Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 10 January 1879

Elopement at Mexborough

Some little excitement was caused at Mexborough on Tuesday last, by the announcement that a goods guard in the employ of the M.S. & L. Railway Company, and residing in High street, Mexborough,  had that morning the fortune or misfortune to have lost his wife, who had eloped along with a lodger. It appears that this young lodger has for some time exhibited a little attachment to his landlady, and a short time ago he had to find lodgings-elsewhere.

On Monday last, the young man’s mother paid a visit to Mexborough, went to the guard’s house frequently for the-purpose of seeing her son, and expressing some disappointment that he should have left there. Of course as she had come some distance she was asked to stay all night and did so.

During the night, however, she felt somewhat starved, sleeping alone, and could only be made comfortable by sleeping with the guard’s wife. Taking advantage of the guards absence, they appear to have made every necessary preparations and arrangement, and took their night by the first morning train to Doncaster, and from thence to Peterborough, or somewhere in that neighbourhood.

However, to the astonishment of the poor unfortunate guard, when he came home, he found he was minus his wife and child (about 6 weeks old.) She had taken with her all her clothes, her husband’s watch and other things, together with all his money, with the exception of some six shillings, which she had generously left for him to manage through the week with.

It is generally believed that the guard’s wife and her sprightly young lodger have gone to seek a more congenial atmosphere in which to form a more intimate acquaintance with each other.