Derbyshire Archives

A Tragic Tale

In a previous post, I included a message from Rose Richards which ended casually with:

Cathy had a sister – Nellie Cash. She had a baby and hid it in the chimney. It was found by firemen I think. I don’t know what happened to her. How’s that for a tale?

Of course, I needed to find out more… and it is quite a tale indeed.

The Mental Defective

Nellie Cash was born on the 3rd of January 1915 and her father, sadly, died around the same time. A few years later, in 1918, her mother married Arthur G Morgan and soon after had Nellie’s half sister, Kathleen (the Cathy mentioned by Rose above). The girls’ mother seems to have died around 1930 and both girls remained with Arthur. Nellie, who was said to be a ‘mental defective’, kept house for her stepfather and sister at 19 Sims Avenue, Derby. A doctor would later state that “In his opinion it must have been evident to anyone who saw her frequently that she was feeble-minded, unless the person concerned was feeble-minded too.”

The Body

On 26 February 1938, the body of an infant was recovered by police from the front bedroom of 19 Sims Avenue (reports do not mention who first brought it to their attention). The baby girl, which had been wrapped in a blue frock and placed in a mat bag, was first put into a cupboard and later placed in the bedroom chimney. A post mortem examination determined that the baby died due to inattention but had not taken a breath. Nellie admitted that she had recently given birth to a child and was taken to the police station to give her statement.

The Affair

Two years earlier, 21-year-old Nellie had become acquainted with 58-year-old David Dean. Dean, who lived at 36 Cobden Street and had been married for 30 years with three children, kept a tobacconist shop from which Nellie would fetch tobacco for her stepfather.

building front of G. Wilcox Ltd — A tobacco wholesaler on London Road, Derby (c1930) via The Guardian

At some point, they began some kind of ‘relationship’ and Nellie was of the opinion that she was ‘going out with him’. Dean gave a rather dubious account that he had been ‘pestered’ by Cash at a time when he had no work to do, and had ‘yielded’ to her.

Nellie told the police she had previously given birth to another child of Dean’s in December 1936 and told him it was dead. She had put the baby in a bag and together they emptied the ‘contents’ of the bag in the River Derwent. After Nellie gave birth for a second time on February 17, she told Dean it was dead and he said they would put it in the river.

newspaper clipping — Nottingham Journal, 22 June 1938, p1 c2

Dean was charged under the Mental Deficiency Act of ‘a serious offence against a woman who was a mental defective’. He was found guilty and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.

Bail for Nellie was allowed in the sum of £10, on the condition that she went to the Boundary House Institution (the former workhouse and later Manor Hospital). This condition seems to have been agreed to, as Nellie was recorded at the institution the following year on the 1939 register.

The Aftermath

In November 1938, Dean’s wife of 30 years was granted a decree nisi. She had moved to Birmingham, most likely to escape the scandal and gossip her husband’s actions had caused. Dean’s offence and imprisonment were given in evidence, and the court was told that he left her to go to the trial and had not been back since.

Interestingly, 36 Cobden Street was advertised for sale in the Derby Daily Telegraph in August; and again in October at a reduced price. It is not surprising that his wife would want to cut ties and leave the area as soon as possible.

David Dean served his time and the next year was recorded in the 1939 register at the Church Army Hostel on 20 Bridge Street (albeit with 10 years shaved off his age). He died a few years later in 1942.

As for Nellie, it is unclear how long she stayed at Boundary House but in 1955 she married a man named John O’Sullivan. I like to think that she lived happily ever after.

CHILD’S BODY IN CHIMNEY
HINT OF OTHER PROCEEDINGS
DERBY INQUEST
After hearing a report of a post-mortem examination, a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence that death was due to inattention at birth was returned by the jury at the inquest at Derby, last night, on the child of Nellie Cash, 19, Sims-avenue, Derby.
Detective D. Salter said that accompanied by Inspector Gray he visited Sims-avenue on Saturday and recovered the child’s body from a chimney in a bedroom.
It was wrapped in a blue frock and had been placed in a mat bag. The body was taken to the mortuary. Detective Salter added that Cash made a statement regarding the child.
DOCTOR’S EVIDENCE
Dr. G. R. Osborn, who made a post-mortem examination, said there was no evidence to show that the child had a separate existence. Apparently, the baby had not breathed, and death was due to inattention at birth, he added.
Addressing the jury, the Coroner (Mr. T. H. Bishop) said that the body had been found in circumstances which might lead to other proceedings.
Derby Daily Telegraph, 01 March 1938, p5, c2

CHILD’S BODY IN CHIMNEY
MENTAL CONDITION OF DERBY GIRL
Mr. Justice Asquith, at Derbyshire Assizes yesterday, postponed judgment on Nellie Cash (23), a housekeeper, of Sims-avenue, Derby, with a view to her being sent to an institution.
She pleaded guilty to having endeavoured to conceal the birth of a child, of which she had been delivered, by a secret disposition of the body.
Describing Cash as a mental defective, Mr. T. N. Winning, prosecuting, stated that if she had been a person of normal intelligence the case would have been very serious. Before the present case Cash had had another child, and she had said that she put the body into a river.
NEVER FOUND
The body had never been found, said Mr. Winning.
In the present case the baby was born when nobody was about, and the child had not had a separate existence.
The body was first put into a cupboard and later was placed up a chimney.
Dr. Ralph G. Cooke, Resident Medical Superintendent at the City Hospital, Derby, said that Cash was a feeble-minded person to such an extent as to bring her within the province of the Mental Deficiency Act.
Cash, who pleaded guilty, was represented by Mr. A. J. Flint (instructed by Messrs. Flint, Marsden and Bishop).
LEATHER-DRESSER SENTENCED
David Dean (59), leather-dresser of Cobden-street, Derby, who admitted one of two counts alleging that he had committed serious offences against Cash – a mental defective – was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.
Derby Daily Telegraph, 22 June 1938, p7

From the Derby Daily Telegraph, 21 April 1938, p10 c5:

LEATHER DRESSER ACCUSED
David Dean (60), a leather-dresser, of 36, Cobden-street, Derby, was accused of a serious offence against a woman who was a mental defective, between January 1 and February 17.
Mr. E. H. Nichols, assistant solicitor to the Derby Corporation, prosecuting, said that the case was brought under the Mental Deficiency Act.
Arthur George Morgan, a labourer, of 19, Sims-avenue, Derby, said that his step-daughter, Nellie Cash, was 23, and kept house for himself and his daughter.
He knew of a tobacconist’s shop kept by Dean, and Nellie Cash used to go there for his tobacco.
Nellie Cash, who was warned by the Clerk (Colonel W. R. H. Whiston) that she was not obliged answer any questions which might incriminate her, said that she had known Dean for about two years and had been going out with him.
Mr. F. W. Barnett, who represented Dean, objected to further questions.
Dr. Ralph G. Cooke, Resident Medical Superintendent of the City Hospital, Derby, said that Cash was admitted on February 26 last in a debilitated condition.
Her history was that she had given birth to a child on February 17 and her condition was consistent with that.
UNDER OBSERVATION
He had had her under observation, and in his opinion she was a feeble-minded person to a sufficient degree to bring her within the province of the Mental Deficiency Act.
In his opinion it must have been evident to anyone who saw her frequently that she was feeble-minded, unless the person concerned was feeble-minded too.
Mr. Barnett submitted that the prosecution had failed to make out a case under any criminal charge.
The magistrates decided that there was a prima facie case against Dean, and he was committed for trial at the next Derbyshire Assizes, bail being allowed in the sum of £10.
Dean said that he did not wish to give evidence or to call witnesses.
BODY IN CHIMNEY
Evidence of a child’s body being recovered from a chimney was given when Cash, who was described as a housekeeper of 19, Sims-avenue, Derby, was accused of endeavouring to conceal the birth on February 17 of a female child, of which she had been delivered, by the secret disposition of its body. Detective-constable D. Salter said that he saw Cash at her home on February 26, and after being cautioned she admitted that she had recently given birth to a child. He took her to the police station, where she made a statement.
The officer read this statement, in which Cash was alleged to have stated that she gave birth to a child in December, 1936, and she told Dean it was dead.
She had put the baby in a bag, the statement added, had gone out with Dean, and he had emptied the contents of the bag in the River Derwent.
The statement added that she gave birth to another baby on February 17 this year, and when she told Dean it was dead he said they would put it in the river.
In the statement Cash alleged that Dean was the father of both the children born to her.
WRAPPED IN FROCK
Detective Salter added that Cash took him to the front bedroom of her home, and he recovered from the chimney the body of a female child which was wrapped in an old blue frock and in a bag.
Dr. G. R. Osborne, pathologist at Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, said that a post mortem examination disclosed that the baby born in February had not had a separate existence, and death was due to inattention at birth.
Cash was committed for trial at Derbyshire Assizes, Mr. F. W. Barnett, who appeared on her behalf, offering no objection.
Bail was allowed in the sum of £10, on condition that she went to Boundary House.
Derby Daily Telegraph, 21 April 1938, p10 c5

From the Nottingham Journal, 22 June 1938, p1, c2:

DEAD BABY CHARGE
Sentence on Woman Postponed
-Prison for Derby Man
Nellie Cash (23), housekeeper, a Derby woman, was at Derby Assizes yesterday accused of secretly disposing of the dead body of a child in an endeavour to conceal the birth, and was stated to be a mental defective. Sentence was postponed by Mr. Justice Asquith with a view to her being sent to a mental institution.
David Dean (59), an unemployed Derby man, was accused of an offence against the woman, knowing her to be mentally defective.
On Dean’s behalf, Mr. A. R. Flint pointed out that he had been “pestered” by Cash at a time when he had no work to do, and he had yielded to her.
Dean was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.
Nottingham Journal, 22 June 1938, p1, c2

Bigamy Blues – Part 3

Featured Image: Long Bridge over the River Derwent in the 1930s via Derbyshire Live

(Continued from previous posts Bigamy Blues and Bigamy Blues Part 2)

Records show that Reuben and Mary eventually remarried in 1963 – 25 years after the bigamy trial. I wondered how that came about. Had they met up again years later and rekindled the romance? Had Mary stuck by Reuben despite the dishonesty? It seemed unlikely I would ever find out.

A Brave Act

Back in 1937, Reuben was reported in the newspapers as having rescued a child that had fallen in the River Derwent. For his efforts, the 16-year-old Reuben received a Royal Humane Society Certificate while a patient at the Royal Infirmary.

Derby Daily Telegraph, 17 December 1937, p1, c3

DERBY RIVER RESCUES
HONOURS FOR MAN AND YOUTHS
The Royal Humane Society has awarded testimonials on parchment to two Derby youths and a Derby man in recognition of the parts they played in drowning rescues…

George William Gamble (23), of 4, Back Colyear-street, Derby, who rescued Geraldine James (9), of 175, Osmaston-road, Derby from the Derwent, was assisted by Reuben Alfred Lamb (16), also of 175, Osmaston-road.
The child fell into the river while attempting to recover a ball.

(Derby Daily Telegraph, 17 December 1937, p1, c3)

Nottingham Journal, 21 February 1938, p3, c2

RESCUE RECALLED
Presentation to Patient in Derby Infirmary
The Mayor of Derby (Ald. E. E. Paulson) on Saturday made presentations of three Royal Humane Society Certificates, two at the police court and the other at the Royal Infirmary.
In the latter case the recipient was Reuben Alfred Lamb (16), of 175, Osmaston-road who is a patient in the institution. He had been instrumental, in conjunction with George W. Gamble (24), of 4, Colyear-street, to whom the award had also been made, in saving the life of a girl who, while playing on the river bank near Siddals-road, over-balanced and fell into the water…

(Nottingham Journal, 21 February 1938, p3, c2)

The article annoyingly failed to mention why Reuben was in the infirmary.

I had resigned myself to probably never knowing the answers to any of my questions, when I remembered asking Rose (Reuben’s sister) about this incident before she died. Luckily I found the conversation…

[after being asked about her brother’s bigamy]

I had forgotten about that. She said she was pregnant, he believed her and said he’d marry her. Then he and his friend Bill Gamble saw a child in the river Derwent and Alfie jumped in and saved it. He got a certificate from the Humane Society for bravery, but got an infection and was seriously ill and likely to die so Dad, who had refused to let him marry, relented. The pregnancy lasted two years!!!! He was called up for the army, the yanks came to Derby and Cathy was in heaven, but Alfie left her and later married Mary. They had four or five children and were very happy. Cathy (Morgan) had a sister – Nellie Cash. She had a baby and hid it in the chimney. It was found by firemen I think. I don’t know what happened to her. How’s that for a tale?

(Rose Richards, 6 August 2016, punctuation edited for clarity)

It was such a joy (and a relief!) to reread this message. Of course Rose may have been biased, but although Cathy’ isn’t painted in a very positive light, this family version of events really helps to clear things up. It even alludes to the ‘associating with other men’ mentioned in the trials. I had previously seen articles about ‘the rescue’, so it was interesting that a seemingly unrelated incident had also played a part in this story.

And so, a rough timeline appears as follows:

1937 – Reuben (16) and Kathleen (18) discuss getting married; his father refuses
1937 – December – Reuben rescues child from river and comes close to death

1938 – February – Reuben receives award in hospital; his father consents to the marriage
1938 – abt June – Reuben marries Kathleen Morgan

1939 – Reuben is living with wife Kathleen and her father in Derby (30 Bradshaw Street)

1945 – Reuben separates from Kathleen (unclear whether this was before or after meeting Mary)
1945 – April – Reuben meets widow Mary Evans Mitchell at Nottingham Castle NAAFI canteen

1946 – Feb 2nd – Reuben marries Mary
1946/7 – Reuben visits Kathleen in Derby (in response to a telegram)

1947 – Jan 21st – Kathleen visits in Mansfield and reveals all
1947 – Jan 29th – Reuben is charged with bigamy
1947 – Feb 18th – Reuben is sentenced to 3 months prison for bigamy

1962 – Kathleen dies

1963 – Reuben and Mary marry

All’s Well That Ends Well

Reuben and Mary’s marriage in early 1963 appears to coincide with Kathleen’s death the previous year (no evidence of divorce has been found and Kathleen’s death was registered under the surname Lamb).

So there was a happy ending after all. Despite not being legally wed, Reuben and Mary remained a couple and built a family together before they were able to ‘make it official’ in 1963.

As for the baby in the chimney..? Now, that‘s another story altogether…

Bigamy Blues

A while ago, while researching the Lamb family, I stumbled across a few newspaper articles regarding the trial and conviction of a family member for bigamy in 1947. Obviously I needed to know more…

Reuben Lamb and Kathleen Morgan had married at a young age – Reuben was just 17, Kathleen 19. After about a year of marriage, they were recorded living with Kathleen’s father at 30 Bradshaw Street, Derby in the 1939 register. (Note: For some reason, Kathleen was crossed out but added to a later page with the same information.)

The reports are a little unclear, but at some point Reuben joined the army and eventually found himself in Nottingham. It was here, in 1945, that Reuben met canteen worker, Mary Evans Mitchell who worked at a Navy, Army and Airforce Institute canteen located near Nottingham Castle. The NAAFI was established in 1920 to ‘run the recreational establishments needed by the Armed Forces, and to sell goods to servicemen and their families (source: NAAFI.co.uk). Reuben told Mary that his first wife “had been killed in an air raid, and that his marriage had in any case been a great mistake.” (Nottingham Journal, 19 February 1947, p3, c3). Reuben and Mary grew ‘fond’ of each other – so much so that Reuben moved in with Mary at her sister’s home and they married in February the next year (1946).

“She was everything that the other one wasn’t…”

Less than a year later, the new life Reuben had built for himself came crashing down. Reuben went to Derby to see Kathleen ‘in response to a telegram’. While there, he may have let something slip, which led to the first wife arriving in Mansfield on the 21st of January to reveal the truth to poor Mary.

Reuben told the Nottingham Assizes: “after he had deceived her [Mary] for so long, he simply had not the courage to tell her the truth when it actually came to the point of marrying her”. Kathleen claimed Reuben ‘thrashed’ her; Reuben denied this and claimed Kathleen had been ‘associating’ with other men. Regardless, the judge found that Reuben’s actions had been quite deliberate and sentenced him to three months in prison.

It’s impossible not to feel for Mary who, I was to find, was already no stranger to heartbreak…

(Story to be continued in Part Two)

Nottingham Journal, 30 January 1947, p4, c7

Mansfield Man For Trial on Bigamy Charge

A meeting in a N.A.A.F.I. canteen near Nottingham Castle in April, 1945, between a soldier and a canteen worker, which led to an alleged bigamous marriage at St. John’s Church, Mansfield, on 9 February last, was referred to at Mansfield yesterday.
Reuben Alfred Lamb, of 40, Titchfield-street, Mansfield, was charged with bigamously marrying Mary Evans Mitchell, a widow, of the same address, during the lifetime of his wife, Kathleen Lamb (27), of 30, Bradshaw-street, Derby. He pleaded “Guilty” and was committed for trial at the Notts. Assizes, bail being renewed.
Mr. E. B. Hibbert, prosecuting, said accused was legally married at the Derby Register Office in June, 1938, but he and his wife separated in 1945. At the second “ceremony” he described himself as a widower, stating his wife was killed in an air raid at Derby.
Mrs. Mitchell said, after demobilisation, Lamb lodged with her at her sister’s home. After Mrs. Lamb called he revealed the whole truth.
Lamb said that after meeting Mrs. Mitchell they became fond of each other. “She was everything that the other one wasn’t,” he said.
(Nottingham Journal, 30 January 1947, p4, c7)

Nottingham Evening Post, 18 February 1947, p4, c1

THREE MONTHS FOR BIGAMY

Sequel To Unhappy Marriage

Sentence of three months’ imprisonment was passed at the Notts. Assizes, to-day, on Reuben Alfred Lamb, 25, a grinder, who was committed from Mansfield on a charge of bigamy at Mansfield on February 9th, 1946.
“There is no doubt that what you did you did quite deliberately,” said Mr. Justice Morris in passing sentence.
Mr. Nigel Robinson, prosecuting, said the legal marriage was in 1938 at Derby, accused being 17 and his wife 19. He served in the army and on his discharge had a quarrel with his wife and left to lodge with a widow, Mrs. Mitchell, a N.A.A.F.I. worker whom he illegally married.
Lamb later went to see his wife in response to a telegram, and subsequently was alleged to have thrashed her.
Mr. W. A. Simes, defending, explained, in interrogation, that accused’s legal wife had been associating with other men. It had been an unhappy marriage. Lamb denied thrashing his wife.
(Nottingham Evening Post, 18 February 1947, p4, c1)

Nottingham Journal, 19 February 1947, p3, c3

Said Wife Was Killed in Raid

Bigamy Sentence at Notts. Assizes

SEVERAL cases of alleged bigamy were dealt with by Mr. Justice Morris at Notts Assizes yesterday.
Reuben Alfred Lamb (25), a Mansfield grinder, who admitted bigamously marrying a young Mansfield widow on 9 February last year, was sent to prison for three months.
The widow was Mrs. Mary Evans Mitchell, of Mansfield, and Lamb was accused of marrying her while his legal wife, Kathleen, was still alive.
N.A.A.F.I. MEETING
For the prosecution Mr. Nigel Robinson stated that Mrs. Mitchell was a widow whom defendant met while she was working in the N.A.A.F.I. at Nottingham.
“He deceived Mrs. Mitchell by telling her that he was a widower; that his wife had been killed in an air raid, and that his marriage had in any case been a great mistake.”
THRASHED HER
Mr. Robinson added that on 21 January this year the legal wife went to Mansfield to see Lamb. She told Mrs. Mitchell that he was already married, and Lamb thereupon thrashed her.
Lamb was defended by Mr. W. A. Sime, who stated that the legal marriage had been most unhappy Lamb had already taken steps for divorce, and proceedings were still going on
He and Mrs. Mitchell were very fond of each other and after he had deceived her for so long, he simply had not the courage to tell her the truth when it actually came to the point of marrying her
(Nottingham Journal, 19 February 1947, p3, c3)

The Hannah Chronicles: Obscene Language

Newspapers are ‘da bomb‘ for finding out information about relatives but it’s important to widen searches for different spellings, variations and even other family members. This time, searching just the name Rollett (it helps that it’s not too common), brought up an article I hadn’t seen before:

Nottingham Journal, 20 March 1876, p4 c2

USING OBSCENE LANGUAGE – Hannah Rollett was charged with using obscene language in Walker lane, on Wednesday last, to the annoyance of Sarah Ann Rollett, and fined 40s. and costs, or, in default, one month with hard labour. -Ann Wright was charged with a similar offence in the Market place and Bold lane, to the annoyance of John Rollett, on Wednesday last, and fined 40s. and costs, or, in default, one month with hard labour.

Nottingham Journal, 20 March 1876, p4 c2

Typical of the Hannah I’d come to know and love, and interesting that it involved Alexander’s sister, Sarah Ann, again. But underneath, the next case also involved a Rollett and I was wondering if there was a connection when I noticed the name ‘Ann Wright’. I know that Hannah had a sister, Ann, who married a Wright in 1872. Could this be her? Were they all arguing together – siblings against siblings? And who was this John Rollett?

It was only a couple days later that a different search revealed more information:

Hannah Rollett was charged in her absence with using obscene language to the special annoyance of Sarah Ann Rollett, her sister-in-law, in Workhouse-yard, Walker-lane. -Fined 40s. and costs, or one month’s imprisonment.

Ann Wright was charged in her absence with using obscene language to the special annoyance of Alexander Rollett, the husband of the last defendant. The affair took place in consequence of the complainant demanding his child, which had been under Wright’s care. -Fined 40s. and costs, or one month’s imprisonment, with hard labour.

Derby Mercury, 22 March 1876, p2 c5

Derby c1899 map showing places mentioned in the articles (Blue line marks Bold Lane)

The extra details indicate that this was indeed a ‘family affair’ so it’s more than likely this Ann Wright was in fact, Hannah’s sister. We know that her first daughter, Sarah Jane, was ‘under Wright’s care’ in 1881 where they appear in the census together. Sarah Jane would have been aged 4 at the time of this article but it could also refer to his son, Richard William who would have been nearly 2 years old. By 1881, ‘William’ was living with his father and his live-in-lover, Selina Banks. [Hannah was 3 months pregnant with John William at the time.]

1881 census – Bonsall – Sarah Jane living with her aunt, Ann

1881 census -Derby (Nun St) – Richard William living with his father, Alexander

1881 census – Derby (Willow Row) – John William living with his mother, Hannah

It seems a bit rich that Alexander and his sister would take his wife and sister-in-law to court based on their language – they were hardly beacons of modesty. The move seemed designed to antagonise but it is hard to say who was in the right here as neither parent seemed like a great role model. A few months later, Alexander was involved in a ‘murderous assault on a policeman‘; the next year, Hannah committed her own ‘murderous attack‘; and a few years later, Hannah and Alexander would again argue over custody of their children which caused newspapers to report on their ‘Shocking Immorality’.

The Hannah Chronicles: A Disorderly House

Nottingham Evening Post, 27 Jan 1886, p2 c4

Hannah Bates/Rollett and William Henry Lamb were not ones to live life quietly it seems. In January of 1886, they were subjects of a raid where it was found they, along with some neighbours, were keeping a ‘disorderly house’.

At the Derby Borough Police-court, to-day… Edward and Patience Helmsley, husband and wife were charged on a warrant with keeping a disorderly house at House 7, Court 3, Willow-row, between January 16th and 24th…

-Similar penalties were imposed in a similar charge against William Lamb and Hannah Rollit, of House 4, Court 3, Willow-row. Detective Clay stated that most of the persons who entered the house were young men. Prisoners, who had lived together for two years, were found guilty. There were five minor convictions against the man, and six against the woman.

Nottingham Evening Post, 27 Jan 1886, p2 c4

The neighbours in House 7 appear to have held the most serious charge as they appear first in reports.

The Nottingham Journal (28 Jan 1886) was less euphemistic when they reported a “RAID ON BROTHEL KEEPERS”.

Upon being read the warrant, Patience Helmsley had asked “Why don’t you do them up No. 1 court as well?” which indicates this was a relatively common thing in the court houses of Willow Row. “In consequence of complaints he and Sergeant Dexter watched the houses in this this court”…

Nottingham Journal, 28 January 1886, p6 c1

Nottingham Journal, 28 January 1886, p6 c2

Hannah Rolle[t] and William Lamb were charged with a similar offence at house No.2, Court 3, Willow-row. -Detective Clay spoke to arresting the prisoners who denied keeping a brothel. -They had lived in the house about three or four months. On the 16th inst. four women and three men entered the house; on the 21st two men and two women went in the house; on the 23rd two women and nine men went into the house. The prisoners lived together as man and wife. The prisoners were about when this state of things was going on. -The man denied the charge, but the woman admitted the offence. -The prisoners had each been previously convicted, and they were now fined £5 and costs, or one month’s imprisonment with hard labour.

Nottingham Journal, 28 January 1886, p6 c2

Interesting that in both cases, the men plead ignorance:

In defence the male prisoner [Edward Hemsley] said he did not know anything about the “affair,” as he was at work every day. -The female said it was all her fault. He did not want her to keep such a house, and she wished she never had. If the Bench sent them to gaol, her husband would get the “sack.” If they would let her off she would lead a better life.

Nottingham Journal, 28 January 1886, p6 c2

Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal, 29 January 1886, p3 c5

…William Lamb and Hannah Rollett were charged on a warrant with keeping a disorderly house in Court 3, Willow-row between the 16th and 23rd Jan. -Detective Clay gave evidence of a similar nature to that in the previous case and said that he and police-sergeant Dexter apprehended the prisoners on the previous night, when they emphatically denied the charge.- The woman, who had been convicted six times before, pleaded guilty. The man had been in trouble on five previous occasions, and he now denied the charge.- They were fined £5 and costs each, with the alternative of a month’s imprisonment.

Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal, 29 January 1886, p3 c5

The Sheffield Indpendent (28 January 1886) gave much the same information but mentions the “Prisoners… had lived together for two years…” even though we have evidence that they had been living together for around four. [see previous post]

Sheffield Independent, 28 January 1886, p2 c5

It’s unclear whether Hannah or William opted to pay the fine or take the imprisonment. I should note at this point that despite all these convictions against Hannah over the years and reports of serving time, I’ve not yet been able to find any jail record under any of her names.

Despite her claim that she would “lead a better life”, newspapers show that Patience Helmsley was charged with the same offence a few years later in 1890 (with double the penalty):