20/05/2021
An article in The Leicester Mercury dated 1st April 1837 exposed some scandalous accusations relating to my husband's 4x great grandmother Mary Caulton, nee Bullard and her family. Disgraceful Exposure Thomas Goddard and Benjamin Caulton, (a youth of 19) were charged with assaulting the mother of the latter, Mary Caulton, residing in Wheat Street. The complainant said that her son repeatedly ill-used her, in consequence of her refusing to supply him with food for which he was too idle to work; and that, a few days ago, while engaged in the motherly act of preventing him swallowing some victuals, (which she considered he had no right to,) by seizing hold of his cheek, he and Goddard struck her, adding with perfect indifference, "Goddard's woman was standing by, he lives with my daughter, who has left her husband these two years." The daughter here stepped forward, with the most disgusting effrontery, and said "I'm the woman, gentleman - my mother compelled me to marry against my wish, and I've lived with Goddard nearly two years - I've been married eleven years today, and I'm 26 years old." This modest woman added that her "marriage name, was Lydia Gunton, and that her husband's name was Henry," and Goddard said that both she and her mother had repeatedly taken out warrants against Gunton for his brutal conduct towards his wife....
An article in The Leicester Mercury dated 1st April 1837 exposed some scandalous accusations relating to my husband’s 4x great grandmother Mary Caulton, nee Bullard and her family. Disgracefu…