Conisborough Public Houses – Police Raids

April 1881

Mexborough and Swinton times April 29

Good Friday at the Conisborough Public Houses.

A Raid by the Police.



Star Inn

Thomas Slattery, Collier, of Denaby, was charged with being drunk in the Star Inn, Conisborough, during prohibited hours, on Good Friday.

Superintendent Sykes stated that in consequence of the great amount of drunkenness which had taken place in previous years at Conisborough on Good Friday, he took the trouble to send a Constable round every public house in the village on that day this year took cautioned Republicans that they would be summoned if they committed a breach of the Licensing At

With one or two exceptions, they appeared to have conformed to the instructions he had given. The defendant in this case was found in one of the houses during prohibited hours, and there will be several more men brought before their worships on a similar charge.

Lord Auckland: Were they all found in the Star Inn?

The superintendent: No; in different public houses.

The man told the landlord he had come from Barnsley.

Police Sgt Munro proved the case, stating that the defendant was in the public house with drink before him. The landlocked turned him out when requested. The defendant had only been in the village for three weeks. The landlord did not know him.

Fined 10 shillings and 19 s 6d costs.

Lord Auckland observed that the defendant was not only illegally on the premises – he not having travelled the necessary distance – but he told a lie in order to get drink.


Red Lion


William Waters, James Massey, and John Knighton, Colliers, of Denaby, were charged with being in the Red Lion Inn during prohibited hours.

The defendants pleaded guilty.

Police Sgt Munro, stated that on the afternoon of Good Friday, he was in company with Police Constable Crow, when he found the defendants in the Red Lion, in one of the back rooms, three quarters of an hour after closing time. Drink was before them on the table. He called the landlord’s attention to them. He said he did not know they were there. The defendants said no one had seen them go in.

Lord Auckland: What’s the closing hours there?

Superintendent Sykes: from 2.30 until 6 o’clock, the same as on Sundays.

Thomas Shutt the landlord, deposed that everyone was turned out of the house at 2.30 on the day named and he did not know that the defendants were there.

Lord Auckland had a long conversation with the other gentleman on the bench and the conduct of the landlord in permitting the men to be in his house so long after closing time. He considered it was the landlord’s business to know that the men were there.

The defendants were fined five shillings each and the costs amounting to 12s 6d.

Superintendent Sykes such frankly informing the landlord that the bench had declined to allow him any costs indicates – which they would in the other cases – being on opinion that he ought to have been summoned, and unless, upon further enquiries, he (the Supt found that this story was untrue, he might yet be summoned.


Eagle and Child


Henry Hatton, Benjamin Fellows, and Michael Dugan, Colliers, of Denaby, were charged with being in the Eagle and Child Inn, Conisborough, after prohibited hours on Good Friday.

Defendants pleaded guilty.

Police Sgt Munro, stated that he found the men in the Long room upstairs, at 3.30 p.m. Hatton ran downstairs Aziz soon as he saw witness will stop that the men and drink before them. He drew the landlord’s attention to the men. He said he did not know they were there. He had put a man at the door, who asked the men where they had come from and they replied from Corton Wood.

Dugan said no one asked him where he came from.

Fellows said he was asked and answered that he had come from Corton Wood.

Police Sgt Morley corroborated, adding that he thought the man at the door would know who the men were because he came in cell from Denaby.

The defendant said they were not known.

Henry Smith, the landlord, was called, stating that he had taken what he saw was a requisite precaution by placing a man at the door, so as not to admit any one were not travelled the necessary distance.

The defendants would be fined 5s and 14s costs, Lord Auckland remarked that he thought the landlord had done his best, but he hoped another day he would be even more careful. A man should have been stationed at the door will knew the immediate customers and neighbours.


Alma Inn


John Williamson, glassblower, Conisborough, was charged with being in the Alma Inn, Conisborough, on Good Friday, during prohibited hours.

The defendant said he had had nothing to eat, and he went there to see if his son would give him something. He had come to the court that morning without his breakfast.

Police Sgt Morley said he saw the defendant in the Long room. As soon as he was seen, defendant rushed out of the room and made for the backdoor.

The landlocked stated that he did not know Williamson was there.

The defendant said he was there to sing a song or two.

Fined 5s and 11s 6d costs.

As defendant said he had no money, a distress warrant was ordered to be issued. The defendant replied that if his goods were sold, he would have to go to the Workhouse

William Greenfield, Mason, of Warmsworth, was charged with being in the Three Horse Shoes Inn, Conisborough, on Good Friday, during prohibited powers, and he pleaded guilty to the offence.

Police Sgt Morley found the man in the tap room, after closing time, with a pint of beer in his hand. When witness spoke to the landlord about it he said he thought Warmsworth was 3 miles away but witness told him he could not be ignorant of the fact that it was but 2 miles. The landlord answered that he was not sure whether Greenfield came from Warmsworth or Balby. The landlord had also committed an offence by not having anyone stationed at the doors of the rooms in which men were drinking, so anyone might pass in without been asked how far they had come.

The defendant was fined five shillings and 11s 6d costs.

Henry Hatton, Collier of Denaby, was charged with committing a similar offence in the Star Inn on Good Friday.

Police Sgt Morley had summoned the defendant also for being in the Eagle and Child Inn during prohibited hours and Lord Auckland fined him 19s 6d, including costs, remarking that he was no sooner put out of one house than he was found in another.

The defendant: No, I was not caught in the house. I was outside when the “Bobby” found me (Laughter.)





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