A  Holbrook  'Domestic'  Dispute

From the Ilkeston Pioneer Dec 1857 A WIFE THRASHER Last week a man named Charles Holbrook, of Mill Lane, Codnor, stonemason, had an unsuccessful journey to Alfreton, "a money hunting". On his way home, in a sour and disappointed mood, he called on Sir John Barleycorn, with the view of "driving dull care away." Being sufficiently revived he renewed his journey, but had not proceeded far before he espied coming to meet him his faithful, loving Betsy, and juvenile Harry. A war of words soon began, during which a dispute arose about the merits of Baptists and other religionists. Betsy stoutly supported the high character of the dippers, and Charley as foully misnomered the adherents of the faith his wife espoused. His attempts to damp her religious ardour and to silence her enthusiastic eulogies of the Baptists, were not only violent and noisy, but supported by threats of vengeance and most fearful imprecations. Charley’s hardened fist soon fell mercilessly on his devoted Betsy, who was glad to escape through the crowd of spectators for refuge. While sorrowfully wandering along New Street, she was met by a police constable, who invited her to his house: the husband was quickly on the scent and in pursuit of his fugitive wife; 'listeners' having convinced him that she was safely ensconced with the man of authority, in he walked, and pretending to be staggering drunk, rolled on the squab, and feigned insensibility. A smart stroke with a stick on his near haunch, accompanied with a loud summons to account for his violent conduct to Betsy, in a moment re-animated the wife-thrasher, restored the proper use of his understandings, and enabled him to stand steady and upright as the best trained of the militia or police force. While the parties to these events were recounting the disasters of the day in the presence of the constable, a knock was heard at the door, a man in a agitated and breathless state, cried out, "Police! Police! You must go down yonder, a chap is fighting his wife, and raising all the neighbours, such a row!" The police constable assured the informant that the case should have his immediate attention; and Charley, hearing that he had become the subject of such earnest solicitude, was glad to be allowed to defer a close and not very pleasant acquaintance with the interior of 'The Stone Jug' and promised to proceed most quietly with his loving Betsy and Harry to Mill Lane, never again, it is hoped, to repeat conduct that deserves a punishment perhaps somewhat more humiliating and disagreeable than this notice of his unmanly practices at Ripley.

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