New news 29 3 2008

LEGGATT (plaintiff) vs. WEEKES (defendant)

This was an action for assault and false imprisonment. There was also a count in trover for seizing the plaintiff’s property and another for services rendered. The defendant pleaded not guilty and, as to the assault, that the defendant was trespassing and he used no more violence in removing him than was necessary. He also paid 15/- into court.

The plaintiff was a painter and decorator living in Little George Street, Portman Square and the defendant formerly carried on business in Chelsea as a builder of conservatories and greenhouses, but had now retired. In September last the plaintiff was employed by the defendant as journeyman to assist in decorating a house at Temple Dinsley in Hertfordshire of which he had taken the lease of a residence for his family. It seemed that a misunderstanding arose between them and that the defendant gave the plaintiff into custody for stealing some stencil-paper patterns which the plaintiff alleged were his own property. Having been locked up for some time, he was brought before Mr Dashwood, a magistrate at Hitchin, by whom he was immediately discharged.

The defence was that the plaintiff refused to leave the house when told to do so and that a policeman was called in to remove him but that the defendant gave the policeman no authority to take him into custody. The defendant appeared before Mr Dashwood but said he made no charge for stealing or any charge at all against the plaintiff. The jury gave a verdict for the plaintiff – damages £50.

Petty Sessions, Hitchin

Frederick William Redrup, innkeeper of Preston was charged with being drunk on the highway at Gosmore on 21 February. Pc Wade said that at a quarter to five in the evening, he found the defendant drunk on the road – he was staggering about and it took him three quarters of an hour to go one hundred yards. A neighbour then drove up and took Redrup home in his cart. Similar evidence was given by Frederick Arthur Robinson, a master tailor, and Mrs Brazier, landlady of a public house where the defendant was refused drink but there were discrepancies as to time. It was urged that the evidence was not clear enough to convict the defendant and that he ought to have the benefit of the doubt. The Magistrates convicted the defendant and fined him 5/- and costs. (10 March 1900)

Petty Sessions, Hitchin

Henry Jeeves, a labourer, was charged with assaulting Frederick Redrup, a publican of Preston and also with doing damage to a window to the extent of 5/-. The complainant said that the defendant’s sister was occasionally in his employment. On the night of 6 September, a stone was thrown through the window and on the witness opening the door to see who was outside, the defendant struck him. The defendant said that his sister, who kept his house, went to the complainant’s house to drink rather than to work. He admitted breaking the window but denied the assault. For the assault he was fined £1 and costs and for the damage, 10/- and costs making a total of £2 1s 6d. (16 September 1899)

AT PRESTON.

Evangelisation Society. On Monday, a farewell tea and meeting was held in the gospel tent of the Evangelisation Society. Mr G Attwood, the Missioner in Charge (who has been holding meetings in the villages of Codicote, Woolmer Green, Whitwell and at Preston) bidding farewell to his hearers till next season. The tent was neatly decorated and presented an inviting appearance. About a hundred sat down to a substantial tea and after this a public meeting was held. The spacious tent was well filled by an appreciative audience. 23 September 1899)

John Dew farmer of Preston, was sued by Charles Chalkley for 5/- alleged to be due for wages. The plaintiff said the money was due for piecework but the defendant claimed to set off this sum against a previous transaction between them in the sale of apples. The magistrates made an order for the payment of 5/- and costs and told the defendant that he could sue in the County Court for the money alleged to be due to him. (21 October 1899)

Charles Fairey, a labourer was fined for being drunk and disorderly on the highway at Ley Green on 20 May. (5 June 1897)

Petty Sessions, Hitchin.

A charge against Samuel Reeves, dealer of Whitwell, of assaulting William Henry Brown, another dealer at Preston on Saturday, was dismissed. There had, it seemed, been a dispute between the parties about money matters. (11 Dec 1897)

Petty Sessions, Hitchin

Herbert Saunders, labourer of Preston, was charged with stealing nine bundles of faggots from Painswood, Hitchin – the property of John Bird. The prosecutor missed some faggots and identified two that the defendant had sold on 17 July and evidence was given that he had been seen with his cart near the wood. For the defence it was contended that the faggots Saunders had sold had been bought from Mr Darton who also had faggots in Painswood and although they resembled those of the prosecutor, they had never been his property. Bird said however that his faggots were bigger and longer than Darton’s and evidence was given to this effect by a man who helped tie them up. A fine of 40/- was imposed. (26 July 1890)

ACCIDENT. On Wednesday morning, Mr H Barham, in company with Mr Morgan, was driving in a trap to Preston, in which was a heavy iron wheel, when the horse took fright and ran up a bank overturning the cart and throwing out the occupants both of whom sustained cuts and bruises. (26 July 1890)

THE PLAIT MARKET, HITCHIN

The heavy downpour of cold rain on Tuesday morning again brought before the townspeople the hardship undergone by the poor women who sell their plait in the market. Many of them have to walk three or four miles to come to Hitchin and when they get here, they must stand in the open street in all weathers for perhaps an hour disposing of their wares. The price they are paid is so small that they have little to spend in refreshing themselves before starting on their way home. Surely it would not be hard to provide, at small expense, a covered mart, comfortably heated, in which they could remain while selling their plait. How many of them escape serious injury to their health under the present arrangement is wonderful and that so few of their numbers are struck down by the severity of the weather speaks well of their powers of endurance. (21 March 1891)

Petty Sessions, Hitchin

George Reed, Thomas Fairey, William Palmer and Francis Brown, All of Preston were summoned for not sending their children regularly to school and an attendance order was made in each case. (21 March 1891)

Petty Sessions, Hitchin

William Jeeves, landlord of the Chequers Inn, Preston, was charged with refusing to admit the police to his licensed premises on 13 September and George Jenkins, a labourer of Preston, was charged with being found on such premises at a prohibited hour. It appeared that two police sergeants, Martin and Spriggs, watched the house on Sunday morning from half-past six until ten. At the latter hour, the landlord’s brother-in-law, Jenkins, went into it and the officers went to the door some two minutes after but found it was locked and they had to wait twelve minutes before they were admitted. For the defence it was urged that the landlord’s daughter who had charge of the house (her father being in the garden) did not know that the men at the door were policemen as they were not in uniform and that they were admitted in five minutes which considering the circumstances was not an unreasonable delay. Jenkins, it was also contended, had a reasonable excuse for being in the house as he came with pig’s food and he had nothing to drink. The landlord was fined 10/- including costs and Jenkins was convicted but cautioned only. (19 September 1891)

ASSAULT AT PRESTON

Frank Brown, of Preston, was summoned for assaulting John Dew at Preston on 30 June. The complainant, a farmer, gave evidence to the effect that while driving towards Hitchin, a missile struck him on the back and when he pulled up to ask what it meant, the defendant threatened to assault him. In cross examination it was established that the witness was not struck by the defendant and that there had been some ill feeling between the parties. The defendant was ordered to pay the costs amounting to 14/6d and was bound over to keep the peace for three months. (11 July 1891)

Frank Brown of Preston was charged with using threats to John Dew, farmer of Preston and also with obstructing the highway there. Both charges were adjourned to enable the defendant to call witnesses, the summons only having come to his knowledge late on Monday night.

Later – The complainant threatened to “do for him” but this was denied by the defendant who said that Dew had given him a great deal of annoyance for some time past. After hearing the witnesses on both sides, the Magistrates bound both parties over to keep the peace for six months. The charge of obstruction, which was brought by Mr Dew, in his capacity of surveyor of highways, was dismissed the Bench thinking that the dog-cart which was found on the road was not there long enough to sustain such a complaint. (23 July 1892)

ROBBERY BY BOYS. James Bonfield, William Aldridge and Ernest Fairey (son of John and Charlotte born Great Wymondley 1873), lads living at Hitchin, were charged with stealing sweets of the value of 4d the property of E. W. Fisher, sweet manufacturer of Hitchin on 20 February. Bonfield pleaded not guilty and the others pleaded guilty of receiving. It seemed that Police-sergeant Martin concealed himself near the prosecutor’s premises on Saturday night and saw Bonfield (who was in Mr Fisher’s employment) hand something from the cart he was in charge of to Aldridge who then walked off with Fairey and sweets were afterwards found in their possession. Mr Fisher gave Bonfield a good character, and asked the Bench to deal leniently with him. A fine of £1 was imposed in the case of Bonfield; each of the others was fined 10/-. (22 February 1892)

Petty Sessions, Hitchin. John Dew, farmer of Preston, was summoned for neglecting to repair a certain highway leading from Charlton to Offley in the parish of Preston. Mr W. O. Times, clerk to the Hitchin Local Board, appeared for that authority. The case was brought in order that a highway which forms the boundary of two highway districts be divided transversely. The Bench decided that Hitchin should take the part from Wellhead Farm to the west corner of Offley Holes turning, the remainder to be repaired by the parish of Preston. (10 December 1892)

Thomas Fairey, labourer was fined 5/- for being drunk in the Court at Hitchin on September 12th. (23 September 1892)

Petty Sessions, Hitchin. Alfred Brown, farmer of Preston was charged with using threats to George Hailey, saddler of Hitchin. There had it seemed been some unpleasantness between the parties before arising out of County Court proceedings set on foot by Mr Hailey and when they met on the road, the defendant, it was alleged, used the threats complained of. The Magistrates bound the defendant over in his own recognisances in the sum of £10 to keep the peace for six months. (11 November 1893)

Hertfordshire County Court. The plaintiff (Spencer, an engineer of Walsworth) sued the defendant (Dew, a farmer of Preston) for £2 5/- for a brass strap made to the defendant’s order. Mr Dew paid £1 14s 6d into the Court and the only question in dispute was as to the balance, 10/6d which was charged for a wooden pattern prepared in connection with the making of the strap. The defendant contended that the strap was an ordinary one and that he had never been called on to pay for a pattern before. His Honour came to the conclusion that it was necessary to make a pattern and gave judgement to the plaintiff for 10/6d with costs, at the same time saying the defendant was entitled to the pattern that had been made. (1894)