Mexborough and Swinton Times, May 12, 1917

Child Neglect
Denaby Labourer Gets Three Months

At the Doncaster police court on Tuesday, Fred Lambert, a Denaby labourer was charged on remand with neglecting his five children.

Mr Baddiley prosecuted on behalf of the NSPCC., and said the prisoner was a widower, and the two youngest children were his and those of the woman with whom he had been living.

It appeared that he could earn £2 a week, but he did not give the woman the money, and therefore was responsible for the state of affairs found.

The children, though fairly well nourished, except the youngest, were ill clad and suffering from a highly infectious malady of the eyes. One was rickety, another was emaciated, and one was nearly blind. They had lacked both food and medical attention. It was only fair to the woman to say they were clean.

On the day Inspector Lloyd visited the house the woman had been told by the defendant to take one of the bedsteads and sell it, and she was out on that errand when Mr Lloyd called. That was at 10-30, and there was no food in the house. The children had had nothing to eat up to then.

The woman returned at 12-45, having sold the bedstead, and she then purchased some food. The children had from time to time been fed by the woman sister, and the defendant sister-in-law.

Dr John MacArthur spoke as to the children’s conditions. The baby was not properly developed , weighing only 7lbs. When it should have weighed 10 ½ lbs.

Inspector Lloyd spoke as to his visits. The defendant, when seen, said it was not his fault.

Several witnesses gave evidence, and defendant said it was not true that he had not given the woman any money for 12 months.

He was committed for three months.