A Tale of a Bet

I have submitted this little tale to hopefully be included in the forthcoming book by Cwmbran Writers Group which should be out for Christmas.

Many years ago, back in the days when stagecoaches travelled the well worn tracks that were the country's roads, there was a man who lived in the county of Glamorgan. He was well known to local people for having won many bets and that bet was that he could allow the stagecoach to pass between his legs. Many people had been foolish enough to take up this offer of a bet and so the man was making quite a good living.

One day, a stranger arrived in the man's village and he sensed another opportunity to make some money, by betting that he could allow the stagecoach to pass between his legs. The man approached the stranger and the stranger accepted his offer, thinking that he too would make some easy money.

When the time came for the stagecoach to travel through the village, the man positioned himself on the roadside opposite the village churchyard. The stranger also waited, along with a crowd who regularly gathered for the event of seeing yet another traveller fall for the bet. Eventually the stagecoach came thundering down the road. The man stayed silent and motionless as the coach and horses swept past and turned into the coaching inn a little further on. When the dust had settled, the stranger turned to the man, smiled and held out his hand to receive his winnings. He had only accepted the bet because the man was an amputee, he only had one leg, there was no way the stagecoach could pass between his legs, no way he could lose the bet.

The man responded to the stranger by laughing and telling him that actually, he had won the bet and the stagecoach had, in fact, passed through his legs. He pointed at the ground to the one leg he was standing on and then, across the road to the church and explained to the stranger that there was the location of his other leg, resting in the graveyard.

Read an extract from 'Victorian Domestic Abuse'

1857 Matrimonial Causes Act

Divorce courts were established, women had limited access to divorce. A husband if he wanted a divorce had to prove his wife's adultery. A wife, had to prove her husband's adultery, plus cruelty, incest or abandonment. Meanwhile …

One Tuesday night in January 1868, the son of Catherine Reilly arrived at his Gran's house, crying. He said to her.

“Oh Gran, my dada is beating my mama, I know she is dead”

The grandmother went to her daughter's house and found her on the floor in a pool of blood. She told her son in law to take Catherine to the hospital. His response was

“Take her where you like”

The Grandmother went to cover her daughter's body with a quilt but her son in law stopped her, so she took off her cloak and used that instead. Her daughter was still alive but insensible. She put her into bed. Catherine called out 'mother' three times. The grandmother then left and went to get a police constable. On her return they found the children had been put into bed beside her. Catherine was then taken to hospital where she died.

Phillip Reilly, aged 11 was called as a witness. He stated that on the night he had been to a pantomime with his father and younger brother, Peter. After that they stopped at a pub and then returned home. Their mother had gone to hide from their father. She was under the bed. Their father pulled her out by her hair, beat her and kicked her in the ribs. She then went into a fit. Their father made the younger brother throw water over her. When out of the fit she called out for her mother. Their father then kicked her in the eye, kicked her in the back and ribs and threw her against the fire grate. Grabbing a candle he attempted to set her on fire but her clothes were too wet. He dragged her closer to the fire instead, putting her shoulders across the fender. Peter was at this point in bed, crying. Their father went to beat him. While attempting to do so, Phillip went to pull his mother out of the fire. Their father kicked her again and Phillip heard something in her crack. At that point he escaped and went to get his Gran.

At the trial, the father was emotionless. He had put the children into bed with Catherine to make out she was just sleeping. He was committed to be tried.

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Victorian Domestic Abuse, My Book's Relevance in Today's World.

I read an article this morning in the Guardian Newspaper about gender equality.  Here's it's link if you want to read it.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/01/sexism-racism-race-gender-equality?CMP=share_btn_fb

It basically states that gender equality is a long way off and that we only have to look at the rape convictions, Everyday Sexism Project and the fact that two women a week are murdered by their partners to see something needs to be done.

What caught my attention was the heading 'Chicken Court'

"Anyone making a prejudicial statement in public shall automatically qualify for this new reality television show where they must stand in front of a live audience dressed in a chicken suit and repeat said statement while doing the David Brent dance as information disproving their argument flashes up on a screen behind them. Their opinions are then put to a public vote."

Compare that with this, also published in a newspaper but over 160 years ago - 

In the October 9^th edition of Lloyds Weekly Newspaper in 1853, ran an article called 'Apes of Husbands'.

“We are heartily ashamed and profoundly humiliated by the details that pollute our police reports; and in our shame and abasement are prone to give ear to any remedy however strong and original that shall end the abomination. What is the man who beats his wife? What is he, it has been asked but a debased animal, a mere ape with speech? … We would have the Home Office rent 2 or 4 or 6 cages and apes costume would be a most reforming punishment .. such cages to be placed in different parts of the grounds in which should be confined and exhibited the human creatures who had degraded themselves to the condition of apes by brutally outraging the gentleness and dignity of woman.... No violence towards husband apes, a sign Visitors are requested not to pelt or poke their sticks or umbrellas at the brute of a husband”

Needless to say, it didn't happen but I think it just goes to show, things haven't changed that much.

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