10th May 1887

Suicide at Hopton.—

Yesterday Mr. P. P. Maitland, Deputy-Coroner, held an inquest at the Traveller's Rest, Upper Hopton, relative to the death of David Sheard,labourer aged 68, Upper Hopton. It appears that for some time he has suffered from bronchitis, and was low-spirited. On Sunday morning he got out of bed unknown to his wife, who, on discovering that he was gone, raised an alarm. His son Samuel found him in a draw-well opposite his house, and close by were his shawl and hat. Police constable Humphreys was fetched, and the body taken out and conveyed home. The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst temporarily insane."

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25th October 1841

COURT-HOUSE, Monday.—

(Before L. W. Wickham and F. Wormald, Esqrs.)— Richard Crawshaw, Robert Crawshaw, and Charles Broadley, all of Mirfield, were summoned
by Joe Wolfenden, gamekeeper to Charles Wheatley, Esq., charged with having, on the 28th Sept, last, used a dog for the purpose of searching for hares. Fined 5s. each and costs 9s. each, or one month's imprisonment.— Henry Hepworth, of Mirfield, was summoned by Mr. Joshua Waddington, of Elland, charged with damaging underwood growing on the property of Mr. Waddington, at Hopton, for which he was ordered to pay 1s. damage and 16s. costs or one month's imprisonment.

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11th January 1870

JUVENILE DEPRAVITY.—

Yesterday, at the Police Court, Dewsbury, a boy of fourteen, named John Ellam, was placed in the dock to answer the charge of stealing £30, the property of Henry Mellor, landlord of the Mason's Arms, Kirkheaton. The evidence went to show that the inn stands at a spot where the hamlet of Hopton joins the township of Kirkheaton, which is in the Huddersfield police division. The prisoner, who is the landlord's brother-in-law, had frequently assisted him in waiting, and knew where the prosecutor was in the habit of keeping his money, viz., in the bar. On the 1st inst. a sum of which had been placed on a shelf to await the coming of the owner of the house, was missed, but who the thief was was not ascertained for some days, when the prisoner was apprehended by a constable stationed at Hopton, upon him was found a silver watch and gold-plated guard, bought by him in Dewsbury, and also some other articles. In all he had spent £16, and the balance he showed to the officer secreted in a stack-yard near where he lived. As the robbery had been committed in the Huddersfield division the prisoner was remanded to that town, when the case against him will be completed.

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20th August 1847

Game Offence.—

On Monday last, Milner Senior, of Hopton, was charged at Dewsbury, by Joe Wolfenden, gamekeeper to Henry Frederick Beaumont, Esq., of Whitley Hall, with using a gun for the purpose of killing game. On the evening of the 7th August Wolfenden heard two shots fired in the direction of Hepworth wood, in Hopton, and he and another man went in the direction of the wood and saw Senior come out of it with a double barreled gun. Senior was stopped by Wolfenden, to whom he offered to give some money to make the matter up. Several witnesses were called for the defendant, but they rather strengthened than rebutted the case against him. A fine of £1 and costs (or one month's imprisonment) was imposed.

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