Illustration Christine Fuller
The Norfolk Chronicle of the 28th August, 1880 included reports of several cases brought before the Magistrates at the East Harling Petty Sessions. This included the case against Abraham Skipper, a labourer, of Great Ellingham.
It was alleged that earlier on the 11th August, Abraham Skipper had wilfully damaged the glass of a window in Great Ellingham.
Skipper was well known to the Bench of Magistrates at East Harling, as well as other Benches in the area.
The Magistrates found Abraham Skipper guilty. He received a sentence of six weeks imprisonment with hard labour. He must also pay costs of £1 14s 6d. However, if he failed to pay this he would be imprisoned for a further 14 days.
Unfortunately, the newspaper report does not provide any specific information about the offence.
Abraham Skipper
In 1881, we find 30 year old general labourer, Abraham Skipper, in Low Common. He is in the household of his older brother 34 year old Jeremiah. The household also includes the brothers’ widowed mother, 70 year old Harriet Skipper, his unmarried sister Sarah Skipper and her daughter, 6 months old Alice.
We have ‘met’ Abraham Skipper in other articles. As mentioned, Abraham was no stranger to the Magistrates in the area. At it happens, his misdemeanours did not stop here. The following year, Abraham and his brother Jeremiah came before the same Magistrates charged with being drunk on a public road.
Sources:
28th August 1880 Norfolk Chronicle viewed via The British Newspaper Archive
1881 census RG11/1974/93