MURDEROUS ATTACK ON A FARMER AT ST NICHOLAS We regret to report a murderous assault upon Mr D. J.
Jenkins, of Llancadle, who, after being seriously
maltreated by the
miscreants, was plundered.
Late on Saturday
night the wife
of Police-constable
Williams, residing at
the Police Station,
St Nicholas, was
aroused by someone calling out from the outside for her husband to come
out. On opening the door she saw a trap standing in the roadway, with a man inside who
was obviously suffering serious injuries. On her going to the trap she found a young man
who, in a very weak voice asked permission to enter, or to be taken somewhere, as he was
dying. Her husband was at the time on duty and might not be home for several hours, and as she
was alone she hesitated about taking him into her house. She then determined to take him
to the Three Tuns, St Nicholas.
On arriving at the inn, the young man, who was very weak
from loss of blood, was lifted out of the trap
and carried into
the bar, where
he was recognised
as Mr Jenkins,
farmer, of Llancadle, and son
of Mr Jenkins
of Flemingstone-court, both
gentlemen occupying very respectable positions and well known through the whole
county. ......
While at the
Three Tuns, in
answer to some
questions put by
Mrs Banner [landlady],
Mr Jenkins was only able to answer that he had been attacked by
some persons on the top of the hill near St Nicholas, called "Tumble Down Dick"
and that he was beaten with a thick stick and robbed. Early on Sunday
morning a search
was made on
the road, and
above the Traherne
Arms, which is half way up the hill, were two pools of blood.
----- Mr Jenkins had attended Cardiff market on Saturday, and was
returning home as usual. He had in his possession a gold watch and some £6 or £7 in
gold, beside some silver, when he left the Royal Hotel stables at about 11 o'clock. These are
all missing. Mr Jenkins is reported to be a little improved but his
sufferings are very great, and when able to bear it, will have to have a surgical operation, as
portions of his face are greatly disfigured; indeed permanently injured.
Editorial note. I am indebted to John Cann for this
Newspaper extract which, like the one on pages 3 and 4 he found amongst other documents in the David
Jones’ (of Wallington) archive. It is difficult to be sure but the style suggests origin
from the same newspaper, possibly the Bridgend Chronicle which carried rather detailed reports
from the villages in the Vale. The cutting probably dates from the 1880's and the young Mr
Jenkins of Llancadle is one and the the same as the
Mr. D. J. Jenkins, Llancadle, who
presided over the ploughing match dinner at the
Fox and Hounds
Inn as reported
on p. 3
& 4. Despite
the injuries and
the horriffic
thought of surgery
in those days,
he obviously recovered
to take up
a position of some eminence in Llancarfan parish. Six or seven pounds in 1880 must have been a very
substantial sum of money: farming in the Vale seems to have been a profitable enterprise. “Tumbledown Dick” was the hill which we now call “The
Tumble”, originally a much steeper lane, following a route to
the south of
the modern road.
Tumbledown Dick was
also the mocking name given to Richard Cromwell, Oliver’s third son,
in enjoyment of his political misfortunes. Does anyone know why his name should have been
associated with the hill or was it originally “The Tumble”, picking up the “Dick” at the
time of Richard’s notoriety? |