An Illicit Still in Gertrude Street Sheffield - May 1880

 

This cutting is from the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent dated 15th May 1880 and refers to the discovery of an illicit still in Gertrude Street which was off Infirmary Road in Sheffield

On the face of it it is just another case of common criminality that was rife in late Victorian Britain and also demonstrated the keenness of the authorities to disrupt activities of this nature.

But the reason why I posted this article on the blog was because the Isabella Buckley who appeared before the magistrates in this case also features in an article I posted to the website many years ago

The article was entitles "Alleged Violence in a Sheffield School 1878" and refers to the death of a schoolgirl who was also called Isabella Buckley. The Isabella Buckley that was involved in the illicit still was the grandmother of Isabella who died two years earlier. Her son Robert was the father of the dead girl.

The case caused quite a furore at the time and I am still not convinced with how the case was conducted. Here is the link to the article  

Donald Morton's 9th Birthday Card - Northfield Road Crookes Sheffield

 This card appeared on a well known auction site in February 2020. Of course that was a month before a series of measures were introduced by the UK government which will have repercussions long after I leave this mortal coil

It is from his Aunty Ethel and Uncle Harry on the occasion of Master Donald Morton's 9th Birthday Card at 121 Northfield Road Crookes Sheffield. It is postmarked Sheffield 15th February 1939 and the cost of the postage was 1 old penny

The house is still there in fact I passed it today - it just up from the Jet Petrol Station on Northfield Road

Here are a few details of the family from BMD and Ancestry - the dob of Donald would mean that the card was sent a month after his birth date

Births Mar 1930   

Morton Donald Johnson Sheffield 9c 778

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page 

Parents Marriages Sep 1924   

Johnson Laura A Morton Ecclesall B. 9c 806   

Morton Fred Johnson Ecclesall B. 9c 806

Birth 12 Jan 1930 • United Kingdom 

Birth of Brother Brian Morton(1935–2007) 12 Jul 1935 • Sheffield

Residence 1939 • Yorkshire (West Riding), England Marital Status: Single

Marriage Oct 1955 • Huddersfield, Yorkshire West Riding, United Kingdom

Death of Mother Laura A Johnson(1905–1970) Mar 1970 • Sheffield, Yorkshire West Riding, England

Death of Father Fred Morton(1903–1973) 03 Dec 1973 • Sheffield, Yorkshire, England

Death Jul 1990 • Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England

Surname First name(s) Mother District Vol Page 

Births Mar 1925  

Morton Fred Johnson Ecclesall B. 9c 728 28 Dec 1924 - died 2005   

Births Dec 1926  Morton Gladys Johnson Sheffield 9c 831

Died 22 Oct 1926 • 69 Ravencarr rd, Sheffield

Births Sep 1931  Morton Margaret Johnson Sheffield 9c 753

Births Sep 1935  Morton Brian Johnson Sheffield 9c 651

12 Jul 1935

Name

Donald Morton Birth 12/01/1930 Death 07/1990 Sheffield South Yorkshire England