Update of the past NEWS .......... 19th April 1902

 

Catch up on the full story of last weeks NEWS.............

*Ada Dobson –

Poor Ada was the unwilling recipient of the amorous attentions of the young Irish man named James Wilson.  James was accused of beating Ada after she refused to leave her family and elope with him.  He beat her so badly that he was charged with attempted murder.

At the time of the incident Ada was staying with relations at Arkwright near Chesterfield.  Her brother Robert Herbert Dobson lived in the village with his wife and children, he worked as a coal miner.

Ada was born in Guisborough in Yorkshire in 1883, the daughter of Francis and Frances Ann Dobson.  In 1901 the year before the NEWS incident Ada was aged 17 years old and was working as a domestic servant for a merchant tailor named Robert Hewitt at Middlesbrough. 

When Ada was brought forward to give her account of events at the County Petty Sessions she told how she was 19 years old and had met James Wilson on Good Friday.  Since then she had walked out with him several times.  Ada described how James had asked her to walk down to the Markham Colliery with him on Sunday night; she had not wished to but dare not say or do otherwise.  When she got as far as the farm she went to turn back but James got hold of her, produced a handkerchief and tied it around her neck.  As he did this he caused her harm. 

At that point another person was close by and so James let go of her and they walked back towards the house.  On the way he promised her “I will do for you”.  A little further and he kicked her on the head which caused her to lose balance and fall into the gutter.  He helped her out of the gutter but again threatened her as before.

When the pair arrived at Robert Dobson’s home (Ada’s brother) she had torn clothes and went straight to bed.  James slept on the couch.  Before she went he again threatened her that if she told anyone about the night’s occurrences he would kill her.  What Ada’s sister in law heard was “good night and remember what I have said to you”. 

On the Monday morning Ada awoke at 9.30 am, she did not see James all that day until about 6pm that night.  The conversation was regarding sending Ada home at which James was not happy.  He asked Ada to walk with him but this time she did refuse.  Later that evening he returned and beat her repeatedly with a poker.

James was found guilty of wounding with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm.  He was sentenced to four years imprisonment.

What became of Ada?  If anyone knows please do add her story to the comments section.

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Update of the Past NEWS......... 14th April 1883

Catch up on the full story of last weeks NEWS

*William Rutherford Benn and the Reverend  Julius Benn –

The son who murdered his own father at Matlock ............

The Reverend Benn and his son William arrived in Matlock Bath on Tuesday 27^th February and booked themselves 2 beds and 1 sitting room at the property of Mr George Marchant and his family in Matlock Bridge.  Mr Marchant hired out a coach and horse and also offered guests a family run place to stay in Matlock.  The house was named The Cottage and was situated on Chesterfield Road, not far from the railway station.

The father and son told how they were visiting the area for the purpose of William’s health, they were very pleasant but unusually they asked Mr Marchant not to include them in the guest book and not to tell any of their visit.  It seems that they did not want any visitor’s and did not want to be disturbed.  Whilst in the area they visited all of the local attractions; Matlock Bath, Riber Castle, Millers Dale, Cromford and the Heights of Abraham. 

On the evening of Saturday 3^rd March they took their evening meal and then retired to bed around 6pm.  Super was taken in to the men later that night around 9pm, The next morning on Sunday 4^th March the Marchant family were up bright and early and set too preparing the breakfast for their guests.  At one point Mrs Mary Ann Marchant did hear a noise, but thought it was her mother making the clatter.

By 9am the guests had not arisen and the breakfast had gone cold.  This was unusual as the Reverend Benn and his son had been regular early risers during their stay.  The post man came and so Mrs Marchant went to the door of the suite and knocked, to awake the guests.  She thought she heard a murmur and then more snoring.  Mr Marchant went off to Church and left Mrs Marchant and her mother in the home.  He returned around 1pm to find his wife very anxious as she had been unable to wake the guests, despite several attempts and knocks at the door.

At this point Mr Marchant felt that there was something amiss, returned to the suite and again knocked loudly at the door, this time speaking in a loud voice.  This time the door was unbolted and the sight that awaited Mr Marchant was not at all pleasant.  Mr William Benn was stood pointing at the dead body of his father, the Reverend Julius Benn.  William was covered in blood from head to toes.

Mr Marchant feared for the safety of his wife and mother in law and ushered them out of the house, the police were called for.  He need not have worried as William did not cause for further alarm and instead stood motionless in shock.

Dr Moxon and Police Constable Smith arrived and entered the room; Dr Moxon tried to act in a normal way and wished William “good morning”.  William was still, he had cut his own throat.

Mr Hunter who was Dr Moxon’s assistant arrived and stitched up the gash on William’s throat.  Sergeant Gee also arrived at the crime scene and examined the dead body of the Reverend Benn, his head had been beaten and his brain was said to have been protruding from the skull.  Sergeant Else took William in to custody charged with “having wilfully murdered his father”.  William was removed to Derby Infirmary for treatment and observations.

The police were able to glean some information from the letters which had been sent to the Benn party at Matlock Bridge; the names and addresses were recorded.  The Reverend Julius Benn was pastor at the Old Gravel Congregational Church in St Georges in the East in London.  He left a wife and 7 children (including William) and lived at 119 Stepney Green, London.  William had been suffering with depression and had been under medical supervision at the Bethnal House Lunatic Asylum, London East, when the doctors felt that he had recovered enough the Reverend had brought him to Matlock Bridge for rest and relaxation to assist in his sons return to good health. 

The family of the Benn’s were quite assured that William had committed the act of murder due to mental problems.  It was told how he had only married a few months earlier in the December of 1882 and had been over studying in his business which had caused his mental breakdown.

The Inquest –

This was held at the Queens Head Hotel in Matlock Bridge and was headed by the Deputy coroner for the High Peak District Mr A O Brooks Esq.   The panel were told how William had struck the Reverend Benn with a chamber utensil, which caused his death.  The body was witnessed in the bed where it had been found by Mr Marchant the day earlier, it had been washed but was still an unpleasant sight to behold.  Mr Charles Taylor Mycock a draper from Hyde in Cheshire was called to identify the body; he was the nephew of the deceased.  The inquest was then adjourned until the next day, Tuesday –

Today the panel were told how, on the night of the killing William had stated “I did it with a chamber utensil”.  William was found guilty of having “wilfully murdered” his father Julius Benn at The Cottage, Matlock Bridge.

William was the third son of Julius Benn, aged 28 years old at the time.  His family and close friends spoke with great devotion and love for the poor man who would not have inflicted such savage actions to his father had he been in sound mind.  He had been employed by a business in London until a few months earlier, when he had become irritable and had been put in the care of an asylum.  He had only days before been given a clean bill of health from the doctors at the asylum and had been sanctioned fit enough to travel and rest in Matlock Bridge.

Sadly for William his nightmare was not to end their, having tried to cut his own throat at the scene of the murder he later attempted to throw himself from a window at the Derby Infirmary where he was being cared for after the event.  He sprained his ankle and caused injury to his back after he jumped the 21 feet to the ground.  Some said that he was not attempting his own life but trying to escape.  And so William was committed to Broadmoor Lunatic Asylum having been found to not being able to recover his sanity.

The will of Julius Benn was proved on 5^th July 1883 and his wife Ann was beneficiary to his estate of £118 7s 6d. 

As for William, he was born in 1855 in Hendon, Middlesex.  On the 1871 census he is 16 years of age and works as a clerk at East India House.  Ten years on and just before this dreadful incident William is still single and working in the same occupation as a merchant’s clerk. 

 

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Echoes of our Past NEWS............ 14th April 1883

 

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

What was in the local news this weekend in 1883?

MAIN NEWS –

There was no major NEWS this week but there was a recipe for Golden Pudding.  The recipe was included in the advertisement for Hartley’s Marmalade and was as follows –

Golden Pudding –

 

Take 2oz bread crumbs,

2oz suet,

3oz Hartley’s Marmalade,

2oz sugar,

2 eggs

Put the bread crumbs and suet (which must be chopped fine) into a

basin, with the Marmalade and sugar,

stir these well together; beat the eggs to a froth,

moisten the pudding with this, and when well mixed,

put into a well greased mould or basin,

tie down with a well floured cloth,

and boil 1 hour.

When turned out strew fine silted sugar over the top.

 

OTHER ITEMS –

*Murderer at Matlock –

A man named William Rutherford Benn who murdered his father the Reverend Julius Benn has been found to be insane and thus has been taken to Broadmoor Lunatic Asylum.  He was said to have committed the murder a month earlier in March 1883.

*Chesterfield School Board –

Held its monthly meeting at the Municipal Hall.  The attendance figures for the schools were read by Mr Kerslake the school attendance officer –

v  Number of children registered – March; 2560  April; 2592

v  Average attendance – March; 1877  April; 1828

v  Highest weekly average – March; 2057  April; 2021

v  Lowest weekly average – March; 1699  April; 1583

*Midland Railway Tender’s –

The Railway was inviting tenders for “cleaning and painting” the station buildings –

v  Houses at Hasland

v  Stations at Bingley, Saltaire, Shipley and Manningham

v  Locomotive Department Buildings at Staveley

Painters and contractors were invited to apply by post before 9am on Thursday 19^th April 1883.

*Pauper on the run –

Thomas Roe appeared at Ashbourne Police Court accused of “having absconded from the workhouse in cloths belonging to the Guardians and also with being drunk and disorderly in Dig Street”.

Thomas was found to be in a state “so helplessly drunk” on 3^rd April at which point Recruiting Sergeant Cooper had to enlist some helpers to get Thomas onto the back of a hand cart so that he could be taken to the lock up.  He had the sum of £2 on his person at the time of arrest.

He was found guilty for both taking the Guardians property and being drunk and disorderly; charged 10s for the taking of property and £1 3s for being drunk.

*Serial offender –

John Cooper of Bakewell could boast great attendance figures after he had reached the grand total of 20 appearances at Bakewell Petty Sessions.  He was charged with being drunk and disorderly at Bakewell Fair on 26^th March. 

Ironically John was not even the subject of the police’s attention; they were arresting another man when he tagged along and began to cause a disturbance.  He was fined 10s and costs but he was unable to pay and so he was committed to gaol for 14 days hard labour.

MARRIAGES –

*Richard Walker eldest son of Richard Walker Esq of Matlock Bath to Fanny May only daughter of the late William Brooker Esq of Hodgkinson Hotel, Matlock Bath.  At the all Saints Church, Bakewell on 12^th April

At the Parish Church, Chesterfield on

8^th April –

*Mr Thomas Foy miner to Miss Fanny Wombwell

*Mr James Hurst engine tenter to Miss Sarah Fisher

9^th April -

*Mr Thomas Mellors miner to Miss Maria Hull

*Mr George Wright miner to Miss Hannah Brown

12^th April –

*Mr Henry Rainsminer to Miss Esther Ball

DEATHS –

*Frederick Stanley Fenton “beloved and only child of Frederick and Davan Fenton” aged 7 years on 7^th April

*Ellen Bridgett aged 49 years at St Marys Gate, Chesterfield on 9^th April

*Hannah Bradley aged 58 years at Brimington on 5^th April

*Ann Dronfield aged 67 years at Holymoorside on 7^th April

*Edward Marsden aged 68 years at High Street, Whittington on 5^th April

*Lucy A Mason aged 18 months at Mountcastle Street, Newbold on 6^th April

*David H Tudor aged 2 years at Station Road, Chesterfield on 7^th April

SPORT –

*Rufford Hunt –

The hunt took place on Friday 13^th April at Owl Cotes Farm near Heath.  There was a good attendance as the weather was kind.

The Welbeck Cup was won by Lord Harrington’s Donovan and the prize was £30.  The Rufford Hunt Cup valued also at £30 was won by Mr R C Otter’s Driver.

AND FINALLY…

*Chesterfield April Fair –

Chesterfield had been under restrictions after a contagious disease had caused the cattle market to be suspended.  The April fair was the first for many weeks in Chesterfield and lots of people turned out to attend the event.

The fair was limited in cattle as the news that the restrictions had been lifted was not common knowledge, but cows, sheep, pigs, horses and even cheese was sold on the day.  Although the quality of the animals was said to have been poor.

 

Update of the PAST NEWS..........18th January 1973

Catch up on the full story of last weeks NEWS...........

*George Warren –

George was in last week’s news as he had maliciously beaten his aged father, which had resulted in such terrible injuries that William Warren had died as a result.  The incident had caused outcry in the small mining village of Clowne. 

George appeared at the March Assize Courts in Derby on Thursday 6^th March 1873.  He pleaded guilty to the charges but asked for leniency as the acts he had committed were as a result of drink.  The Judge announced that after hearing the medical men’s opinion on the death of William Warren that it could not be conclusive that the injuries that George had caused be the sole reason for William’s death.  That said, George was still given what was described as “a severe sentence”, five years penal servitude.  His actual conviction was for “inflicting grievous bodily harm”.

William Warren was buried at Clowne on 24^th December 1872.

 

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*John White –

Twenty four year old John was in trouble after he had taken a horse belonging to William White and George Davenport.

His case was heard and it was told how John had simply taken the beast for a ride and after that he had let it lose on Shirland Common.  The case was dismissed and John was discharged.

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*George Berrisford and John Bunting –

George and John were accused of highway robbery when they stole from James Holmes in Swanwick. 

John was aged 22 years old and George was a little older at 27 years old.  Both worked as colliers.  On the night in question James had been drinking in the Steam Packet public house from 5pm to 11pm.  It was stated that he had drunk 3 or 4 pints of ale and took himself a pint out with him to have with his supper when he got home.  He was said to have been perfectly sober.

As he got to the cross roads three men jumped out at him and got hold of him by the throat.  At this he ran away from them to the home of Mr Barratt.  He was found by the men and they attacked him and took the contents of his pockets from him.

The two men were found guilty and sentenced to 9 months gaol.  It is not mentioned as to who the third man was.

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UPDATE of the PAST NEWS.....11th January 1896

Catch up on the full story of last weeks NEWS...........

Betsey’s story -

Betsey was named after her Grandmother, she was the daughter of Harry and Sarah Ann Platts and was born in Chesterfield.  Harry was a miner, born at Shire Green in Sheffield.  The family moved around a fair bit looking for work; they move back and forth from Chesterfield to Sheffield.  She had an elder sister named Florence, elder brother named George and a younger brother named Harry.  In 1891 the family are living at 44 New Bridge Street, Whittington. 

Betsey’s father Harry died in 1895; she would have been around 14 years old.  Harry was on a cricket club outing, he was the umpire.  On the day of his death the team had been to play a match at Renishaw and had frequented a few public houses on the way home.  Whilst in the Travellers Rest at Shuttlewood on Sunday 22^nd June Harry became involved in an argument with two brothers named Joseph and Edward Chidley.  The argument was said to have been about how to raise one’s family.  The situation did become heated and the men went outside to settle the situation.  Harry fought with both of the men and he did eventually end up on the ground where it was alleged that they continued to kick him.  George Platts the son of Harry was also present at the scene and he did try to help his father.  He was however held back by Edward whilst Joseph fought with Harry.  When they had finished George tried to rouse his father, but he was said to have died of his injuries.

Joseph Chidley was charged with manslaughter and committed to stand trial at the Assize Courts in July.  The Jury found him guilty and sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment.  Edward was also charged with manslaughter but there was insufficient evidence to find him guilty and so he was released.

It was most likely after this that the family had to seek help from the Chesterfield Union Workhouse.  During the trial it was heard that Harry had not had any work for the 9 weeks prior to his death, so life must have been very difficult for Sarah and her family.  It was whilst Betsey was an inmate in the workhouse that she married William John Barker.  William was 10 years her senior.

As we know Betsey and William marred on 17^th August 1895, just weeks after Joseph Chidley had been imprisoned for Betsey’s father’s murder.  Poor Betsey was a still a young girl, grieving for the death of her father.  Her family had all been forced into the workhouse; she was having a tough old time.  To make matters worse still Betsey was also said to have given birth to a child by William sometime before the January 1896 when she was charging William for deserting her.  There is one child in the death registers for summer 1895 which may be their child, he was named William.  If this is the correct child then Betsey must have been heavily pregnant when she married William and must have known him prior to her father’s death (if he was the father that is).

So did Betsey and William “make it up” as they had been told to do by the Magistrate?  Whether they made up or not they did stay together, maybe Betsey began to get Williams meals ready for him after his desertion.  In 1901 they have 3 sons; George aged 4 years, Samuel aged 2 years and 1 month old William Redvers.  They are living at 115 Church Street in Whittington. 

Stability did not last long and in 1905 Betsey died, leaving William to bring up the children.  Only 1 year later William had found himself a new wife, he married Mary Ann Booth in the winter of 1906.  In 1911 he and his family are living at 8 New Bridge Street, Old Whittington (the same road that Betsey lived on in 1891).  Mary Ann had one son named Norman Booth and by 1911 she and William have their own child, yet another son named Albert.  William died in 1952 aged 83 years old. 

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