Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 14 February 1959

Must Send Girl to School

Darfield Mother Fined

After pleading “Guilty” at Barnsley West Riding Magistrates Court on Friday to not sending her 13 year old daughter to school regularly, a Darfield housewife told the court her daughter was ashamed to go to school, because other children” ribbed about her father being in prison.”

Mary Gawthorpe, of Blythe Rd, Darfield, was fined £1, and told by the Chairman (Mr G.L.Simmons):

“You must pull yourself together and see that this child goes to school. She has a shocking record.”

The school Attendance Officer, Mr H Clarney, said that he visited the girl’s house on several occasions, and found the family still in bed at 10 a.m.

The excuse most frequently given for the girl’s absence from school was that she had issued the school bus.

Mr Clarney told the Magistrates that the girl had been absent from school on 72 half days between September 20 and January 9. She had been a very poor attender for a long time.

In court, Gawthorpe said she thought the children at school had been “ribbing” her daughter because her father was in prison.