The Shocking Neglect of Ellen O’ Toole (1900)

Our next story revolves around a little girl by the name of Ellen O’ Toole, aged 11 years old and who lived with her stepmother – Bridget, father – Michael as well as five brothers and sisters at number 32 James Street, Padiham.

Ellen had lived in Padiham for twelve months, moving with her family from “The Green”, a small suburb of Burnley commonly known as Keighley Green.

And in that twelve months, it seems Ellen and her stepmother, Bridget, hadn’t ever got on well together.

On Thursday, 23rd August, 1900, Bridget had asked Ellen to wash two blankets to which Ellen objected too due to their weight, telling her step-mother they were too heavy for her to lift.

Obviously we will never know how, but Bridget somehow managed to kick Ellen in the face causing a black eye and a cut to her cheek. She then followed this up by hitting Ellen with brush-stick, causing another wound, roughly 1½ inch long on the top of her head.

At around 5.30am the following morning and still furious for not helping with the washing the previous day, Bridget dragged Ellen out into the back garden who was completely naked. She would then began to douse Ellen in freezing cold water in the middle of the yard.

After emptying the bucket, Bridget would storm back into the house, leaving the young girl alone and in a vulnerable state.

Ellen had two choices. She could either go back into the coal cellar in which she had been living in since moving into the area or try and seek help in the form of a neighbour.

After struggling to pin a tattered looking skirt around her waist, Ellen decided on the latter and sought protection from Mrs. Rachel Mellor who resided at number 30, who herself had witnessed the event taking place.

Mrs. Mellor helped Ellen into her house and tried to tend to her wounds as well as give her some breakfast before sending off upstairs and out of the way. She was almost naked, wearing nothing but the tattered skirt she had managed to pin together, along with an old looking jacket that was clearly made for a man. She had no stockings nor any boots or other footwear.

At around 2.15pm that afternoon, and after noticing Ellen was nowhere to be found, Bridget visited the local police station where she told Police Sergeant Lee of her being missing. Bridget would tell Lee, that she thought Ellen had “drowned herself or something.”

Later that day, at around 3.40pm, Police Sergeant Lee went around to number 30 to speak with Mrs. Mellor who would tell him that Ellen was with her. After seeing Ellen for himself and the pitiful state she was in, Lee reported the case to the N.S.P.C.C. and it didn’t take too long for Mr. R. Thompson, Inspector to arrive at the police station.

Meanwhile, and strangely as it sounds, Ellen returned home and was seen scrubbing the door step leading out into the back yard when Police Sergeant Lee and Thompson visited the home of the O’ Toole’s later that afternoon.

She was in an extremely filthy condition, with a pale complexion and looked in a dejected state. Her right eye was contused with a cut slightly below it. On the left side of her face, there was a faded bruise which indicated she had been beaten a short time ago. On her head, she had sustained a cut, roughly 1½ inch long, matted with blood and hair. Her head was also swarming with lice, as was her body and the clothes she was wearing. Her clothes were so dirty that they had a greasy feel to the touch and they filled the area with a putrid smell.