Vol 13; No 26 Railway Stories Part 2

Non-Hampton & Richmond Borough related posts.
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Les1949
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HAMPTON, AROUND AND ABOUT

Things you may not know, or didn’t know you knew!

No 26 RAILWAY STORIES Part 2
More Local News items picked up on the way

Whilst researching background on the various articles that I write for the Match Day Programme, I often come across odd items that I put aside for later. Petty Sessions were held weekly in a local venue, presided over by a local ‘worthy’ plus one or two others of the ‘right sort’. Small scale crime was handled at a local level, anything bigger (murder etc) would have been passed on to the nearest Crown Court. Hampton’s Petty Sessions were held in the Red Lion pub, demolished in the early 1900s. Sessions were reported in local newspapers for all to see.

4th January 1869

Frederick Barnett was summoned for riding in a carriage of the South West Region without a ticket. The Hampton Station Master, Mr John Bray, in his statement stated that on December 8th Barnett arrived at Hampton Station on a train from Waterloo and failed to present a ticket, claiming to have travelled from Twickenham. However, the guard, Joseph Sayers, said that he saw the defendant join the train at Richmond. The train called at Twickenham and stood there for three minutes, giving Barnett ample time to obtain a ticket.

In order to prove that he “did not wish to defraud the company, I only wish to pay for as far as I have ridden”, Barnett had asked a friend, who had been with him, to state that he had got on at Twickenham, however his friend said that he saw him join the train at Richmond, not willing to lie in court. Barnett then claimed that he had obtained a return ticket from Twickenham to Richmond to meet someone, and then on his return to Twickenham would have walked to Hampton Hill, where he lived. However this person was not there so boarding the train at Richmond, disappointed, he stayed on the train to Hampton. After telling this convoluted story, Barnett was ordered to pay 8d, the fare from Richmond to Hampton, and 10s costs. The current fare from Richmond to Hampton is £4.60.

30th July 1870

Sidney Smith, a cowkeeper, was summoned for trespassing upon the South Western Railway. A cowkeeper, was someone who kept cows, obviously, but also might be employed to look after cows and distribute milk.

James Quinnell, foreman of platelayers, said that on 10th July, at about 8.45am, he was on the line about 400 yards from Hampton Station, when he saw Mr Smith walking towards Sunbury by the side of the rails. Quinnell challenged him, “There is no road here”, and told him to go back. Smith refused and continued on his way. Quinnell told Smith “You will hear of me another day”, to which Smith made a ‘pert’ reply – presumably swore!

In court Smith said that he was going with two cans of milk to Mr Lawrence’s farm and he attributed Quinnell’s interference to spite because he (Smith) had bid for a quantity of hay taken from the banks of the line which Quinnell had looked to take for his own. Smith was fined 40s (£2) and 8s costs. The fine was paid.

And that is it for another season, 288 articles to date. Will there be any more, who knows?

The Old Historian
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