The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-15 00:00:00

A SCENE IN A WORKHOUSE.

At the Rochdale Petty Sessions, on Monday, Janie!
Collinge, the governor of the Thornham division og
the Middleton workhouse, was summoned before the
Bench for bad conduct in the house, and particularlf
towards James Halliwell, the Middleton governor;
Mr. Jackson said he appeared for the overseers and
for the Middleton governor of the house. The de'
fendant was the governor for the township of Thorn
ham, and a difference had arisen since the appointment
of the Middleton governor. The workhouse was the
joint property of the townships of Middleton, Thorn
ham, Hopwood, and Birtle-cum-Bamford, and
built upwards of 100 years ago. Middleton a°
Thornham were now the only occupiers of it ; as, ain',
fi
the passing of the new poor-law the two last had beef
joined to the Bury union. The defendant was el;
pointed many years ago. A meeting of the rate-par
of Middleton was held recently, to inquire into his co!:
duct. It appeared from .inquiries made, that the
was not room for the Middleton inmates. In cons!:
quence, the overseer gave Halliwell instructions
break off the locks of those rooms which the defendt
had locked up, that they might not be occupied by LI,
Middleton paupers. The defendant was now r
officer of Thornham and Hopwood, and not of Midcoe
ton ; the latter township being dissatisfied with
conduct, they had appointed the complainant 0,
their governor for the protection of their pauP9y
The defendant's conduct had been disgraceful :
had gone into the rooms and put water under
beds, opened the windows, and thrown large piece!,
wood upon the floors, thus preventing the aged Pc:,
mates from sleeping. He had no doubt it would.,"
contended that it was done as a right of possessl,°'
Witness then produced the deed of the workholy3
and also a plan of the. building.—James Hain
said the overseers of Middleton appointed hint
.L
their governor on the 29th of July, and gave 31
possession of the workhouse. I removed two D'eTi
into the rooms unoccupied, and went to sleep
room with the paupers. Collinge, the defendant, on
and asked who was in the beds ; and he Was wty
that I was ;he abused us very much. That wee. so
first night. By the Bench—What made you go ltity
those rooms ?—I was sent there. On the Tuesdbi, 0
overseers directed me to break the locks open, an," ~j 1
took possession. The next morning we fout"ora.
locked from us but three rooms. On the Friday it
ing I cleaned the oven out, and placed fire under „t
to heat it. It had been a rule to bake the bread
neighbour's house for the use of the inmates for 9.4
years ; and when the oven was heated the defend
threw water upon the fire, and put it out.
Tuesday, the 6th inst., the defendant came to
it3:i
house at nine o'clock at night, and asked who f
broken open the door of the room in which he wet;
I informed him that I had an order to separate
male from the female. I had got an old decrepit l
to bed, who was afraid of him ; he swore that be 7.1,/
master of the house, and he would do as he 'cboll8;,
proper. He opened the windows ; and I foll,,,wedb;
and closed them. He threw down the lyed-posts,
the room floor ; fetched cans of water, and doe?
under the beds of the inmates ; then pulled izt
down, and the overseer, who was with me, put tt n oagain. The inmates in the house were alaranol
the violent conduct of the defendant. lao ood
afraid of Collinge ; but I pray he may be b°ool
over to keep the peace.—The overseer of Heap
ty
he was informed, on Wednesday last, that of
Middleton governor hadput two men and two fell/ te
together in one room, and the directions were t°
parate the sexes; they were willing to build a
,3.0
pantry if that would please them. The defend
was appointed governor of the house by four ty
ships, and that appointment had not been re'soi°
By the Bench—Are you afraid of a distur'oaaceo
Yes ; the complainant has gone there for n,othing;of
The Rev. R. Durnford, rector of Middleton, said
complainant was no friend of the defe•adaht, wii°,lll
an old feud against him. He wonA recominerio4
the Bench that the house should be divided, that ,
cv"
township might know its own poxt. Mr. ROA
would recommend that the Workhouse show,
divided; and we will bind over both parties for tvv
months, in two sureties each, for their good bells°
towards each other.—Manchester Guardian.

MARRIED. argh, Itti:
On the 10th inst., at St. George's Chapel, Edill,,,"—,,Ccistiltif
Charles James Scott, of London, to Elizabeth, elue,"l4 os
ter of J. Scott, M.D., R.N., late of the Royal Nara'
Ifaslar. be f/it
On the 13th inst., at Trinity Church, Chelsea,_i
James O'Brien, to Octavia, youngest daughter of wet
Hopkinson, Esq., of Cadogan-place, and Regent-str_2!:_,,

Hon.On Joshuathe loth
i, ionrsdt .hautn 0"
On the sth inst., at Penrith, T. llt
i ne Dgv ell.' ;eElill IdDg, ha
g
On the 10th inst., at Camden town, 'Sarah 0.-1 ,
Abington, aged 76. he Ar
On the 10th inst., in Guildford-street, Elizabeth, the
P W. Alayow, Esq. WIC
ham Hall, Suffolk, ,sutuhrocee.roao
On the 12th last., at Hall-place, Berks, Joseph Job°
hurst Peyton, Esq., late of the 2d Life Gue,rds, lied 26. CO/
On the 12th inst., Selina Eliza, wi,l.sow ofillisol
Satfery, of South. grove, Rye-lane, Pockharn. iirliitef
On the 12th inst., at Torrinon-square, Still
Esq., 8.C.L., of Trinity College, Cfambridge. 1311tier°
On the 12th inst., at Camberwell-grove, Stephen
Esq , a
gedthe 2.
On 13th inst., at Islington, • heal
Roadley, aged 86. ifs of Jo4l°
On the lath inst., at Pleckheath, Emma, the w
James Hooper, of St. John-street.
________.---1
TON,London : Printed and Published by MURDO ~, 1 ,
No. 112, Strand, Printer, at 77i.e San Officiat,l_`..",o 01
s in the IN"-
Strfnd. in the, Precinct of the awn?.
Miatileaex, Thwiday. Augttat 15, 1844.
Mrs. Eliza