South Yorkshire Times November 2, 1957

Houghton Dance Brawl

Broken Bottles and Glasses Used In Fight

Thurnscoe Youths in Court

A tattered, bloodstained shirt, bearing “the signs of battle”, was produced as evidence against three Thurnscoe youths appearing at Barnsley West Riding Magistrates’ Court on Friday. Their appearance was the outcome of a brawl in which broken bottles and glasses were used by several youths following an argument at a rock ‘n’ roll session at a Great Houghton Inn.

One Fined: Two Cleared

Jointly charged with assaulting Harry Oldfield and occasioning him actual bodily harm were William Speakman (20) miner,  of 21, Norman Street, Douglas Carter (17), four-man and Harry Carter (19), haulage hand, both of 8, Tudor , Street. They all pleaded “not guilty” through Mr. J. D. Driver.

Harry Carter was found guilty and fined £5, while the charges against the other two were dismissed.

After the hearing, the Chairman (Mr. S. Hinchliffe) bound over the Carter brothers, Speakman, five witnesses called by the prosecution and one for the defence for 12 months in the sum of £10 each.

He declared: “You have all been engaged in a most disgusting episode. The whole situation is disgraceful; swearing, drinking and fighting. You are all sufficiently near the age of manhood to know the difference between right and wrong, and one trembles to think I what will happen to this country if it ever gets into the hands of hooligans like you.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector th J. Bradshaw said that the offences took place on Saturday, August 17, a the Old Hall Inn, Rotherham Road, Great Houghton where rock ‘n’ roll, dances are held.

The Inn is frequented by local youths from Great Houghton, and by use from outlying towns.

Shortly before closing time, the complainant Harry Oldfield, was involved in argument. Later as he was going outside he was set upon by the three use in a passage and a general brawl developed

One of his friends dragged him away, and they went to stand on the steps outside. Then Douglas Carter attacked Oldfield and was joined by his elder brother, Harry, and by Speakman, who also joined in.

Broken Finger

As a result of the attack Oldfield sustained a broken finger, had a bite in his back, two black eyes and severe bruising to his face and ribs.  He was off work some weeks as a result of the assault.

When seen by police the following day about the affair, Harry Carter said, “Nobody is going to push us around.”

William Speakman told the constable “We did have a bit of a do with a lad.”

The younger Carter, Douglas, said “We were all in it, but it was not only the Thurnscoe lads.”

Corroborative evidence was given by Harry Oldfield, of 40, Wescoe Avenue, Great Houghton. He said that after the fight in the passage, the three youths set on him again outside the inn. He was knocked to the floor, and Harry Carter kicked him in the ribs several times.

In answer to a question by Mr. J. D. Driver, he agreed that “there  were quite a few fighting when it got warmed up.

“BEATEN UP”

Fred Hooley, of 19, ,Stonebridge Lane, Great Houghton, said that the three defendants beat up Oldfield outside the Old Hall In. Oldfield was knocked to the floor and Harry Carter kicked him.

Ronald Smallman of 19 Dearne St, Great Houghton told the court that as he was going into the old Hall at about 10.15 p.m. Douglas Carter shouted an obscene amount to him. He went into the dance until some of his mates it looked as though there was going to be some trouble. Then the two Carter brothers and Speakman set upon Oldfield.

Wyndham Carter of 22, Cross Street, great Houghton, said in evidence that he saw them “let bang” at Oldfield. When Oldfield was knocked to the floor Harry Carter kicked him a few times.

John Bishop, of 34, Cross Street, Great Houghton, said that he saw Speakman arguing with Oldfield in the passage. When he came out of the inn he saw Speakman and the two Carters “thrashing” Oldfield. Then Harry Carter and Oldfield started to fight. Oldfield’s face, coat and shirt were covered in blood.

P.c. Davies said that he saw Old-field at 11 on the night of the assault. His left eye was closed and his nose and mouth were bleeding. His ribs were badly bruised and his clothing torn and bloodstained. He saw the three defendants the, next day when Harry Carter said,  “Nobody is going to push us around.” Douglas Carter said, “I had a do with a biggish lad. My brother and Speakman came up to help me. William Speakman said, “We were all fighting.”

The constable said that the youths would not give him any further information.

.Addressing the Bench Mr. Driver said that nobody liked the thought of men as young as these going into public houses far Long periods. “Not many of us like rock ‘n’ roll. None of us like fighting in pubs. But none of these things goes to show these three men occasioned Oldfield actual bodily harm.”

“Oldfield came off worse in this free for all. That was his bad lot. If you’d mind his own business in the first place he would not have happened,” concluded Mr Driver.

He submitted that there was no case to answer on the grounds that all fee was the original cause of the trouble, and that he took part in the fighting’s voluntarily, which did not constitute the offences.

The Magistrates dismissed the councillors Douglas Carter and William Speakman.

In evidence, Harry Carter said that he went to the Old Hall In that night with his girlfriend, his brother and his girlfriend’s brother. He went outside and saw his girlfriend’s brother, Leslie Wilcox, argument to use, who started to beat him.

“You are Next”

He rescued Wilcox and they went to the front of the Inn, where they saw a large crowd.

“I saw my young brother sprawled on the ground with Oldfield standing over in with his fist up. I went up and told all feeling was too big for my brother and to have a go at me. He said ‘Right, your next,” went on Carter.

They started fighting and Oldfield knocked him to the floor, where he cut his finger on a broken bottle. The cut needed four stitches. Eventually he knocked Oldfield to the floor and the fight stopped.

Carter added that there was fighting over the spare ground outside the Old Hall.

In answer to a question put by Chief Inspector Bradshaw, Carter admitted he had been an amateur boxer for some years and a member of Hickleton Main Boxing Club. He said that when he started courting he finished boxing because he did not want to train.

He said “I had ample opportunity to kick Oldfield when he was down, but I would not do a thing like that.”

Leslie Wilcox, of 2 Whynside Prison, Thurnscoe, said that Carter’s story was the true. He saw the fire between Harry and Oldfield, and Harry Carter never kicked him while he was on the floor.

Wilcox said, “There were a lot of people around. It could have been anyone of them that kicked Oldfield.

Broken Bottles and Glasses Used In Fight

Thurnscoe Youths in Court

A tattered, bloodstained shirt, bearing “the signs of battle”, was produced as evidence against three Thurnscoe youths appearing at Barnsley West Riding Magistrates’ Court on Friday. Their appearance was the outcome of a brawl in which broken bottles and glasses were used by several youths following an argument at a rock ‘n’ roll session at a Great Houghton Inn.

One Fined: Two Cleared

Jointly charged with assaulting Harry Oldfield and occasioning him actual bodily harm were William Speakman (20) miner,  of 21, Norman Street, Douglas Carter (17), four-man and Harry Carter (19), haulage hand, both of 8, Tudor , Street. They all pleaded “not guilty” through Mr. J. D. Driver.

Harry Carter was found guilty and fined £5, while the charges against the other two were dismissed.

After the hearing, the Chairman (Mr. S. Hinchliffe) bound over the Carter brothers, Speakman, five witnesses called by the prosecution and one for the defence for 12 months in the sum of £10 each.

He declared: “You have all been engaged in a most disgusting episode. The whole situation is disgraceful; swearing, drinking and fighting. You are all sufficiently near the age of manhood to know the difference between right and wrong, and one trembles to think I what will happen to this country if it ever gets into the hands of hooligans like you.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector th J. Bradshaw said that the offences took place on Saturday, August 17, a the Old Hall Inn, Rotherham Road, Great Houghton where rock ‘n’ roll, dances are held.

The Inn is frequented by local youths from Great Houghton, and by use from outlying towns.

Shortly before closing time, the complainant Harry Oldfield, was involved in argument. Later as he was going outside he was set upon by the three use in a passage and a general brawl developed

One of his friends dragged him away, and they went to stand on the steps outside. Then Douglas Carter attacked Oldfield and was joined by his elder brother, Harry, and by Speakman, who also joined in.

Broken Finger

As a result of the attack Oldfield sustained a broken finger, had a bite in his back, two black eyes and severe bruising to his face and ribs.  He was off work some weeks as a result of the assault.

When seen by police the following day about the affair, Harry Carter said, “Nobody is going to push us around.”

William Speakman told the constable “We did have a bit of a do with a lad.”

The younger Carter, Douglas, said “We were all in it, but it was not only the Thurnscoe lads.”

Corroborative evidence was given by Harry Oldfield, of 40, Wescoe Avenue, Great Houghton. He said that after the fight in the passage, the three youths set on him again outside the inn. He was knocked to the floor, and Harry Carter kicked him in the ribs several times.

In answer to a question by Mr. J. D. Driver, he agreed that “there  were quite a few fighting when it got warmed up.

“BEATEN UP”

Fred Hooley, of 19, ,Stonebridge Lane, Great Houghton, said that the three defendants beat up Oldfield outside the Old Hall In. Oldfield was knocked to the floor and Harry Carter kicked him.

Ronald Smallman of 19 Dearne St, Great Houghton told the court that as he was going into the old Hall at about 10.15 p.m. Douglas Carter shouted an obscene amount to him. He went into the dance until some of his mates it looked as though there was going to be some trouble. Then the two Carter brothers and Speakman set upon Oldfield.

Wyndham Carter of 22, Cross Street, great Houghton, said in evidence that he saw them “let bang” at Oldfield. When Oldfield was knocked to the floor Harry Carter kicked him a few times.

John Bishop, of 34, Cross Street, Great Houghton, said that he saw Speakman arguing with Oldfield in the passage. When he came out of the inn he saw Speakman and the two Carters “thrashing” Oldfield. Then Harry Carter and Oldfield started to fight. Oldfield’s face, coat and shirt were covered in blood.

P.c. Davies said that he saw Old-field at 11 on the night of the assault. His left eye was closed and his nose and mouth were bleeding. His ribs were badly bruised and his clothing torn and bloodstained. He saw the three defendants the, next day when Harry Carter said,  “Nobody is going to push us around.” Douglas Carter said, “I had a do with a biggish lad. My brother and Speakman came up to help me. William Speakman said, “We were all fighting.”

The constable said that the youths would not give him any further information.

.Addressing the Bench Mr. Driver said that nobody liked the thought of men as young as these going into public houses far Long periods. “Not many of us like rock ‘n’ roll. None of us like fighting in pubs. But none of these things goes to show these three men occasioned Oldfield actual bodily harm.”

“Oldfield came off worse in this free for all. That was his bad lot. If you’d mind his own business in the first place he would not have happened,” concluded Mr Driver.

He submitted that there was no case to answer on the grounds that all fee was the original cause of the trouble, and that he took part in the fighting’s voluntarily, which did not constitute the offences.

The Magistrates dismissed the councillors Douglas Carter and William Speakman.

In evidence, Harry Carter said that he went to the Old Hall In that night with his girlfriend, his brother and his girlfriend’s brother. He went outside and saw his girlfriend’s brother, Leslie Wilcox, argument to use, who started to beat him.

“You are Next”

He rescued Wilcox and they went to the front of the Inn, where they saw a large crowd.

“I saw my young brother sprawled on the ground with Oldfield standing over in with his fist up. I went up and told all feeling was too big for my brother and to have a go at me. He said ‘Right, your next,” went on Carter.

They started fighting and Oldfield knocked him to the floor, where he cut his finger on a broken bottle. The cut needed four stitches. Eventually he knocked Oldfield to the floor and the fight stopped.

Carter added that there was fighting over the spare ground outside the Old Hall.

In answer to a question put by Chief Inspector Bradshaw, Carter admitted he had been an amateur boxer for some years and a member of Hickleton Main Boxing Club. He said that when he started courting he finished boxing because he did not want to train.

He said “I had ample opportunity to kick Oldfield when he was down, but I would not do a thing like that.”

Leslie Wilcox, of 2 Whynside Prison, Thurnscoe, said that Carter’s story was the true. He saw the fire between Harry and Oldfield, and Harry Carter never kicked him while he was on the floor.

Wilcox said, “There were a lot of people around. It could have been anyone of them that kicked Oldfield.