Father’s Callous Desertion of Children

February 1929

Mexborough and Swinton Times February 1, 1929

Father’s Callous Desertion of Children

The Doncaster magistrates on Saturday sent Joseph H. Ratcliffe, miner, of no fixed abode, to prison for three months on each of two charges—running away from Conisborough and leaving his two children chargeable to the Doncaster Guardians, and neglecting the children.

Wilfred G. Robinson relieving officer, said that in 1926 the prisoner was living at 7, Halifax Avenue, Conisborough, his wife having previously left him. On October 1st. of that year he drew 14s. 8d. unemployment benefit and went away, leaving the children behind, and had not been seen until he was arrested. The woman with whom he had lodged applied for relief for the children, as her husband was on strike.

The children were admitted to the Guardians’ cottage home on October 12th, 1926, and the cost of their maintenance had been £167 12s. They were still in the home.

Prisoner’s wife was also in the poor law institution. She had been living with another man. Ratcliffe had not paid a penny to the children’s maintenance.

Ratcliffe said he would not have been i this n that predicament but for his wife. He would have been more cruel to the children if he had taken them on the road with him. He had not been earning sufficient money to keep them.

Sentencing the prisoner, the Chairman (Mr Mark Nokes), said the country had plenty of burdens to bear with such people as Ratcliffe leaving their children behind to be maintained.