A newspaper story inspires John Lennon to write “Mean Mr. Mustard”

A MEAN HUSBAND SHAVED IN THE DARK

A DIVORCE judge told yesterday of a mean husband who shaved and went to bed in the dark to save light. He also insisted that the lights be turned off while he and his wife were listening to the radio – because it was not necessary to see in order to listen.

Of Scots-born John Mustard, a senior official in the Civil Service, Mr. Justice Rees said in the Divorce Court, London: “He was at pains to explain that he came from North of the Border, where carefulness was part of his upbringing.” In the last year before he and his wife parted he gave her a total of £1. The judge went on: “I am satisfied that the wife has established without any difficulty, that her husband was exceptionally mean. “His conduct affected her health and made life unendurable.”

He granted Mrs. Freda Mustard, a deputy headmistress, a decree because of cruelty by Mr. Mustard, of Enfield, London. Mr. Mustard’s denial of cruelty and allegations that his wife had deserted him were both rejected by the judge. The Judge said Mr Mustard was so mean with money and frugal while using lighting and heating that he went far beyond what any wife could be expected to bear. He expressed his displeasure if she broke any of his rules. If she broke any of the “rules” he would punish her by silence. It was a weapon which cut her deeply, and for the last year the silence was almost total.

The judge said Mrs. Mustard was not an efficient housekeeper and tended to forget things. He went on: “I accept that she had become frightened of her husband. There was a menacing quality about him to which she would be particularly sensitive.” When they married in 1955 – he was 53 and she 43 – the wife was volatile, affectionate and warmhearted. His nature was such that any display of affection was unnatural to him. He failed to display any affection towards his wife from the beginning of the marriage.

From Daily Record – June 7, 1967

SCOTSMAN’S MEANNESS ‘WAS CRUEL’

SCOTSMAN John Mustard — “an exceptionally mean man” — gave his wife only £1 in the year before they parted, a Divorce Court judge said yesterday. Mr. Mustard, a civil servant, was also so mean with lighting and heating that he went far beyond what any wife could be expected to bear, said Mr. Justice Rees. To save electricity, he would turn off the light while they were listening to the radio “because it was not necessary to see in order to listen.” And he would also shave and go to bed in the dark. The judge said: “He was at pains to explain that he came from North of the Border, where carefulness was part of the upbringing.” He added: “His conduct affected her health and made life unendurable.”

The judge granted 55-year-old Mrs. Freda Mustard, a deputy head mistress, a decree nisi because of cruelty by Mr. Mustard, who lives at Old Park-view, Enfield. Mr. Mustard, 65, denied cruelty and alleged that his wife deserted him. The judge rejected that allegation. The judge said he did not believe that Mr. Mustard was being vicious or unpleasant towards his wife. But there was “a menacing quality about him to which his wife was particularly sensitive.”

From Daily Mirror – June 7, 1967