Here is this week’s round-up of pieces from the Batley News relating to the parish of St Mary’s. As usual I have put in bold the names of those connected to the parish who served with the military. And, as ever, the spelling and punctuation matches that of the newspaper.
A parishioner appeared as a witness in a case brought against three women: Sarah Preston, landlady of the Volunteer Inn, New Street; Leeds widow Ellen Henshon; and widow Annie Armitage, who had been employed by Mrs Preston for 25 years.
The women were summoned for breaches of the Children’s Act, 1908, by having two children under fourteen in the bar of licensed premises. The case centred around whether the kitchen could be classed as a bar.
Sarah Preston said the kitchen was not habitually used as a drinking place. She only used it for women as she did not like them drinking with men. If there were no men in the ‘snug’ women would go there.
The parishioner who gave evidence was Celia Grogan. According to the report:
Celia Grogan, rag-sorter, East Street, who said she visited the “Volunteer” every night for a gill for her supper, said women were seldom seen in the kitchen except on holiday nights.
The magistrates decided the case was proved. That the kitchen was used as a bar on licensed premises, and as a result children were present in contravention of the Act.
The death Michael James O’Hora (War Memorial spelling) was confirmed in the Roll of Honour compiled from War Office casualty lists:
KILLED.
Batley. – Pte. M. J. O’HARA, D.W.R.
Finally this week there was news of Clifford Brewer, months before his marriage to parishioner Annie Gallagher.
Carlinghow Men Wounded
Sergt. Alfred Brewer, Grenadier Guards, eldest son of Mrs. Annie Brewer, 11, Victoria Street, Carlinghow, has been wounded a third time. He was buried during a bombardment and was officially posted as “wounded and suffering from shell shock,” but a letter received from him states he is already back in the firing line, and quite well.
A tram driver on the Bradford Road section, he joined up soon after war broke out. He is 28 and single.
A brother, Private Clifford Brewer, K.O.Y.L.I., has been wounded twice, and an adopted son of Mrs. Brewer, Private Albert Gunn, Grenadier Guards, has been killed.
PastToPresentGenealogy 