Midnight Gardeners caught turnip-handed

1859 - 150 Years Ago - Under the heading "Midnight Gardeners", the following report ofa case at the Athlone Petty Sessions was published in the Westmeath Independent of November 26, 1859. Eleanor Kelly and Eliza Dillon, were brought up in custody, charged with stealing turnips from the union workhouse grounds, on the night of November 12. The head constable arrested the prisoners between 11pm and 12 midnight on that night, with the turnips in their possession. They were sentenced to two months imprisonment with hard labour. Get rid of on-street butchers call Athlone Town Commissioners moved in November 1859 to stop imposing levies on butchers' stalls on the town's streets in order to remove what were known as meat shambles. Raising the matter, Philip Hay said the meat stalls, which had increased significantly in numbers in recent times, were "an abominable nuisance" The Town Clerk noted that in previous times a number of the stall owners were summonsed before the magistrates, who, on learning that the commissioners were receiving tolls for those stalls, felt it would be better to remit any tolls paid. Mr Hay said it should be a term of any new contract that tolls should not be collected from meat stalls. 1909 - 100 Years Ago Meningitis death of local Lord's presumed heir The Westmeath Independent reported in November 1909 on the death of Master Richard Handock, only son of Hon Robert Arthur Handcock, D.L, Creaghduff, and nephew of Lord Castlemaine of Moydrum Castle. The boy, aged 13, was in a preparatory school in Ellestrew, Hertfordshire, at the time of his death. "A very promising and interesting boy and of a winning nature", he possessed a love of sport and was a good shot. He got a serious attack of the measles on Tuesday, November 9, 1909, and his parents were wired and crossed over to England immediately. However, the Westmeath Independent noted that the patient then developed meningitis and died on the Thursday without ever having recovered consciousness. He was interred in England. The paper reported that much sympathy was felt in Athlone among all classes for both parents on "this great affliction" which had deprived them of their only son. The paper said he was the "heir presumptive" to Lord Castlemaine. When the then Lord Castlemaine died in 1937, he was succeeded by his brother, Robert, father of the deceased boy. 1959 - 50 Years Ago Initial plans to build housing at The Batteries unveiled This week in 1959 a scheme for the development of the Batteries in Athlone as a housing site was submitted to Athlone Urban Council for their approval. The plan proposed to provide for the erection of 52 houses on the 17-acre site. The plans also included plans to introduce a number of "economical services" including roads, paths, water supply, drainage and sewage. The cost of a good quality road, including paths, was estimated at £5,000, while the cost of excavation, including demolition of the Battery, would be approximately £6,000 for 52 or 54 houses. This worked out at approximately £220 per house. The plans were roundly complimented at the meeting, with Mr F. J. Waters saying that the map was the "most explanatory one" he had ever seen, and Mr PJ Lenihan commented that if every other section of the community did that the Connaught traders had done, it would be much cheaper to run the town. The then Chairman of the Connaught Traders, Mr T. Kilroy, said the Connaught traders came together at a largely attended meeting and decided to employ an architect. It was also noted that the architect had cut out unnecessary costs and brought the development of the site down to an economic level. The plan was for the houses to be built on the crown of the hill on what was council property. Mr. Lenihan said that the town was becoming "a bit lopsided" and that steps had to be taken to redress the balance by building more houses on the west side. Although some reservations were made about the overall cost of the proposed scheme, the council decided to hold a special meeting in the near future, after the town engineer had gone away and considered the scheme in consultation with the architect.