Maintenance has to be paid for children left at the workhouse

William Robert Box, a coal carman, formerly of Port Vale, Hertford, was charged before Mr Alfred Grayson on Friday with leaving three of his children chargeable to the Hertford Union.

Mr D. Button, Relieving Officer, said that the children had been chargeable since the defendant had been discharged from prison on 11th November 1917, and were similarly chargeable prior to that date for several years, having originally been admitted to the Workhouse in August 1911.  The cost of maintenance due to the guardians from November last was £29 14s 6d.  The witness had not known where to find the defendant because he had changed his address and had made no communication with the authorities.

Police Constable Inwood stated that on the previous day he went to Blackheath Road Police Station where the defendant was detained, and then brought him to Hertford.  In answer to the charge, the defendant said  “I know all about it.”

The Magistrate remanded the defendant until the later Sessions today, bail being refused.

At Hertford County Sessions, on the same day, William Robert Box, of Deptford, formerly of Port Vale, Hertford, was charged on remand with leaving his children chargeable to the Hertfordshire Guardians.  Formal evidence was given by Mr D. Button, Relieving Officer, showing that there was £29 14s 6d due for maintenance which had accrued since last November when the prisoner came out of gaol after 3 months’ hard labour for previous maintenance.  They had been chargeable since 1911 and the prisoner, who was an able-bodied man and earned good wages as a coal carrier on the riverside wharves at Deptford, had not paid any maintenance or let the authorities know where he was until the Metropolitan Police found him out and arrested him.  His wife had left him, and was in service, earning her own living, but the prisoner did not know of her whereabouts.  The question of military service was discussed as the prisoner is only 46 years of age, and it then transpired that it was doubtful if he had registered and that was why the military had not found him out;  or it might be that the prisoner was in a protected occupation.

The prisoner, who had previously not given any information, said that they could find out all they wanted to know at 161 Church Street, Deptford, where he had lived for 6 years.

The Chairman said that the prisoner seemed to be an incorrigible fellow and did not look after his wife and children and left them chargeable to the ratepayers.  He had served one term of imprisonment and would now be sent for another 3 months.  If he did not support his children when he came out he would be sent to prison again, but the next time he would be sent to Quarter Sessions and there the term would be a great deal more.  Probably, when he came out of prison, he would be taken into the army, and he hoped the prisoner would do better there.  The police were instructed to communicate with the military authorities with a view to getting the prisoner arrested as an absentee when he comes out of gaol.