What Is a Home?

The difference between lodgings and a home was brought out forcibly in a case in which Annie Warne, of Denaby, but now living with her parents at Rawmarsh, summoned her husband for deserting her. The wife also applied for a separation order.

Defendant pleaded not guilty.

Complainant stated that on the 5th of September the defendant left her in Denaby. They were in lodgings. She had had no money from him since then. He had told the landlady on the same morning that he did not intend to give his wife any money when he came home. When he returned from work he wanted some dinner, but she told him she had no money to get any with. She had one child, four years of age.

A man named Morris, whom they had lodged with, said the defendant had habitually kept her short of money and food. The defendant made 7s. 6d. a day at the pit. They had lodged with witness eight or nine weeks.

Arthur Uttley also gave evidence, as also did Mrs. Uttley, on the defendant’s behalf. Warne had gone to lodge with the latter party, but his wife refused to go to the house.

Mrs. Uttley was questioned, and it transpired that there were two bedrooms, and besides the landlord and his wife were Warne and two lodgers, the latter, however, being on night duty, and occupying the beds during the day. Warne’s wife naturally declined to leave the lodgings where she had ample room.

Mrs. Uttley, however, thought differently. She had a right to go where her husband wanted her. She could have slept with me! “If you had any respect about you you would do what her husband wanted you.”

The complainant was granted a separation order of 8s. per week, the wife to have the custody of the child.