The Wives’ Revenge

by Lindsey Hutchinson

  Annie intervened, saying, ‘This needs a deal o’ thinkin’ on.’

  Despite the anger boiling inside her, Martha’s mouth tilted upwards at Annie’s use of her own stock phrase.

  While the meeting continued, Joyce ran down to Hobbins Street to fetch Phoebe from Martha’s house.

  Violet said, ‘It’s that Judge that worries me.’

  ‘Why?’ Annie asked.

  ‘Well, Annie, think about it. Young Phoebe accuses Ernie Pitt of… attacking… her on the heath; the Judge lets him go when Ernie says he was in the Three Swans. Now then, what is the Judge getting from Ernie Pitt that would secure his release so easily?’

  Violet looked around the table at faces pondering her words before Kath asked, ‘Where does Ernie Pitt work?’

  Violet answered with, ‘Constable Micklewhite said Ernie unloads cargo at the canal.’

  ‘Hmmm,’ said Annie, ‘cargo such as brandy?’

  The penny dropped with them all at the same time.

  ‘Judge Stanhope likes his tipple an’ no mistake,’ said Martha, ‘but would he let Ernie go for a bottle of brandy?’

  ‘Not a bottle, Martha,’ Violet said, ‘but maybe for a case?’

  Audible sighs filled the kitchen as Violet rang for the maid to bring some more tea.

  Just then the door opened and Joyce walked in with Phoebe Slater trailing behind, her head bowed.

  Martha rushed to her daughter, wrapping her arms around her sobbing, ‘Oh wench, why didn’t you tell me?’

  ‘How could I?’ Phoebe sobbed back. ‘Besides I thought to go through the proper channels and report it to the police. I thought the Judge would deal with it!’

  ‘Ar well, he didn’t did he? But we will, be sure of it!’ Martha added, leading Phoebe to a chair.

  Amid tears from everyone, Phoebe told of how taking the short cut across the heath to the marketplace, Ernie Pitt had appeared. At her rebuff to his request that she be his sweetheart, he had attacked her.

  ‘But the Constable said you accused him of rape!’ Violet said.

  ‘No Violet, I didn’t! I told the police he’d attacked me and tried to rape me but I kicked him really hard in the… and when he fell down, I ran!’

  ‘Thank God!’ muttered Martha.

  ‘This gets more complicated by the minute,’ said Kath, ‘perhaps we should speak with Joshua and Spencer about it?’

  Everyone nodded their agreement.

  *

  Joshua, Kath, Spencer and Violet sat around the fire in the living room at Gittins Manor trying to decide what should be done about the situation of Ernie Pitt and Judge Stanhope.

  ‘Maybe the Wednesbury Wives should make a visit to the Judge?’ Violet suggested, not entirely convinced on this occasion it would work.

  ‘No Violet wench,’ Joshua pondered aloud, ‘it’s a man needed to deal with the Judge…’ Seeing her wince, he went on, ‘Now I’m not saying you can’t deal with it, I am just saying he’ll more likely talk to a man than a woman. Judge Stanhope has no time for women Violet, as I’m sure you know, so maybe us men should tackle him.’

  Nodding, she saw the sense of his words.

  He continued, ‘As for Ernie Pitt…’

  ‘We can take care of him!’ Violet spat.

  ‘Right then! Now, Spencer lad, we need to find out just what Judge Stanhope is up to.’

  ‘How, Father?’ Spencer asked.

  ‘Well now… how would it be if we had a lavish dinner and invited the hoi polloi of Wednesbury? We could say we are raising money to… build a new courthouse!’

  Clapping her hands together, Violet said, ‘Joshua, you are so clever to think of that… of course the Judge would attend!’

  ‘Ar, and with enough brandy inside him… many a slip betwixt cup and lip!’

  Fifty-Five

  The Judge’s euphonious tones could be heard across the room as dinner was serviced the following Saturday night at Gittins Manor. The bosses of the collieries, factories and big businesses were all in attendance and ideas for raising the money for the new courthouse building were flowing as fast as copious amounts of wine were consumed. Slowly the guests drifted away as the evening wore on until only Joshua, Spencer and Judge Stanhope remained. The men took their brandy and cigars into the study.

  ‘So Joshua,’ said the Judge, holding out his brandy goblet for a refill as he sat sprawled in a leather armchair in Spencer’s study, ‘what made you decide to raise money for a new courthouse? Not that I ain’t grateful of course!’

  ‘Well Judge,’ Joshua smiled, ‘the one you are in now is falling down!’

  ‘True enough,’ Stanhope said as he drank greedily already showing signs of being tipsy.

  ‘Judge,’ Spencer said, ‘you appear to be getting busier than ever in that old building, so a newer, bigger one makes much more sense.’

  ‘I am fair rushed off my feet and no mistake,’ again the Judge held out his glass.

  Refilling it, Joshua placed the bottle on the table next to the Judge and his nod of appreciation showed he understood its meaning.

  ‘Ar, just the other day I had Constable Micklewhite telling me how a wench cried rape on the heath. Bloody woman…’ Judge Stanhope took a great swallow of his drink.

  ‘Really?’ probed Spencer.

  ‘Ar really lad, she pointed the finger at young Ernie Pitt… nice young man that one.’

  Exchanging a brief glance with Spencer who raised his eyebrows, Joshua went to the cupboard to fetch another bottle of brandy.

  ‘Oh I think I know him, he works at the canal, doesn’t he?’ Spencer asked.

  Joshua saw the Judge eye Spencer warily and he moved to empty the last of the brandy bottle into Stanhope’s glass before removing the stopper from a fresh bottle.

  The Judge’s red nose from years of drinking couldn’t catch the aroma of the brandy but his eyes lit up at sight of the newly opened bottle. He was not a tall man, and good food and constant imbibing of alcohol took their toll on his body, making him almost as wide as he was tall.

  ‘I believe he does,’ he answered with yet another brandy in his hand, ‘not quite sure what the wench hoped to get out of the accusation… unless it was a husband!’ The Judge let out a guffaw at his own comment, and Spencer and Joshua pretended to laugh along with him.

  ‘How come you never married, Judge?’ Spencer asked, all innocence.

  ‘Married? Me? Not bloody likely. I much prefer the company of men. I’m not having a woman telling me what to do. I haven’t got time for bossy women and their nonsense!’

  ‘I can understand that,’ Joshua added. He was finding it taxing to hold down his disdain for this man. ‘A man in your position. So what happened with Ernie Pitt and the wench, Judge?’

  ‘What? Oh yes…’ Helping himself to more drink.

  Joshua rolled his eyes at Spencer discreetly, not that the Judge would have noticed as his gaze was firmly fixed on the brandy bottle!

  The Judge went on, ‘Ar well, the lad didn’t do it, did he? So I let him go.’ The hand holding his cigar waved through the air in a dismissive gesture.

  ‘Was there any proof of what the woman alleged had happened?’ Spencer asked.

  ‘Proof? It’s a woman, lad! I don’t need bloody proof!’ the Judge’s voice boomed across the room.

  ‘Calm yourself, Judge, you just get another brandy down you,’ Joshua said. ‘The lad was only asking.’

  ‘You listen to me, young Spencer,’ the Judge said, calmer now his glass was full again, ‘I am the law around these parts and what I says, goes. You understand me, boy?’ The cigar hand pointed at Spencer as the Judge waited for an answer.

  Spencer nodded with a quiet, ‘Of course, my apologies Judge.’

  Judge Stanhope harrumphed into his glass before saying, ‘Bloody women are a menace to us men!’ Getting unsteadily to his feet, he made his way through the door, ‘I thank you both for your hospitality.’

  Handing him an unopened bottle of brandy for his journey h
ome, Joshua asked conspiratorially, ‘Better than the stuff brought up the canal eh?’

  Sniggering, the Judge winked, whispering, ‘I told Ernie, the next time I want the good stuff!’

  The driver flicked the horse’s reins just as the Judge climbed onto the footplate of the carriage, causing him to fall inward onto the seat. The Judge began to harangue the driver for his stupidity then continued to mutter obscenities under his breath. With a cheeky smile and salute to the two men standing on the steps, the driver set off, taking a crapulous Judge Stanhope home.

  *

  The meeting of the ‘Wives’ took place in Martha’s living room the following day and Spencer and Joshua made it their business to attend. Relating the tale of Judge Stanhope and Ernie Pitt, they settled with tea as murmurs sounded around the table.

  It was obvious to everyone that the Judge could not be allowed to continue to remain in his judicial position as things stood. Clearly he could not be trusted to judge anyone fairly. The question was, how could they oust him from that position? It was certain the Judge enjoyed the perks afforded him and therefore would definitely not consider retiring of his own free will. They had to find a way to besmirch his name; give him a good reason to relinquish his role of judge.

  Martha said quietly as if to herself, ‘If he doesn’t like women…’

  Joyce piped up, ‘Maybe he prefers men!’ All eyes turned to her as she said, ‘What? It goes on!’

  ‘It’s a point to investigate,’ Violet added, ‘maybe we should find out.’

  Martha said, ‘My Geordie and Mary’s Jim could watch over him for a while, see where he goes, what he does and who he meets.’

  ‘Good idea,’ Violet smiled, ‘that might provide us with enough information to confront him if nothing else.’

  ‘He’s already shot himself in the foot admitting about the brandy,’ Kath responded.

  ‘Right then, that just leaves what to do about Ernie Pitt,’ Violet said.

  ‘If he wants to have his evil way with women he should go to the brothel down Moorcroft Row!’ Mary mumbled. As the talking ceased, she added, ‘I know, I know… I’ve done it again!’

  ‘How do you know about that place, Mary Forbes?’ Martha asked sharply.

  Mary sighed, ‘Everybody knows about it; all of Wednesbury. I see you do as well.’

  Martha harrumphed as the others smiled behind their teacups.

  *

  It was at the next meeting a few days later that the story unfolded. Violet and Martha had walked across the heath of Moorcroft Old Colliery, down Bull Lane and into Moorcroft Row amid the stares of women coming and going from the building at the end of the row of the only six terraced houses left standing. Martha banged on the door and it was opened by an older woman with rouge on her cheeks and lips. Dressed in a flimsy gown her eyes widened when she saw the two women standing before her.

  Violet said, ‘She was rather taken aback until Martha told her who we were.’

  ‘Ar,’ said Martha, ‘she was a nice woman as it turned out, took us in for tea.’

  Giggles sounded as Mary put in, ‘Bloody hell, I never thought to see the day Martha Slater would go into a brothel!’

  ‘Ar well, it was business…’ The giggles turned to full laughter as Martha recognised the irony of her statement.

  Violet explained how the woman had listened to the story of Ernie Pitt and Martha’s daughter, Phoebe. The woman had asked why Ernie wasn’t in jail and Martha told her how Judge Stanhope had dealt with the matter.

  Kath asked, ‘How did she respond to that?’

  ‘She said we have to get Ernie Pitt to the brothel somehow and leave the rest to them!’

  ‘What are they going to do?’ Mary asked, pushing her head forward with interest.

  ‘I don’t bloody know!’ Martha snapped before seeing the hurt look on Mary’s face. ‘Sorry wench, but I’m not sure what their plan is. They said we should be walking alongside the canal on Friday morning and be sure to bring Ernie’s mother with us.’

  Joshua added, ‘Well Spencer and I can get Ernie to the brothel, can’t we lad?’ Watching Spencer and Violet exchange an embarrassed look, he said quickly, ‘Don’t worry, Violet, I promise to bring your man straight back home after we drop Ernie off!’

  *

  Geordie and Jim had discreetly followed the Judge for the rest of the week and reported back that Stanhope regularly visited a property in Paradise Street, Birmingham, a big house in its own grounds that stood near the Town Hall.

  They had watched in the descending darkness of early evening as he had entered and then they quietly crept to the window to see inside. Listening carefully they had sat outside well into the night before hiding themselves in the bushes of the garden as the Judge emerged.

  Glancing around him, the Judge had kissed his companion passionately before taking his leave. The Judge, it seemed, had found himself a lover… a male lover!

  Fifty-Six

  Martha sat now in the kitchen at Gittins Lodge surrounded by the other members of their select group.

  Joshua had explained how he and Spencer had wandered along the canal towpath laughing about the house at the end of Moorcroft Row. Ernie Pitt, lounging on the canal side rather than working, overheard their conversation, and asked them about it. Imparting the knowledge to him, they had made it seem a place not to be missed, and said they would be willing to take him there if he wished to go. Ernie was all for it, and that very night had seen them visit the ‘ladies of the night’ at the house on Moorcroft Row. As soon as Ernie had disappeared with the lady of his choice, Joshua and Spencer had thanked the woman running the house and returned home to await the outcome.

  Martha then related the events of Ernie Pitt and the canalside.

  Martha had wound her way around the marketplace the following Friday morning looking for one person in particular, and then she had spotted the woman. Ernie Pitt’s mother, Gladys, was arguing with a stallholder.

  She heard Gladys screech as she approached, ‘It’s daylight bloody robbery! You can stick it up your arse!’

  ‘Hello Gladys,’ Martha had said, walking up to the woman.

  ‘Oh hello Martha. The price he’s asking for that scrag end of mutton!’

  ‘I know wench, it’s a disgrace.’ Turning away from Gladys, Martha winked at the stallholder’s smile. ‘How’s life with you then, Gladys?’ Martha had asked as they strolled between the market stalls.

  ‘Same as ever, Martha.’

  ‘I’ve not seen much of that lad of yours lately wench, is he working?’

  ‘Oh ar,’ said Gladys, ‘down at the “cut” unloading stuff.’ Martha nodded, and Gladys went on, ‘He’s proper worn out, I don’t know where he goes at night but he ain’t at home with me and his father.’

  ‘Got a sweetheart has he?’ Martha had probed.

  ‘I don’t think so, he ain’t mentioned anything to us about seeing a girl.’

  ‘You don’t think he’s up to no good though, Gladys?’

  Casting a glance at the woman by her side, Martha saw her planted seed of doubt instantly begin to grow.

  ‘No,’ Gladys had said swiftly, ‘he’s a good lad; he wouldn’t shame us by doing something he shouldn’t.’

  ‘I’m sure you are right,’ Martha had said, pouring more doubt into the woman’s mind.

  Parting ways at the end of the stalls, Martha had watched Gladys hurry away in the direction of the canal.

  Kath and Violet had been casually strolling along the barges moored up in the Monway Basin glancing at the wares up for sale, all the time watching for Gladys Pitt. Spotting her at last they had walked slowly to within earshot of the woman.

  Ernie Pitt was lounging in the weak sunshine as his mother approached him. Standing over him, she demanded answers. Why was he sitting on his arse and not working? Where did he go at night? What did he do when he got there? What time did he get in from wherever he’d been?

  Ernie had begun to splutter, trying to find answers
as the barrage of questions rained down on him.

  Martha had arrived on the scene and moved towards Kath and Violet as Gladys grabbed her son’s ear, dragging him to his feet.

  Suddenly a voice shouted across to him, ‘Ernie love, you coming to see me again tonight?’

  All eyes turned to a woman from the brothel bedecked in flimsy dress, no underwear that could be ascertained, and over-exaggerated make-up. She rushed to Ernie, saying to the woman who had hold of him, ‘You get your hands off my man, who the hell do you think you are?’

  ‘His mother!’ Gladys had snapped.

  Ernie had visibly wilted as the two women screamed at each other and the crowds drew near, enjoying the spectacle. Jeers and taunts rang out as the women screeched insults and Ernie tried to slip away. His mother catching one arm and the prostitute catching the other, they pulled and Ernie cried out at the pain in his shoulders.

  Kath, Violet and Martha had strolled away together, laughing as the insults and screaming faded behind them.

  Looking at the others now, Martha said, ‘I have a feeling that boy’s heading for a pasting!’

  Then discussions on how to deal with Judge Stanhope ensued.

  ‘The thing is,’ Violet said, ‘how many more has he let loose? How many others got away with God knows what in exchange for a case of brandy?’

  ‘He needs to be confronted, if he doesn’t agree to our suggestions… maybe we should shame him, same as young Ernie,’ Annie added.

  Mary said, ‘We can’t shame the Judge in front of his mother – she’s dead!’

  Ripples of laughter filled the room.

  ‘We need a plan,’ Joshua said.

  In unison they all chorused, ‘This needs a deal o’ thinkin’ on!’

  Violet cast her mind back to Mr Potter and how he had tried to blackmail Joshua out of five hundred pounds after kidnapping her mother. The idea began to form in her mind and suddenly she said, ‘We could blackmail the Judge into retiring… threaten to expose his secret of having a boyfriend in Birmingham!’ She screwed up her nose at the thought of the fat man who she disliked intensely. ‘Spencer, could you and Joshua go and see him and let him know we’re on to him?’