Friday March 20^th 1903 – Poor Rates

Charles Morgan, farmer on the Llanover Estate, was summoned for non-payment of 8s 7d poor rate due to the overseers of the parish of Goytrey. – Ordered to pay in 14 days.

John Williams, farmer, was summoned by E.W. Gwatkin for non-payment of £3 18s 7d poor rate due to the overseers of the parish of Mamhilad.- He was further summoned for non-payment of 3s 11d poor rate due to the overseers of the parish of Goytrey. – The cases were withdrawn, defendant having paid the money.

Usk Observer 30th January 1869 – Getting into a House at Goytrey

(Yew Tree Cottage Rhydloyfan)

Getting into a house at Goytre. – Elizabeth Thomas was charged with stealing 2s 6d., the moneys of George Watkins at Goytre on the 16^th inst., Mrs Watkins stated that on her return home on the day named, she found that her house , which was left locked had been broken open. Prisoner was found in one of the bedrooms, and had put the half crown and some other things into the holes in the wall, where the police discovered them; the girl had been in the habit of going into the house and had been very kindly treated. Sentenced to three weeks hard labour.

13th April 1861 – Goytre Cymrodian

Easter Monday being the anniversary of the Cymrodorian society, the members of this club as usual assembled at the Half-Way House to celebrate their festal day. Additional interest was felt in the proceedings, as it was known that the worthy proprietor of Goytre House, Leuit. Col. Bird intended to present a new banner to the society.

Accordingly, the members dressed in their scarves &c and proceeded by the Newport factory band, marched in procession to Goytre House, to receive their promised present. Here they met the gallant Colonel and his sons, Messrs C & T Bird in readiness to receive them. The officers of the club then came forward, and received the banner from the hands of the Colonel who then addressed them as follows:

‘My friends, in presenting this banner to your club, permit me to accompany it with my earnest wishes for the prosperity of the Goytre Cymrodorian society, whose property is it now to become. I greatly rejoice in the success that has now attended your society, and I am thankful to see many old friends among the members as well as others who have become personally known since it has been my happiness to reside among you. I trust that the mutual regard which has arisen, will be maintained among us, and this banner may be a token that cordial and friendly feeling will ever exist between us.

I am especially delighted to see a friendly society established in the old parish of Goytre, to which memories of the past, and pleasures of the present, so much endear me. I have carefully studied your rules, and they are all that are proper and beneficial to such an institution, and I hope all the members will do their utmost to maintain them in their integrity, and thus contribute to the welfare of the whole club. In all countries and institutions, ‘union is strength’ and I trust we shall ever be united in true charity, one towards the other, and in our efforts for the general good.

There is a union I pray may also increase amongst us all – the union of faith in the one and only saviour of our souls- that when time and bodily ailments shall be no more, we may be united in that world where there is no more sorrow, sickness or death; but where I trust we who now meet together on earth, may be united in an endless eternity’.

Mr Wm. Gwatkin, the secretary, on behalf of the members, returned thanks to the Colonel on behalf of the members, for the honour he had done them in presenting them with such a handsome pledge of his goodwill and wishes for the prosperity of their society.

Three hearty cheers were then given for the kind donor, and, “For he’s a jolly good fellow &c”, was sang in such strains as evinced that one and all responded from their hearts, and wished to convey to their kind and generous friend that they duly appreciated his gift.

The banner is of blue silk, deeply fringed; on it is beautifully painted the plume of feathers, the well known crest of the Prince of Wales, and his motto ‘Ich Dien’ – I serve, underneath, on a scroll. Encircling this is another scroll, on which is inscribed, presented to the Cymrodian society by Col. H.C. Bird.

The men now reformed their procession and walked to the parish church. The service was read by the Rev. M. Morgan, the incumbent of Mamhilad, and an eloquent and impressive sermon was preached by the Rev. T. Evans from Prov. xxii.3, “A prudent man foreseeth the danger and hideth himself”.

After the service, the club returned to the Half-way house and sat down to a good substantial dinner, which the host, Mr Evans had prepared for them. The Rector and Col. Bird occupied the chief places at the table, supported by the Rev. M. Morgan and C & T Bird.

Ample justice being done to the good things of this world, and the cloth removed, the rector, in a handsome manner, proposed the health of Col. Bird, truly remarking that in their kind friend they all found a willing and steady supporter of anything that could possibly contribute to the temporal and spiritual improvement of the parish, of which they had substantial evidence that day.

(Drunk with cheers!)…. The Colonel in acknowledging the warm and enthusiastic manner, in which the toast had been received, expressed the great pleasure he felt, after a long residence in the East, to find himself again, an inhabitant of the old parish of Goytre. He felt especial pleasure in being among them on that day and hoped to be spared for a long time to help them in their endeavours to assist each other in anything that be beneficial to them. He begged to propose ‘health and prosperity to the Cymrodorian society’, loud cheers…..The same stentorian voices also gave a vigorous “three” for Mrs Bird and family. Mr Gwatkin then proposed the health of the vicar of Goytre and requested him to accept their sincere thanks for the excellent sermon he had given them that day….The Reverend gentleman, in acknowledging the compliment remarked that it gave him great pleasure to be among them at their annual feast. As for his sermon he could only say that he felt it to be no more than his duty, as minister of the parish to render them such services on these occasion; and since several of the members had expressed a strong wish that he would give them his support, he felt much pleasure in complying, and begged they would regard him as an honorary member. This was enthusiastically received.

The evening was spent in a most pleasant manner, and the cordiality with which the day commenced, continued to the close. The band gave great satisfaction: the readiness of them men, their desire to please and their admirable conduct throughout the day were such as to be generally noticed.

At their departure, the hearty thanks and cheers given them told how well they had sustained their reputation….at the earnest request of the club Col. Bird consented to be treasurer and an honorary member of this well conducted and excellent society.

15th June 1861 – Merry but Un-wise

Lewis, T. Lewis, J. Lewis, J. Jenkins, W. Forty, W. Phillips and W. Plaisted, were charged by p.c. Lewis (14) with being drunk, and creating a disturbance at Goytrey, at one o’clock, on Sunday morning last.

The constable said he was on duty that morning and heard a great noise in a farmyard. He went to ascertain the cause, and found all the prisoners there rolling about among the straw and behaving in a very disorderly manner.

He told them that sort of thing would not do, as they were not only disorderly, but trespassing on the private property of Major Bird, when they abused and threatened him…John Cadovan corroborated the main part of the constable’s statement, and in answer to a question from the bench, said the prisoner, W. Lewis appeared to be the most disorderly among them, and egged the others on.

John Jones said he lived at the farm house and saw the prisoners in the yard and they were making a great disturbance. They had been drinking together at the Half-way house and had a gallon and a half of beer with them in the yard, but witness did not see it.

The chairman said it was a most disgraceful disturbance, the more so as it took place on Sunday morning, and inflicted a penalty of 20s on each, or in default, 14 days hard labour in Usk.

3^rd February 1866 – Selling Beer Without a License

William Garner, who appeared on remand, was charged with having sold beer at Goytrey, without a license.

He was convicted in the penalty of 20s, including costs.

7^th December 1861 – Servant and Master

John Harvey, farmer, charged with assaulting Joseph Howells, farm servant at Goytrey on November 28^th.

Mr Greenway appeared for defendant. Complainant said he was at plough on Thursday when the horses turned stubborn, and he gave one of them a stroke with the plough line. His master said that if he struck the ‘harses’ again he would strike him. He did not strike them again, but told his master he should do no more with them, and he then struck him on the face.

By Mr Greenway, the horses ran away a day or two before, he could not keep the plough in the right place with them, so he threw it down and let them go. Did not kick them. His master scolded him for beating the horses with the plough line. Did not challenge him to fight. Had a fight with a fellow servant a short time since, and ‘got a bit of a scrat on my nose’. Never was threatened to be turned away for ill-treating the horses before this time. Did not call his master a dead fool, but said he was as big a fool as he was.

Thomas Jones, farm servant said he saw defendant strike complainant.

Mr Greenway then addressed the bench on behalf of his client, when he considered he had received sufficient provocation to chastise complainant, who had ill-used his horses, challenged him to fight, and threatened him with his fist…..the magistrates did not consider the defendant was justified in the course he had taken and fined him 20s for the assault or 14 days.

Mr Greenway then complained that p.c. Lewis had exceeded his duty in that he had given the parties advice when he served the summons, for which he was censured by the magistrates.

1st September 1866 – A Charge of Stealing Meat

Thomas Watts, timber haulier, Goytre, was charged with stealing 5lbs of veal, the property of John Richardson, butcher, Usk on the 21^st of August. Mr Henry Roberts appeared for the prisoner, Charles Coleman, miller Llanbaddock, said he was riding on the walk down Bridge street Usk on the evening of the day named about eight o’clock, when he saw, by the light of the gas, the prisoner take a piece of meat from a hook in the shop of prosecutor and put it under his coat; witness at first thought it was a joke, but he waited a short time to see if it was so or not, and seeing the prisoner walk away with another man who was with him, he told prosecutor that he had seen. In cross examination thos witness said he was sure it was Watts took the meat, not the other man – Francis Young, who is in the employ of the prosecutor said he missed part of a neck of veal off a hook in the shop; he had just before served the prisoner and a man called Rosser with 2^3/4 lbs of chops, part of which he had cut off the neck in question; Watts paid for the chops with a sovereign and witness went into another room to get the change; he afterwards saw the prisoner apprehended and the piece of veal, which was the same as he had cut the chops from, taken from his pocket. John Richardson, the prosecutor, deposed to giving information to the police, and to being present when the prisoner was apprehended, at the foot of the Usk bridge; when he (prosecutor) took the piece of meat from his pocket – P C Hill proved to apprehending the prisoner, and added that he found £6 5s 1d on him. Under cross examination this witness said; We forcibly searched the prisoner and took away everything we found on him; we did not take the knife from him because he was drunk; he was not drunk. – Mr Roberts in addressing the bench contended that the prisoner had taken the meat in a lark, as the witness Coleman had first supposed it was; and this idea he submitted was favoured by the fact that the prisoner was in a respectable position as a timber haulier; and further by the circumstances that he was returning towards Usk when he was overtaken by the policeman. The prisoner, after being duly cautioned was committed for trial at the quarter sessions bail being taken.

Fowl Stealing at Goytre – Evening Express 5^th July 1902

George Jayne collier, Abersychan, was summoned at Pontypool police-court to-day with stealing a fowl, the property of David Williams of Goytre on the 26^th of June.

He was fined 40s. Superintendent James said that farmers and others residing in the district of Goytre suffered tremendously from robberies of this kind.

The Rival Schools at Goytre – 8^th February 1869 Free Press

William Morgan, John Richards and David Evans, boys, were summoned for assaulting James Jones, another boy at Goytre.

Mr Alexander Edwards for complainant; Mr Greenway for defendants.

The case for the complainant was that on the day after the re-opening of Goytre National school, the master had gone to his dinner, when some 20 boys (including defendants) belonging to the Goytre British school, which is situated about mile off, walked down in a body to the National school and after a short parley at the gate, rushed into the schoolroom.

Some of them armed with sticks began beating the desks and forms and sprinkled the ink about.

The ringleaders seized the complainant, who was eating his dinner and saying “come back to our school” and dragging him outside.

He refused to go with them and lay down. They then kicked him and threatened to come back next day and “draw him back.”

The hearing of the case was postponed, as Col. Byrde declined to sit on the Bench during the hearing (Mr Evans had not at this time arrived) and Mr Llewellin said he would prefer adjourning the case to have the assistance of another magistrate, but he hoped to hear that it had been settled.

Mr Greenway said it was only a lot of children playing together and then falling out and they ought to kiss each other and make friends. He advised that the summons should be withdrawn.