Mexborough and Swinton Times January 11, 1935
A “Bad Old Man”
Denaby Child’s Suffering
A Denaby home “in a frightful condition” was described at Doncaster on Tuesday when Charles Fox (72) and Annie Monks (40), single, 87 Annerley Street, Denaby, were accused of neglecting Nelly Monks (8) the child of the female defender
Mr W.L.Crawford, prosecuting for the NSPCC, said the case came before the notice of the Society in January last, when the woman was living at Doncaster. It was investigated and there was some improvement. Subsequently further complaints were received and on December 12 an inspector visited defendant home and found the child weak, undernourished, extremely verminous and clothed inadequately for the time of the year
The house had four rooms, poorly furnished, extremely dirty, and only one bedroom. There was little food in the house – a small loaf of bread, a small piece of butter and one egg
When the inspectors spoke to the woman about the condition of the house and the child, she replied, “I do my best.”
Fox said “This —-kid has the best of everything. Her —-mother is no good.”
Inspector Dawson, described the house, especially the bedroom, as “in a frightful condition.” The woman was mentally weak, and in his opinion, was under the domination of the man. She had been living with Fox was seven years. He had seen the woman’s mother, who agreed that the woman was mentally unstable
Dr McArthur and Miss Morris, headmistress of the Denaby infant School, gave evidence as to the child’s condition
Fox told the magistrates he received only 13s 7d a week. He got the woman to look after him because he was old and a cripple
Mr Crawford said that in addition to the 13s 7d the man received a 10 shillings food ticket and rent allowance weekly from the public assistance committee. Mr Crawford withdrew the summons against the woman
Dealing with Fox under the Probation Act, the Chairman (Mr M Noakes) said: “You are a very bad old man. You ought to be ashamed of yourself and but for your age we should have sent you to prison. Let this be a warning and now get off home.”