Esme Isabelle Beddingfield 1914-2004

[Lincolnshire Echo, Friday 05 May 1950. Scutt, Case at Lincoln. The appeal by Mr. Ian Roderick Scutt, Town Clerk of Jarrow and former Deputy Town Clerk of Lincoin, against the decision of the Lincoln City magistrates that he had deserted his wife, Mrs. Esme Isabelle Scutt, of The Mounts, Woodhouse, Sheffield, was again mentioned in the Divorce Divisional Court today. The Court yesterday allowed the appeal, and directed that the case should be re-heard. Mr. Justice Hodson asked if Mr. Scutt would give an undertaking to continue, meanwhile, pay the 10s. a week fixed by the magistrates as maintenance for Mrs. Scutt and the children.] [Lincolnshire Echo, Tuesday 08 August 1950. Scutt, Order Stays that not so very long ago I was extremely well-known in this town and held a considerably important position. "That why it seemed extraordinary that the case was started here .... The normal thing would have been to issue that summons at Sheffield.” Asked by the chairman if these details were not irrelevant, Scutt replied that he wanted to get the reasons behind his application made clear. Scutt said that he had had to pay the costs of the previous hearing, the costs of the divisional court, the costs of the second hearing, the costs of an application to the divisional court and the possibility of the costs of today. Total costs were about £200 and then he had to pay his wife maintenance of £7. 10s a week, “To be quite obvious, I was getting into a financial jam." he added. “I wrote to the Magistrates' Clerk explaining the situation that was arising, and I pointed out that my remarks concerning my finances were for his own information and were not for transmission to the complainant or her solicitors," Scutt continued.] [Nottingham Evening Post, Tuesday 08 August 1950. A Town Clerk’s Finances. Lincoln Bench and Wife's Support. Ian Roderick Scutt, Town Clerk of Jarrow, and former deputy Town Clerk of Lincoln, made an unsuccessful application to the Lincoln magistrates court to-day to vary a maintenance order made against him for the payment to his wife of £3 a week for herself, and £1.10s. a week for each of his three children. Applicant agreed that his arrears, under the order amounted to £44 16d., but could not suggest how he could meet this amount when he answered a summons in connection with the arrears. The summons was adjourned providing he paid a week off the arrears. The application for the variation was made on the grounds that his financial circumstances did not permit him to pay these amounts and that his income was not what was stated by his wife, Mrs. Esle Isabelle Scutt, of the Mount Woodhouse. Sheffield, when the order was made. Salary £1.160. In evidence, Scutt said his salary was £1,160 a year, from which six per cent, or about 25s a week had to deducted for superannuation purposes. His house cost £2 10s. a week for rent, rates, coal, gas and electricity; went towards food, and 30s. a week towards the running costs of his car. Life insurance and subscriptions professional societies worked out at 1Os. a week and clothing at about the same amount. I think the only luxury I indulge in is cigarettes," he said. Cross-examined by Mr. A. W. Halgate Hills, for Mrs. Scutt, Mr. Scutt agreed that at the end of his first year's service was entitled to an increment of £1OO. His Liabilities. Applicant said he had had a summons served on him that morning mentioning a sum of £56 and his bank balance was about £7O. He already had liabilities for costs arising from this matter which in round sums were £2OO. The chairman said the magistrates had considered all the points put before them but they could not take into account the amount of costs, because that would be tantamount in asking the wife to pay part of the costs. We cannot, after making a deduction of £1 on the last occasion, vary the order any further,” he said.] [Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, Wednesday 27 June 1951. Town Clerk resigns: Star Chamber accusation from our Jarrow Correspondent Town Council last night accepted the resignation of the Town Clerk, (Mr. I. R. Scutt), which was tendered in advance of a Committee recommendation to dispense with his services. The Council decided to give him three months salary In lieu of notice. A letter from the Town Clerk stated that it was both customary and morally necessary to give an explanation for the termination of such contract, but this would appear to be viewed with which the majority of the members of Jarrow Council did not agree. Giving his reasons for terminating his contract, Mr. Scutt stated that the chairman of the Finance Committee told him that the Socialist Group had decided to give him three months notice but that he was to given an opportunity of resigning.]