South Yorkshire Times July 23, 1955
Wath Breweries Claim
Against Conisbrough Woman
Dozens of empty beer bottles bewildered Rotherham registrar, Mr.Archibold Loy, at Rotherham County Court on Wednesday, when he heard a claim by Whitworth, Son and Nephew, Ltd., the brewery, Wath, for 14s. 3d. Balance due on any account of Mrs. Christina Gould at Rock House, Conisbrough.
Said the registrar: “I am bewildered by all this. I think I am really drunk.” Mrs. Gold disputed the claim, which arose out of the return of “empties” – both bottles and crates.
The Brewery company claimed that she had returned a dozen empty bottles and four empty crates, but she denied this, saying she had returned the bottles, plus 4 crates, full of empty bottles.
Mr John Slater, wines and spirits manager for Whitworth’s, said defendant had received certain bottles of spirits, and had returned certain empty bottles. She had been given a credit note for a dozen bottles and four empty crates.
Mrs Gould remarked.: “Would I send back a dozen bottles separately when I have four empty crates in the cellar?” She said the bottles had accumulated for nearly a year, when they had had friends staying with them for some time.
Mr. Loy adjourned the case until August 12, so that the driver of the firm could be called to prove the number of bottles Mrs. Gould had returned.