Echoes of our past News...... 14th October 1876

 

What was news in the local news this weekend in 1876?

MAIN NEWS –

*Fatal explosion at Barrow Hill –

A lad named Luke Bennison aged 16 years old was the victim in this tragic accident which occurred on the 27^th September.  Luke was not killed outright but suffered sadly until Monday 9^th October before he passed away, after receiving medical care by Mr Hale the surgeon.

The inquest was held at the Barrow Hill Hotel the next day and the coroner heard how Luke and some friends had been playing with gun powder at a slack heap, near to Barrow Hill.  They had placed some powder in holes in the ground and had then ignited them.  On this instance a spark reached the pocket of Luke where he had carried the powder, causing the remaining powder to explode.

Luke was the son of a collier also named Luke and he identified the body.  His clothes had been burnt off and he was burnt from the knees to the chest.

A witness, Robert Vardy a pony driver of Barrow Hill had been with Luke on that evening around 6pm, after work.  He said that Luke had his trouser pocket full of gun powder and that when he had been lighting a fuse some of the gun powder had become wet and stuck to his hands.  The fuse lit before he was ready and the spark flew into his pocket, the powder in his pocket exploded.

The cousin of Robert Vardy a man named John Vardy also a pony driver of Barrow Hill was also called as a witness and repeated the sequence of events as his cousin had outlined.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death. 

OTHER ITEMS –

*Damaging a bucket at Spital –

A young boy named John Walker was accused of damaging a bucket belonging to John Cargill.  John Cargill stated that it wasn’t just the damage to the bucket, but the fact that the young boy had trespassed on his land and had also been insolent in his behaviour towards him. 

The young boy, John Walker did not deny damaging the bucket, but alleged that is was done accidentally whilst playing with his friends.  He was fined 1s and ordered to pay 6d for the damage done and the cost of the summons.

*Trespass by an experienced poacher –

George Hill a collier from Bolsover was charged with illegally trespassing on the land of Thomas Nisbet on 26^th September.  This was not the first time George had been found trespassing on this land, but the 25^th time.  He was caught shooting a partridge on the land without a licence to do so.  PC Poyser was out that night and watched George beat the field with his dog and gun.  When the partridges were disturbed he shot one of them. 

 

Not surprisingly, as this was Georges’ 25^th time of being charged, he did not attend the court hearing.  In his absence he was fined £2 and costs for trespass and £2 10s for illegally shooting game.

*Drunken policeman –

John Perry had only been employed by the Derbyshire Constabulary for the past six weeks when he found himself in bother.  On receiving his wages that day he had got drunk with the money.  He was on duty at the Litchurch Lock-Up at the time.  On returning from his drinking binge he broke the window of the lock-up and once inside also damaged the table and the bed.  He was said to have tried to fight the other two constables on duty that day. 

John was fined 40s and costs or one month’s imprisonment and was also ordered to forfeit the six week’s pay he was due.

*Riding without reigns –

 

George Fox was summoned to Clay Cross Petty Sessions after Inspector Handley saw him riding on a conveyance without reigns on the 6^th October.  He was also charged with not having proper control over the horses.  George was fined 10s and costs of 9s 6d.

MARRIAGES –

* On 9^th October at the Parish Church, Chesterfield -

·         Richard Keeton, farmer to Annie Crabtree

·         Henry Hodgkinson White to Rose Hannah Taylor

·         Thomas King to Martha Taylor

·         Arthur Cooper to Eliza Ann Ballow

*On 12^th October at the Parish Church, Chesterfield –

 

·         Joseph M Harris to Sarah Packwood

 

*Mr J Booth, grocer to Mary Elizabeth Rains of Tyrell Hay, Radbourn on 10^th October at Bolsover Parish Church.

*John Knowles to Alice Plant on 5^th October at Eckington Church.

DEATHS –

*Robert Carnall aged 46 at Hady

*George Pemberton aged 41 at Soresby Street

*Caroline Stevenson aged 61 at Brampton

*Mary A Jameson aged 1 year and 9 months at Hasland.

*Ann Dutton aged 64 at Spencer Street

*John Topliss aged 70 at Cromford

*Dorothy Poole relict of the late John Poole aged 85 at Brampton

*Edward Wintle aged 6 at Ironville

*Catherine Barton aged 8 at Ironville

SPORT –

 

The Quidnunc Cricket Club commemorated the closure of another season by taking a super at the Rose and Crown in Eckington.  The club had played 14 matches that season and won 6, lost 4 and drawn 4.  The highest average batting was attained by Henry Slater.

AND FINALLY…

The “local pauper roll” figures were published.  For Chesterfield they were as follows -

Year	In-door relief	Out-door relief
1850	182	1160
1860	153	1575
1870	288	2639
1876	244	1906