Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday, 30 July 1904
Denaby Girl’s Experiences Of Married Life
Separation Order Granted
A painful story was told at the Doncaster West Riding Police Court on Saturday before Mr. G. B. C. Yarborough, presiding, and other magistrates, by Beatrice Whittworth, a girl, 18 years of age, of Denaby, who summoned her husband, Edwin Whittworth, a foreman moulder, for persistent cruelty, and applied for a separation order.
Mr. Frank Allen appeared for the complainant, and Mr. W. Baddiley defended.
Mr. Allen, in opening the case, said the complainant was making application for a separation order and maintenance on the grounds of the persistent cruelty of her husband. After hearing the facts, he thought their worships would agree with him when he said it was a very painful case indeed. The complainant was only 18 years of age, and was married to the defendant on the 3rd May, 1903. A child was born within one month of the marriage, but it was dead, and she had another child, which was also dead.
The defendant had ill-treated her during the whole course of her matrimonial life. He had made most abominable charges against the complainant, and had frequently assaulted and beaten her, having done everything to make her life miserable.
The complainant was sworn, and she stated that formerly she lived at 74, Firbeck Street, Denaby, and now resided at 24, Ravenfield Street. She was married to the defendant in May, 1903, and then had been two children, both of whom were dead. The defendant had often ill-treated her and had accused her of going out with other men, and she had not been allowed to go anywhere but what the defendant was jealous of her.
Three weeks after she was married defendant took her out one Sunday afternoon, and was tantalising her all the way down to the lane. He threatened to hit her, and a man named Charlie Guest had to order him off his premises. The defendant struck her before she was married, and had struck her with his fist in his mother’s house. He also told her he would not provide a home for her, and told her to take her hook. She stayed with him for a week, and then went home for a month.
When she returned to live with him he behaved better to her for a fortnight, but afterwards started his “game” again. He was always threatening and tantalising her. About a month or six weeks ago they went to Mexbro’, and because she stopped to talk to a young fellow they both knew he commenced to accuse her of all sorts of things.
He had struck her on the forehead, making it swell up, and it was marked very badly, too. On Saturday, the 2nd of July, he came home about 12 o’clock, and commenced his “game” again. She ran out of the house, but he dragged her back and hit her in the mouth whilst they were in bed.
The neighbours had to knock at the wall in order to make him desist. He treated her shameful whilst they were in bed. It was going on from 11 o’clock until 2 a.m. There was not the slightest truth in the accusations.
On the 10th July they went to Sheffield, and stayed at the Hope and Anchor Hotel. He was sat in the bar with the landlady, whilst she was in the other room. He came out and accused her of going into the backyard with some men, and told her to get her things and they would go home.
He made a row in the street, and she left him, and had not lived with him since. He was a foreman moulder, and earned 36s. a week.
In answer to Mr. Baddiley, complainant said the defendant struck her in November. He had been continually talking about her neglecting the home, but it was not true that she spent most of her time at her mother’s. He had threatened to knock her face off.
Re-examined by Mr. Allen, complainant said the real reason why she left him was because of his threats.
Mary Broadhead, of 24, Ravenfield Street, mother of the complainant, said for some time after her daughter was married they lived at her house. They left in the beginning of November. The defendant was very jealous, and could not bear to have the complainant out of his sight. He had accused her of going with other men.
On one occasion she had to go into her daughter’s bedroom to defendant, who was ill using his wife.
Walter Broadhead, father of the complainant, said during the time they were living with them he had to turn the defendant out of the house at ten minutes past one in the morning. When he came back from the pit he again commenced to ill-use her. The defendant was gagging and smothering her under the bed-clothes. He used some very bad language towards her.
Sarah Whitehead, 72, Firbeck Street, said she had heard the complainant screaming and moaning when the parties lived near to her, and had heard her crying out for the Lord to help her. She had seen her face marked upon several occasions.
Willie Preston, a miner, of 69, Firbeck Street, and Margaret Holdsworth, 77, Firbeck Street, gave similar evidence.
Mr. Baddiley put the defendant in the box, and he denied that he had struck his wife. He had complained to her about talking to men in the street.
Cross-examined, he said he had never struck her, but admitted pushing her. He was earning 35s. a week.
The Chairman said the Bench thought there must be a separation order. There was no doubt that the woman had been treated cruelly. They would grant an order of separation, and the defendant would have to pay 12s. a week towards her maintenance.