According to the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent of the 16th June 1866 Ebenezer Bowman of 'Onelish' near Bakewell sued George Goodlad of Stafford Street Park for £8. 3s. 7d for "the value of milk sold to him.".
I suggest that for 'Onelish' you should read 'One Ash' where Ebenezer Bowman lived at that time.
What the present day equivalent of £8. 3s. 7d [or £8.18] is I'm not sure.
Ebenezer Bowman represented himself. The defendant was represented by a Mr. Gould.
It seems that "several hundred gallons of 'a liquid' had been supplied" by Ebenezer Bowman to Mr. Goodlad. Ebenezer Bowman wanted paying for that milk. Mr. Goodlad's defence was that he had not been supplied with milk but a "mixture of milk and water, whilst he had contracted to be supplied with pure milk.".
Mr. Goodlad's representative asked Ebenezer Bowman whether he had mixed water into the milk ~ "That has nothing to do with it ...".
The Judge responded ~ "You must answer the question."
Ebenezer Bowman ~ "Well, a good many milk sellers do it in Sheffield ..."
There then followed evidence from two men, Botfield and George Siddall who confirmed that Ebenezer Bowman had indeed instructed them to water down the milk with Botfield adding that his then employer told him that "... the people of Sheffield did not mind it, and he had no occasion to care."
Ebenezer Bowman had argued that the agreement was that he supplied watered down milk to Mr. Goodlad but this was not accepted. The judge held that the action failed and Ebenezer Bowman was "called upon to pay 30s for costs, and he complied with the best grace in the world."
Towards the end of their report the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent commented that Ebenezer Bowman "... (who appeared the personification of good nature) [stated that] I feel highly satisfied with your Honour's verdict, though I am a loser, for if other milk sellers would take the same course, the town would be better supplied with milk. (Laughter)"
Ebenezer Bowman ~ "Well, a good many milk sellers do it in Sheffield ..."
There then followed evidence from two men, Botfield and George Siddall who confirmed that Ebenezer Bowman had indeed instructed them to water down the milk with Botfield adding that his then employer told him that "... the people of Sheffield did not mind it, and he had no occasion to care."
Ebenezer Bowman had argued that the agreement was that he supplied watered down milk to Mr. Goodlad but this was not accepted. The judge held that the action failed and Ebenezer Bowman was "called upon to pay 30s for costs, and he complied with the best grace in the world."
Towards the end of their report the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent commented that Ebenezer Bowman "... (who appeared the personification of good nature) [stated that] I feel highly satisfied with your Honour's verdict, though I am a loser, for if other milk sellers would take the same course, the town would be better supplied with milk. (Laughter)"
Ebenezer Bowman was born on the 18th December 1821.
He was my great great grandfather and brother of John Bayliff Bowman.
There is no mention in John Bayfield Bowman's Farm Journal of this court appearance.
This article was researched on the website of the British Newspaper Archive.
