Sheffield Evening Telegraph – Wednesday 01 May 1907

Restraining A Wife.

Stairfoot Husband’s Violent Method.

An unhappy matrimonial tangle occupied the attention of Mr. T. Norton, and other magistrates, at Barnsley this morning, when a young woman of good address, named Margaret Crofts, summoned her husband, George Henry Crofts, pit labourer, employed at the Houghton Main Colliery, and residing at Stairfoot, with persistent cruelty to her.

The parties were married at the Barnsley Registry Office, in December, 1904. and in 1905 were separated; but, according to the story told by Mrs. Crofts, her husband promised to amend, and she went back to him- On the night of Saturday week she went to Barnsley and Cudworth with neighbour named Mrs. Wake. When she got home she told her husband where she had been, whereupon he locked both house doors, and thrashed- her, striking and kicking her about the head and body, and giving her two black eyes.

This sort of conduct first began; fortnight after the marriage, and she declared’ that could not under any circumstances again live with her husband.

The husband said that he objected to his wife going to Cudworth, and, in response to his request, she promised not to go, but when she told him she had been he was angry and called her names. He denied that he did more than push her. Mr. Ridcal, for the defendant, pointed out that before the parties were married the wife was a pianist and got into society; now, the husband objected to her galivanting about, and was perfectly justified in restraining her.

The Chairman; But hardly in this -Danner. The Chairman added that the Bench could not do other than renew the previous order, and defendant would have to pay 7s. 6d- per week.