IOO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (11th - 17th APRIL 1922)
This week's stories include the cruel mother from North Road who beat her child with a poker, St Helens Police criticise unhealthy cinema queues, the busted bobby who claimed he was still in the force, a circus revue comes to town and the hostile man on the Haydock tram who used filthy language.
We begin on the 11th with this article published in the Liverpool Echo about a dispute over safety in coalmines: "The old trouble of fork versus shovel in the coal mines has again arisen – this time in the St. Helens district. Throughout the coalfields of the country there are different customs, but generally the coalowners want men to use forks and riddles for filling tubs at the coal-face, while miners prefer to use shovels. The men object to forks chiefly because their use allows slack coal and dust to accumulate in the pits, which increases the chances of fires and explosions.
"Coal-dust has been known to cause explosions even in an absence of gas, according to the statements of miners. Shovels have been used throughout the Lancashire coalfields for the last two generations in preference to the fork and riddle custom. Forks were re-introduced in a few pits in the St. Helens area after last year's coal stoppage, and some of the men have been suspended for refusing to use them."
I've mentioned PC Samuel Cain in my articles on a number of occasions. The first time was after the St Helens character and prolific vagrant Annie Murphy had bashed him with her umbrella and called him "very bad names". On the second occasion in August 1919, a young man charged in court with the minor offence of driving a motorbike along Peasley Cross Lane with its rear identification plate obscured, had fiercely accused the officer of being a liar. The final mention was in November 1919 when an unedifying picture of PC Cain blowing his whistle and frantically chasing a cyclist with no rear light down New Street in Sutton was painted at St Helens Police Court.
Newspaper references then stop – because the man had been sacked. Or more accurately, Cain had been a probationary constable and the tough head of St Helens Police, Arthur Ellerington, had thought that he wasn't up to the job. The Chief Constable's judgement on that occasion seemed sound, however, as in August 1920 – some months after his dismissal – Cain was fined 40 shillings in St Helens Police Court for impersonating a policeman. This week on the 12th, Cain was back in trouble after being accused of obtaining 10 shillings by false pretences from a widow from Wigan called Sarah Shaw.
She alleged that he had claimed to be still in the force and was investigating a desertion case. Cain had worked for the woman when he was a boy and, claiming he had run out of cash while undertaking police work, had borrowed ten shillings from her. In court the ex-copper gave his occupation as a painter and decorator living in Earlestown – but Mrs Shaw said at the time he had been "dressed as a detective". Cain completely denied suggesting he was still in the force when he cadged the loan – but was fined £5.
It was now 3½ years since the war had ended – but the memorials to the fallen were still being unveiled in St Helens. This week a white, carved marble plaque dedicated to the nine members of the police force who had died while serving in WW1 was installed in the police station at the Town Hall. A local firm in Ormskirk Street called Stott and Prescott had created the tablet and, I expect, had been commissioned to make many of the dozens of other St Helens' war memorials. Some, particularly those in churches, still exist – but most have disappeared, often lost after the building they were in was torn down.
The Bioscope was a weekly trade paper for the cinema industry and on the 13th reported on a meeting held by the Liverpool branch of the Cinema Exhibitors Association. The body representing cinema operators had much experience of how St Helens police could make life difficult for their members. And now queues for picture houses were in their firing line, as The Bioscope described:
"Alderman Trounson promised to visit St. Helens and meet the authorities in regard to a police objection against the unhealthiness of cinema queues. Mr. Kemp, of St. Helens, explained that the objection was based upon alleged obstruction, the splashing of people's clothes by passing vehicles in rainy weather, and the insanitary steam which arises from people's clothes in a theatre after they have been standing in the rain outside. The police wanted all seats to be booked in advance, but experience proved that this created a riot among the threepenny and fivepenny patrons. Alderman Worswick said that it was an impossibility to abolish queues."
Also on the 13th, Sarah Moulton from Fern Street, near North Road in St Helens, appeared in the Police Court to face a charge of cruelly beating her daughter Mary with a poker. The 12-year-old child had gone to school bleeding and with her arm badly swollen as a result of the blows that her mother had given her. So the school authorities referred her case to Inspector Lycett of the NSPCC whose office was in Croppers Hill.
He had the girl taken to the hospital at Whiston Institution, as it was then known, where she was described as being in a bad condition. Mary was also dirty and the prosecution said the child was "mentally dull" and appeared cowed. Sarah Moulton denied using a poker on her daughter but admitted losing her temper and said she was very sorry for what had occurred. The Bench sentenced her to 14 days in prison.
In the St Helens Reporter on the 14th, outfitters Balshaw Bros of Bridge Street were advertising their new Spring shirts that cost from 3/11 to 10/6. "Wear our “Aviator” collars", they wrote. The paper also described a court case from earlier in the week in which Joseph Johnson of Park Road was accused of having "impeded a tram conductor while in the execution of his duties" and using offensive language.
The conductor called Francis McArdle told the magistrates in St Helens Police Court that his evening tram had been travelling to Haydock and picked up Johnson outside the Fleece Hotel (pictured above). But instead of going inside, the man stood on the platform shouting "Am I right?" for some strange reason and refused to state his destination. A friend eventually took him inside but Johnson caused more trouble and the tram was ultimately delayed for ten minutes.
Inspector Mercer was asked to board the vehicle and a witness told the court that he believed the policeman had accidentally stood on Johnson's feet. That was after hearing his friend say: "Keep them there great feet off mine"! The man was one of two witnesses giving evidence in Johnson's defence – but the police only had the conductor. Two passengers had told the police that Johnson had been "very hostile and used very filthy language" – but they were not in court. So the magistrates decided to give Joseph Johnson the benefit of the doubt and dismissed the case.
The 17th was Easter Monday and a group of men were standing in Thatto Heath Road having a chat. Suddenly a motor van that had been attempting to avoid a collision with another vehicle crashed into them. The accident led to Joseph Roe receiving a broken leg and some of the other men were badly bruised.
The Theatre Royal & Opera House was the Corporation Street theatre's official name – and it was often abbreviated to just OH in theatrical newspaper listings. Shows of a more up-market nature were exhibited there – with more low-brow stuff performed at the Hippodrome.
However, exceptions were made from time to time and being the Easter holidays, a "Great Circus Revue" called "Bare-Backs" took to the stage from the 17th, which was described in their Reporter advert as: "A Sensational Novelty, comprising Horses, Ponies, Bucking Mules, Daring Bare-Back Riders, Funny Clowns. A Real Circus on the Stage, introducing Hickey’s Circus."
And to end this week, a good news story concerning a St Helens man who had been severely injured in the war but had put his adversity behind him to do well at Oxford University. Frank Woods was an old boy of Cowley School and his academic career had begun in 1914 after winning a scholarship to Manchester University. The war interrupted his studies and nearly killed him – but after the armistice he obtained another scholarship to study at Oxford where he had now been recommended for the prestigious Gladstone Prize.
Next week's stories will include the new-born baby found dumped in a Sherdley pond, an update on the new Parish Church, the Parr bookie's runner who complained he'd been arrested too soon and the poker bashing excuse in Liverpool Street.
We begin on the 11th with this article published in the Liverpool Echo about a dispute over safety in coalmines: "The old trouble of fork versus shovel in the coal mines has again arisen – this time in the St. Helens district. Throughout the coalfields of the country there are different customs, but generally the coalowners want men to use forks and riddles for filling tubs at the coal-face, while miners prefer to use shovels. The men object to forks chiefly because their use allows slack coal and dust to accumulate in the pits, which increases the chances of fires and explosions.
"Coal-dust has been known to cause explosions even in an absence of gas, according to the statements of miners. Shovels have been used throughout the Lancashire coalfields for the last two generations in preference to the fork and riddle custom. Forks were re-introduced in a few pits in the St. Helens area after last year's coal stoppage, and some of the men have been suspended for refusing to use them."
I've mentioned PC Samuel Cain in my articles on a number of occasions. The first time was after the St Helens character and prolific vagrant Annie Murphy had bashed him with her umbrella and called him "very bad names". On the second occasion in August 1919, a young man charged in court with the minor offence of driving a motorbike along Peasley Cross Lane with its rear identification plate obscured, had fiercely accused the officer of being a liar. The final mention was in November 1919 when an unedifying picture of PC Cain blowing his whistle and frantically chasing a cyclist with no rear light down New Street in Sutton was painted at St Helens Police Court.
Newspaper references then stop – because the man had been sacked. Or more accurately, Cain had been a probationary constable and the tough head of St Helens Police, Arthur Ellerington, had thought that he wasn't up to the job. The Chief Constable's judgement on that occasion seemed sound, however, as in August 1920 – some months after his dismissal – Cain was fined 40 shillings in St Helens Police Court for impersonating a policeman. This week on the 12th, Cain was back in trouble after being accused of obtaining 10 shillings by false pretences from a widow from Wigan called Sarah Shaw.
She alleged that he had claimed to be still in the force and was investigating a desertion case. Cain had worked for the woman when he was a boy and, claiming he had run out of cash while undertaking police work, had borrowed ten shillings from her. In court the ex-copper gave his occupation as a painter and decorator living in Earlestown – but Mrs Shaw said at the time he had been "dressed as a detective". Cain completely denied suggesting he was still in the force when he cadged the loan – but was fined £5.
It was now 3½ years since the war had ended – but the memorials to the fallen were still being unveiled in St Helens. This week a white, carved marble plaque dedicated to the nine members of the police force who had died while serving in WW1 was installed in the police station at the Town Hall. A local firm in Ormskirk Street called Stott and Prescott had created the tablet and, I expect, had been commissioned to make many of the dozens of other St Helens' war memorials. Some, particularly those in churches, still exist – but most have disappeared, often lost after the building they were in was torn down.
The Bioscope was a weekly trade paper for the cinema industry and on the 13th reported on a meeting held by the Liverpool branch of the Cinema Exhibitors Association. The body representing cinema operators had much experience of how St Helens police could make life difficult for their members. And now queues for picture houses were in their firing line, as The Bioscope described:
"Alderman Trounson promised to visit St. Helens and meet the authorities in regard to a police objection against the unhealthiness of cinema queues. Mr. Kemp, of St. Helens, explained that the objection was based upon alleged obstruction, the splashing of people's clothes by passing vehicles in rainy weather, and the insanitary steam which arises from people's clothes in a theatre after they have been standing in the rain outside. The police wanted all seats to be booked in advance, but experience proved that this created a riot among the threepenny and fivepenny patrons. Alderman Worswick said that it was an impossibility to abolish queues."
Also on the 13th, Sarah Moulton from Fern Street, near North Road in St Helens, appeared in the Police Court to face a charge of cruelly beating her daughter Mary with a poker. The 12-year-old child had gone to school bleeding and with her arm badly swollen as a result of the blows that her mother had given her. So the school authorities referred her case to Inspector Lycett of the NSPCC whose office was in Croppers Hill.
He had the girl taken to the hospital at Whiston Institution, as it was then known, where she was described as being in a bad condition. Mary was also dirty and the prosecution said the child was "mentally dull" and appeared cowed. Sarah Moulton denied using a poker on her daughter but admitted losing her temper and said she was very sorry for what had occurred. The Bench sentenced her to 14 days in prison.
In the St Helens Reporter on the 14th, outfitters Balshaw Bros of Bridge Street were advertising their new Spring shirts that cost from 3/11 to 10/6. "Wear our “Aviator” collars", they wrote. The paper also described a court case from earlier in the week in which Joseph Johnson of Park Road was accused of having "impeded a tram conductor while in the execution of his duties" and using offensive language.
Inspector Mercer was asked to board the vehicle and a witness told the court that he believed the policeman had accidentally stood on Johnson's feet. That was after hearing his friend say: "Keep them there great feet off mine"! The man was one of two witnesses giving evidence in Johnson's defence – but the police only had the conductor. Two passengers had told the police that Johnson had been "very hostile and used very filthy language" – but they were not in court. So the magistrates decided to give Joseph Johnson the benefit of the doubt and dismissed the case.
The 17th was Easter Monday and a group of men were standing in Thatto Heath Road having a chat. Suddenly a motor van that had been attempting to avoid a collision with another vehicle crashed into them. The accident led to Joseph Roe receiving a broken leg and some of the other men were badly bruised.
The Theatre Royal & Opera House was the Corporation Street theatre's official name – and it was often abbreviated to just OH in theatrical newspaper listings. Shows of a more up-market nature were exhibited there – with more low-brow stuff performed at the Hippodrome.
However, exceptions were made from time to time and being the Easter holidays, a "Great Circus Revue" called "Bare-Backs" took to the stage from the 17th, which was described in their Reporter advert as: "A Sensational Novelty, comprising Horses, Ponies, Bucking Mules, Daring Bare-Back Riders, Funny Clowns. A Real Circus on the Stage, introducing Hickey’s Circus."
And to end this week, a good news story concerning a St Helens man who had been severely injured in the war but had put his adversity behind him to do well at Oxford University. Frank Woods was an old boy of Cowley School and his academic career had begun in 1914 after winning a scholarship to Manchester University. The war interrupted his studies and nearly killed him – but after the armistice he obtained another scholarship to study at Oxford where he had now been recommended for the prestigious Gladstone Prize.
Next week's stories will include the new-born baby found dumped in a Sherdley pond, an update on the new Parish Church, the Parr bookie's runner who complained he'd been arrested too soon and the poker bashing excuse in Liverpool Street.
This week's stories include the cruel mother from North Road who beat her child with a poker, St Helens Police criticise unhealthy cinema queues, the busted bobby who claimed he was still in the force, a circus revue comes to town and the hostile man on the Haydock tram that used filthy language.
We begin on the 11th with this article published in the Liverpool Echo about a dispute over safety in coal mines:
"The old trouble of fork versus shovel in the coal mines has again arisen – this time in the St. Helens district.
"Throughout the coalfields of the country there are different customs, but generally the coalowners want men to use forks and riddles for filling tubs at the coal-face, while miners prefer to use shovels.
"The men object to forks chiefly because their use allows slack coal and dust to accumulate in the pits, which increases the chances of fires and explosions.
"Coal-dust has been known to cause explosions even in an absence of gas, according to the statements of miners.
"Shovels have been used throughout the Lancashire coalfields for the last two generations in preference to the fork and riddle custom.
"Forks were re-introduced in a few pits in the St. Helens area after last year's coal stoppage, and some of the men have been suspended for refusing to use them."
I've mentioned PC Samuel Cain in my articles on a number of occasions. The first time was after the St Helens character and prolific vagrant Annie Murphy had bashed him with her umbrella and called him "very bad names".
On the second occasion in August 1919, a young man charged in court with the minor offence of driving a motorbike along Peasley Cross Lane with its rear identification plate obscured, had fiercely accused the officer of being a liar.
The final mention was in November 1919 when an unedifying picture of PC Cain blowing his whistle and frantically chasing a cyclist with no rear light down New Street in Sutton was painted at St Helens Police Court.
Newspaper references then stop – because the man had been sacked.
Or more accurately, Cain had been a probationary constable and the tough head of St Helens Police, Arthur Ellerington, had thought that he wasn't up to the job.
The Chief Constable's judgement on that occasion seemed sound, however, as in August 1920 – some months after his dismissal – Cain was fined 40 shillings in St Helens Police Court for impersonating a policeman.
This week on the 12th, Cain was back in trouble after being accused of obtaining 10 shillings by false pretences from a widow from Wigan called Sarah Shaw.
She alleged that he had claimed to be still in the force and was investigating a desertion case.
Cain had worked for the woman when he was a boy and, claiming he had run out of cash while undertaking police work, had borrowed ten shillings from her.
In court the ex-copper gave his occupation as a painter and decorator living in Earlestown – but Mrs Shaw said at the time he had been "dressed as a detective".
Cain completely denied suggesting he was still in the force when he cadged the loan – but was fined £5.
It was now 3½ years since the war had ended – but the memorials to the fallen were still being unveiled in St Helens.
This week a white, carved marble plaque dedicated to the nine members of the police force who had died while serving in WW1 was installed in the police station at the Town Hall.
A local firm in Ormskirk Street called Stott and Prescott had created the tablet and, I expect, had been commissioned to make many of the dozens of other St Helens' war memorials.
Some, particularly those in churches, still exist – but most have disappeared, often lost after the building they were in was torn down.
The Bioscope was a weekly trade paper for the cinema industry and on the 13th reported on a meeting held by the Liverpool branch of the Cinema Exhibitors Association.
The body representing cinema operators had much experience of how St Helens police could make life difficult for their members.
And now queues for picture houses were in their firing line, as The Bioscope described:
"Alderman Trounson promised to visit St. Helens and meet the authorities in regard to a police objection against the unhealthiness of cinema queues.
"Mr. Kemp, of St. Helens, explained that the objection was based upon alleged obstruction, the splashing of people's clothes by passing vehicles in rainy weather, and the insanitary steam which arises from people's clothes in a theatre after they have been standing in the rain outside.
"The police wanted all seats to be booked in advance, but experience proved that this created a riot among the threepenny and fivepenny patrons. Alderman Worswick said that it was an impossibility to abolish queues."
Also on the 13th, Sarah Moulton from Fern Street, near North Road in St Helens, appeared in the Police Court to face a charge of cruelly beating her daughter Mary with a poker.
The 12-year-old child had gone to school bleeding and with her arm badly swollen as a result of the blows that her mother had given her.
So the school authorities referred her case to Inspector Lycett of the NSPCC whose office was in Croppers Hill.
He had the girl taken to the hospital at Whiston Institution, as it was then known, where she was described as being in a bad condition.
Mary was also dirty and the prosecution said the child was "mentally dull" and appeared cowed.
Sarah Moulton denied using a poker on her daughter but admitted losing her temper and said she was very sorry for what had occurred. The Bench sentenced her to 14 days in prison.
In the St Helens Reporter on the 14th, outfitters Balshaw Bros of Bridge Street were advertising their new Spring shirts that cost from 3/11 to 10/6. "Wear our “Aviator” collars", they wrote.
The paper also described a court case from earlier in the week in which Joseph Johnson of Park Road was accused of having "impeded a tram conductor while in the execution of his duties" and using offensive language.
The conductor called Francis McArdle told the magistrates in St Helens Police Court that his evening tram had been travelling to Haydock and picked up Johnson outside the Fleece Hotel (pictured above).
But instead of going inside, the man stood on the platform shouting "Am I right?" for some strange reason and refused to state his destination.
A friend eventually took him inside but Johnson caused more trouble and the tram was ultimately delayed for ten minutes.
Inspector Mercer was asked to board the vehicle and a witness told the court that he believed the policeman had accidentally stood on Johnson's feet.
That was after hearing his friend say: "Keep them there great feet off mine"!
The man was one of two witnesses giving evidence in Johnson's defence – but the police only had the conductor.
Two passengers had told the police that Johnson had been "very hostile and used very filthy language" – but they were not in court.
So the magistrates decided to give Joseph Johnson the benefit of the doubt and dismissed the case.
The 17th was Easter Monday and a group of men were standing in Thatto Heath Road having a chat.
Suddenly a motor van that had been attempting to avoid a collision with another vehicle crashed into them.
The accident led to Joseph Roe receiving a broken leg and some of the other men were badly bruised.
The Theatre Royal & Opera House was the Corporation Street theatre's official name – and it was often abbreviated to just OH in theatrical newspaper listings.
Shows of a more up-market nature were exhibited there – with more low-brow stuff performed at the Hippodrome.
However, exceptions were made from time to time and being the Easter holidays, a "Great Circus Revue" called "Bare-Backs" took to the stage from the 17th, which was described in their Reporter advert as:
"A Sensational Novelty, comprising Horses, Ponies, Bucking Mules, Daring Bare-Back Riders, Funny Clowns. A Real Circus on the Stage, introducing Hickey’s Circus."
And to end this week, a good news story concerning a St Helens man who had been severely injured in the war but had put his adversity behind him to do well at Oxford University.
Frank Woods was an old boy of Cowley School and his academic career had begun in 1914 after winning a scholarship to Manchester University.
The war interrupted his studies and nearly killed him – but after the armistice he obtained another scholarship to study at Oxford where he had now been recommended for the prestigious Gladstone Prize.
Next week's stories will include the new-born baby found dumped in a Sherdley pond, an update on the new Parish Church, the Parr bookie's runner who complained he'd been arrested too soon and the poker bashing excuse in Liverpool Street.
We begin on the 11th with this article published in the Liverpool Echo about a dispute over safety in coal mines:
"The old trouble of fork versus shovel in the coal mines has again arisen – this time in the St. Helens district.
"Throughout the coalfields of the country there are different customs, but generally the coalowners want men to use forks and riddles for filling tubs at the coal-face, while miners prefer to use shovels.
"The men object to forks chiefly because their use allows slack coal and dust to accumulate in the pits, which increases the chances of fires and explosions.
"Coal-dust has been known to cause explosions even in an absence of gas, according to the statements of miners.
"Shovels have been used throughout the Lancashire coalfields for the last two generations in preference to the fork and riddle custom.
"Forks were re-introduced in a few pits in the St. Helens area after last year's coal stoppage, and some of the men have been suspended for refusing to use them."
I've mentioned PC Samuel Cain in my articles on a number of occasions. The first time was after the St Helens character and prolific vagrant Annie Murphy had bashed him with her umbrella and called him "very bad names".
On the second occasion in August 1919, a young man charged in court with the minor offence of driving a motorbike along Peasley Cross Lane with its rear identification plate obscured, had fiercely accused the officer of being a liar.
The final mention was in November 1919 when an unedifying picture of PC Cain blowing his whistle and frantically chasing a cyclist with no rear light down New Street in Sutton was painted at St Helens Police Court.
Newspaper references then stop – because the man had been sacked.
Or more accurately, Cain had been a probationary constable and the tough head of St Helens Police, Arthur Ellerington, had thought that he wasn't up to the job.
The Chief Constable's judgement on that occasion seemed sound, however, as in August 1920 – some months after his dismissal – Cain was fined 40 shillings in St Helens Police Court for impersonating a policeman.
This week on the 12th, Cain was back in trouble after being accused of obtaining 10 shillings by false pretences from a widow from Wigan called Sarah Shaw.
She alleged that he had claimed to be still in the force and was investigating a desertion case.
Cain had worked for the woman when he was a boy and, claiming he had run out of cash while undertaking police work, had borrowed ten shillings from her.
In court the ex-copper gave his occupation as a painter and decorator living in Earlestown – but Mrs Shaw said at the time he had been "dressed as a detective".
Cain completely denied suggesting he was still in the force when he cadged the loan – but was fined £5.
It was now 3½ years since the war had ended – but the memorials to the fallen were still being unveiled in St Helens.
This week a white, carved marble plaque dedicated to the nine members of the police force who had died while serving in WW1 was installed in the police station at the Town Hall.
A local firm in Ormskirk Street called Stott and Prescott had created the tablet and, I expect, had been commissioned to make many of the dozens of other St Helens' war memorials.
Some, particularly those in churches, still exist – but most have disappeared, often lost after the building they were in was torn down.
The Bioscope was a weekly trade paper for the cinema industry and on the 13th reported on a meeting held by the Liverpool branch of the Cinema Exhibitors Association.
The body representing cinema operators had much experience of how St Helens police could make life difficult for their members.
And now queues for picture houses were in their firing line, as The Bioscope described:
"Alderman Trounson promised to visit St. Helens and meet the authorities in regard to a police objection against the unhealthiness of cinema queues.
"Mr. Kemp, of St. Helens, explained that the objection was based upon alleged obstruction, the splashing of people's clothes by passing vehicles in rainy weather, and the insanitary steam which arises from people's clothes in a theatre after they have been standing in the rain outside.
"The police wanted all seats to be booked in advance, but experience proved that this created a riot among the threepenny and fivepenny patrons. Alderman Worswick said that it was an impossibility to abolish queues."
Also on the 13th, Sarah Moulton from Fern Street, near North Road in St Helens, appeared in the Police Court to face a charge of cruelly beating her daughter Mary with a poker.
The 12-year-old child had gone to school bleeding and with her arm badly swollen as a result of the blows that her mother had given her.
So the school authorities referred her case to Inspector Lycett of the NSPCC whose office was in Croppers Hill.
He had the girl taken to the hospital at Whiston Institution, as it was then known, where she was described as being in a bad condition.
Mary was also dirty and the prosecution said the child was "mentally dull" and appeared cowed.
Sarah Moulton denied using a poker on her daughter but admitted losing her temper and said she was very sorry for what had occurred. The Bench sentenced her to 14 days in prison.
In the St Helens Reporter on the 14th, outfitters Balshaw Bros of Bridge Street were advertising their new Spring shirts that cost from 3/11 to 10/6. "Wear our “Aviator” collars", they wrote.
The paper also described a court case from earlier in the week in which Joseph Johnson of Park Road was accused of having "impeded a tram conductor while in the execution of his duties" and using offensive language.
But instead of going inside, the man stood on the platform shouting "Am I right?" for some strange reason and refused to state his destination.
A friend eventually took him inside but Johnson caused more trouble and the tram was ultimately delayed for ten minutes.
Inspector Mercer was asked to board the vehicle and a witness told the court that he believed the policeman had accidentally stood on Johnson's feet.
That was after hearing his friend say: "Keep them there great feet off mine"!
The man was one of two witnesses giving evidence in Johnson's defence – but the police only had the conductor.
Two passengers had told the police that Johnson had been "very hostile and used very filthy language" – but they were not in court.
So the magistrates decided to give Joseph Johnson the benefit of the doubt and dismissed the case.
The 17th was Easter Monday and a group of men were standing in Thatto Heath Road having a chat.
Suddenly a motor van that had been attempting to avoid a collision with another vehicle crashed into them.
The accident led to Joseph Roe receiving a broken leg and some of the other men were badly bruised.
The Theatre Royal & Opera House was the Corporation Street theatre's official name – and it was often abbreviated to just OH in theatrical newspaper listings.
Shows of a more up-market nature were exhibited there – with more low-brow stuff performed at the Hippodrome.
However, exceptions were made from time to time and being the Easter holidays, a "Great Circus Revue" called "Bare-Backs" took to the stage from the 17th, which was described in their Reporter advert as:
"A Sensational Novelty, comprising Horses, Ponies, Bucking Mules, Daring Bare-Back Riders, Funny Clowns. A Real Circus on the Stage, introducing Hickey’s Circus."
And to end this week, a good news story concerning a St Helens man who had been severely injured in the war but had put his adversity behind him to do well at Oxford University.
Frank Woods was an old boy of Cowley School and his academic career had begun in 1914 after winning a scholarship to Manchester University.
The war interrupted his studies and nearly killed him – but after the armistice he obtained another scholarship to study at Oxford where he had now been recommended for the prestigious Gladstone Prize.
Next week's stories will include the new-born baby found dumped in a Sherdley pond, an update on the new Parish Church, the Parr bookie's runner who complained he'd been arrested too soon and the poker bashing excuse in Liverpool Street.