Mexborough and Swinton Times, May 6th, 1932

Lord Halifax’s Estate Over-Run

Wholesale damage to Lord Halifax’s estate at Hickleton resulted in three Thurnscoe youths being brought before the Doncaster West Riding magistrates on Saturday. They were Wilfred Simms (17), Lawrence Oliver (16) and Alfred Cheatham (16), and they were summoned for having damaged under-growth at Hickleton on April 15th.

Mr. C. R. Marshall, who appeared for the prosecution, said a keeper saw the youths go into a wood and break down undergrowth with sticks. When asked what they were doing they replied that they were gathering bluebells.

“This portion of the estate,” said Mr. Marshall “is absolutely over-run day in and day out by people from Thurnscoe East. The keepers are engaged practically al the day warning people but warnings are useless. They cannot cope with the damage and trespassing that is going on there.”

Defendants were fined 12s. 6d. each, the magistrates expressing the hope that the case would be a warning.