Sheffield Evening Telegraph – Tuesday 19 August 1919
Wife Thrashing.
Husband Alleged to Have Stood on Woman’s Face.
James Clarke, miner, Denaby, was at Doncaster to-day charged with persistent cruelty to his wife.
The parties were married in July, 1915, at Thrybergh, and there was one child. They lived at Whinney Hill, and then at Denaby.
Complainant said her husband had thrashed her repeatedly, and on the Monday the miners came out on strike he struck her with poker, gave her black eye, and stood on her face.
He had also thrown a bucket of water on her. He worked at Cadeby pit and could earn 16s. a day but he gambled his money away, end would rather put a shilling on a horse than buy loaf of bread.
Inspector Lloyd (N.S.P.C.C.) said defendant told him he was not going work for a woman like his wife. Defendant offered 28s. a week, saying he only earned 10s. 6d. a day.
The Chairman ,(Mr. Shiffner); Don’t play with us, because we won’t have it. How much do you earn?
Defendant admitted to 15s. 6d. day and the magistrates made an order of 30s, week.