Beer for the Children

May 1909

Sheffield Evening Telegraph – Saturday 29 May 1909

Beer for the Children.

At Doncaster West Riding Court to-day, James Beckett, filler. New Conisbro’, was charged with giving beer to his two children under five years of age.

His wife appeared in answer the charge.

At 9.55 p.m. P.-c. Metcalf was on Doncaster Road, Denaby. the 2nd, when he saw defendant come out of the Denaby Stores carrying two quarts of beer in bottles and pint of beer in jug. His wife was standing some distance away with two children, and after walking short distance gave his wife and children drink, one of the children being four and a half years of age.

The officer asked if the children were ill or had been ordered to have beer, and defendant replied “Well what can I do, the children are thirsty, and the wife’s just been to Mexboro.”

Defendant admitted he knew he had broken the law.

The Chairman said it was the first case of the kind under the Children Act, and imposed a small penalty of 2s. 6d. and 7s. 6d. costs