William Gilbertson. b c 1830. 1891 census

Morpeth Herald 7th January 1899
At a special sitting of Morpeth (County) Petty Sessions, Tuesday, before Mr C. O. Rayne, High House, Sarah Gilbertson was charged with wounding with intent, at North Seaton Colliery,on the 26th ult., Wm. S. Gilbertson and Mary Ann Gilbertson. Mr W. Brett, solicitor. Morpeth, appeared to prosecute and called the following evidence: William Seaton Gilbertson said he was a miner and lived at North Seaton Colliery. The defendant was his daughter-in-law and lived with her own father at another part of the colliery. Her husband (his son) was in America. On the 20th of Dec. about 9 o’clock at night he was in the yard of his house. The defendant passed him and went into his house by the back door. He followed her in. There was nobody in the house but the defendant and himself. The defendant said to him, "Where is my little boy?” He replied, “He has gone out after the musicians.” She said, I am come to take him away.” He said, “Where are you going to take him.” She brandished a knife and said, “I have got a knife and I will do for you.” She brought the knife from behind her back. It was a bread knife. The knife produced is the one. He had a small stick and struck at the knife, and the blow caught her on the cheek. She closed with him and caught him by the beard and muffler round his neck, and gave him a slight stab with the knife by the side of the eye. He tried to grasp the knife and take it out of her hand, but only cut his fingers. He then got her into the yard and there they met his wife, who was then just coming into the yard. He cried out, “Keep out, Mary, this is Sarah and she has a knife in her hand.” His wife came forward and seized her hand and tried to get the knife, but failed to do so. She struck his wife with the knife over the head A neighbour called John Hall came in and also William Young. The latter took the knife from defendant and also took her home. After defendant left he sent for the doctor and got his wound dressed. This was a slight prog with the point of the knife at the end of the eyebrow in a line with the eye. He suffered no ill effects from the wound and it was quite healed now. The little boy she mentioned was the child of the marriage between his son and defendant, and was seven years old. His parents went to America 11 years ago. The defendant came back 3 months ago with the child. They were very friendly, and he said he would take the boy until his son returned home, as he had written that he was coming home at Christmas. The defendant had the boy at first, and then she went to a situation, and be had kept the boy since. He never had any disagreement with the defendant. He could not tell why she came to his house with a knife. He had seen her and spoken to her since she came back from her situation, but she had not been at his house. He could not say whether she was drunk or sober. He was troubled with heart disease and the excitement made him very poorly. Cross-examined by defendant: He did not strike at her three times with the stick. Only once and then at the knife. Mary Ann Gilbertson, wife of last witness, said she had no words or disagreement with defendant, who was her daughter-in-law. On Monday 26th December, she was out in the evening and returned about 9 o’clock, and came in by the back. She saw her husband struggling at the back door with defendant. He told her to keep back as defendant had a knife. Defendant struck her on the head, and she seized her by the wrist to take the knife out of her hand. It was dark but she felt the knife. She felt the blood running down her face from the blow she received. Whilst she held her wrist defendant gave her another blow on the head and got her down and seized her by the head. She called for assistance and John Hall came. She could feel the blood coming from the second wound. She was on the ground when Hall came. The defendant was then half stooping over her and tearing her hair out. She got liberated from her when Hall came, and she went for the police. She then went to the house and combed her hair, which was down. The hair the policeman produced was on her head. The doctor dressed her wounds, which were now healed. John Hall said he was a miner, and lived next door to Gilbertson. On Monday. 20th December, about nine o’clock at night he heard Mrs Gilbertson shouting “Jack come.” He went into their yard and found Mr Gilbertson had hold of defendant. He did not see Mrs Gilbertson at first, but she came forward as if getting up from the ground. He got defendant by the wrist, and kept her until assistance came. A man called Graham came first, and Young came after. William Young said he was miner and lived at North Seaton Low Quay. On Monday, Dec. 26th, he was at the colliery, and heard disturbance at Gilbertson’s about nine o’clock at night. He went and found the defendant struggling with someone. He got hold of her wrist and wrenched the knife (produced) from her hand. With the assistance of a friend took defendant to her father’s house. He afterwards gave the knife to P.C. Richardson. The knife (produced) was the same. The woman was the worse of drink. P.C. Richardson said he was stationed at North Seaton. On the 26th of December about ten o’clock at night Mrs Gilbertson came for him, and he went to her house. He found William Gilbertson bleeding from a slight wound on the side of the left eye, also from a wound on the hand Mr Gilbertson had three wounds on the head. He found the wounds were saturated with blood. He then went to defendant’s house and apprehended her. Young was there, and gave him the knife produced. He charged defendant with cutting and wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to William Gilbertson and Mary Gilbertson his wife, that night. She made no reply. Dr C. H. Peers said on the 26th of December he went to Gilbertson’s house about 9.35 in the evening and examined Gilbertson first, and found a small incised wound on the outer side of the left eyelid and a couple of small cuts on the finger and thumb of the left hand. On Mrs Gilbertson he found two small incised wounds on the left side of the head, and a small abrasion on the head. He dressed both of their wounds Gilbertson’s wounds were quite healed. Mrs Gilbertson was also quite well again. The wound on Mrs Gilbertson would likely be caused by the point of the knife produced. The wound on Mr Gilbertson would also be caused by the point of the knife produced. It not very deep wound, perhaps the sixth of an inch, but it was very near the eye, which made it much more serious. Saw the defendant afterwards. She had certainly had drink, but was recovering from it. In answer to a question, defendant said; “I do not think I assaulted him, but I am guilty of assaulting her.” The defendant was committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions.

Sarah was sentenced to 6 months.

 

Thanks, Sue. I came across that as well.

PS Thanks, Ann, for the full account.

 

I don't see anything in the online newspapers either, but GenUKI has a list of death notices published in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle, and he's included there:

GILBERTSON, William 18 Jan 1902 73 N. Seaton

Unfortunately although I'm based in the North East I'm a bit further south, and pretty sure my local library doesnt carry the Chronicle, but you could try contacting Newcastle Central Library or similar and I'm sure they'd look it up for you.

 

Further to what Sue has posted above, William Seaton GILBERTSON a Miner living at North Seaton Colliery prosecuted his daughter in law Sarah who lived with her father in another part of the Colliery, her husband (his son) being in America. The gist of the article would appear to be that Sarah's son, and William's grandchild, was living with his grandparents and that his mother had come to take him away. When William asked where she was going to take the child, she produced a bread knife and attempted to stab him. He tried to strike the knife with a small stick but the blow caught her on the cheek. She then grabbed him by his muffler and beard and wounded him slightly by his eye. He tried to grab the knife with his hand but only cut his fingers. He then got her into the yard and met his wife Mary who was just coming into the yard and warned her that Sarah had got a knife. Mary then tried to get the knife but was struck on the head with the knife. Two other men then came into the yard and succeeded in taking the knife away from Sarah and taking her home. The boy mentioned was 7 years old and the child of William's son and the defendant, the parents going to America 11 years previously. Sarah had returned with the child about 3 months ago and William had said he would take the boy until his son came home since Sarah had gone to a situation. Neither William nor Mary Ann could understand why Sarah had attacked them but it would appear from other statements that she was the worse for drink. She was apprehended by a local constable and committed for trial, the result of the trial being that she was sent to prison for 6 months with hard labour.

Janet

 

Thanks, Andromeda. Once again I am indebted to you. I will follow that up.
It does seem strange that if WSG was only a humble miner that his death should have been announced in Newcastle newspaper.

 

Thanks, Janet, for that most detailed account which, together with Ann's contribution, gives a comprehensive description of events. It also provides interesting information on the family's American connection, which I shall now follow up.

 

Actually, from what's been discovered he wasn't only a humble miner, but a prominent member of the Order of Free Gardeners, and a medium to boot.

What's in the paper (it's at FindMyPast) is a death notice placed by the family as a way of notifying friends and acquaintances of his death and the funeral arrangements, which was fairly common in times past. In this case his interests and activities would have meant he was known to quite a wide circle, and the family may well not have known how to contact many of them individually.

I also searched a bit more to see if there might be some kind of obituary article, but I didn't find one.

 

Well spotted - I should have done a better search! It doesn't come up under a name search, but its on Page 2, first column.

GILBERTSON - North Seaton, 17th inst aged 73 years, William Seaton the beloved husband of Mary Ann Gilbertson. Interment Seaton Hirst Church, Sunday; lift 3:15. Friends please accept this intimation.

 

Ah, but it was you who found the reference to this (Post #23) - I just went to the newspaper and browsed till I found the right bit.