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health of the surrounding neighbourhood. The case was heard before
Mr. Bushby, at "Worship Street, on April 4th, and the charge dismissed.
The following is a copy of the report of the case as it appeared in a
local paper, of April 8th:—
"THE ALLEGED SMOKE NUISANCE IN PEEL GROVE.
"On Tuesday afternoon, at Worship Street Police Court, Mr. Cushway, the proprietor
of the fish-curing premises in Peel Grove, appeared before Mr. Bushby to answer a
summons taken out by Mr. Taylor, an inhabitant of Peel Grove, charging him with
carrying on a business injurious to the health of the surrounding neighbourhood. Mr.
Abbott, solicitor, appeared to prosecute, and Mr. Montague Williams, barrister (instructed
by Mr. Pelham, solicitor, of Stepney), attended on behalf of the defendant. Several
members of the Bethnal Green Vestry, connected with the Sanitary Department, were
present in Court, and were prepared to prove that the business in question was not in
any way prejudicial to the health of the inhabitants in its vicinity.
"The prosecutor and two others having been examined in support of the summons,
Mr. Abbott called—
"Mr. John Paterson, who having been sworn, said—I have been a resident in Peel
Grove for some years. I believe the premises in which the defendant carries on his
business are situated within forty feet of my house. There are from forty to sixty traps
from which the smoke complained of issues in immense volumes. When the process of
smoking is in full operation, the premises appear like a huge building of fire. The effect
of the smoke upon me has been highly injurious. I have at times been seized with a fit
of coughing so violent that blood has gushed from my nose and mouth. Of late the
nuisance has not been so bad, but we have experienced it more or less ever since last
August. I have lived in Peel Grove for fourteen years. On some occasions the effect of
the smoke has been such that I have been obliged to get out of my bed in the night to
save my wife and children from 'strangulation,' the smoke having penetrated our
dwelling in such great volumes.
"By Mr. Williams—I am a qualified chemist and scientific analyst. The premises in
question are at least within fifty feet of my house.
"The learned Counsel then proceeded to call the attention of the witness to a report
given in a contemporary of a tragical scene that was enacted at a meeting of the Bethnal
Green Vestry, in which Mr. Paterson took the leading part, and gave a striking exhibition
of his native eloquence.
"Mr. Williams—Was it you who, on going before the Vestry in reference to Mr. Cushway's
place, called the members ' swine,' and said ' To hell with you all, you villains ?'
"Mr. Paterson—That's not a correct report, sir. I come here for justice, and hope I
shall get it. But I say it is a great injustice for me and my family to be subjected to
suffocation. My wife's health (getting very excited) is much injured by the smoke, and
she has not been able to attend properly to her duties in consequence. There are some
dyeing works in immediate proximity with defendant's premises.