Echoes of our past ~ NEWS...... 3rd December 1870

 

Read all about it……. Echoes of our past NEWS

What was in the local news this weekend in 1870?

MAIN NEWS –

*Warning to parents in Chesterfield –

Mr Busby the Coroner handed out a stark lesson to the residents of Chesterfield after a young 5 year old girl named Emma Huntson had died on 24^th November having been set alight in flames.

Emma was the daughter of William and Charlotte Huntson of Wards Yard, Low Pavement, Chesterfield.  William was a shoemaker and on the morning of the incident at about 11am, Charlotte had nipped next door, leaving four of her children in the house alone.  The eldest child being over 6 years old.  Charlotte told how she had only just shut the door, when she heard screams coming from her house.  She ran out to find Emma in flames and running up the yard.  She tried in vain to put out the flames to save poor Emma but in the end Mrs Lee managed, sadly too late to save Emma’s life.  The surgeon Mr Jeffreys was called and was present at the time of death.

 

Charlotte was left mortified and she said that she did not know how Emma could have become burnt.  The lesson Mr Busby told, was that he had heard similar stories on many occasions.  The simple fact that all parents should remember is that “about 2s would buy a guard”.  He hoped “this would be a warning to herself and neighbours”.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

OTHER ITEMS –

*Burglary –

An old man named Mr Daniel Ripley who kept a provisions shop on Derby Road was burgled during the early hours of Sunday morning, in between 1am and 6am.  The burglars removed two panes of glass from the back window to enter the shop and went into Daniel’s bedroom, removing £11 10s 9 1/2d from his pocket.  As Daniel is very deaf, he did not hear the intruders.  The police had a clue to the burglar’s whereabouts, but no arrest has been made at this time.

*Stealing cheese –

Mary Fletcher had a narrow escape after she was accused of stealing cheese from her employer Mr W Downing a farmer of West House, Tibshelf.  Mary was employed in service by Mr Downing and the wife of the famer had suspected that Mary had stolen the cheese as she was leaving service and had sent her possessions away in a cart, ahead of her.  The home of Mary’s mother was searched and the missing cheese was not found – Mary was discharged.

*Stealing money and a bill-hook –

A “little boy” named Geo White was remanded until 9^th December after being accused of stealing 6d and a bill-hook from Isaac Newton of Wessington.

*Begging and homeless –

There were several incidents brought before the Dronfield Police Sessions in which the homeless and destitute were on the receiving end of Victorian punishment.  It seems that on the night of 28^th November 1870 in Dronfield the poor were out in force on the cold winter streets - would they have been happy with the resulting sentences which no matter how harsh, would have given them food and shelter?

Noah Reece a Welshman was charged by P.C Hawkins on Monday 28^th November for begging at Unstone.  Noah was only recently released from Stafford Gaol and now found himself returning to Gaol for 1 month’s hard labour for his misdemeanour.

James Unwin a collier from Dronfield was charged and committed to Gaol for 21 days hard labour after being found sleeping in a pit cabin at Unstone at 12 midnight on 28^th November.  James stated that he had no place of abode as his son had turned him out of the home and he was “obliged to sleep out of doors”.

Orlanto Dicks was committed to Gaol for 14 days hard labour after begging alms at midnight again on the 28^th November.

BIRTHS –

*Son to G A Turner of Murray House, Tapton on 1^st December 1870

*Twin daughters on 24^th November to Mr Goode of the Gas Works, Buxton

 

MARRIAGES –

*Mr George Ward of Tibshelf to Miss Maryann, eldest daughter of Mr Hiram Clewes of Tibshelf on 27^th November at Tibshelf Church

 

*John Henry Pearce to Mary Hannah Whitworth at Holy Trinity Church on 29^th November

DEATHS –

*Isaiah Barber son of Isaiah & Dorothy Barber of Bankbottom on 22^nd November aged 11 years

*William Wilcox aged 27 years of Osmaston Road, Derby

*Thomas Shaw aged 59 years of Hollingworth

*Ann Carrington at Hasland on 27^th November

*Thomas Brown Gent aged 10 weeks a Walton

*Elias Hall aged 5 years 10 months at East Moor, Brampton

*William Dean aged 81 years at Spital

*Mary Barton aged 49 years at the Union, Chesterfield

*Joseph Twells aged 5 years, eldest son of William and Ann Twells of Osmaston Street, Derby

*Mary Ellen Baum aged 2 years and 5 months at Brampton

HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS –

Week ending 1^st December 1870 to following figures were given for those requiring medical assistance at the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Hospital and Dispensary –

Inpatients	admitted	2
“	discharged	4
“	in the house	10
Outpatients	admitted	36
“	discharged	36
“	on the books	95
Outpatients	admitted since 1st April	910

 

AND FINALLY........

 

Fancy spending Christmas Eve a little more relaxed and not the usual mad rush?  Then this is what was in store for the residents of Chesterfield on Christmas Eve 1870…..

 

Announcement of the Grand Exhibition of birds, bantams and fowls was to take place in the Market Hall on Saturday 24^th December.  There will be canaries and other birds, bantam fowls and rabbits to name a few of the species which will be on display in “first class style”.