This photo is of Elizabeth Edwards taken in 1873 when she was 23 years old

Elizabeth Edwards 1873

She was convicted at Pontypool Petty Sessions for stealing wearing apparel and sentenced to  two calendar months hard labour in Usk prison

Her description was given as being 4′ 11″, brown hair, hazel eyes and a fresh complexion

She was single and a servant and was apprehended in Garndiffaith.

Her  record says she was born in Goytrey  (but I cannot find any record of her in the parish)

Edwin Edgar – September 10^th 1948

GOYTRE FARMER FINED for ASSAULTING PC

A 78 year old farmer, who pleaded not guilty at Pontypool on Saturday to assaulting a police constable while in the execution of his duty, was alleged to have been annoyed because the local authority had sent workman to lay on a water supply to a Goytre cottage he owned.

He was Edwin Edgar, of Ynys-picca, Goytre. The magistrates fined him £5 with an alternative of one month’s imprisonment.

PC Kenneth Jenkins (Little Mill) said he was requested by a sanitary inspector to keep an eye on Edgar, who was making trouble at the cottage and shouting threats and abuse at the workmen. He went to the site and it was necessary for him to take Edgar away from there to his own home nearby.

“As I released him, he grabbed a length of piping with both hands and swung it at my head. I warded the blow off with my arm and my wrist watch was broken,” said the constable.

PC Jenkins then took Edgar to Pontypool Police Station in a car. He used as little force as possible. When charged Edgar told him: “You won’t forget this.”

Rather Pitiful

George Harold Wragg, foreman piper employed by the firm of contractors laying the water supply, testified to Edgar’s bad behaviour, and William Thomas Jones, an engineer, described the old man’s attitude as “abusive and rather pitiful.”

Edgar, who was represented by Mr Harold Saunders, told the court he wanted to be sure the workmen were not damaging a sewer he laid about ten years ago. He contended the constable handled him roughly, denied being abusive and also denied picking up the lead pipe and striking a blow. “I did not threaten the workmen. It was private property and they had no right in there,” he added.

Mr Saunders said Edgar had been ordered by Pontypool RDC to lay the water supply himself. The pipe he was alleged to have used to commit the assault was one of several he had bought to do the work.

6th July 1861

Wm Read was charged with having assaulted Caroline Drinkwater at the Goytrey on the 17^th inst., as complainant failed to prove the charge the case was dismissed, she having to pay the 3s costs.

Scab in Sheep

1^st December 1877

John Turner, farmer was charged with having a flock of sheep affected with scab on his premises and neglecting to report the same to the authorities.

P.c Allen said that on the 13^th inst., he was passing through defendant’s farm and noticed a flock of sheep apparently affected with scab;

Got defendant to bring the flock together, witness then found 15 sheep affected in a flock consisting of 41.

Defendant said he was unacquainted with the nature of scab; and further he had always left the care of the sheep to his son who attended them night and morning;

Fined 20s.

November 16^th 1872

Prize Fight:

Took place at Goytre on Friday last between two Pontypool men who had made arrangements with so much secrecy that the police knew nothing of the affair until it actually took place.

The combatants were Daniel Desmond, a pugilist and Thomas Fletcher, a smith; and the contest seemed to have arisen out of a row in George Street some time ago.

These men, in a field belonging to a farmer named Probert, hammered away at each other for two hours and a quarter, in which time 101 “rounds” occurred. The stake was to be £10.

Fletcher, who sprained his wrist some time since, sustained a renewal of the sprain, but kept on until Desmonds head was “as big as a bushel,” Desmond aiming to take the use of his opponents sound arm.

We are told that the disgraceful affair ended in a “draw” as the backers would not consent to the men fighting any longer. Principals, backers and spectators are to figure at the Police Court on Saturday.

November 23^rd 1872

The Prize Fight at Goytre

Daniel Desmond (who did not appear), Thomas Fletcher, John Littlehales, Edward Farr, John Wise, Alfred Farr, John Roberts, James Fletcher and Henry Jordan were charged with unlawfully assembling in the parish of Goytre and creating a breach of the peace; Desmond and Fletcher, being principals in the fight and the rest by aiding and abetting by being present.

Pc Basham proved service of the summons on Desmond. Roberts and Jordan pleaded not guilty.

John Gwatkin deposed that on November the 8^th he saw the fight; did not see Roberts and Jordan there; it was between 7 and 8 o’clock in the morning.

Pc Williams deposed that he saw all the defendants, except Alfred Farr at the place, or coming away in the train.

Thomas Jeremiah deposed that he saw the fight at a distance, but did not see whether anyone was seconding the principals or not. Did not see Jordan or Roberts there.

Jordan said he should have liked to see the fight very well; but he did not see it.

Charles Rudman was called as a witness but did not answer. It was said he was out posting and superintendent M’Intosh said, that if that was the case, he must ask for an adjournment for a week against Roberts and Jordan. This was agreed to.

Col. Byrde said that these prize fights were disgraces to the community in which they occurred. The Bench had the power of sending the defendants for trial at the quarter sessions. They did not desire to do so on the present occasion, but at the same time they must take such measures that would prevent a recurrence of such disgraceful scenes in future.

Thomas Fletcher was bound over to keep the peace for six months himself in £20, and two sureties, (Thomas Morgan, ironmonger, Abersychan, and Stephen Howells, collier, Pontypool) in £10 each and had to pay £1 costs.

A warrant was issued for the apprehension of Desmond. Roberts and Jordan would have to appear again next Saturday. The rest were bound over in £10 each to keep the peace for six months and had to pay 10s each costs.

November 30^th 1872

The Recent Prize Fight

Henry Jordan, Charles Rudman and John Roberts were charged with aiding and abetting the recent prize fight at Goytre. Supt. M’Intosh said that Jordan and Roberts were Desmonds backers, all three now admitted that they were present at the fight.

In answer to the Bench Supt. M’Intosh said that the party had walked from Pontypool to Goytre and arrived there at six o’clock in the morning and waited for the day to dawn before they began operations.

Roberts and Jordan were bound over to keep the peace for six months themselves in £20 each, with one surety each in £10 and had to pay 16s 6d each costs. Rudman was bound over in £10 and had to pay 10s costs.

July 13^th 1872

Affiliation

John Redwood, of Goytrey, who did not appear was charged of being the father of the illegitimate child of Christiana Hooper now living at Llanithel.

Service of the summons was proved. Complainant and her step-mother gave evidence,

July 20^th 1872

John Redwood, who did not appear, was charged with being the father of the illegitimate child of Christiana Hooper, the case had been adjourned. Mrs Powell, in whose service the girl had lived, deposed that Redwood came to see the girl frequently and no one else did so; she had seen no improper familiarities between them.

This not being sufficient evidence, the case was adjourned for a month.

Police Court August 17^th 1872

Mr Watkins appeared for the defendant in an affiliation case, Christiana Hooper v John Redwood, which had been twice adjourned to allow the young woman to bring witnesses.

Mr Watkins objected to a further adjournment, which the complainant required; and the case was dismissed.