OLD WOMAN’S CURSE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20000, 7 January 1935, Page 5

OLD WOMAN’S CURSE

FEARS OF NEIGHBOURS Neighbours’ fears of an old woman’s ability to lay a curse on them were put forward at Clerkenwell County Court as an argument for possession of a house (states the “Daily Telegraph”). Mrs Leone Charlotte Field asked for possession of a house in Nightingale Lane, Hornsey, occupied by F. Hurst, on the grounds of arrears of rent totalling £l7 8s 9d, and because Hurst and his wife were a nuisance and annoyance to the neinghbours. Two neighbours living in the same road gave evidence. Mrs Mary Frost said Hurst’s wife had laid a curse on her baby. Judge Earengey: You did not believe that would affect a baby?—l did not, but at the same time it worries me. Helena Roberts Davis said she could not go into the garden because Mrs Hurst, who was often intoxicated, came muttering round, and had cursed her husband. Witness’s husband was a bus driver, and Mrs Hurst expressed the hope that he would fall off his bus and break his neck. Since then he had had a number of minor accidents, and was convinced that the woman had laid a curse on him. The Judge: Is he so superstitious?— He is a little. In these days! You don’t say the muttering of a woman who is often intoxicated would seriously affect his mind?—lt annoys him very much; he is a Welshman. Hurst said his wife was 75, and was now unable to go into the garden. By the doctor’s orders she had half a bottle of port a day. Sometimes he helped her to drink it. The Judge made an order for possession, but with no warrant to be issued while there was no renewal of the annoyance and defendant paid his current rent, plus 10s a week towards arrears.