Every family has its family secrets. Some are simply never spoken about, others are handed down in family stories that often change and evolve over time.
One such family story which always fascinated me was the tale of a scandal involving my paternal great grandparents, Walter Proctor Green and Isabella Mary (nee Argent). The story revolved around an affair allegedly conducted by Isabella with a neighbor while her husband Walter was overseas in America.
While searching old newspapers online, I uncovered a whole saga that played out in the press.
Walter took newspaper
editor Ernest Brown to court and sued him for libel after he published innuendo that
suggested Walter's wife Isabella had been having an affair. The case
excited considerable local interest and was reported in several local
newspapers.
 |
| From the Chelmsford Chronicle, Friday 5 October 1888 |
The entire court case was reported in the papers, and finally came to a close later in the year. After hearing all the evidence the jury retired to consider their verdict, and after only 23 minutes found editor Ernest Brown guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to prison for three calendar months without hard labour.
 |
| The final paragraph in a lengthy report on the case |
A final article appeared about the case at the end of the year, when it was reported that a committee had been formed to start a subscription to recompense Walter Green for the cost of the prosecution, which clearly showed where public sympathy lay.
 |
| From the Essex Standard, Saturday 22 December 1888 |
Clearly this family secret was not so secret after all!
No comments:
Post a Comment