Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 27 July 1900
Domestic Trouble at Conisborough.
William Cayborn, described as a labourer, living at Conisborough, was summoned his wife, Polly Claybourn, for desertion.
The woman also asked for separation and maintenance order.
Mr. W. Baddiley appeared for the complainant, and the defendant was represented by Mr. F. Allen.
Mr. Baddiley said the parties were married on the Ist of January this year and they lived together until Saturday, the 30th of June, when the husband left the house and took his furniture with him. The woman had had to go to her own relations as the man declined to do anything at all towards her maintenance. The defendant was employed at Cadeby Main Colliery and for the past fifteen weeks his wages had averaged £ 1 2s. 3d a week.
The complainant said she was married to Clayborne at Rotherham, and at the time she was a widow with two children. They went to live at Goodlad’s yard. Sometime before defendant left her he assaulted her, and gave her a black eye. He left the house and took his furniture with him on the 30th of June. He did not give her any money on that day, but left a few groceries, including half a pound of butter, half a stone of flour, three eggs, half a pound of bacon, and a quarter pound of tea. She went to her sister’s to wash and her sister gave her two shillings.
The defendant went to live at his sister’s house, which was not far from their house, and be kept coming to her and telling her what he had had to eat at his sister’s while she and her children had no food. On one occasion he came and told her he had been having “duck and green peas.” (Laughter.)
On the 9th of July she went to live with her sister and had been there ever since. In answer to Mr. Allen the complainant said she might have faults as well as her husband. She bad prepared food for him, but he would not have it, and said his sisters would get it ready for him. She had not purchased any goods in the husband’s name since he left her.
Mr. Allen produced several bills for groceries and other goods, but the complainant strenuously denied that she had pledged husband’s credit since he left her. With regard to a bill for £4 borrowed money, she said it was her husband’s debt, as he borrowed the money to get married with; he also borrowed a sovereign with which to buy the wedding ring. She admitted that when the defendant hit her she threw two eggs at him, and said she would hit him again he hit here
Mrs. Wallace, a neighbour, deposed that she had found the children food when they were hungry owing to the defendant not having made provision for them, and police sergeant Brown said that on one occasion, before the complainant made a statement to him; she had a black eye at the time.
The Bench made a separation order, by which the defendant must contribute 10/- a week to the maintenance of his wife.