January 16th – Admitted he was to blame
Goytrey Motorist Fined at Abergavenny
Arthur William Jones, licensee of the Goytrey Arms, Goytrey, was fined £5 and his driving license was suspended for six months at Abergavenny Police Court on Wednesday for driving a car in manner dangerous to the public.
Defendant, who was represented by Mr A M Cunliffe, Abergavenny, pleaded guilty.
Frederick William Atwell, journalist, Ridgeway, Abergavenny, said that on December 18th at about 5.40p.m. he was driving his car at Llanover towards Abergavenny. His speed was about 25 miles an hour. Proceeding in the opposite direction, on it’s correct side of the road and at a moderate speed was a lorry. Without warning, defendant, who was driving behind the lorry, cut out, swerved across the road and collided violently with the off-side of witness’s car which was knocked obliquely onto the grass verge. Witness said his car received considerable damage. After the crash, defendant cut out between his (witness’s) car and the lorry.
P.S. C. Higgs, of the mobile patrol, said he was travelling in a police car behind Attwell’s car. They were on a straight piece of road, when suddenly the defendant pulled out sharply and tried to cut back behind the lorry. Then there was a crash and he saw that the defendant had collided with Attwell’s car and knocked it on the grass sward. He added that defendant’s car travelled about 85 yards after the collision and then stopped near the police car. The width of the road where the accident occurred was 21 feet 4 inches. Defendant told him that he was sorry and admitted he was in the wrong.
Superintendant A. Cover, who was in the police car with Sergeant Higgs, corroborated the Sergeants evidence.
Mr Cunliffe said he wished to express his client’s deep regret for what had happened. Defendant had held a driving license for 23 years and was known in the district as a careful driver.
January 23rd – Property Market
At Usk on Monday, Messrs Rennie, Taylor & Co., sold by auction the freehold farm Penywern, near Nantyderry, area 77 acres, subject to tithe and land tax amounting to £4/7/7, with possession, to Messrs Cooke Bros., for £3000.
February 6th – Penywern, Goytrey – Usk 5 miles, Pontypool 5 & Abergavenny 7
Thursday next February 12th. Rennie Taylor & Co have received instruction from Mr J H Nolan (for whom they have sold the property) to sell by auction the whole of his Live & Dead farming stock.
viz: 13 Hereford & Shorthorn cattle; 10 strong store pigs; 23 3-year old Welsh Ewes; 4 Capital Working Horses; and 3 year-old Shirebred Filly
Implements, Carts, Motor Lorries,
including 4 M.W. Tip Carts; 4 complete sets of Short Gears; Deering Reaper and Binder; in good order – D. & S.F. Ransome Ploughs; Bamford 2 knife Chaffcutter; “Governor” No. 2 hand drill; 21 steel oil drums; Morris 1930 18-h.p. 1 ton van; Dennis 1930 30-cwt Truck; Leyland 1930 Lorry, fitted with Carrage Crane, all in good working order.
About 30 rubber lorry tyres and tubes, all sizes, some good, others scrap; 20 gals lubricating G oil; 2 sets lorry skid chains; quantity of scrap iron; pair of pneumatic tyres and axles, &c, produce, household furniture & effects.
February 20th – Black-Out Offender
“I think I am the first to be had in Goytrey,” said Mrs Flora Jennings, of Rose Cottage, Penpellenny, when W.R.A. James told her she would be reported for a black-out offence. In a letter to the Pontypool Court on Saturday, Mrs Jennings, an evacuee, said her children must have switched the light on in daylight and she did not notice it. – The policeman said he had to get a ladder to enter the cottage and he put the light out. – She was fined 25/-
March 20th – Farmers Fined for Obstruction
Edwin Edgar, a 72 year old farmer and his son Joseph (42) were each fined at Pontypool on Saturday for obstructing the surveyors in the discharge of their lawful functions. The younger defendant was fined an additional 40/- for assaulting one of the surveyors by spitting in his face. They pleaded not guilty and were represented by Mr Harold Saunders.
Henry James Wessendorf said the elder defendant approached him and another surveyor named Tucker with a pitchfork and asked for the money which was due to him. Witness tried to reason with him and told him he had nothing to do with the payment of any money, but he became very abusive and so did the son who used filthy language and threats.
Witness and Tucker decided to get off the road without finishing the job as they could not stand any more and did not want to take any aggressive action. As they were leaving Edgar junior spat in witness’s face.
he argued in cross-examination that they did not produce any authority to go on the land, Lionel Tucker cooperated and said Edgar senior knew who he was because he h ad previously been to the farm with the police.
“Like Madmen.”
William Turton, a roadmap, said the old man was “like a madman,” and shouted pay for your ….farm. You are a lot of land thieves. The son also acted mad, dancing round the surveyors like a man from Abergavenny.
Inspector Davidson said he told the younger defendant he would be reported he replied “It’s all lies, it’s all lies, we want our money, money, money and until we get our money they will have to keep off. I will get a machine gun through the bedroom window. The elder defendant said, “clear off, clear off.” I want nothing to do with you. Fetch the – Chief and the … Superintendent . I want my money.”
Joseph Edgar on oath said the surveyors produced no authorisation or identity cards and he did not know who they were. To say that he spat in Wessendorf face was a lot of framed up lies. He said no mention was made of money and Tucker had not interviewed him in presence of police.
Edgar said his forbears had lived on this farm for the last 300 years and now the Government had taken it from them and it was expected to be paid for the land before possession was taken from them.
He left the Court still protesting.
April 10th – Child Drowned in Garden Pond
A two year old Coventry evacuee was drowned in a pond in the garden of his grandfather’s house at James’s Cottages, Rumble Street on Thursday last. The child was Keith Douglas Watkins, son of Mr & Mrs Douglas Watkins and he only just had his second birthday.
The pond in the garden is about 4′ at it’s deepest part, contains water which has percolated in from a larger pond in an adjoining field and is used for watering the garden. The little boy was playing with a wooden horse when his grandfather, Mr H Watkins, left the garden temporarily. When he returned, the child was missing and the body was recovered from the pond which measures about 5ft x 8ft.
April 17th – Goytrey Comforts
Goytrey’s Women’s Knitting Party, organised by Mrs W. Jenkins, has ended a successful year of work. All who have joined the Forces from Goytrey have received parcels of socks, gloves and scarf, also 5/-.
Money has been collected in various ways. In addition to a three penny subscription, each week from each member, Mrs Jenkins has organised dances and whist drives; Mrs Jones and Mrs Frewin have collected; the children, Robert Miles, Jean Deakin and June Bishop arranged a peep show, thus adding £1/3/0 to the fund, which has £28/9/10 to begin another year.
Thanks are expressed to all who gave donations and helped in any way.
May 1st – Funeral of Mr F. Prosser, Goytrey (In Obituaries)
May 8th – Funeral of Mrs Edwin Evans, Goytrey (In Obituaries)
May 8th – Goytrey Motorist Fined
Harold Hopkin John Fishbourne, (22), charge hand, Yew Tree Cottage, Goytrey, was fined 20/- at Pontypool on Saturday for causing a car to be on the road after hours without a red rear light; 20/- for failing to immobilise the car; and 40/- for using obscene language.
W R H Webb said he saw the car stationary near the middle of Windsor Road Griffithstown, with no rear light. Fishbourne said the light was on when he stopped. He tried several times without success to get the battery lamp to light.
W R W Chew said that on another occasion he saw the car stationary and unattended in Keys Street Griffithstown. The front door on the drivers side was unlocked and no part of the mechanism had been removed and witness was able to start the engine. Fishbourne, who was in a nearby dance hall said, “the door was locked when I left it. You must have unlocked it.” He became very abusive and used bad language. – PC G Spencer corroborated.
Fishbourne denied using language complained of.
Superintendant Casey proved a previous conviction of using bad language and two of indecent behaviour.
May 29th – Father and Son on Assault Charge
Edwin Edgar (71) and Joseph Edgar (41) father and son, Goytrey farmers, were bound over and each ordered to pay £5 costs at Pontypool on Saturday for assaulting Theodore Roth (35), contractor’s agent at Goytrey. A cross-summons against Roth for assaulting the two defendants was dismissed.
Edgar, snr., declared “I will not pay. I will go down below and serve it out.”
The younger Edgar consented to be bound over and was asked to reason with his father, but at the conclusion of the Court the older man still refused to be bound over or to pay costs. “I am going down below, out of the way,” he said.
The Bench thereupon altered their decision in his case to a fine of £5. “This sort of trouble must stop,” said the chairman, Mr John Rosie.
Mr D P Tomlin appeared for Roth and Mr Harold Saunders for the Edgars.
Roth said he was giving instructions to an excavator driver on a building site when the elder Edgar began to swear and shout, “Get off the land.” He called witness “a ….. object,” and asked, “Where is my money?” His son said something about witness teasing his father, but the witness had not spoken; he was used to the Edgar swearing at him and calling him names. He stood it as long as he could, then he said, “Shut your mouth up and let me get on with my work. I am not interfering with you.” Edwin Edgar then rushed towards him with a piece of wood in his hand and Joseph raised some tiles in his hands as if to dash them into witness’s face. Witness rushed towards Joseph to try to frighten him off. The elder Edgar then hit witness a glancing blow on the nose with the wood. The son dropped the tiles then both rushed at witness, who defended himself as best he could by swinging his fists around. When Joseph Edgar saw the blood on witness’s face he pulled the old man away, apparently realising what he had done. Witness went to the canteen to have his bleeding nose dressed and reported the incident to the policeman who was always on the site for the protection of the men working there.
Denied Tweaking Ears
Cross-examined, Roth denied that he was sneering at the old man or teasing him, or that he nipped or tweaked his ears.
John Smith, Wellesley House, Usk, excavator driver on the site, corroborated and said Roth did not say a word to the Edgars until he told Edwin to shut his mouth. The whole thing started with the old man’s talk and bad language. In the end the son dragged the old man off. It was all over in a few seconds and witness had no time to intervene.
Mr Saunders submitted that the incident had been grossly exaggerated. In view of the difficulties under which his clients were working, the incident should have been passed over with a laugh. In the circumstances the Edgar should be shown some sympathy instead of rushing to court every time some little bother took place between them and the work-men.
Always Sneering
Edwin Edgar said Roth was always sneering at him. He admitted he flung a piece of match-boarding at Roth, “but he struck me in the chest first and I have not been able to use my arm since.”
Mr Tomlin: Why didn’t you tell the police officer that you were hit by Roth? I didn’t feel it then like I do now. I am not going to put up with it. There is going to be more trouble if he keeps on. It is my property, not his.
Joseph Edgar said they were demolishing a shed at the request of the contractors, and Roth began tormenting and provoking his father when the police officer was absent. He rushed between Roth and his father “to prevent Roth knocking about an old man.”
“I knocked his arm up said Joseph and I could have given him a beautiful one, but I left him also.” (Laughter)
Supt., Casey said the Edgar had been in court before on similar summonses.
June 9th – Breach of Promise Case Settled
At Monmouthshire Assizes at Newport on Thursday last Mr Justice Lawrence approved the settlement of a breach of promise action which was in the civil list, on terms which had been placed before him by council in chambers.
Plaintiff was Miss Mary Violet Gertrude Aston, of Campden House, Sunnybank Road, Griffithstown and defendant Thomas Evan Jones, schoolmaster of Hendre Uchaf, Goytrey.
19th June – To Let
Two furnished rooms, Goytrey district; no children; would suit young married couple. – Write box 545 Free Press.
July 3rd – Goytrey Man’s Death
Abergavenny police are seeking a car which is believed to have knocked down Mr William Thomas (“Buller”) James, a welfare office at a works, who resided with his wife and two daughters, aged 13 and 11 at Ton Cottage (Chestnut) Goytrey.
Mr James was admitted to Abergavenny Cottage Hospital early on Sunday week and died about an hour afterwards. He was found on the Pontypool – Abergavenny road near Llanover by the driver of a car travelling in the direction of Newport. The driver of the car believed to be involved in the accident failed to report the matter.
Mr James, who was 39, was well known and esteemed in the district and much sympathy has been extended to the wife and young children.
The funeral took place at Panteg Cemetery on Thursday last.
Mourners: Herbert and Harold James, brothers; D Williams, brother in law and G Birt, cousin. (Sergeant Godfrey James, eldest brother of the deceased is a prisoner of war in Libya).
At the house: Widow and daughters; Mrs Doris Groves, sister; Mesdames L Day, M James, D Williams, H Bird, B Reed, sisters-in-law; Mrs Birt, aunt; Mrs L Mansell, cousin; Mrs Paske and Mrs Thomas, friends.
July 24th – Abergavenny Inquest of Mr Arthur James (In Inquests)
August 7th – Mrs E J Davies Nantyderry (In Obituaries)