Damaging Telegraph Poles

DAMAGING TELEGRAPH

 POLES

POST OFFICE PROSECUTION

At Llangollen, yesterday, before Lord Trevor and other magistrates, five youths employed at the Brynkinallt Collieries, Chirk, and named M. Gabriel, Harold Gronow, Bert Gronow, Sam Harrison, and Bert Roberts, were charged with damaging telegraph poles and insulators near Chirk Castle park gates on April 19. Mr E.A. Pearson prosecuted for the Postmaster General. Police Constable Matthews said that when concealed near the park gates at 4.30 in the morning, when the youths ere going to work at the collieries, he saw them throwing stones at the insulators, and afterwards collected a quantity of broken porcelain under the poles. For the Postmaster-General, Mr Pearson said that he had the line inspected on April 30, and found that no fewer than fourteen insulators were broken in a length of one mile between Chirk and the park gates. Against all of the defendants but Bert Gronow previous convictions for larceny were quoted, and they were sent to hard labour for one month each: Bert Gronow being fined £1.

{Liverpool Daily Post, 9th June 1915}

Harold & Albert Gronnow were the children of William Frederick Gronnow & Sarah Jane Whittaker.