IOO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (17th - 23rd June 1919)
This week's stories include the Parr miners that attacked the police in Church Street, the bookie's runner in Pocket Nook, the St Helens Engineers return home from the war, the beggar who asked the police in Canal Street for cash, the Exeter Street eviction and the Rainford Village School Treat.
We begin on the 17th when three boys appeared in St Helens Police Court charged with being on enclosed premises for an unlawful purpose – which was to steal toffee! John Bate (11) and Edward Kearns (8) – both from Water Street – and Michael Mee (11) from New Market Place had been seen by Sergeant Lomas trying to break into Rose's sweet shop. The boys had removed two slates from the shop's pantry roof and they admitted having gone there to take some sweets. The threesome were placed on probation with their parents ordered to pay the court costs.
This notice headed "Rainford Village School Treat" was published in the Tuesday Reporter on the 17th: "Sports will be held on Mr. Houghton's field, near School Brow (two minutes from Rookery Station and about four from Rainford Village). Moss Bank Brass Band will play for Dancing, and Mr. Ryan will be in attendance with his Hobby Horses, Swings, Alpine railway, Hoop-la, etc. There will also be dancing in the Village Hall from 9 to 12 in the evening." Neither of those railway stations is now in existence with School Brow being the road from Pasture Lane to the Derby Arms that's now part of Church Road.
It was a tough life being a bobby in St Helens. Pay was low; you received little respect and were often assaulted. In the Police Court on the 20th Constables Murrant and Metcalfe told the Bench that a 50-strong hostile crowd had surrounded them in Church Street while they were trying to make two arrests.
The trouble began when John Williams was seen "committing a nuisance" against the gate of the County Bank. That was the euphemism often used in court for urinating in public. The miner from Hammond Street in Parr gave PC Murrant a false address and the suspicious officer asked Williams to accompany him to the station so it could be verified. This Williams refused to do and he became very violent and then his friend William Bingham from Gaskell Street decided to intervene.
PC Metcalfe warned Bingham to go away or be locked up and his reward was a fist in the face, damaging his false teeth. During a 20-minute struggle none of the crowd would help the embattled officers. Instead some threatened the constables and encouraged Williams and Bingham to attack them, repeatedly shouting "Go on, let him have it".
It wasn't until more police officers arrived that the two miners could be taken into custody and in court Williams and Bingham were charged with assault, damaging false teeth and committing a nuisance. For their attacks on the police – in which PC Murrant said he had been struck about the face and body and "belted" in the stomach by Williams' knee – the two men were fined just 20 shillings each.
Five youths aged about seventeen were in court on the same day for a less violent incident in Church Street. John Hilton and Charles Pendlebury from South John Street, William Myerscough from Traverse Street, Joseph Houghton and another lad were all accused of obstructing the footpath.
Inspector Bowden gave evidence that he had seen the lads walking abreast and jostling each other. They were causing an obstruction and people had to walk in the road. The inspector said that when he approached the group, they all "bolted" but after a chase of 400 yards, John Hilton was caught and he gave the names of the others. The Chairman of the Bench said this obstruction had to be stopped and he fined all five youths ten shillings each.
There was an unusual prosecution on the 20th when labourer William Chisnall was fined ten shillings for obstructing the footpath in Havelock Street through lying across it playing cards. Presumably the police were not able to prove that gambling had taken place, as they were required to show that money had changed hands in order to bring a prosecution.
Also on that day an application was made for an ejectment order to take possession of rooms at 50 Exeter Street. These had for some years been occupied by Hugh Finnigan and his wife Ellen and were at the rear of a lock up greengrocer's. However in April Joseph Taylor and his wife had taken ownership of both the building and the business and decided to live on the premises.
The two tenants were offered the Taylor's old house in Wilson Street, near Boundary Road, but refused it because they didn't like the neighbourhood. The fussy Finnigans also turned down two other properties – including one in Devon Street claiming it was dirty. This was despite being given an assurance that the house would be cleaned.
Ellen Finnigan told the magistrates that they would leave Exeter Street as soon as they could find somewhere suitable to live. However that could take some time as there was a severe housing shortage in St Helens. The magistrates felt the Taylors had behaved reasonably and issued an order compelling the Finnigans to leave within three weeks. This went down badly with Ellen Finnigan, who left the court asking whether their son had been killed in the war in order for them to be turfed out of their own home.
Last week the St Helens Pals came marching home from the war. Well they came by train really, but you know what I mean! On the 21st it was the turn of the Engineers – or to give them their full regimental title – the 419th Field Company of the Royal Engineers (a.k.a. 1st West Lancs). They were essentially a St Helens unit based in Croppers Hill but were not as celebrated as the Pals – probably through being smaller in number and the nature of the work that many did.
In fact only 25 men and their Captain returned home from Brussels and only eleven were actually from St Helens or Prescot. Many of their members had already come back to the town after being discharged but those that remained still received a fitting welcome home, as the Reporter revealed:
"Flags were flying in all directions on Saturday morning and throughout the day, and a large number of townspeople turned out to join in the official welcome which was accorded at the front of the Town Hall. There was also a crowd of people outside the railway station when the men arrived shortly after four o’clock. About a hundred ex-servicemen of the local corps of Engineers mustered, and, headed by the drums and bugles of the Boys' Brigade marched down to the railway station and lined up there.
"The returning cadre was given a rousing cheer as the men emerged at the station entrance, and many a hearty greeting between old comrades was witnessed before the men were finally drawn up at the head of the ex-service contingent, and a procession was formed to the Town Hall, by way of Church-street and Hardshaw-street, mounted police leading the way, and members of the Boys' Brigade bringing up the rear."
In St Helens Police Court on the 21st Peter Gornall from Allanson Street was fined £10 or two months in prison for taking betting slips in Pocket Nook. The 44-year-old admitted working for a bookmaker named Bond, to which Alderman Henry Martin, the Chairman of the Bench, said: "What! The notorious Bond?" and the Chief Constable replied: "Yes".
It was a reference to Albin Bond from Higher Parr Street who had a long history with gambling, having been fined fifteen times by St Helens magistrates. On what I think was the last occasion in October 1917, he had been fined the huge sum of £100. Bond owned a chip shop that the police believed was little more than a front for his betting activities. Bookies routinely paid their men's fines and someone at the back of the court immediately paid Peter Gornall's £10 penalty for him.
In court on the 23rd it was revealed that John Williams from Liverpool Road had picked the wrong men to beg from. In Canal Street the labourer had approached two plain-clothes policemen and asked them for money, saying he had come from Staffordshire and couldn't find work.
Upon being arrested by PC Pugh and taken to the police station at the Town Hall, Williams had asked if they could stop off at a pub and have half a glass of beer! Needless to say his request was denied and as Williams had previous convictions, he was sent to prison for 28 days.
'Les Bastiens' were back at the Hippodrome from the 23rd. They were a team of comedy acrobats who modestly described themselves as the: "most marvellous and famous comedy entertainers in the world". The other music hall acts on the bill were: Maggie McClean ("The Lancashire mill girl with the wonderful voice"); Riley's Wonders ("In their original act, playing at pantomime"); Mark Coney ("The polite comedian"); Berry and Hart ("Brilliant vocalists") and Bandmaster Morris ("Entertainer").
Mark Coney was also known as "the whistling comedian" and appearing in Mansfield in 1921 he was listed as "comedian, in polite transmissions of original humour". Not the most inviting of strap-lines! Maggie McClean was described as a "young Lancashire lassie", who had been discovered working in a Stockport mill where she was "singing as she worked from morning to night".
Next week's stories will include the "thoroughly bad lad" from Queens Park, the Parr Street penny beggar, the man who got one in the eye at the Hippodrome, the death of a St Helens cigarette maker, three "disgusted ex-soldiers" complain about the lack of jobs in the town and a Balfour Street benefit fraud.
We begin on the 17th when three boys appeared in St Helens Police Court charged with being on enclosed premises for an unlawful purpose – which was to steal toffee! John Bate (11) and Edward Kearns (8) – both from Water Street – and Michael Mee (11) from New Market Place had been seen by Sergeant Lomas trying to break into Rose's sweet shop. The boys had removed two slates from the shop's pantry roof and they admitted having gone there to take some sweets. The threesome were placed on probation with their parents ordered to pay the court costs.
This notice headed "Rainford Village School Treat" was published in the Tuesday Reporter on the 17th: "Sports will be held on Mr. Houghton's field, near School Brow (two minutes from Rookery Station and about four from Rainford Village). Moss Bank Brass Band will play for Dancing, and Mr. Ryan will be in attendance with his Hobby Horses, Swings, Alpine railway, Hoop-la, etc. There will also be dancing in the Village Hall from 9 to 12 in the evening." Neither of those railway stations is now in existence with School Brow being the road from Pasture Lane to the Derby Arms that's now part of Church Road.
The trouble began when John Williams was seen "committing a nuisance" against the gate of the County Bank. That was the euphemism often used in court for urinating in public. The miner from Hammond Street in Parr gave PC Murrant a false address and the suspicious officer asked Williams to accompany him to the station so it could be verified. This Williams refused to do and he became very violent and then his friend William Bingham from Gaskell Street decided to intervene.
PC Metcalfe warned Bingham to go away or be locked up and his reward was a fist in the face, damaging his false teeth. During a 20-minute struggle none of the crowd would help the embattled officers. Instead some threatened the constables and encouraged Williams and Bingham to attack them, repeatedly shouting "Go on, let him have it".
It wasn't until more police officers arrived that the two miners could be taken into custody and in court Williams and Bingham were charged with assault, damaging false teeth and committing a nuisance. For their attacks on the police – in which PC Murrant said he had been struck about the face and body and "belted" in the stomach by Williams' knee – the two men were fined just 20 shillings each.
Inspector Bowden gave evidence that he had seen the lads walking abreast and jostling each other. They were causing an obstruction and people had to walk in the road. The inspector said that when he approached the group, they all "bolted" but after a chase of 400 yards, John Hilton was caught and he gave the names of the others. The Chairman of the Bench said this obstruction had to be stopped and he fined all five youths ten shillings each.
There was an unusual prosecution on the 20th when labourer William Chisnall was fined ten shillings for obstructing the footpath in Havelock Street through lying across it playing cards. Presumably the police were not able to prove that gambling had taken place, as they were required to show that money had changed hands in order to bring a prosecution.
Also on that day an application was made for an ejectment order to take possession of rooms at 50 Exeter Street. These had for some years been occupied by Hugh Finnigan and his wife Ellen and were at the rear of a lock up greengrocer's. However in April Joseph Taylor and his wife had taken ownership of both the building and the business and decided to live on the premises.
The two tenants were offered the Taylor's old house in Wilson Street, near Boundary Road, but refused it because they didn't like the neighbourhood. The fussy Finnigans also turned down two other properties – including one in Devon Street claiming it was dirty. This was despite being given an assurance that the house would be cleaned.
Ellen Finnigan told the magistrates that they would leave Exeter Street as soon as they could find somewhere suitable to live. However that could take some time as there was a severe housing shortage in St Helens. The magistrates felt the Taylors had behaved reasonably and issued an order compelling the Finnigans to leave within three weeks. This went down badly with Ellen Finnigan, who left the court asking whether their son had been killed in the war in order for them to be turfed out of their own home.
Last week the St Helens Pals came marching home from the war. Well they came by train really, but you know what I mean! On the 21st it was the turn of the Engineers – or to give them their full regimental title – the 419th Field Company of the Royal Engineers (a.k.a. 1st West Lancs). They were essentially a St Helens unit based in Croppers Hill but were not as celebrated as the Pals – probably through being smaller in number and the nature of the work that many did.
In fact only 25 men and their Captain returned home from Brussels and only eleven were actually from St Helens or Prescot. Many of their members had already come back to the town after being discharged but those that remained still received a fitting welcome home, as the Reporter revealed:
"Flags were flying in all directions on Saturday morning and throughout the day, and a large number of townspeople turned out to join in the official welcome which was accorded at the front of the Town Hall. There was also a crowd of people outside the railway station when the men arrived shortly after four o’clock. About a hundred ex-servicemen of the local corps of Engineers mustered, and, headed by the drums and bugles of the Boys' Brigade marched down to the railway station and lined up there.
"The returning cadre was given a rousing cheer as the men emerged at the station entrance, and many a hearty greeting between old comrades was witnessed before the men were finally drawn up at the head of the ex-service contingent, and a procession was formed to the Town Hall, by way of Church-street and Hardshaw-street, mounted police leading the way, and members of the Boys' Brigade bringing up the rear."
In St Helens Police Court on the 21st Peter Gornall from Allanson Street was fined £10 or two months in prison for taking betting slips in Pocket Nook. The 44-year-old admitted working for a bookmaker named Bond, to which Alderman Henry Martin, the Chairman of the Bench, said: "What! The notorious Bond?" and the Chief Constable replied: "Yes".
It was a reference to Albin Bond from Higher Parr Street who had a long history with gambling, having been fined fifteen times by St Helens magistrates. On what I think was the last occasion in October 1917, he had been fined the huge sum of £100. Bond owned a chip shop that the police believed was little more than a front for his betting activities. Bookies routinely paid their men's fines and someone at the back of the court immediately paid Peter Gornall's £10 penalty for him.
In court on the 23rd it was revealed that John Williams from Liverpool Road had picked the wrong men to beg from. In Canal Street the labourer had approached two plain-clothes policemen and asked them for money, saying he had come from Staffordshire and couldn't find work.
Upon being arrested by PC Pugh and taken to the police station at the Town Hall, Williams had asked if they could stop off at a pub and have half a glass of beer! Needless to say his request was denied and as Williams had previous convictions, he was sent to prison for 28 days.
'Les Bastiens' were back at the Hippodrome from the 23rd. They were a team of comedy acrobats who modestly described themselves as the: "most marvellous and famous comedy entertainers in the world". The other music hall acts on the bill were: Maggie McClean ("The Lancashire mill girl with the wonderful voice"); Riley's Wonders ("In their original act, playing at pantomime"); Mark Coney ("The polite comedian"); Berry and Hart ("Brilliant vocalists") and Bandmaster Morris ("Entertainer").
Mark Coney was also known as "the whistling comedian" and appearing in Mansfield in 1921 he was listed as "comedian, in polite transmissions of original humour". Not the most inviting of strap-lines! Maggie McClean was described as a "young Lancashire lassie", who had been discovered working in a Stockport mill where she was "singing as she worked from morning to night".
Next week's stories will include the "thoroughly bad lad" from Queens Park, the Parr Street penny beggar, the man who got one in the eye at the Hippodrome, the death of a St Helens cigarette maker, three "disgusted ex-soldiers" complain about the lack of jobs in the town and a Balfour Street benefit fraud.