Sheffield Independent – Monday 04 September 1899
An Unhappy Marriage.
At Doncaster, on Saturday, Frank Fullwood, butcher, Bentley, formerly of Conisbro’, was summoned for persistent cruelty to his wife, Agnes, who asked for a separation order.
The complainant said she had been repeatedly struck and knocked down by the defendant, who had threatened to murder her. They had been married a little over a year, but he had lived with her previously. She had two children.
Three days after being confined her husband went home drunk and took two drunken women with him, saying they were to stay. He flung a pancheon of water over her, and she had to knock at the wall for a neighbour to come in and dry her clothes.
Her husband’s wages had been 25s. a week, and ,out of that she received 15s.
In reply to Mr. Tovey, solicitor, for the defence, she said they were previously living at Conisbro’. Her husband had said he would go to Mr. Godfrey Walker, J.P., and arrange matters. Her husband had complained about his violin and overcoat being pledged. She had been staying a week with her mother at Nottingham. Since then she had been at Denaby. She did not know a man named Taylor. She did not throw a child down in the street and go an hour after to fetch it. The reason her husband did not go to Mr. Walker was because he got drunk.
The children were sent to South Elmsall to her husband’s mother’s. It was not true that she had thrown a brick at her husband. Her husband had dragged the clothes from her, and flung her out of the house. She had never thrown pots about the rooms. She had been ill-used every day. There had been unhappiness ever since the marriage.
After hearing the whole of the evidence the magistrates granted a separation order, the husband to allow his wife 10s. per week