Bull-baiting was once customary and legal, taking place anually in Bury in the Market Place. It is odd to stand in what is now a car-park, and imagine the 'brutal and brutalizing practices' that took place 'amidst all the appliances for the light of the Gospel and
the principles of common humanity'
Foxearth & District Local History Society
Bury and Norwich post
November 7th 1792.
The inhuman and barbarous practice of bull baiting which has been suppressed by the magistrates in the country is still continuing here this ferocious practice.On Monday last it was nearly the cause of loss of life to several individuals as a girl about twelve years old was tossed by an exasperated animal and much hurt that it was feared for her life,one Burton,a wool comber,was also dreadfully gored. The bull had got loose and ran through the principal streets of our town as far as Pakenham before he was overtaken by his numerous idle pursuers.
Bury and Norwich post
May 14th 1901.
In view of the recent death of Abraham Hughes of Lavenham who was present at the bull baiting at Washmere Green in this parish in 1842, the last bull bait in England and was fined 10s for assisting thereat, we thought it might be interesting to republish the account of the prosecution which appeared in the Bury Post on November 23rd 1842 and give the full details below.
In all twelve persons were fined, some of them heavily and several went to prison in default of payment. By way of "righting a wrong", we suppose, the penalties and costs amounting to £43, were presented to Lavenham school.
William Mattham landlord of Lavenham Black. Lion, Noah
Must a horse dealer of Sudbury, John Chinney, Martin Stearn and William
Gurling, all butchers of Lavenham, Isaac Scarfe, Fred Stock, William Snell
and William Duce all of Lavenham were summoned to answer a charge by
Henry Thomas, secretary of the Society for the prevention of cruelty to
animals, charging them with on November 5th at Washmere Green, Lavenham,
that they did use a certain ground for bull baiting.
John Smith said he
went to Washmere Green at 12 o'clock on November 5th where a great many
people were assembled, at between 3 and 4 a bull was brought from the
direction of Lavenham and several persons fixed a rope to its horns, they
then led it to a stake fixed in the ground where a collar was put round
its neck and the rope taken from its horns, then by noise and other means
the bull was irritated to make it wild, Carter being the most active in
this, he also collected money from the spectators.
Stearn had a dog which
he set on the bull which it bit and several times, the dog was tossed in
the air and severely injured. Gurling, Chinney and Ransom had dogs which
they also set on the bull, Mattham was on horse back. and appeared to
direct the proceedings. The bull was baited for about an hour and was
torn about the face and nose, several of the dogs were much injured and
bled a great deal. There were about 200 people present during the
baiting with great uproar and filthy language being used.
Mattham, Must, Ransom, Chinney and Carter were fined £5 each. Gurling 20s.
Hughes, Snell, Stock, Scarfe and Duce were fined 10s.
Mattham, Must, Stearn,Gurling and Duce paid their fines, the rest were
committed to prison for 2 months hard labour, the prosecution gave the
fines to Lavenham National school.
The following season in 1843 (November 5th always being the date) it was announced that a bull would be baited on the Market Place, the old and original ground, this apparent defiance of the authorities drew a large company of visitors and alert members, who found on their arrival the bull tethered by a rope to the ring, quietly feeding on hay which constituted the "bait".
In a subsequent issue of the Bury Post appeared the following letter.
To the Editor
. Sir.-
A few days since, being at Lavenham, my attention was
directed to the front of a gentleman's house which besmeared in a
conspicious manner in various places with black wash, forming a striking
contrast with the light colouring adjacent. -
On enquiring the cause I
found that the bull baiters who had been fined or imprisoned for their
brutal barbarity, so far from being ashamed of their conduct, had aquired
such influence among the ignorant inhabitants that they made an effigy
of the gentleman who lives in this house, with the intention of burning
it publicly, but dreading an additional fine they dissected it in a low
public house. -
On the morning of Friday the 2nd, before daylight, one of
the cowardly ruffians threw a number of stones into one of the chamber
windows windows and broke three of the panes of glass, this was the third time
they have been broken-yet many say they will not give information
against these ruffians even if they know who it is. -
The gentleman bears
a most upright and benevolent character, the sole cause of the
persecution is that he or one of his family is supected of giving
information to the Society whose agent put the law in force against
their brutality. -
The ears of the family are still saluted with the
bellowing of the fellows who frequent the public house where the bull
was taken. -
Is it possible that in the 19th century there cannot be found
so many respectable inhabitants in the parish as will require a
sufficient police force to be sent to put a stop to these disgraceful
proceedings. -
I am, Mr Editor,-
yours truly, -
-
"A traveller"
To this was added an editorial note as follows.
It is lamentable to find this town in so benighted a state at the present day, amidst all the appliances for the light of the Gospel and the principles of common humanity. Advantage might be taken of the Act of the last Sessions to appoint an efficient police force, but we are more disposed to look to the influence of moral restraint than to the strong arm of the law, putting down these brutal and brutalizing practices.
Finally, one must illustrate the frightful inhumanity of bull-baiting with the incrediblte story of a nine-year-old boy transported for being one of a gang of youths who tortured a bull to death in a field. It is not pleasant reading.
Suffolk and Essex Free Press
November 2nd 1842.
John Jones a labourer aged 9 years was charged with killing a bull the property of Mr William Stedman of Nayland. Several boys, the prisoner being one of them,, went into a field to hunt cattle, they attacked a young bull which they singled out from the herd and drove it about the meadow for about an hour until it was exhausted. It apparently made a jump at a hedge but fell on its knees in a ditch, the prisoner came up with a knotty stick and thrust it into its natural passage to the extent of about two foot several times, The poor-animal died in the ditch.
Samuel Wright a boy of about the same age said they went with another boy, George Watts,to hunt cattle, when he went away the bull was dead. When the chairman asked the prisoner if he had anything to say he burst into tears and said he did not do it.
"The sentence of the court is you are to be transported for ten years, we might have have given you 15 years."
The prisoner was removed absorbed in grief.