Winchcombe Petty Sessions (1849 & 1850)

Extracts from the Cheltenham Journal by Phil Mustoe © 1998

5th Nov. 1849

WINCHCOMBE PETTY SESSIONS, Oct. 26. - (Magistrates present : the Right Hon. the Earl of Ellenborough, the Hon. and Rev. G. G. C. Talbot, the Venerable Archdeacon Timbrell, and the Rev. E. F. Witts.) -

John LAWRENCE, of Gretton, brought up under a magistrate's warrant, was charged by Sergeant Coleman, with being drunk and disorderly, at Gretton, on the 1st Of July last, and with fighting on the 10th of the same month; fined £1. and 12s. 6d. cost.

Anson STAITE, of Gretton, brought up under a magistrate's warrant, charged with neglecting to pay towards the support of an illegitimate child, affiliated to him by Elizabeth Barnett, was ordered to pay £1. the amount due, and the cost of his being brought there.

John CRESSWELL, brought up on a warrant, for neglecting to pay towards the support of an illegitimate child, affiliated to him by Mary Ann Tandy, was ordered to pay £1. 3s. the amount due, and costs

Daniel MUSTOE, brought up under a warrant, for leaving his wife and family chargable to the parish of Guiting Power, was committed to the house of correction at Northleach, with hard labour, for three calendar months.

Edmund GREEN and Thomas SHILLAM, summoned by Sergeant Coleman, for fighting, were bound in their own recognizances of £10 each to keep the peace.

Daniel SHILLAM, for being drunk and "aiding and abetting" the above parties, was fined 5s.

Mr. J. HANKS and Mr. J. STAITE, surveyors of highways for the parishes of Charlton Abbots and Sudeley, summoned by the Hon. and Rev. G. G. C. Talbot, of Withington, for allowing the roads in their respective parishes, leading from Winchcombe to Andoversford, to be in so bad a state of repair as to be barely passable, were ordered to repair the roads within two months. Mr. G. Simmonds, of Stanway, was ordered to inspect them, and make his report at the December sessions. [The above did not arrive in time for insertion last week, in consequence of some irregularity in the post.]

2nd Sept. 1850

WINCHCOMBE PETTY SESSIONS were held on Friday last [Ed: Aug 30th 1850], at the Town Hall, before the Right Hon. the Earl of Ellenborough, the Venerable Archdeacon Timbrell, and the Rev. E. F. Witts.

Cyprian TAYLOR, farmer, of Frampton, was charged with assaulting Ann Williams and her two children, by riding his horse against them and knocking them down in the public foot-road leading from Winchcombe to Dumbleton. The woman, on being sworn, stated that she was going with her two children (one in her arms and the other by her side) to lease in Mr. Taylor's field, and while she was yet in the road, and before she began leasing, Mr. Taylor road up and commenced abusing her, thereby knocking down herself and children. She screamed out, and her husband (who was working for Mr. Taylor) came to see what was the matter, on which Mr. Taylor rode away. Benjamin Williams, (her husband) corroborated the evidence of his wife. - Mr. Taylor made a long statement denying the assault; he merely ordered the woman from his ground; he did not touch her, and she did not fall down; he wished to have a surgeon examine her and see where she was hurt, although the woman admitted she was not hurt. - The magistrates said that, although the woman was no hurt, and allowing she was on trespass, the defendant was not justified in riding against her and knocking her down in the manner she swore he did. He was fined 10s. and 9s. 10d. costs.

Geoge FREEMAN, keeper of the Foot-bridge, toll-gate, was charged by Mr. Thomas Smith, of Irely farm, with having illegally claimed and received toll for his gig as he was going to his place of worship. Freeman said he should not have claimed the toll, but Mr. Smith had two ladies with him who he knew were none of his family. Mr Smith explained that the ladies were relatives of his wife, being at his house on a month's visit, and being of the same persuasion as himself. The magistrates considered that as the ladies were his family, and were therefore exempt as well as himself; but as the toll-keeper appeared to have demanded the toll through not thoroughly understanding the law, they would, instead of inflicting a fine of £5, order him to pay the costs 5s. 10d. and return Mr. Smith his sixpence.

William DONES was charged by a woman named Kemp with an assault, at Laverton, but, as it appeared that she began throwing water on him, the magistrates dismissed the case.

Daniel and Thomas MUSTOE (brothers), of Guiting, were committed for trial at the next Quarter Sessions for assaulting Police Constables Samuel Fara [should read Ford] and George Wilcox, when pursuing their duty. It appeared that the officers held a warrant for the apprehension of Thomas [should read Daniel - Thomas never married], for leaving his wife and family chargeable to the parish of Guiting. On endeavouring to apprehend him, they were violently assaulted by both prisoners, who made a strong resistance. After a sharp struggle between the parties, in which P. C. Wilcox received a severe cut on the head from a pike handle used by Samuel [should probably read Daniel] Mustoe, they were conveyed to the police-station at Guiting.

David PHIPPS, of Northwick-hill, Worcestershire, was brought up in custody of P.C. Robert Wilson for neglecting to pay 19s. 6d. on an affiliation order, to Elizabeth Bunting, of Charlton Abbots. He was discharged on paying the money.

[Collected by Phil Mustoe - his last update 18th July 1998]