Warsop & District Issue 44 July 2021 Remarks from the Editor As you are all aware Zena is stepping down as our Chairperson at the AGM in Sept, unfortunately due to personal reasons she stepped down at the last committee meeting.(June 21st) So has we no chairperson or vice chairperson (Sylvia also had to step down for personal reasons) the committee will be covering these roles until the AGM. On behalf of all the members of our U3A I would like to thank Zena for all her work from the start of Warsop U3A to the present time. Being Chairperson involves a lot of work behind the scenes, Zena enjoyed the challenge of the role, despite all the documents/e-mails she had to read and attending many meetings. Thank you once again and BEST WISHES from all at Warsop U3A. Regarding the lastest news from the government i.e. that all social distancing will end on July 19th the committee are looking into the possibility of holding a meeting in the Tudor Barn. We are liaising with the church to find out when or if this is possible. We are also aware that infection rates are rising and some members will not be comfortable meeting in person. Please note there will be NO zoom meeting on Monday 12th. Items of interest Annual General Meeting The relevant paperwork for the AGM on 13th September can be found at the end of this newsletter. Holiday to the Lochs and Glens Mrs Pat Magness is organising a holiday to the Lochs and Glens – please see the leaflet at the end of the newsletter. There are 3 twin rooms and 1 double room still available. If you wish to go please ring 01623 845503. Painting Pebbles A lady from Seaham U3A painted these pebbles and on the reverse painted U3A and the telephone number. She then scattered them in the local area. What a novel way of advertising the U3A. If any members wish to have a go the phone number to paint on is 01623 846128. Maybe the craft club could have a go when we get going again? Group News Group Leaders For various reasons we now have five groups without a current leader, these are GARDENING, FRIENDSHIP GROUP, TALK ROOM, SILVER SCREEN and FRENCH CONVERSATION. If you feel you could fill one of these roles please contact any member of the committee. Remember that it does not have to be one person the role can be shared. Walking Group The next walk will be a local walk on Thursday 15th July from the Carrs in Warsop. Regards Sharon Higton. Photography Group The Photography group have not yet met physically since the last update, but have continued with the online Themed challenges. The last challenge was ‘DOORS’ set by Joyce O’Neill. Here are a few of the photos posted on the Warsop u3a Facebook page. Joyce O’Neill The next THEMED Challenge is ‘LANDSCAPE’ Again these challenges are open to ALL u3a members. A few pointers for the best shots. 1. Make sure there is a point of interest, or a pleasing scene. 2. Be careful of where the sun is when framing your shot, pointing towards the sun can over- expose the shot, causing the sky to turn white. 3. Check the view finder corners to make sure there aren’t any unwanted objects, signs/branches/people in the shot before you press the shutter release button. 4. Review the shot before you move on, and make sure you are happy with it. Sometimes you will not be able to return to the spot to retake the shot. The next group meeting will be towards the end of this month but the date isn’t fixed yet. If anyone is interested in joining us please contact [email protected] for more information. Have fun, but keep safe! Bob T. History Group History Group General Meeting Tuesday 15th June 2021 via Zoom at 10:00am There were 17 members present. Ervin welcomed everyone to the meeting and hoped they would enjoy his talk today. He would try not to be too boring and monotone! Some Mysteries and Murders in and around Mansfield. Ervin had picked incidents that had happened in each month of the year. January - 1842. The death of Mary Hallam aged 20 at Mansfield. She was killed by John Jones a shoemaker in his workshop after turning down his marriage proposal. He was hanged at Nottingham Gaol on 23rd March 1842. February - 1884. Mysterious Poisoning at Warsop. Hannah Head aged 10. Mary died from strychnine poisoning. The strychnine was found in some Epsom Salts purchased by her stepmother from the Chemists in Warsop. How it got there no one knew, other people had bought the salts with no problems. No one was ever charged with Hannah’s death! March - 1680 & 1681. Begging in Mansfield. Punishment = Public Whipping. This punishment first appeared on the statute books in 1530. Delinquents and vagrants were to be tied securely to the back of a cart, stripped to the waist, and beaten with whips as the cart dragged them around the streets or market square. Once punishment had been meted out vagrants and beggars were ordered to return to their own parishes and if they failed to do so they would be whipped again. Simple and easy to administer, whipping was well used by most courts, but in time public whipping gave way to the birch in prison, a practice that continued well into the twentieth century. April - 1908. Attempted Shooting in Mansfield. Mansfield tattooist Arthur Scott attacked a customer, Charlie Mills, after he refused to pay. After spotting him in Mansfield’s marketplace he followed him home and attempted to shoot him. The magistrates sent Scott to prison for one month’s hard labour. 1800. Theft of Gallows. A report in the Nottingham Date Book records that the gallows, two uprights and a transverse beam approximately 12ft high, which stood on the summit of the hill beside the Nottingham to Mansfield road, had been stolen. May - 1801. Breaking into the Brown Cow Pub. Michael Denman (aged 24), William Sykes (31) and William Ratcliffe were arrested after breaking into the Brown Cow public house at Mansfield and stealing £8 in banknotes. Ratcliffe offered his freedom in return for a full confession implicating the two old hands, didn’t hesitate. At their trial Denman and Sykes were found guilty and sentenced to death, being executed together on 5 th August. June - 1771. Robbery in Mansfield. A young domestic servant, Mary Jones, was walking back to Mansfield at around 10:00pm after an evening out visiting friends when she was attacked by a man who attempted to drag her into a nearby woodland. After a violent struggle she succeeded in beating him off, but not before he had robbed her of 9 shillings. She later identified the man, and he made a full confession. Unfortunately for Mary, the magistrate at the man’s eventual trial forced her to drop the charges after the man made an offer to repay the money, promised to lead a better life and even offered to marry her! Ads#r,mplrstnmlk’df July - 1817. Body found in ditch. Murder of 17-year-old Betty Sheppard. The body of 17-year-old Bessie Sheppard was discovered in a ditch alongside the Mansfield – Ravenshead road at Thieves Wood. Bessie of Papplewick, had set out to walk to Mansfield in search of work as a domestic servant, wearing brand new shoes and carrying a brightly coloured cotton umbrella to keep the sun off her face None of these distinctive items were found with her body. Charles Rotherham of Sheffield attempted to sell them in the Three Crowns Inn at Redhill but could find no takers. He was eventually arrested at Loughborough and made a full and frank confession. He was executed at Gallows Hill, on 28 th July, and a group of Mansfield businessmen, moved by Bessie’s tragic death, erected a stone memorial at the spot where her body was found. Many years later the memorial was moved a small distance to facilitate the widening of the A60 road, after which her ghost began to appear. On several occasion motorists have stopped to offer her a lift!! August - 1767. Hung from a gibbet after execution for murder. Robert Downes was arrested after a coroner’s warrant had been issued against him for the murder of Thomas Greenwood. Downes instantly confessed his guilt and apologised for having killed the boy but added in mitigation that he had been extremely angry at the time and unaware of his actions. As a result of his confession, he also confessed to several robberies and thefts, he was executed on the 11th August and was given the dubious honour of being the first man to be hung in chains at Mansfield since 1642. His body was hung from a gibbet at the corner of Lichfield Lane End, Mansfield, near a place known locally as the gravel pits. September - 1895. Jack the Ripper outdone. In 1895, the Burnley Express described the murder of a family in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, as ‘a ghastly crime: “Jack the Ripper” outdone’. Henry Wright, a lodger, had murdered his Landlady and three of her sons. Henry Wright had appeared infatuated with Mary and had wanted to marry her, Wright stated that if he ‘could not have Mrs. Reynolds, no one else should’. He murdered her; he then murdered her three younger children. So, although the mutilation of a woman made the Victorian press think of Jack the Ripper, Henry Wright was no Ripper, but a man who sought control and who refused to recognize a woman’s right to reject him and to love her children.