Runaway wife’s 44 pawn tickets

Elopement of a Sunderland lady with a militiaman. Considerable excitement has been created in Hartlepool and Sunderland by a singular case of elopement.

The heroine is the wife of a wellto- do tradesman belonging to Sunderland, named Wilson, whose private residence is at Hendon.

She is of prepossessing appearance and not more than 30 years of age, has been married for about ten years, during which time they were in the enjoyment of the most perfect domestic felicity and comfort.

This man is a corporal in the Durham Militia Artillery now stationed at Hartlepool and who also belongs to Sunderland. His name is George Jeffray, and by trade a block and mast maker.

Mr Wilson, the gentleman who has been so grossly injured, was necessitated in consequence of his business, which was at some distance from his residence, to be a great deal from home during the day and his faithless spouse having no children to occupy her attention, got into idle gossiping habits, and had been for some time on terms of intimacy with Jeffray, in whose company she was frequently seen.

When the militia was called up at Hartlepool for preliminary drill, about a fortnight ago, Jeffray, as a corporal, came to his post, and the faithless wife of Wilson either went with him or followed.

However, a night or two after, the guilty pair obtained lodgings at a respectable refreshment house in Southgate as man and wife.

They remained there two or three days when a neighbour of the refreshment house keeper recognised, in the militiaman’s alleged wife, the person of Mrs Wilson, and made herself known to her.

Mrs Wilson made some excuse and went out and neither she not her paramour again made their appearance.

Prior to her running away she had pawned all her clothing and other movable articles and no less than 44 pawn tickets were found in the house.

The husband purposes taking the necessary steps for bringing her conduct under the cognisance of the proper tribunal with a view to divorce.

From this newspaper 100 years ago. – On Tuesday afternoon the Masham Fire Brigade was called to a fire at Snape Lodge Farm, about 1 1/2 miles from Masham, of which Mr Thomas S Walker, of Holly Hill, Well, is the tenant.

The messenger reached Masham about 3pm. Capt Clark, however, experienced great difficulty in procuring horses for the engine, but eventually these were secured and the brigade reached the scene about four o’clock.

The outbreak had occurred in a large Dutch barn – probably the largest of its kind in the district – which was well stored with stacks of straw and hay, the crop from 1913, and also contained a quantity of valuable farm implements.

The fire was first observed by one of the farm hands, and he, along with others, endeavoured to remove the implements, &c, from the burning building, but so intense was the heat it was impossible to get near.

By the time the brigade arrived the flames had got a tremendous hold, the roof of the barn having already fallen in.

Getting quickly to work, the brigade soon got the fire under control, but owing to the proximity of the barn to the house, it was considered unsafe to leave, and some members of the brigade remained on duty all night.

As mentioned, besides hay and straw the barn contained a large quantity of farm implements, including a self-binder, corn drill, two carts and sheep racks and were all destroyed.

The origin of the fire is unknown.

The men were working in a field close by and a fire of wickens &c, was burning not far away and possibly a spark might have been carried to the barn. The damage is estimated at about £600. It is stated to be covered by insurance.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. – The past good season and the welcome back, as Joint Master, of Mr Donald V Sinclair were the chief points of a successful annual meeting of Wensleydale Harriers, held at the George and Dragon Hotel, Aysgarth, on Friday evening last week.

It was recalled that Mr Sinclair, a busy veterinary surgeon of Southwoods Hall, near Thirsk, was largely instrumental in restarting the Wensleydale Harriers by the use of hounds he had especially bred, thus ensuring much good sport in Wensleydale and the neighbouring dales.

One of the snags was that Mr Sinclair had long journeys to and from the meets and, on occasion, he used a horse when hunting. The situation was eventually eased when Wensleydale Harriers’ hunt committee evolved a plan to have local kennels near Harmby, and the success of these have reflected much credit, it was said at the meeting.