Oh dear, 11 year old Great great grandfather John Cottrill was a VERY NAUGHTY BOY! Worcestershire Chronicle, Wednesday 13th March, 1861 CITY POLICE (Court) , Friday. (8th March 1861) Before the Mayor, T. Chalk, J. Goodwin, E. Evans, and J. W. Lea, Esqrs. Mischievous Boys.—Four boys, named John Taylor, Joseph Turner, Jesse Cope, and John Cotterill, were charged by P.C. Vaughan with lighting a fire against the door of the British School, Blockhouse. The teachers and others belonging to the school have been continually annoyed the unruly boys of this locality, and pants of glass have been smashed since last May. It was very common thing to the key-hole the school door stopped up with mud. On Wednesday evening last P.C. Vaughan observed the prisoners lighting heap of engine waste against the school door. A governess belonging to the school stated that the boy Taylor walked into the school last week, during school hours, and knocked a lot of bonnets off the pegs. A boy named Sutton, not in custody, was mentioned as being the leader the unruly gang. Remanded till Monday, and warrant was ordered to issued against Sutton, whose mother however produced him in about half an hour after, and he was let off promising to appear on Monday. ……………………………………………………………………………………… MONDAY (11th March 1861) Before Joseph Wood Esq., Mayor, J. H. Clifton. J. W. Lea, I. Chalk, J. Goodwin, and E. Evans, Esqrs. The Blockhouse Boys. —The boys Taylor, Turner, Cope, Cottrill, and Samuel Sutton, who were at the police court on Monday, on charge of lighting a fire cotton waste near the door of the Girls British School, in the Blockhouse, and other disorderly practices, came again, attended by several of their mothers. Mrs S Birlingham, and Mr. Miles attended to press the charge.—Miss Jenkins, a teacher in the school, said the annoyance given these and other boys had been very great had existed during the two years she had been connected with the school. They threw stones, broke windows, rang the bell, made noises at the door, and played many other tricks. One boy had several times caught hold of infants coming into school, and turning them heels over head, had brought them in that posture into the school and set them down. The magistrates appeared at a loss to know how to deal with the case. They had no power to deal with it except by fine and imprisonment. The boys appeared to be very penitent, and an abundance of tears was shed by them and their mothers, one of whom appeared to be in a bad state of health, and was compelled to sit. Mr. Chalk, looking towards Mrs. Birlingham, asked whether it would not enough to take the promise of the boys to behave properly in future. Mr. E. Evans, who we believe is connected with the school, replied—No, nor that of their parents, that is certain. Mrs. Birlingham, who appeared to feel very strongly about the matter, said—This school is intended for the benefit of the children - the girls of those parents and others who live in the neighbourhood. The governesses cannot keep the school in order if these proceedings are allowed to on. Our friend Richard Padmore is trustee for the school with Nathaniel Miles; it is the one well known as the British School; it has been well conducted, and has turned out some excellent scholars; and it is a pity it should given up. Mr. Clifton told Mrs. Birlingham that it was not to be supposed that such bad conduct could be permitted on the part of the boys, but she would see the difficulty dealing with children of that age (nine to eleven years). Various suggestions were made, one of which was that the boys should dismissed on their parents undertaking to whip them and promise to look after them in future; another was that they should be sent the City gaol to be whipped. Mr. Griffiths, the governor, of the City gaol, said that, when boys were sent to the City Gaol to be whipped, blood was always drawn. This statement caused a renewed application of pocket handkerchief* to the eyes of the lads. After much time had been spent in discussing the subject, Mr. Lea said there appeared to be great difficulty in the case. If the Bench did what conceived their duty, they would commit the boys to prison; he had great difficulty in bringing his mind anything short of that. He would recommend that the boys let off, their parents promising to give them a sound flogging. He recommended that a warrant should issued against elder brother of Sutton who ought to have been brought by his mother to-day. Sutton’s mother undertook bring her other son on Friday. The mothers and the boys were addressed by the Mayor generally, and then each boy individually, and then the delinquents quitted the court in apparently a penitent frame of mind, and with red and swollen eyes. “
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 23:27:50 +0000
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