Yesterday, at Limerick Quarter Sessions, Mr Stephen Tubridy, a master baker, sued the President, Secretary, and six members of the local Bakers’ Society for £50 as compensation for allegedly conspiring and engaging in illegal picketing against his trade and business. The dispute arose following Mr Tubridy’s introduction of new ovens and machinery, which subsequently led him to lock out his employees.

Since the incident, Mr Tubridy’s business has been picketed, and members of the society have approached customers in an effort to persuade them not to purchase his bread. Judge Adams ruled that the defendants’ actions were illegal, and the damages were assessed at £5 by the jury. This case highlights the ongoing tensions between employers and employees in the context of new technologies and their effect on the job market.

Exeter and Plymouth Gazette – Saturday 06 June 1903