WE are starting this week’s offering in Yester Years with a story that sadly would possibly apply more today than in 1875.

A tale of hooligan behaviour in Northwich. What better way to start the story than with a wanted poster in the Police Gazette?

Northwich Guardian:

The 1861 census has Mark Ledward working as a farm servant and living at Over.

Now to the evil deed. Since January 5, 1875, the police had wanted Ledward on a charge of murdering James Derbyshire in Witton Street.

The circumstances of the offence are that after 11pm, young Derbyshire, under the influence of drink and accompanied by William and Thomas Hitchen, had just left the Crown Hotel in Crown Street and set off towards his home in Market Street.

As he reached the front of Mr Deakins’ shop in Crown Street, he was jostled by a man, and an altercation took place.

The man drew a large dagger which he waved about freely. The Hitchens seeing the blade intervened, and a fight ensued; the man backed out of Crown Street into Witton Street, still waving the knife.

Northwich Guardian:

Witton Street/Crown Street circa 1900

He was seen to strike Derbyshire several times before walking off up Leicester Street.

Derbyshire made to walk off but fell to the ground, having received two stabs in the body, one piercing the heart, causing him to expire almost immediately.

The police attended, and witnesses soon ascertained that the assailant worked on a cinder barge on the River Weaver, and his name was Mark Ledward. He absconded the following day and was circulated as wanted.

A month or so later, the object of their search was in custody. He had travelled to Longport in Stoke-on-Trent to find work, but later, he saw a policeman taking particular interest in him.

Because of this, he ran off and entered the Vine Inn near the railway station; in his haste to check the train times, he left his coat behind. The landlady recognised it from the wanted posters for the murderer that had been circulated.

The police were called and soon apprehended Ledward. The following day he was conveyed to Northwich.

The inquest that had been delayed upon Derbyshire took place in the Northwich Drill Hall, and a verdict of manslaughter was returned upon Mark Ledward. Afterwards, magistrates committed him for trial on a charge of wilful murder.

Ledward appeared at Chester Assizes, where he was indicted with the murder of James Derbyshire.

The jury threw out the bill that was preferred for murder and lowered the charge to manslaughter. Mr J.H Cooke, the solicitor of Winsford, instructed the barristers and the opening address suggested that the actual crime was very close to being murder instead of manslaughter.

The trial was long and detailed; during the ‘melee’, William Hitchen, a soldier in uniform, handed his belt to his brother Tom and with the belt in his hand and a coat around his arm for protection, he fended Ledward off. He struck Ledward several times as the latter was backed into Witton Street.

Interestingly, at nearly midnight, a flock of sheep came down Witton Street from the station driven by a Richard Stubbs, and they passed between the assailants; Richard Stubbs witnessed the fight. He saw Derbyshire, who was very drunk, ‘chuck’ Ledward under the chin. Another witness was Arthur Dutton, son of Inspector Dutton.

At the end of the long case, the jury returned a verdict of guilty of manslaughter, but that they considered that there had been a great provocation.

The judge sentenced Ledward to 10 years penal servitude. This sentence commenced in April 1875, and by 1891, he was a free man and worked as a salt labourer.

He was married to Martha Ledward with two sons – William Hodkinson (stepson), Levi Ledward and daughter Beatrice Ledward. By 1911 they were living at 536 Victoria Terrace, Over Lane (Winsford High Street).