Now! Then! 2024! - Yorkshire On This Day

Excerpt

When I got back again, and got to the house, it was near five, as near as I can tell. When I got into the yard, my master’s son and the other little boy got off the horse, and went and played in the public waste, where everybody’s cows go. I turned the mare loose in the yard, and went to the glass door that opens into the orchard. I lifted up the latch, and found it fast. I went round to the street door, and knocked for near a quarter of an hour. William Masterman, who lives opposite, was sitting at his door with a child on his knee. He laughed at me, and bid me knock hard, till my name was put up. I then knocked louder, gave a good sudden rap, and heard the glass door open. Masterman told me he saw my master go round to the stable. My master came towards the gate at the street, and met me there. He was very much in a flutter, his hair stood up on end, and he had not his hat on. His face was much heated. He spoke first, and said, “I thought I had bid you go to the Moor houses before you got off the mare.” I told him I was sure he did not. [Elizabeth was four or months pregnant. Unknown to her, Bolton had been feeding her a preparation designed to cause abortion since late April. He killed himself awaiting execution, but was dissected and anatomised anyway.]

Comment

Comment

A ballad also in Ritson (Ritson 1809).

Both children were apprenticed from Ackworth Foundling Hospital.

I think the Moor Houses were at 54.153647, -0.986731.

The use of steel filings and penny-royal water to procure abortion. I haven’t read the treatise referred to in evidence.

Via Catharine Capp (Cappe 1812/09/30), who also probably penned (on her birthday) this letter re the unsuitability of apprenticeships for girls:

3rd June 1786

It has been argued in defence of apprenticeships, that a young girl is by this means placed under the guardianship and protection of those, who have pledged themselves to take care of her until she shall have gained sufficient experience to conduct herself.

But in order to judge of the force of this argument, let it be inquired who these persons are that are so ready thus to pledge themselves; and whether the motives by which they are influenced, are such as would be likely to lead to a more faithful discharge of this trust, than might otherwise be expected from them.

With regard to the first, they have generally been the very lowest tradespeople, alehouse-keepers, or very little farmers; and are persons, thus situated, usually very fit to have the absolute command over a young girl for a term of four years, and that at a period of her life, more important perhaps than any other, to the whole of her well-being? Do they in general so conduct themselves and their families, that a wife and discreet parent would venture to entrust them with this power?

If this should not be affirmed, our next inquiry will respect the motives by which these perfons are influenced; and it will probably be found, either that the desire of gain, or of exercising a power, which cannot be obtained over a servant engaged on more equal terms, has supplied the temptation: If the first, let it be remembered, that the Master is to provide for the Apprentice in sickness, as well as in health; and it will be seen on a fair calculation of the hazard incurred, that if the desire of gain were the incitement, he will frequently be disappointed: and whenever this happens, what sort of treatment is an unprotected young Girl in such circumstances likely to meet with?

Is it a desire of undue authority? That this is frequently the case, is the general opinion of such persons of their own rank, as are most competent to judge on the subject; and is increase of power likely to meliorate a character previously, and in other respects defective and perverted? Will not the conciousness of this privilege, be attended by a secret jealousy and feeling of resentment on the one part; and will it not supply a strong temptation to transgress the boundaries of equity and justice on the other? But on this subject it is not needful to speculate. Facts will speak for themselves: it is well known that an Apprentice for labor, of either sex, seldom turns out well, whether bound by the parish, or by a charity school, &c.

But in respect of young women in particular, how do objections multiply? What opportunities for seduction, and for something more atrocious than seduction, does not such a situation supply to a depraved unprincipled Master? Will it be said, that on complaint being made to a Magistrate, redress may be obtained for this as for any other offence? Let it be remembered, that independently of the general disadvantages under which oppression must always labor when opposed to power; that these are cases of such delicacy, that the very appeal to a Court of Judicature, would be ruinous to the character and future prospects of the unfortunate Girl, who should be driven to make it; for, admitting the guilt of the Master, and the innocence of the Girl to be fully proved, (a thing in itself almost impossible) yet would not something of disgrace still attach to her? What decent family would hazard the taking as a servant, one who had been thus circumstanced?

If the above reasoning be admitted, then it will follow, that the present mode of apprenticing the Girls on their leaving the School, ought to be discontinued, as being likely in theory, and as having been found in fact, to produce effects very contrary to what were at first, and have all along been the intentions and wishes of the Patrons of this Charity.

Signed by

Mrs Salmond
Mrs Swainton
Mrs Withers
Mrs Dr Withers
Mrs Sawyer
Mrs Bedingfield
Mrs R Croft
Mrs Ellis
Mrs Cappe

(Cappe 1800).

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Original

When I got back again, and got to the house, it was near five, as near as I can tell. When I got into the yard, my master’s son and the other little boy got off the horse, and went and played in the public waste, where every body’s cows go. I turned the mare loose in the yard, and went to the glass door that opens into the orchard.
Is that the nearest way to the house?
Yes.
What did you do there?
I lift up the latch, and found it fast.
Did you knock at the door?
No, I went round to the street door, and knocked for near a quarter of an hour.
Did you try to open the street door?
No, it does not open on the outside.
What did you knock with?
A rapper.
Did you knock so hard that if there had been any body in the house they might have heard you?
Yes, very well. William Masterman, who lives opposite, was sitting at his door with a child on his knee; he laughed at me, and bid me knock hard, till my name was put up.
Was Masterman sitting opposite?
No, a little aslant.
Did you see him?
Yes.
Did you speak to him?
Yes.
Was any body sitting at the door with him?
Nobody but his own child upon his knee. I then knocked louder, gave a good sudden rap, and heard the glass door open.
Did Masterman say any more to you?
He told me, he saw my master go round to the stable.
Could Masterman, where he sat, see back to the stable?
Yes, the stable is at the end of the house. My master came towards the gate at the street, and met me there.
In what dress was he in?
He was very much in a flutter; his hair stood upon end, and he had not his hat on.
What do you mean by being in a flutter?
His face was much heated.
What difference was there in your master’s look at that time from what it was when you went out?
There was a great deal of difference; when I went out he looked as pleasant as could be, but when I came back his face was much heated, and looked very red.
Did you speak to him first, or he to you?
He spoke first, and said, I thought I had bid you go to the Moor-houses before you got off the mare.
I told him I was sure he did not.

464 words.

Tags

Tags are assigned inclusively on the basis of an entry’s original text and any comment. You may find this confusing if you only read an entry excerpt.

• Abortion (4) ·
• Ackworth, West Yorkshire (1) ·
• Apprenticeship (3) ·
• 📌Bulmer, North Yorkshire (3) ·
• Cappe, Catherine (1744-1821) (2), née Harrison, writer, diarist, philanthropist ·
• Child abuse (3) ·
• Child sexual abuse (7) ·
• Foundling Hospital (2) ·
• Legitimacy (family law) (8) ·
• Murder (38) ·
• Pregnancy (9) ·
• Rape (5) ·
• Steel (12) ·
• Teenage pregnancy (2) ·
• Unintended pregnancy (3) ·

All tags.

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