Mexborough and Swinton Times, November 16, 1928

Successful Exhibitors.
With Other People’s Produce!

Two cases in which the defendants had stolen produce from allotments with a view to exhibiting it at shows were heard at Doncaster on Saturday, and the magistrates imposed smart penalties, expressing their determination to stop the practice.

In the first case ,Tim Bennett, miner, of Mexborough, was summoned for having stolen a, beetroot valued at 3d. from a garden belonging to Samuel Staples, and he was fined £1. Charles Henry Rawlinson, of Albert Road, Mexborough, said he was walking down the road at 11a.m. on October 14th,—the date on which a show was held at a local club—when he saw Bennett pull up three beetroots from the allotment of Mr. Staples. He gained a prize with them at the show.

Samuel Staples, engine driver, of Victoria Road, Mexborough said that on examining the garden later he found that three beetroots had been taken, and two pulled up and put back. Bennett, on oath, admitted looking at the beetroots, but denied taking them. He said he received 2s for the third prize at the show.

Conisborough Man Warned.

The second case was one in which Charles Ellard, miner, of Conisborough, was summoned for having stolen a growing cabbage valued at 4d., belonging to Arthur Bostock, of Conisborough.

Mr. W. Lindsay Crawford, who prosecuted on behalf of the Conisborough Allotments Society, said the case was brought by the Society not because of the value of the cabbage, but because, when a show was being held men went on to allotments, picked the best things out, and exhibited them, probably gaining a prize. It was a most dishonourable thing to do.

John Walter Bacon, miner, of Conisborough, said he went to his allotment at 10-30 a.m. on October 21st, and the defendant followed him in. Witness saw Ellard feel several cabbages on two allotments. He then went to Mr. Bostock’s allotment, felt several cabbages, and pulled one. Two men came in by the gate, and Ellard dropped the cabbage, but picked it up as he went out. Witness asked him where he was going with the cabbage, and he said he would pay for it.

Horace Shacklock, miner, of Conisborough, secretary to the Allotments Society, said there had been so much pilfering from the gardens that they had been to ask the police for their help.

Ellard said he had made an appointment with another man, and got to the wrong allotment by mistake.

The Chairman (Mr. John Dymond), said it would have served him right if he had been sent to prison without the option of a fine for swindling the organisers of the show. The Bench were determined to put a stop to this kind of thing, and the defendant would be fined £2.