he stated that after hearing what had happened on 9 March, he had sent for the two officers concerned, who again denied any knowledge of the man who was at that time lying injured in the workhouse hospital.

Three days later Gurney stated that he did remember seeing the drunken man on that night, but knew nothing of him being kicked. After hearing this evidence, the case was adjourned until 13 May in order that principal witnesses could give their evidence. Captain Burnett stated that on March 22 he and a Justice of the Peace, Alderman Wragg had taken John Evan’s deposition. There he stated that ‘he was unable to describe his attacker and could not describe whether he had a beard or not.’ After hearing all the evidence James Gurney was committed for trial at the Yorkshire Spring Assizes where he appeared on Tuesday 21 May 1889.

However the Grand Jury returned a no bill against the former police officer and he was discharged. However if he hoped that the whole sorry affair was over James Gurney was soon to be disabused of this notion. This time it was the victim John Evans who had brought him into court, claiming £50 damages for his injuries. When Gurney was giving evidence, he stated he would not be able to find the costs in the case. He admitted that since losing his job, he could not find money for food, let alone this action.’ After a short consultation the jury found took pity on the ex-officer and he was discharged.

Although he was now retired, ex-Police Sergeant James Maxwell had been a most well known figure as, after he retired, he was employed as a ticket taker at the Alexander Opera House in Sheffield. There he was a regular sight, often greeting old comrades who patronised the Opera House. When PC Meggitt recognised him, he called out his name, but there was no response from the lifeless figure. That officer could see that Maxwell had been viciously attacked, resulting in a severe cut above his right eye. Blowing his whistle, Meggitt soon attracted the help of another officer, Police Constable Newton.

Together the two men managed to get him back to his home on Westbar Green, Sheffield, where he lived with his daughter and her husband Thomas Dooley. There Maxwell was laid out on his bed whilst his daughter tried to clean his injuries, and Dooley went to fetch surgeon, Dr Booth of Paradise Square. That surgeon tried hard to save the elderly man, but from the start he held out no hope that he would survive. Nevertheless Maxwell was made of sterner stuff and he lingered for another four days before finally succumbing to his injuries. The motive for the attack was plain to see, as every pocket had been turned inside out and missing was his knife and his spectacles.

Maxwell had lived in Sheffield for most of his life and had been employed in the police force for more than twenty-eight years. Twenty of those years had been as a sergeant, but about four years previously he felt he was getting too old and infirm to continue. Accordingly, at the time of his death he was in receipt of a pension from the Police Superannuation Fund. Maxwell died on Thursday 1 December 1870 and it seems that the last time he had been seen was on the Sunday evening when he had visited an old chum, Charles Thompson. He was the landlord of the Acorn public house in Shalesmoor, which Maxwell left around 10 pm.

The ex-sergeant then went to the Greyhound in Gibraltar Street and had another drink there, only leaving at 11 pm when the landlord called time. It seems that he was not intoxicated, and seemed fit enough to make his own way home, until he was found by PC Meggitt. The Sheffield Daily Telegraph dated Friday 2 December summed up the shock of local people on hearing the news of this popular man’s demise. The reporter stated that:

‘It is rather suspected that the outrage had been committed by some of the many night prowlers who had been attracted to Sheffield on account of it being the Fair Week. Whoever they are, it is to be hoped their sins will find them out, but as yet, no clue has been obtained.’

An inquest on the deceased man was held later the same day at the White Lion in Queen Street, Sheffield by Coroner, Mr. J. Webster Esq. However he said that police enquiries were still incomplete and so just evidence of identification would be heard that day. The coroner told the jury that the post mortem had revealed that Sergeant Maxwells injuries could not have been received from a fall, so it seems that he had died from the head wound above his eye. His son-in-law Thomas Dooley identified the remains before the inquest was adjourned for a fortnight.

Meanwhile Sergeant Maxwells funeral took place on Sunday 4 December at the Roman Catholic Cemetery at Rivelin, before a large crowd of mourners. A procession was formed in which there were many existing and superannuated members of the Sheffield police force anxious to pay their last respects. When the adjourned inquest was reconvened on Friday 16 December 1870, the coroner remarked that the inquest may have to be adjourned once more, as the police were still following their enquiries. Police Constable Meggitt was the first witness and he, once again, described finding the injured man. The landlord of the Greyhound public house, Charles Thompson said that whilst the deceased man had been at his house, he just had about three penny worth of whiskey.

He told the coroner that he thought Sergeant Maxwell was rather the worse for liquor when he arrived, he judged him to ‘still know what he was about.’ Thompson said that the deceased man left his establishment around a quarter to eleven with someone called Paramour. Mr Paramour was attending the inquest, however when he was called to give his evidence, he could add little more. He simply said that they both went out of the Greyhound together, but once outside they separated and went their own way. Dr Booth gave the medical evidence and stated that the man was in a deep state of insensibility when he was called out to see him.

He said that the deceased had no feelings in his arms and legs and his sight had gone. The surgeon described the deep wound over the man’s right eye which was half an inch and length, and exposed the bone below. However Dr Booth said that there was no wound on the back of Sergeant Maxwells head, although there had been plenty of blood. He therefore concluded that the injury to the front part of his head was the cause of death. When Mr Webster asked the surgeon if the injuries could have been caused by a fall, the surgeon stated that the wound over his right eye could have been caused by a fall, but that he had lost a lot of blood.

The coroner told the jury that at this stage that he intended adjourned the inquest for another month. However when the inquest was finally re-convened on Monday 16 January 1870, it was clear that the Sheffield police were no further forward in their enquiries. Accordingly, the jury had no option but to deliver a verdict of ‘wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.’ Who had killed this popular officer, who it seemed was well liked by those who came in contact with him. Was it indeed simply a robbery which had gone drastically wrong?

On the evening of 5 September 1893 the first case of cholera was found in the town. The victim was a thirty-five year old collier, named William Burnand who lived on Tummon Street, Holmes, Masborough. He was found to be infected and soon afterwards sadly died. It seems that William had awoken that morning in normal health and had gone to Greasborough to do some fishing. Despite seeming to be in good spirits at the time, he returned home around 3 pm seriously ill. So ill in fact that he died about 7 pm. In an attempt to prevent panic spreading, the local health authority immediately took possession of his house and disinfected everything inside.

The house walls were whitewashed and the occupants were quickly isolated in the hospital. Within two hours of his death, Williams body was encased in a strong coffin and removed to the local Mortuary before he was swiftly interred in a grave. Portions of his stomach were sent to Dr Klein, a bacteriologist of Sheffield who confirmed the diagnosis that he had indeed died of cholera. Needless to say there were many suggestions as to how the disease had arrived in the town. At the time it was thought that such infections were caught from smell or ‘miasma’ coming from sewers. In a parish council meeting therefore, Alderman Marsh blamed the infection on the stench arising from the River Don.

He stated that for the past six weeks the smell had been ‘almost unbearable.’ He complained that nine tenths of the drainage from both towns of Rotherham and Sheffield were poured into the river Don as well as its sewage. Needless to say as the towns people panicked, and there was an upsurge in remedies against such diseases. It was reported that the sales of ‘KEEP-AWAY CHOLERA POWDERS’ selling at local chemists shops had gone through the roof. These powders were cheap enough to use as a precaution to even the poorest of families, selling at just a shilling a packet. Although how effective they were has not been recorded. Thankfully as the month of September progressed, it would seem that cholera was finally going away from the town as increased cases were now being reported from Doncaster and Derbyshire.

But then, just as local people were beginning to relax, on the 13 September a second case of cholera was established in Rotherham. In the early hours of Tuesday 12 September 1893, a fifty year old man called John Wall died at his home in Arthur Street, Thornhill, Masborough. He was diagnosed by his doctor Mr. A. Statter, which was soon confirmed by the Medical Officer of Health for Rotherham, Dr Alfred Robinson. Wall had been employed by Rotherham Corporation as a foreman stonemason with a team of men who pitched (tarred) the streets of the town. It was said that for some time he had shown signs of failing health, but just thirteen hours before his death, he went into a decline.

Once again when cholera was diagnosed, the house was carefully disinfected by the sanitary authorities. Walls internment took place at the Masborough Cemetery later that same day, before an enquiry as to how the man had contracted the disease was started. However, despite many of his friends and family being closely questioned, there was no conclusion as to how he had contracted the disease could be established. He lived quite a distance from William Burnand and the two men were not acquainted with either him or his family. Then another victim was found. On October 18, a man simply referred to as George M who lived in Sales Yard, Rotherham had been diagnosed.

In order not to spread panic, his full name was not given, however, thankfully he did survive. Nevertheless the outbreak of cholera continued. Between September 15 to October 18 there were another eighteen cases reported in the town which were certified as choleric diarrhoea. From January 1 to November 15 there were fifty nine cases of enteric fever which Dr Robinson attributed not to cholera, but to the poor sanitary conditions of the district. The surgeon believed that was due to the fact that the medical authorities had acted with commendable promptitude and energy when it appeared in their district.

Thankfully, this final epidemic to hit Rotherham was of short duration, although the surgeon was unable to give any evidence on how it had been introduced to the town in the first place. Nevertheless, the people of Rotherham have long memories, hence the cholera burial ground in East Dene which was restored recently to commemorate local victims of this most dreadful and infectious disease.

In August of 1855 a woman called Matilda Jane Naylor acted as housekeeper to her brother William Henry. He was a local auctioneer of Sheffield and the pair lived together at his house in Hanover Street. Sadly Matilda suffered from chronic and painful facial tics which she described as ‘periodic stabbing pains.’ Eventually she found that these were only relieved by an inhalation of chloroform. On Wednesday 22 August 1855, Matilda had been suffering badly throughout the day and around 11 pm had gone to bed. She had been in the custom of locking her bedroom door when she retired for the night, so when one of the servants went to rouse her the following morning, she could not gain entrance.

The servant, Fanny Barber shouted through the door for almost an hour, but could not rouse the girl. Finally she spoke to her master William, who also shouted to his sister to come to open the door. Eventually fearing the worst, he was force to break down the door and was horrified to find his sister dead in bed. A handkerchief smelling of chloroform lay beside her on the pillow and an uncorked empty bottle also lay within the bedclothes. A surgeon, Dr Bartoleme was called who confirmed that the deceased had been dead for some hours. He surmised that the young girl had used a moderate dose in order to fall asleep, but having left the bottle uncorked, the chloroform had continued to work.

On the evening of Friday 24 August, the Coroner Mr T Badger Esq., held an inquest on the deceased girl at the house on Hanover Street. The first witness was the maid servant Fanny who told the jury that Miss Naylor had asked her to make sure she was called up around 7 am. She wanted to see her brother who was due to return home in the early hours of the following morning. Fanny stated that Miss Naylor had returned home around 8 pm and complained that she had the ‘tic’ so bad that she ‘scarcely knew what to do with herself.’ Finally she had taken some brandy and water hoping to relieve the pain, but it returned just after supper.

When the witness was asked by Mr Badger if she was aware that her mistress took chloroform to ease her pain, the servant admitted that she had known. Fanny stated that she was aware that Miss Naylor had taken as many as forty drops at a time, sometimes as often as two or three times a week. One of the jury asked her if she had known that there was chloroform in the house that night, but the servant girl shook her head. When asked if she could give any reason why her mistress would wish to take her own life, Fanny referred to knowing about a previous relationship with a young man, who had been paying his addresses to Miss Naylor.

However, she admitted that she could not think that was any reason for her mistress to end her life as, although the intimacy had ceased at some time around Christmas, Miss Naylor appeared not to care about it very much. The coroner forced the servant to repeat her statement, and asked her once again, if she thought that the deceased had intended to end her life, but Fanny again shook her head. She stated most confidently that she was convinced that Miss Naylor had only taken the chloroform to relieve the tic, and not with the intention of destroying herself. She also added that Mr Naylor and his sister had lived very comfortably together and they had always treated her most kindly.

William Naylor was the next witness, and told Mr Badger that he had got home around 1 am on the Thursday morning. He had been awakened a few hours later by Fanny Barber shouting through his sister’s bedroom door. He described finding Matilda lying on her left side in bed, quite dead and cold. William described how the bed clothes had covered her head and the handkerchief which had been soaked in chloroform, lay on the pillow beside her. The coroner asked him if he had been aware that his sister was in the habit of taking chloroform, but the witness denied it. He said he knew nothing about it until the servant informed him on the Thursday morning.

The witness stated that some years ago when the ‘tic’ first started, he was aware that Matilda had taken laudanum. However he did not for a moment believe that his sister took as much as forty drops of chloroform at a time. William admitted to knowing that there had been some tension about her relationship with the young man spoken of by the servant. However, he told the jury that he had spoken to her about it and shortly afterwards ‘the intimacy was terminated at her wish.’ Therefore he did not see that having anything to do with causing his sisters death.

Dr Bartoleme was the next to appear and the surgeon told the inquest that he had known the deceased professionally for around three years. He stated that earlier that morning he had undertaken a post mortem along with Mr Tinsley, the house surgeon at the Infirmary. Dr Bartoleme said that he had discovered that no stomach contents had been removed after death. Without those, it was impossible to pinpoint the cause of death accurately, However, having examined the remains, he had no doubt that it was caused by the inhalation of chloroform. Nevertheless the surgeon stated that he too thought death was accidental and that Miss Naylor had no intention of ending her own life.

The doctor illustrated this by saying that he had last seen Miss Naylor the previous Wednesday when she had been a great good humour. They had both joked about an amusing book that she had been reading and she had been in high spirits. However the witness said that when he went into the bedroom to see the deceased, the smell of chloroform was still very powerful. Dr Bartoleme said that if he had remained in the room for any length of time, it would have affected him. The surgeon stated clearly that he truly believed that the deceased had taken the proper dose of chloroform in the first instance. However having left the bottle uncorked it had continued to ooze out, filling the bedroom and causing her death.

Dr Bartoleme stated that just a few weeks previously, he had been informed by the servant that her mistress was in the habit of taking chloroform for the relief of the tic. He had strictly advised Miss Naylor that the practice was a very dangerous one. Consequently, the last time he saw his patient, she had told him that she had stopped inhaling the chloroform. Having recently been told by the servant, Fanny that her mistress had resumed doing so, he had intended again to speak to her on the subject. After hearing all the evidence and the coroners summing up, the jury retired to consider their verdict. They returned a verdict that Miss Naylor’s death had been accidental, as a result of an inhalation of an excess of chloroform.

In the early hours of Saturday 16 June 1860, a man called Jarvis heard a noise in the street below his bedroom window. It was around 1.45 am in the morning and his house was situated in a small yard in New Zealand Lane off Bridgegate, Rotherham. Looking outside, he saw opposite some men descending a ladder from the window of Mr William Bray’s pawnbrokers shop. The property was situated on the corner of Bridgegate and New Zealand Lane, although Mr Bray lived elsewhere in the town. Jarvis immediately shouted out ‘police’ as the men fled. Two passing young men asked what the matter was, and he told them that some thieves had broken into the pawnshop. They, in turn notified the Sheffield Police at their office at the Town Hall.

Meanwhile Jarvis, now dressed, went after the robbers. He knew they had gone up New Zealand Lane as there was items scattered along the route. Later it was estimated that in total the men had stolen around £350 to £400 worth of jewellery. Stopping only to pick stolen items off the ground, Jarvis found a watch and around 20 rings lying about. Later that day, Sheffield police officers searching the area, also found evidence which proved the flight of the men concerned. From the dropped items they established that the robbers had probably crossed some waste land into Effingham Street. There they proceeded behind the Mechanics Institute towards a footbridge that crossed over the canal leading into Rawmarsh Lane.

A gold pin and some brooches were quickly picked up and it was presumed that the robbers had headed towards Masbrough and on towards Sheffield. Accordingly an hour later three officers, Detective Officer Sills, Office keeper Laughton and Sergeant Burgess from the Sheffield police force were on the site of Mr Bray’s pawnbrokers shop. Detective Sills had by this time carefully examined the evidence, so he could estimate how the gang had made their entrance inside the building. The detective noted that the thieves had at first tried to enter the shop by breaking the chain across the cellar grate. But once inside found no access into the shop itself, so were forced to retreat back outside.

Fortunately, they had not noticed a trap door in the cellar which would have led them directly into the shop premises. Next, the robbers tried to prise open the heavy shutters placed over the shop windows, but upon removing them, found strong iron bars behind, preventing them from going any further. Probably by now getting quite frustrated, they next obtained a ladder from some houses which were being built in Effingham Street. This they leaned against the second floor bedroom window and climbing up the ladder, managed to open the window using a sharp knife. Inside the building, Detective Sills found that the thieves had gone into the pledge shop and had been unsuccessfully in attempting to open the desk.

Finally the thieves were reduced to simply ransacking the pawn shop window where items were offered for sale. They finally absconded with around fifty-nine items including fourteen gold watches, as well as silver watches and guards. They also took between £40 to £50 worth of rings amongst other items such as, snuff boxes, brooches and gold and silver pins. The same day three local notorious thieves, John Jackson, William Grist and Luke Thorpe were arrested and charged with the robbery. Nevertheless, there was little evidence against them and even though a careful search of their lodgings was made, none of the stolen property had been found.

The men had been suspected simply because one of them, Thorpe, had been carrying a large carpet bag that night. However he seemed to be at pains to conceal the bag, at times sitting on it. The men had also been bragging about their latest ‘escapade’ at Rotherham. That, combined with the fact that they had also been seen in many of the low ‘dives’ of Rotherham on the night in question, had been enough to condemn them. But what absolutely proved their guilt was the fact that they had first been seen at one particularly low dive. A beer shop known as the ‘New Zealand Chief’ which was situated within a few yards of Mr Bray’s shop.

The fact that they were known thieves and were acting suspiciously was enough for the landlord, a man called Windle. He had spotted the men entering and fearing that they intended to rob his own house went looking for a police officer. He reported his suspicions to Police Constable Fletcher who was patrolling along Westgate. The Chief Constable of Rotherham, Mr Jackson sought a warrant from the magistrates, assuring them that he would succeed in making out a case against the accused men. Another local thief called Richard Campbell alias ‘King Dick’ was also suspected, as he had been seen hanging around Mr Bray’s shop on the night of the robbery. However by the time it was found that he had fled to Leeds.

Shortly afterwards he was taken into custody by the Leeds Constabulary and brought back to Rotherham. He too was charged with robbing the pawnshop. That combined with the fact that Campbell was in possession of more than £14 in gold and silver and dressed in a good suit of clothes when arrested, had been enough to condemn him. Prior to his arrest, his garb had been reported to be ‘of somewhat mean appearance.’ Campbell was taken before JP Mr Fullerton Esquire at Thrybergh the following day and remanded. Accordingly, all four men were taken before the magistrates on Tuesday 19 June 1860. Not surprisingly, due to the lack of evidence, they were all discharged.

Local newspapers reported the case at length, which only served to establish the fact that the robbery at Mr Brays shop had created a strong feeling against the Sheffield police force. At a meeting of the Rotherham Board of Health on Wednesday 18 July 1860 the question of re-establishing the old system of policing was brought before the consideration of the Board. This was when constables and night watchmen were appointed by local magistrates to walk around the streets of the town in the hope of deterring criminals. However the Board decided to adjourn the question for the time being.

What was decided however was that the fact that the robbery had been the final touch for the pawnbroker Mr Bray. In October the premises in Bridgegate were being put up for rent. The advertisement read:

‘To be LET, with immediate possession, a SHOP with DWELLING-HOUSE adjoining, in Bridgegate, Rotherham, lately occupied by Mr William Bray, Pawnbroker.’

Particulars were to be obtained from another tradesman, Mr Saville, a hosier of Bridgegate

On Tuesday 7 January 1891, Coroner Mr D Wighthead attended an enquiry into the death of a Sheffield woman called Agnes Broadhead which was held at the Bath Hotel, Broomhall Street. Agnes, had been just thirty-one years of age when she died the previous Saturday. The first witness was her husband, William who had a very sad tale to tell. He stated that he and his wife had lived at Aberdeen Street, which was just off Broomhall Street, Sheffield. The witness admitted that during the previous six years, Agnes had been addicted to excessive drinking and taking laudanum. On that Saturday alone she had drunk a quantity of whisky.

William told the inquest jury that his wife had been in the daily habit of taking two pennyworth of laudanum and a penny worth of paregoric, which was a camphorated tincture of opium. He reported that on the night of Friday 4 January 1891, he had left his wife who was ‘beastly drunk’ and took their youngest child, a girl also called Agnes, to his mothers house. All that day his wife had been drinking gin and whisky and the witness described himself as being ‘sick at heart’ of seeing her in such a condition. Around 5.40 pm a female neighbour came and told him that his wife was dead.

When William returned, he found his wife in the kitchen lying on a hearthrug and he could not help but notice that there was an empty laudanum bottle on a shelf in the kitchen. When one of the jury asked the witness if he had any employment, the poor man told him that he was consumptive and was therefore forced to receive money every week from a sick club. However, he did mention that Agnes was employed at a tin makers in Arundel Street, Sheffield and that she earned a ‘great deal of money there.’ Mr Wightman then asked him if Agnes had any insurance and he told him that she had. He said his mother had insured her life for £14, exactly twenty-two years previously.

Describing his married life, William said that his wife would ‘drink like a fish’ for weeks on end. When she did manage to have a day without alcohol however, she could not sleep and that’s how she got into the habit of taking laudanum in order to sleep. As an illustration he said that on New Years Eve, Agnes came home helplessly drunk and continued to drink all night and the following day. Another juror asked William whether he had tried to prevent his wife from drinking so much. The witness told him that he had tried to do so, but she had threatened him and the children with a poker on several occasions when he had.

A neighbour, a woman called Florence Cockayne confirmed Williams account and said she had known the deceased for about two years. Over the Christmas and New Year period, she had only seen Agnes sober once. Florence told the coroner that around 6 o clock the previous Friday, little Agnes came to her house and told her that her mother was dying. The witness stated that she went straight away next door and found her mother unconscious and very white in the face. Florence called a surgeon, but the poor woman was dead before he arrived. She too reported seeing the empty laudanum bottle on a shelf near her and little Agnes told her that her mother had drunk from the bottle before she died.

The coroner summed up for the jury calling it a ‘very bad case’ before the jury retired for a short while. When they finally came back into the courtroom, it was evident that they had some deep discussions on the case. To admit that they possibly suspected that the poor woman had ended her own life, would have led to some serious concerns for William and his family. Therefore when the coroner asked them for their verdict, they simply recorded that ‘in their opinion death was from excessive drinking of alcohol, aggravated by the use of laudanum.’

One of these navvies was a ganger or foreman called Charles Trimm who employed a gang of labourers working on the railway that was, at that time, being constructed between Laughton and Anston. For a long time the labourers huts had been erected around Crampit Bridge, Anston which caused some problems to the local police force, and the activities of these navvies were a constant source of trouble to them. So when Superintendent McDonald heard about one of the labourers selling alcohol without a licence (known as shebeening) he was forced to take action. The superintendent quickly obtained a warrant, not only for the arrest of Charles Trimm, but also for that of his wife Annie

Consequently in the early hours of the following morning, 2 February 1904 they carried out a raid at the site of the huts. Two police officers, Police Constables Ward and Stennett, were dressed in their ordinary clothes when they went to Trimm’s hut and asked him if he wanted to purchase some rabbits. Trimm told them he would take two of the rabbits which he bought for a shilling each, before he invited the pair inside the hut to take a seat. When he asked the two men if they would like a drink, they agreed. Accordingly, Trimm supplied the two men with a pint of beer each telling them that ‘it is on me. Anytime you come this way, I will always have a couple of rabbits from you.’

The police followed up this initial visit by another one on 14 February, once again in plain clothes and bringing the pair some rabbits. Once again another couple of pints was bought and paid for, this time by supplied by Annie. During the visit, the two plain clothed police officers noted other men in the hut being supplied and paying for both beer and spirits. always supplied by both Charles and Annie Trimm. Needless to say, after this visit the pair were arrested and charged with having sold intoxicating liquors without a licence. On Monday 22 February the couple were brought before the magistrates at the Rotherham West Riding Court.

In total there were three charges of ‘shebeening’ brought again Charles Trimm, but just one charge against his wife and their defence solicitor was Mr Gichard. Superintendent McDonald was the first to give evidence and he described how, after the arrests, his men had seized an eighteen gallon cask containing beer, three gallons of bottled beer, a quart bottle containing whisky and another marked ‘port wine.’ The next witness was Police Constable Ward, who described the raid on the hut. He stated that there had been around twenty men all drinking in the hut at the time of the visit. Then it was time for Mr Gichard to defend his clients.

He immediately expressed his disgust at how the officers had dressed in their ordinary clothes in order to purposely mislead the two Trimms. The solicitor also argued that in neither case was the intoxicating liquor ‘pushed’ onto any of the officers in disguise. Instead he maintained that they had openly asked to be served alcohol. However, after hearing all the evidence, the bench were having none of it. They showed no sympathy for the prisoners who were both fined. Charles Trimm was fined £10 and costs for each of the three charges. Thankfully in this instance Annie Trimm was dealt with more sympathetically, as her offences were simply merged with those of her husband and the case against her was dismissed.

Mr George Ottaway had run a most successful jewellers and pawnbroking business at Rotherham for several years by December of 1892. Most of his business success came from the shops popular situation on Masbrough Bridge, which was just on the outside of the town. People wishing to pawn objects would be less likely to be seen, as those using pawnbrokers in the centre of the town itself. Also the building itself was of such a higgledy-piggledy nature which would seem to attract thieves. On the night of Thursday 2 December, pawnbroker George was away on business in London. He had therefore left the premises in the charge of his son Richard and a shop assistant, Thomas Smithers.

More than likely taking advantage of his fathers absence, Richard and Thomas decided to shut the premises early at 1 pm before going into Rotherham itself. They returned around ten o clock and shortly afterwards went to bed. Around 2 a.m. Richard woke suddenly after hearing the shop dog barking downstairs. He called the assistants attention to the sound, but Thomas commented that the dog barked easily at passers-by, so the pair gave little thought to getting out of bed and investigating. So it was around 8 am the following morning, when the two men were preparing to open the shop, when Thomas approached the front door. To his alarm he found that it had been unlocked from inside the building.

He called Richard’s attention to it and a careful search was made. Only at that point did both men realise that a most serious robbery had taken place. They found that entry into the building had been made through one of the sitting room windows, which was situated above the shop premises. This particular window overlooked an open passage leading to the back door, which was easily reached by a low roof covering a small extension. It was later found that the thieves had opened the window by simply inserting a sharp knife and pushing back the catch which kept the window closed. Inside was a room which was protected by an iron gate, however this was easily removed from the wood frame surrounding it.

Once inside, Richard found that the thieves had opened a large cabinet and taken drawers out from which several, valuable items were missing. These consisted of gold and silver watches, brooches, and gold chains, which had all been carried off. Thankfully the robbers had ignored the windows of the shop which also held expensive items, where nothing looked to have been disturbed. Richard and his assistant made an inventory and found that the thieves had absconded with stolen booty which was to the value of more than £500. This was a massive amount of jewellery to have been stolen.

The following day that Sheffield Daily Telegraph dated Saturday 3 December 1892 noted:

‘One of the most extensive burglaries committed in Rotherham for several years was brought to light yesterday morning. It was impudent in its character, and careful planning to avoid observation, which leads to the conclusion that cracksmen of more than ordinary experience have been at work’.

Sadly that was not the end to Mr George Ottaway’s troubles. On Friday 20 January of the following year a thief called William Thomas Clegg of Westgate, Rotherham was brought before the Rotherham magistrates. He was charged with stealing goods which had been hung on shop doorways and pawning them. In this manner Clegg had stolen a jacket worth 7s 6d from the shop doorway of Mr George Ottaway and pawned it at another shop in the town, claiming it to be his own. Nevertheless the shopman’s suspicions were aroused and Clegg was arrested and sentenced to a months prison. In court, George Ottaway asked for the costs of the jacket to be repaid back to him, but the bench refused.

The magistrates informed him that they considered that the hanging of good for sale on shops doors created a temptation for poor people. Therefore they suggested that all goods should be kept on the inside of the shops. This small theft however must have been the last straw for pawnbroker George Ottaway as by September of the same year his premises were advertised to be let as:

‘A large pawnbrokers sales shop and dwelling house in a good position, late owned by Mr Ottaway.’

Interested parties were advised to contact estate agent Mr W. Taylor, of Bridge Street, Rotherham. However the magistrates words had little effect as local shop keepers continued to hang goods on the outside doors of their shops.

George Parker was a fifty-four year old miner who worked at the Kiveton Park mine in 1902. Living with him was a housekeeper, Louisa Holmes aged thirty-eight and the couple had lived together quite amicably for the past nine years. However around November of 1900 George’s thirty-year old son Walter also came to live with them and that’s when the problems began. They lived in a cottage which was situated in part of the Waleswood parish known as Pigeon Bridge situated on the Rotherham to Mansfield Road. The couple had lived in the cottage for the previous eight or nine years, yet despite the fact that they were both married to other people, to all intents and purposes were generally regarded as husband and wife.

However it could not be said that the couple lived happily together as many quarrels and arguments were heard by neighbours, but these seemed to get much more violent after Walter moved in. At one time it was said that Louisa returned back to her discarded legal husband, claiming that George had ‘thrashed’ her. Nevertheless, prior to that day they were described as being a very hard working couple. George was said to being steady in his habits when sober and Louise was described as being clean and homely. However it appears that after Walter moved in, that jealousy of some imagined relationship between Walter and Louisa had haunted George’s thoughts.

On the last Sunday in June it was the Wales Feast, when George attacked Louisa with a poker and blacked both her eyes. Throughout the attack he was screaming out that he ‘would finish her.’ Finally on 9 July George moved out of the cottage and found lodgings in Worksop, leaving Louisa and Walter alone. However on 15 July he returned and George showed Louisa a pocket knife he had bought for his son. They were all drinking rather heavily, so that night George stayed over at the house, Louisa sleeping downstairs on the sofa and father and son sharing a bed upstairs. Around 4.30 am George left his son in bed saying that he was going to walk back to Worksop.

However another argument quickly developed in the kitchen when George told Louisa that he was going to leave, stating that ‘I suppose that Walter is going to stay with you.’ Louisa told him that ‘so long as he behaved himself, it did not matter to her.’ But when she turned to start to prepare some breakfast, that was when Louisa was attacked by George with the same penknife. He stabbed her four times in her back. Meanwhile upstairs, Walter, who had fallen back to sleep when his father left the bedroom, was awakened sharply by the sound of Louisa screaming. Dashing into the kitchen, he found his father stabbing at her arms and hands as she tried to protect herself.

George then went and picked up an old revolver, as Louisa opened the kitchen and ran outside. It was around 5.30 am when she was heard to be screaming for help at the top of her voice, as she ran down the road outside the cottage. Neighbours who looked out, described Louisa as being covered in blood and almost hysterical, as her cries aroused people from their sleep. Thankfully, several of them dashed outside to see what they could do. One neighbour, a man called William Green quickly took the hysterical woman inside his own cottage and a doctor and the police were called to the house. Police Constable Graham quickly attended and Dr Saunders of Aston was sent for.

Meanwhile George had taken possession of an old pistol and had tried to shoot himself, but the weapon was old and faulty and it simply burst when he pulled the trigger. All he succeeded in doing therefore was to injure the back part of his head. George then tried to cut his own throat with the penknife and was found in that condition by Dr Saunders when he arrived. He ordered the pair to be immediately sent to Sheffield Hospital and the Kiveton Park Colliery ambulance was called. Thankfully both injured parties slowly recovered, although George was unable to appear before the Rotherham magistrates at the West Riding Court until Monday 22 September 1902.

It was noted that he was still in a very weak condition, having just been discharged from the hospital that morning. The case was prosecuted by Mr Aizlewood, who gave details of the attempted murder to the court, where the prisoner was undefended. The first witness was Mr John Broadley of the Sheffield Royal Infirmary and he told the bench that on 16 July, around 10.30 am the prisoner was brought in. At some time between one and two o’clock, Louisa too arrived. He listed that she had ten wounds, four on the back of the left shoulder blade, which were clean cuts and went down to the bone. The rest were on her hands as she had desperately tried to protect herself.

Mr Aizlewood was shown the pocket knife and agreed that it was probably the weapon which inflicted the wounds. He then described George’s wound primarily as a gunshot wound to the head, just above and behind the right ear. The second wound was in his throat, and that was about four inches long. Thankfully it had missed the windpipe and the main artery. Louisa gave evidence about the attack made on her by the prisoner, before Walter was asked if he had anything to say. He confirmed Louisa’s account, before a neighbour, Frank Barker described hearing Louisa scream outside and how he had gone to fetch Constable Graham. He told the magistrates that as he and the constable returned they found George lying on the sofa.

He had a wound in his throat and a bloodstained clasp knife lay on the floor. He also saw a pistol which had burst and there was blood everywhere. PC Graham described arriving at the cottage and how he had taken possession of the blood stained knife and the burst pistol. He told the magistrates that he had charged the prisoner that morning with the attempted murder of Louisa Holmes. George was asked if he had anything to say in his own defence, but he made no reply. He was then committed for trial at the next Leeds Assizes. He was brought before judge, Mr Justice Channell on Friday 5 December 1902. After hearing all the evidence, George Parker was sentenced to ten years imprisonment for the attempted murder of Louisa Holmes.

To emphasise her skills, forty-four year old Mrs Hughes told Elizabeth Ann Wistow that she had been a midwife for the last twenty-three years, so she was very experienced. The pregnant mother, lived with her father Samuel on Coleridge Road, Sheffield, and was overjoyed therefore on 17 January 1896 when she gave birth to a healthy child. However her joy did not last, as just four days later Elizabeth Wistow herself died. An inquest was arranged to be held at the Coach and Horses Hotel in Attercliffe, Sheffield on Wednesday 22 January. Right from the beginning, it was quickly established that enquiries had been made which revealed that the midwife Elizabeth Hughes had ignored some crucial medical advice.

The coroner, Mr D Wightman told the inquest that she had ‘acted contrary to advice given to her by Dr Harvey Littlejohn, the Medical Officer of Health for Sheffield.’ Therefore at that point he had no option but to allow more enquiries to be made, so the inquest was adjourned until Friday 31 January 1896. When it was resumed, a local solicitor, Mr Albert Howe attended the enquiry on behalf of the midwife. Surgeon Mr D Pettigrew gave evidence that he had been called in to see the deceased on the night before her death. Mrs Wistow had a very high temperature and was obviously in a dying condition. After her death he signed the certificate stating that the death was due to puerperal fever.

When Mr Howe asked the surgeon about the state of the house on Coleridge Road, he had to admit that ‘the house was anything but satisfactory’ in his opinion. He agreed with Dr Howe that such conditions might have contributed to the deceased woman’s death. However, when the coroner asked Mr Pettigrew about another death, that of a Mrs Sarah Jane Lunn of Belmore Road, Attercliffe, he had to admit that she too had been attended to by Mrs Hughes. He added that she also died on 13 January. Another surgeon, Mr W Kerr Smith told the inquest that he had made a post mortem examination on Elizabeth Ann Wistow and found she had indeed died from puerperal fever.

He stated that two different women dying of the same thing clearly amounted to gross culpable neglect on the midwife’s behalf. The next witness was Dr Littlejohn and he stated that he had heard about the death of Mrs Lunn on 14 January and had appointed another inspector to investigate the case. He also requested Mrs Hughes to call on him and the midwife did so 15 January. She expressed sorrow on hearing about the death of Mrs Lunn. Dr Littlejohn informed Mrs Hughes that she was to be very careful about her own hygiene and instructed her on disinfecting herself and her clothing before attending to any other expectant mothers. In fact he warned her not to attend any more midwifery cases for the next three weeks, at the same time admitting that he had no power to make her obey his instructions.

Mrs Hughes appeared to accept his advice, but he also said that if any more mothers were to die at her hands, he would be writing to the coroner about the matter. One of the jury asked him if the condition of the house had any effect on the fever, but Dr Littlejohn just shook his head. He replied categorically that in his opinion the midwife appeared to him to have been the most probable person to have carried the puerperal fever to the deceased women. Then it was time for Elizabeth Hughes to speak for herself. She gave the opinion that she felt that Mrs Lunn had died, not from puerperal fever but from inflammation of the lungs.

However she admitted that she had seen the Medical Officer of Health on 15 January, although claiming that she had not heard him instruct her not to attend any more midwifery cases for three weeks. Then it was time for the coroner to sum up the case for the jury. Mr Wightman told them that Mrs Hughes was a very experienced midwife. Therefore she should have known that there was a risk in attending any other pregnant woman after any death from puerperal fever. The coroner stated that whether or not the midwife heard Dr Littlejohn instructing her not to attend any more births or not, should have no impact on the jury’s verdict. As a result they were absent for some time before bringing in a verdict of manslaughter against Elizabeth Hughes.

Immediately, Detective Officer Masterman took the midwife into custody and she was then remanded until the following Monday. Accordingly on Monday 10 February 1896, the midwife was brought before the stipendiary magistrate Mr E Welby at the City Police Court where she pleaded not guilty. However she was simply remanded for a week. The following Monday, the 17 February 1896 she was brought once more before the Sheffield magistrates, once again charged with manslaughter. Mr R Fairburn appeared for the prosecution and he told the court that it was alleged that the prisoner ‘on account of her own negligence, resulted in the contagion of puerperal fever being communicated to the patient who died.’

Mr Fairburn again described the advice given to the prisoner by Dr Littlejohn, which she had obviously ignored. The Medical Officer of Health for Sheffield himself was the next witness and the surgeon repeated his advice to Elizabeth Hughes not to attend any more cases for three weeks. However he told the jury that she attended the next childbirth case in less than a fortnight. The same witnesses gave the same evidence before the midwife was committed to take her trial at the next Assizes. Accordingly Mrs Elizabeth Hughes was brought before judge, Mr Justice Collins at the West Riding Assizes on Monday 16 March 1896.

Charged with manslaughter, she was defended by Mr C Mellor and the prosecution was undertaken by Mr Harold Thomas. He immediately opened the case by stating that in any indictment for manslaughter there needed to be a clear intention of motive. He reminded the court that the accused had been a practising midwife for twenty-three years and would therefore not be ignorant of how to deal with cases of puerperal fever. He said that any person who undertook to cure another, whether a medical practitioner or midwife must have a certain knowledge about diseases and what their effects were. So whether she heard Dr Littlejohn or not, she ought not to have put herself in a position where she might infect another woman.

When it was time for Dr Pettigrew to repeat his advice to the prisoner to wait at least three week, he was questioned by the defence. Mr Mellor asked him what other causes of puerperal fever might cause a woman’s death. The surgeon listed infection, dirt from insanitary condition and sewage gas etc. Dr Harvey Littlejohn was the next witness and he repeated the evidence given previously. He stated that he had fixed the time limit of three weeks, as he was well aware that being a midwife was Mrs Hughes calling. He said that if there had been another case of a mother treated by Mrs Hughes dying from puerperal fever, he would have fixed the time at two months.

However questioned by Mr Mellor, the Medical Officer of Health admitted that he saw no signs of puerperal fever in the post mortem. This was confirmed by another doctor, who had been also present at the post mortem. In the prisoners defence Mr Mellor claimed that the death of Mrs Wistow was due to ‘misadventure, rather then culpable negligence.’ He added that it was state of affairs which nobody regretted more than the accused midwife. He emphasised how she had earned and enjoyed the confidence of all of the women in her care. After her discussion with Dr Littlejohn, she had disinfected herself and her clothes most carefully, yet sadly Mrs Wistow still died.

Mr Mellor agreed that death was due to puerperal fever, but he told the jury that they had two issues to consider. They had to decide firstly whether the prisoner took the infection to the place of birth and secondly whether she took it recklessly and with culpable criminal carelessness. The prisoners defence concluded that ‘if ever there was a case in which a jury should exonerate a woman, this was the case.’ His Lordship in summing up, told the jury that they should be completely satisfied that the prisoner caused the death of Mrs Wistow. Assuming that they were satisfied of that, they must also be satisfied that it was a case of culpable negligence.

Thankfully after her long ordeal, the jury, after only a short consultation between themselves found Elizabeth Hughes not guilty and she was immediately discharged.