Preston in the news: Drunkenness
DRUNKENNESS. Thomas Fairey, a labourer, was charged with being drunk at Hitchin on Tuesday
the 20th inst. Fined 10s or seven days imprisonment. (May 1873)
George Fairey, a labourer (aged 34 born at Preston)was fined 5s and 7d damage for refusing to quit
and breaking a pint pot at the Crown public-house at Ley Green on the 24th October. The landlord,
James Carter, proved the case. (November 1874)
Thomas Thrussell (aged 18 of Frogmore End) of Preston, who did not appear, was convicted in his
absence of being drunk and riotous on the 28th ult. Fined 5s and 12s 6d costs. (November 1874)
Joseph Thrussell (aged 46, a hay binder living at Sootfield Green in 1871) of Preston, who did not
appear, was charged with being drunk and incapable while in charge of a horse and cart on Tuesday,
the 5th inst. Defendant was fined £1 and 17s 6d costs. (January 1875)
Henry Jeeves (aged 26, straw plaiter living in Preston in 1861), George Fairey (aged 25 born in
Preston) and Joshua Palmer (aged 30 a labourer of Preston) were charged by Mr Thomas Maxey,
the landlord of the Red Lion public-house at Preston, with refusing to leave his house when requested
to do so. (The three men became quarrelsome and used disgusting language and when refused more
beer, they went across the Green to the Chequers. There they bought a can of beer from Henry
Bradden and returned to the Red Lion to drink it. Mr Maxey sent to Hitchin for a policemen to deal with
his troublesome customers.) Fined 10s each including costs. (August 1865)
John Farr (aged 20), labourer of Preston, was charged with being drunk and riotous at Preston in
May 1870. Prisoner summoned to appear, but absconded. Fined £1 including costs. (August 1871)
Thomas Fairey (aged 28 of Preston) was charged with being drunk and asleep on the highway at
Gosmore. Fined 7s 6d. (January 1875)
Charles Fairey (aged 17) a labourer was charged with refusing to quit a beer house at Ley Green
kept by Chas. Squires. Complainant stated that the defendant came into his house on the 6th inst.
and called for a quart of beer. He commenced rowing with another man and complainant told him he
would not allow it. He was very abusive and finished up by kicking in a panel of the door. There was a
previous conviction against the defendant for a similar offence and the Bench fined him 15s including
the damage 4s 6d and costs. (May 1875)
Joshua Farmer of Preston was charged with being drunk and riotous. Police-constable Day proved
the case and the defendant was fined 5s and 12s 6d costs. (August 1878)
James Freeman (born 1837) of Preston was charged with being drunk and riotous on the 15th of
June. Police-constable Day said that on Sunday evening, the 15th of June, there was a disturbance at
Gosmore. He went to the defendant who was there and told him to go home, but he would not do so.
He was very drunk and riotous. Defendant said he was not drunk. The defendant did not appear the
previous Bench day, but was found in Hitchin market in a state of drunkenness after the Court rose
and was taken into custody on a warrant. The bench told defendant he had increased the costs by not
appearing to the summons. He would be fined 2s 6d and 16s 6d costs. (June 1870)
Charles Fairey of Preston (son of Thomas and Catherine b 1858c) was charged with being drunk and
riotous on the 15 January. Pc Day said on the above date, the defendant was coming along the road
at Charlton with others making a great noise and using the most abominable language. Defendant
followed witness about the village who made a great noise.
The defendant denied being drunk and said he spoke civilly to the constable when passing him and
he replied in a very uncivil way to the defendant and told him to go home. He bade the policeman
goodnight and nothing more took place. The Bench fined the defendant 2s 6d including costs. (Jan
1881)
Charles Fairey of Preston (b 1858c) was charged with being drunk and refusing to quit the licensed
premises of Thomas Dunn of Preston on the 8 July. Dunn said on the evening of Sunday 8 July at
about half-past nine o’clock the defendant went into his house and asked for a pint of beer which he
drank and on his asking to be supplied with another, the prosecutor refused and the defendant then
used insulting language and threatened to strike him. He then ordered him to leave the premises,
which after a time he did. Defendant afterwards again went into the house and took a broom and
upset a haycock which was at the back of the house. Mrs Dunn corroborated the above and said the
language used by the defendant was of the most filthy and disgusting character. The Bench fined
defendant 15s including costs or 14 days’ imprisonment. The Chairman said the prosecutor and his
wife were much to blame in serving a man with more beer when he was already the worse for drink.
(July 1883)
Thomas Bushel (living with Thomas Palmer in 1841 b 1821) was fined 5s for being drunk and
disorderly and making a riot and disturbance at the Red Lion at Preston on Saturday night the 11
February when he struck John Buckingham, the constable, who put him out of the house. (Feb. 1843)
William Cannon, baker, of Ippollitts was charged by Mr John Foster of Preston with negligent driving.
Mr Foster stated that he was returning from Hitchin to Preston on the 14 August about eight o’clock in
the evening in a pony chaise in which Mrs Foster was also riding, when he saw the defendant, who
was quite drunk, driving in a horse and cart and coming towards the complainant. He called out to
him, but the defendant took no notice and drove right up to the complainant’s chaise. Defendant was
very abusive to Mr Foster when he remonstrated with him on his conduct. Fined £2 and 10s costs and
allowed seven days to get the money. (Aug 1843)
CHARGE OF DRUNKENNESS Joseph Thrussell of Preston (hay binder of Sootfield Green b 1829)
was charged with being drunk while in charge of a horse and cart. Pc Berry said that on the 17
September he saw the defendant driving a horse and cart along a road in the parish of Offley, the
horse was going as fast as it could. The defendant was very drunk. The defendant denied being
drunk. The pony he was driving was 20 years old and blind and he urged that if he had been drunk he
could not have driven it. The case was adjourned for a week for further evidence. (Sept 1879) At the
next hearing, Ebenezer Foster corroborated the evidence of the policeman. Amos Abbiss who saw the
defendant at an inn between three and four o’clock on the afternoon of 17 September said Thrussell
asked the landlady to draw him some beer, but she refused as she thought he had had enough. This
was after he had been seen by the policeman.
For the defence, Emily Lawrence, a young woman living next door to the defendant was examined.
She said the defendant was none the worse for drink when he came home between five and six on
the afternoon of the 17 Sept. Mary Thrussell, the defendant’s daughter and Sarah Thrussell, his
daughter in law, gave similar evidence. The defendant was fined 30s including costs.(July 1879)
Henry Maynard and Jesse Nicholls, labourers of Hitchin were charged with being drunk and refusing
to quit the Chequers public house at Preston. They were fined 10s 6d each including costs (29 August
1868)
Frederick William Redrup, innkeeper of Preston was charged with being drunk on the highway at
Gosmore on 21 February. Pc Wade said that at a quarter to five in the evening, he found the
defendant drunk on the road – he was staggering about and it took him three quarters of an hour to go
one hundred yards. A neighbour then drove up and took Redrup home in his cart. Similar evidence
was given by Frederick Arthur Robinson, a master tailor, and Mrs Brazier, landlady of a public house
where the defendant was refused drink but there were discrepancies as to time. It was urged that the
evidence was not clear enough to convict the defendant and that he ought to have the benefit of the
doubt. The Magistrates convicted the defendant and fined him 5/- and costs. (10 March 1900)
Charles Fairey, a labourer was fined for being drunk and disorderly on the highway at Ley Green on
20 May. (5 June 1897)
Thomas Fairey, labourer was fined 5/- for being drunk in the Court at Hitchin on September 12th. (23
September 1892)
Charles Thrussell (31, bricklayers labourer, of Preston Hill farm cottages) was charged with being
drunk and striking PC Maddams at Preston on Wednesday, 26 October: to pay 10/- the costs. (5
November 1864.
Re: GEORGE SWAIN
George Swain was charged with being drunk and riotous at Preston on Saturday night. He admitted
the offence. PC Hoy said the defendant was drunk and used very bad language. He was the only man
he had trouble with in Preston and the inhabitants com,plained about him. A fine of 15/- including
costs was imposed and paid
18 July 1884
George Swain was admitted to Hospital on Wednesday suffering from injuries to the head and face
caused by his being dragged along the road by the horse which had got out of control. He is getting
on well.
6 August 1909
An inquest was held at the Hospital on Monday touching on the death of a farm labourer named
George Swain. It seemed that Swain was at work in a field at Preston with a hay drag; the horse ran
away and Swain was thrown to the ground. His feet were entangled in the reins and he was dragged
some two hundred yards. He was removed to hospital as quickly as possible. His injuries were so
serious that it was seen his chances of recovery were slight and he died on Saturday. Verdict:
accidental death
13 August 1909
Frederick William Redrup, innkeeper of Preston, was charged with being drunk on the highway at
Gosmore on 20 February. He was convicted and fined 5 shillings and costs. 2 March 1900