Cardiff Times January 9th. 1875.
GLAMORGANSHIRE FRIDAY.
(Before Mr. R.O.Jones and Mr. C.W.David.)
MALICIOUS WOUNDING AT LLANTRISANT.
George Shorthouse (25), Robert Shorthouse (22), and Patrick McCarthy haulier were indicted for unlawfully and maliciously wounding one David Webber, at Llantrisant on the 14th of December. Mr. H Allen prosecuted. There had it appeared, been a race between Webber and another man in the day, and in the evening they met at a public house, where George Shorthouse had a quarrel with an old man, a friend of Webber. Webber told him to be quiet, as his friend was a much older man than Shorthouse was. George Shorthouse then said, “Wait you b—, till I get outside, and then I’ll do you.” Afterwards they left, and when Webber left he found prisoners outside. George Shorthouse struck him a violent blow which knocked him down, and then Robert Shorthouse came up and kicked him several times on the head and about the body. He also struck him violently with a stone on the head which he held in his hand. Robert Shorthouse while on the ground knelt on him, and with his finger attempted to gouge out his left eye. McCarthy came up during the struggle and said, “Now let’s finish the bu—.” He kicked complainant very severely on the head and about the body, and the wounds on the head were all of them inflicted by McCarthy. George Shorthouse also beat him very much and kicked. They held him down on the ground for eight to ten minutes, when he succeeded in getting up and ran away, followed by Robert Shorthouse, but complainant escaped by getting through a culvert under the railway, and there Robert would not follow him. He was attended on the following day by Mr. Jones, surgeon, and for a week was unable to leave the house, and was still suffering seriously from injuries he then received. The surgeon described the injuries inflicted as of a very serious nature, and those given by McCarthy were more serious than the others. The jury found them guilty, and they were sentenced – George Shorthouse who had been previously convicted to 2 years hard labour, Robert Shorthouse to one year’s hard labour, and McCarthy to eighteen months’ hard labour.
South Wales Daily News Saturday January 9th 1875.
PONTYPRIDD.
BRUTAL ASSAULT AT GILFACHGOCH. The petty sessions were held on Wednesday, before Messrs; W. Williams, W. Pritchard, and E. Lewis. George Shorthouse, Robert Shorthouse, and Patrick McCarthy, were summoned for brutally assaulting David Webber and Seth Applegate. All the parties live at Gilfachgoch. The complainant Webber, a coker, whose head was plastered, said that on Monday, the 16th inst. about half past seven in the evening, he was in the Gilfach Inn, when the prisoner George came in and began quarrelling with a man named Garrett. Complainant begged prisoner to desist, as Garrett was about 60 years of age. The Prisoner said, “You——, I’ll have you outside,” and asked him to go out. He went out, and while talking to prisoner, Robert came up and hit him on the side of his head with his fist. The blow knocked him down. George then caught hold of him by the throat, and McCarthy seized him by his hair while he was on the ground. Robert put his finger in complainants eye and attempted to gouge it out, while with the other he struck him on the head with a stone several times. Heard McCarthy say, “Finish him off, finish him off.” Was kept on the ground for about ten minutes, and kicked on both sides when down. Received four cuts on the head. Was kicked about the legs by George. He at last made his escape, followed by Robert, who did not catch him. Dr. Jones saw him the following morning, and ordered him to go to bed, where he remained for three days, and was unable to leave the house for a week. The blood-stained garments worn by the prosecutor when assaulted were produced by P. C. James. Cross-examined: Was not aware that he struck any of the prisoners, but might have done so when on the ground endeavouring to get away. Had a race with a collier about half past three the same afternoon and lost it. Did not dispute the decision. Never said, “If I lost a race by running, James got it by fighting.” Seth Applegate, the other complainant, said he saw Webber on the ground and the three prisoners beating and kicking him. Went to his assistance, and while he was raising Webber, heard him say,” Seth I am strangling.” He could hardly speak. Then McCartney struck him with a stone and with a “Tommy-box.” He fell down. While on the ground Robert try to strangle him, and he also kicked him. Complainant then made his escape, leaving Webber on the ground. His head was cut. Did not challenge anyone to fight. Webber, recalled, said when he went out with George it was with the intention of fighting. Charles J. Jones, surgeon, Tonypanily, said he was called to see Webber. Those wounds on the head were only dangerous in the event of erysipelas supervening. Suppuration of the wounds had taken place. Webber might be able to go to work next week. P.C. Jones apprehended the prisoner. M’Carthy and George Shorthouse had been committed to goal previously. All prisoners were committed to trial.
Cardiff Times – Saturday 09 January 1875.
EPIPHANY QUARTER SESSIONS
GLAMORGANSHIRE
FRIDAY.
(Before Mr. R. O. Jones and Mr. C. W. DAVID.)
MALICIOUS WOUNDING AT LLANTRISANT.
George Shorthouse (25), and Robert Shorthouse (22), and Patrick McCarthy, haulier, were indicted for unlawfully and maliciously wounding one David Webber, at Llanstrisant on 14th December (1874). Mr H Allen prosecuting.
There had, it appeared, been a race between Webber and another man in the day and in the evening they met at a public house where George Shorthouse had a quarrel with an old man, a friend of Webber. Webber told him to be quiet and his friend was a much older man than Shorthouse was. George Shorthouse then said “Wait, you b–, till I get outside, and then I’ll do you.” Afterwards they left, and when Webber left he found prisoners outside. George Shorthouse struck him a violent blow which knocked him down, and then Robert Shorthouse came up and kicked him several times on the head. and about the body. He also struck him violently with a stone on the head, which he held in his hand. RS while on the ground knelt on him, and with his finger attempted to gouge out his left eye. McCarthy came up during the struggle and said “Now let’s finish the b—,” He kicked complainant very severely on the head and about the body, and the wounds on the head were all of them inflicted by McCarthy. GS also beat him very much and kicked. They held him down on the ground for 8 to 10 minutes, when he succeeded in getting up and ran away, followed by Robert Shorthouse, but complainant escaped by getting through a culvert under the railway, and there Robert would not follow him. He was attended on the following day by Mr Jones, surgeon, and for a week was unable to leave the house, and was still suffering seriously from injuries he then received. The surgeon described the injuries inflicted as of a very serious nature, and those given by McCarthy were more serious than the others.
The Jury found them guilty, and they were sentenced – George Shorthouse, who had been previously convicted (1872), to two years’ hard labour, Robert Shorthouse to one year’s hard labour and McCarthy to eighteen months’ hard labour.”
Western Mail Ebbw Vale. Friday July 27th 1888.
A COLLIERY FLOODED NEAR EBBW VALE.
ONE MAN DROWNED.
NARROW ESCAPE OF THE SURVIVOR.
The people of Llandafal, a small village near CWM, Ebbw Vale, were on Thursday thrown into a state of great excitement on receipt of the intelligence that one of the pits have been flooded at three o’clock that morning. No news was forthcoming for some time, until a relief party descend the shaft to rescue the two men who were known to be in the pit. The then transpired that one man had been drowned, and that the other had a very narrow escape from a similar fate. The man who escaped gave the facts of the accident to our representative as follows: Jonah Dicks and himself (Robert Shorthouse) were at work together in the pit. Dick’s was boring coal and Shorthouse was filling a tram.They knew they were going towards the water which had collected in an old pit nearby, but never anticipated that it was so very near. Their estimate was that there was a yard or so intervening, and no sign was shown of any imminent danger. Shorthouse remarked that he believed there getting near to the water, when suddenly Dicks shouted out, “My God!” the water is upon us. Immediately, without a moment’s warning, the water rushed through with the sound of a cannon, and the two men were washed away. Shorthouse had the presence of mind to seize hold of his companion, but without avail, the water being too powerful. As Shorthouse was being carried along he fortunately managed to lay hold of the tram he was loading, and he held on until the water had all past him. His clothes were completely torn off his body. His companion was not so fortunate. He was so dashed about by the water that he lost his life. Shorthouse was after some delay, rescued, being severely shaken, but not otherwise injured. Mr. Sullivan, surgeon of Aberbeeg, with soon on the spot, but his services were of no avail, as up to the time of writing the body of Dicks had not been brought to the surface. It was most fortunate that the calamity took place at the time it did, otherwise the pit would have been full of men, and the loss of life would have been very serious indeed.
It is noted that Frederick served time in 1874, just over a year after he married Anne Osborn. We are not sure what brother William Henry was doing during this period but he does not appear to be implicated in these events.
George who worked as a coal miner all of his life died in Bridgend, Glamorgan 1918. He was lodging with brother Robert in 1891. To the best of our knowledge he never married.
Robert was also a coal miner throughout his life had married Jane Webb in 1972, at the time of sentencing in 1875; Jane was pregnant with their son Robert. They had already lost two children Charlotte Ann and Robert John in 1873 and 1874 respectively. During their life we believe they had 14 children. Robert died in Bedwelty in 1928 and Jane in 1921.
Having been born in the Trimdon mining community, it is easy for me to visualize the type of life these brothers had without the benefit of having a mother to keep them in check. They were all miners and obviously stuck together and looked after each other, even if it did get them into trouble.
Their father John is noticeably absent during this period and we do not have any indication of what he was doing other than he married in Elizabeth Walther 1865 in Tonyrefail, Llantrisant. Her death was recorded 7 Dec 1872, age 52, wife of John Shorthouse, general labourer, peritonitis, Tonyrefail, Llantrisant, by John Shorthouse.
At the time of this marriage, John’s children would be aged 13 to 19 and we do not know if they lived at home during this period. The only information we have is that the youngest Robert was lodging with another family in 1871.
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