At Llangollen Petty Sessions in late August 1893 local life was being dealt with. Although these really were ‘petty’ sessions they of course are very common throughout the entire British Isles. They do provide the historian with more names and dates. The reporting of localised parish news and what was happening in the community is an invaluable resource for us generations on.
These little news articles provide an invaluable insight not only into the lives of the people living at the time in the community but also of the prevailing social attitude.
In this very tiny example we can observe how Mr. William Jones was charged by an Assistant Overseer for the Glyntraian Union for a non-payment of poor rate for the period of 6 months which came to £1 15 sillings and fourpence (a large amount of money for many people struggling to get through life 120 years ago).
Meanwhile the Relieving Officer has charged Margaret Ellen Hart who came from the area with having abandoned her child. It’s interesting to note that the officer concerned makes it very clear that the child was illegitimate and before the marriage of Margaret – an insight into Victorian morality entrenched not only in everyday life but reinforced by the local media. Illegitimacy as the Victorian viewed it was indeed scandalous. It’ll be interesting to note how this case would be handled in modern day Britain with the availability of social services.
Meanwhile a gentleman was summoned by the local police for riding his bicycle with no light and Thomas Langford found himself being fined 10 shillings and costs for assaulting Kate Jones. Petty sessions of course have the power of imprisonment and Langford suffered as a result for also assaulting Jane Williams.
So, from a few short paragraphs in a local North Wales newspaper or significant amount of information can be gleaned. As we say –if it happened it wasn’t the news.
