Mexborough and Swinton Times February 3, 1928

Guardians Defrauded

Vicar Pleads For Goldthorpe Man

A charge of obtaining £128 15 shillings relief from the Doncaster Guardians by false pretenses was preferred against up Lot Mosby (60), miner of Goldthorpe at Doncaster West Riding Court on Saturday.

Edward Hudson, Relieving Officer said defendant apply for relief on May 4 1925 and was granted 10s a week.

This increased to  12s 6d on June 20, 1925, and further to £1 on November 30, 1925, which had continued up to December 24 last.

During this period he had living with him an adopted boy, whose father was killed in the war and for whom he had received an army pension of 8s a week until the boy was 16 years of age.

From December 1926 December 1927 the boy earned £41 14s 7d in wages which was not disclosed. The man had also been in receipt of £1 we compensation for Micklefield Colliery.

The total relief given was £128 15s

Defendant, who pleaded ignorance of having done wrong, said the compensation was in respect of an explosion at. Mikel field Colliery 31 years ago,, but he had been receiving it- for only the last twelve months when he was advised by some friends to apply for it.

He was the grandfather of the boy, and had not worked for three years owing to illness. The boy had also stopped working through illness. Witness had his wife and the boy to keep, and his only receipts were the £1 a week compensation and 8s “Lloyd George” weekly.

The Rev. H. Howard, vicar of Goldthorpe said he had known the family intimately for two years, and had found them to be very respectable people. In his opinion Mosby had given way to wrong owing to acute distress and through taking foolish advice from his neighbours. He doubted if the boy, who had been delicate from birth, would work again, and the defendant’s wife was in poor health.

The Chairman (Mr W. Dymond) said Mosby had been deliberately defrauding the public               living in comparative, luxury. He would be hound over for two year, and would have to repay the money to the Guardians at the rate, of 4 shillings a week.