IOO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 18 - 24 MARCH 1924
This week's many stories include the treatment available for "defective" children, the food and milk support on offer for new mothers and pregnant women, the three trains that bumped into each other at St Helens Station, the Parr caravan dwellers playing banker and the pressure placed on a young wife to return to her brutal husband.
We begin on the 18th with the inquest into Alice Jolley of Derbyshire Hill Road. The 43-year-old had died from severe burns after her clothes had caught fire. Similar deaths of young children at home were very common but burns fatalities of adults were rare. However, the root causes of the deceased wearing highly flammable clothing and getting too close to a house fire were just the same. Mrs Jolley had been dusting the fireguard when her skirt was ignited. A 15-year-old neighbour, Mary Ford, tried to beat out the flames with a sack and then called for help, but the woman died two days later.
This week proposals were made to reduce the high level of infantile mortality in children in St Helens, particularly of babies under seven days of age. In many instances it was believed that mothers not eating sufficient good food was the cause. A few years ago such women had access to feeding centres, but the Government grant that paid for them was removed.
At the latest meeting of the St Helens Health Committee, their Medical Officer, Dr Frank Hauxwell, proposed a scheme in which five places in St Helens would provide a midday meal for mothers who were at least seven months pregnant. Women that had recently given birth and whose child was being entirely breastfed would also qualify for the free food or milk.
Those mothers that were unable to attend a centre, either because of their condition or because their nearest one was too far away, would be allowed a quart of fresh milk per day. Qualification would also not be means tested, but would be at the discretion of the staff of the Medical Officer. The committee decided that their scheme would run for an experimental period of three months.
The School Medical Officer also submitted a report to another committee regarding the treatment of what were called "defective" elementary schoolchildren. A curious term to use but defective simply meant those kids requiring dental or medical treatment for minor ailments. Centres were going to be established in Derbyshire Hill, Thatto Heath, Sutton and Sutton Manor.
It was also agreed for an assistant school dentist to be employed, as well as a nurse to assist him. Another nurse would be employed to help treat minor ailments at the new district treatment centres. The latter would be paid £2 17s 6d per week, as well as a uniform allowance of £8 a year. However, she would also receive a bicycle allowance of £5 per annum, allowing her to pedal between the different treatment centres. It was also decided that a detailed proposal be submitted to establish an open-air school for delicate children – what would eventually become known as Hamblett School.
There was chaos at St Helens railway station on the 19th when three trains bumped into each other. An early morning train that took miners to Clock Face had returned to the station and was standing empty in a bay when the 7:50am train from St Helens Junction steamed in. That was described as having "bumped rather violently" into the stationary train but caused no serious injuries.
Before matters could be straightened out, the 8:07 train came along the line and decided to join the party by crashing into the passenger train. The guard received injuries to his face, as well as sustaining shock, whilst one of the firemen also received slight injuries. The trains were not seriously damaged but much time elapsed before they could be removed and the lines inspected and declared safe for further traffic.
Also on the 19th St Helens Parks Committee accepted applications from twelve local bands to each make two performances in the town's parks during the summer. Each band would be paid the sum of £5 10 shillings for their performance. In January the committee had decided to install hard tennis courts in Sutton Park (pictured above) but at this week's meeting it was learnt that they had no money to pay for them – and so the plans were kicked, so to speak, into the park's long grass.
The St Helens Reporter on the 21st described another claim by a battered wife for a separation order against her spouse. During the early 20th century, these were in reality court applications for maintenance payments. However, the magistrates were reluctant to grant the order if the couple were young – even when a litany of violence was alleged. Often in these cases when the wife accused her husband of abuse he would respond by blaming his in-laws for causing the trouble – although in many cases they were simply defending their daughter or sister from her violent husband.
As for the alleged acts, the husband would claim exaggeration by his wife and sometimes completely deny everything. The latter was the strategy of Thomas Grice of Borough Road when he was accused of giving his wife Mary five black eyes in just twenty months of marriage. During the first year of their married life the couple had lived with Mary's mother but since then they had resided with her sister and brother-in-law.
On the 9th of this month Thomas was said to have returned home for his supper but had refused to eat what was put in front of him. Instead Mary said he rose from his chair and knocked her to the floor. Upon her getting up, she said he struck her again on the jaw. On the following morning his wife was again knocked about several times and eventually Grice left home taking their bed with him, which left his wife having to sleep in a chair.
This was some of the court dialogue between the couple as quoted in the St Helens Reporter: "Thomas: I have not struck you; what do you think about that statement? It is only your sister and her husband who have been agitating all the trouble….On the 13th March I asked her to come away in the hearing of P.C. Ridding. I have a place in Eldon-street. Mary: Yes, fifty yards from his mother's back door. I simply dare not live with my husband, he knocks me about so."
The Bench asked the man if he would treat Mary decently if she went away with him and his response was: "Yes, if she will come away from her own people." The court asked Mary whether she could find another place for her and her husband to live away from her sister, and she replied: "I don't know that I want to; I am frightened of my life with him." The Clerk to the Court then said: "But he promises to treat you better."
There was much pressure on Mary to agree to live with her brutal husband on a flimsy promise of reform. Despite her sister corroborating Mary's evidence of brutality, the husband claimed the testimony was "all lies". In conclusion, the Reporter wrote: "Eventually, the Bench adjourned the case for two weeks so as to allow Mr. Holmes [court social officer] another opportunity to breach the gap in the lives of the young people. The Bench hoped that in the meantime the defendant would pay his wife £1 a week."
Chucking stones at gas lamps was a popular pastime with lads. But with bobbies on their beats nearby, they could soon find themselves in trouble if caught. At the age of 21 Robert Birchall from Newton Road was rather old to be breaking lamps. But despite it being mid-March snow had been lying on the ground in St Helens and Robert could not resist the temptation of chucking a snowball at a lamp. However, PC Shepherd heard the crash of glass and he chased Robert for a quarter of a mile until he collared him. "I did not know I was such a good shot", was Robert's excuse and this week in court he was fined 10 shillings.
In various places in St Helens the housing shortage was overcome through people living in caravans. In another case PC Higgs described how he had been tipped off that a group of men living in caravans parked on wasteland off Baker Street in Parr were sat outside playing "banker". The card game also called baccarat was very popular in St Helens but it was illegal if played for money.
The gamblers had a lookout posted but he clearly was not up to the job. As soon as he saw the police approach, the lookout bolted, allowing PC Higgs to catch the men red-handed. William Rogers was charged with gaming with cards but he denied the offence, oddly claiming he had gone to the place to "pick up some things that had fallen down". However, he was found guilty and fined 10 shillings.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Higher Parr Street assault in which parts of a man's ears were bitten off, the curious marital separation case, the prosecution for attempting suicide and the Rainford platelayer's reward for saving a train.
We begin on the 18th with the inquest into Alice Jolley of Derbyshire Hill Road. The 43-year-old had died from severe burns after her clothes had caught fire. Similar deaths of young children at home were very common but burns fatalities of adults were rare. However, the root causes of the deceased wearing highly flammable clothing and getting too close to a house fire were just the same. Mrs Jolley had been dusting the fireguard when her skirt was ignited. A 15-year-old neighbour, Mary Ford, tried to beat out the flames with a sack and then called for help, but the woman died two days later.
This week proposals were made to reduce the high level of infantile mortality in children in St Helens, particularly of babies under seven days of age. In many instances it was believed that mothers not eating sufficient good food was the cause. A few years ago such women had access to feeding centres, but the Government grant that paid for them was removed.
At the latest meeting of the St Helens Health Committee, their Medical Officer, Dr Frank Hauxwell, proposed a scheme in which five places in St Helens would provide a midday meal for mothers who were at least seven months pregnant. Women that had recently given birth and whose child was being entirely breastfed would also qualify for the free food or milk.
Those mothers that were unable to attend a centre, either because of their condition or because their nearest one was too far away, would be allowed a quart of fresh milk per day. Qualification would also not be means tested, but would be at the discretion of the staff of the Medical Officer. The committee decided that their scheme would run for an experimental period of three months.
The School Medical Officer also submitted a report to another committee regarding the treatment of what were called "defective" elementary schoolchildren. A curious term to use but defective simply meant those kids requiring dental or medical treatment for minor ailments. Centres were going to be established in Derbyshire Hill, Thatto Heath, Sutton and Sutton Manor.
It was also agreed for an assistant school dentist to be employed, as well as a nurse to assist him. Another nurse would be employed to help treat minor ailments at the new district treatment centres. The latter would be paid £2 17s 6d per week, as well as a uniform allowance of £8 a year. However, she would also receive a bicycle allowance of £5 per annum, allowing her to pedal between the different treatment centres. It was also decided that a detailed proposal be submitted to establish an open-air school for delicate children – what would eventually become known as Hamblett School.
There was chaos at St Helens railway station on the 19th when three trains bumped into each other. An early morning train that took miners to Clock Face had returned to the station and was standing empty in a bay when the 7:50am train from St Helens Junction steamed in. That was described as having "bumped rather violently" into the stationary train but caused no serious injuries.
Before matters could be straightened out, the 8:07 train came along the line and decided to join the party by crashing into the passenger train. The guard received injuries to his face, as well as sustaining shock, whilst one of the firemen also received slight injuries. The trains were not seriously damaged but much time elapsed before they could be removed and the lines inspected and declared safe for further traffic.
The St Helens Reporter on the 21st described another claim by a battered wife for a separation order against her spouse. During the early 20th century, these were in reality court applications for maintenance payments. However, the magistrates were reluctant to grant the order if the couple were young – even when a litany of violence was alleged. Often in these cases when the wife accused her husband of abuse he would respond by blaming his in-laws for causing the trouble – although in many cases they were simply defending their daughter or sister from her violent husband.
As for the alleged acts, the husband would claim exaggeration by his wife and sometimes completely deny everything. The latter was the strategy of Thomas Grice of Borough Road when he was accused of giving his wife Mary five black eyes in just twenty months of marriage. During the first year of their married life the couple had lived with Mary's mother but since then they had resided with her sister and brother-in-law.
On the 9th of this month Thomas was said to have returned home for his supper but had refused to eat what was put in front of him. Instead Mary said he rose from his chair and knocked her to the floor. Upon her getting up, she said he struck her again on the jaw. On the following morning his wife was again knocked about several times and eventually Grice left home taking their bed with him, which left his wife having to sleep in a chair.
This was some of the court dialogue between the couple as quoted in the St Helens Reporter: "Thomas: I have not struck you; what do you think about that statement? It is only your sister and her husband who have been agitating all the trouble….On the 13th March I asked her to come away in the hearing of P.C. Ridding. I have a place in Eldon-street. Mary: Yes, fifty yards from his mother's back door. I simply dare not live with my husband, he knocks me about so."
The Bench asked the man if he would treat Mary decently if she went away with him and his response was: "Yes, if she will come away from her own people." The court asked Mary whether she could find another place for her and her husband to live away from her sister, and she replied: "I don't know that I want to; I am frightened of my life with him." The Clerk to the Court then said: "But he promises to treat you better."
There was much pressure on Mary to agree to live with her brutal husband on a flimsy promise of reform. Despite her sister corroborating Mary's evidence of brutality, the husband claimed the testimony was "all lies". In conclusion, the Reporter wrote: "Eventually, the Bench adjourned the case for two weeks so as to allow Mr. Holmes [court social officer] another opportunity to breach the gap in the lives of the young people. The Bench hoped that in the meantime the defendant would pay his wife £1 a week."
Chucking stones at gas lamps was a popular pastime with lads. But with bobbies on their beats nearby, they could soon find themselves in trouble if caught. At the age of 21 Robert Birchall from Newton Road was rather old to be breaking lamps. But despite it being mid-March snow had been lying on the ground in St Helens and Robert could not resist the temptation of chucking a snowball at a lamp. However, PC Shepherd heard the crash of glass and he chased Robert for a quarter of a mile until he collared him. "I did not know I was such a good shot", was Robert's excuse and this week in court he was fined 10 shillings.
In various places in St Helens the housing shortage was overcome through people living in caravans. In another case PC Higgs described how he had been tipped off that a group of men living in caravans parked on wasteland off Baker Street in Parr were sat outside playing "banker". The card game also called baccarat was very popular in St Helens but it was illegal if played for money.
The gamblers had a lookout posted but he clearly was not up to the job. As soon as he saw the police approach, the lookout bolted, allowing PC Higgs to catch the men red-handed. William Rogers was charged with gaming with cards but he denied the offence, oddly claiming he had gone to the place to "pick up some things that had fallen down". However, he was found guilty and fined 10 shillings.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Higher Parr Street assault in which parts of a man's ears were bitten off, the curious marital separation case, the prosecution for attempting suicide and the Rainford platelayer's reward for saving a train.
This week's many stories include the treatment available for "defective" children, the food and milk support on offer for new mothers and pregnant women, the three trains that bumped into each other at St Helens Station, the Parr caravan dwellers playing banker and the pressure placed on a young wife to return to her brutal husband.
We begin on the 18th with the inquest into Alice Jolley of Derbyshire Hill Road. The 43-year-old had died from severe burns after her clothes had caught fire.
Similar deaths of young children at home were very common but burns fatalities of adults were rare.
However, the root causes of the deceased wearing highly flammable clothing and getting too close to a house fire were just the same.
Mrs Jolley had been dusting the fireguard when her skirt was ignited. A 15-year-old neighbour, Mary Ford, tried to beat out the flames with a sack and then called for help, but the woman died two days later.
This week proposals were made to reduce the high level of infantile mortality in children in St Helens, particularly of babies under seven days of age.
In many instances it was believed that mothers not eating sufficient good food was the cause.
A few years ago such women had access to feeding centres, but the Government grant that paid for them was removed.
At the latest meeting of the St Helens Health Committee, their Medical Officer, Dr Frank Hauxwell, proposed a scheme in which five places in St Helens would provide a midday meal for mothers who were at least seven months pregnant.
Women that had recently given birth and whose child was being entirely breastfed would also qualify for the free food or milk.
Those mothers that were unable to attend a centre, either because of their condition or because their nearest one was too far away, would be allowed a quart of fresh milk per day.
Qualification would also not be means tested, but would be at the discretion of the staff of the Medical Officer.
The committee decided that their scheme would run for an experimental period of three months.
The School Medical Officer also submitted a report to another committee regarding the treatment of what were called "defective" elementary schoolchildren.
A curious term to use but defective simply meant those kids requiring dental or medical treatment for minor ailments.
Centres were going to be established in Derbyshire Hill, Thatto Heath, Sutton and Sutton Manor.
It was also agreed for an assistant school dentist to be employed, as well as a nurse to assist him.
Another nurse would be employed to help treat minor ailments at the new district treatment centres.
The latter would be paid £2 17s 6d per week, as well as a uniform allowance of £8 a year.
However, she would also receive a bicycle allowance of £5 per annum, allowing her to pedal between the different treatment centres.
It was also decided that a detailed proposal be submitted to establish an open-air school for delicate children – what would eventually become known as Hamblett School.
There was chaos at St Helens railway station on the 19th when three trains bumped into each other.
An early morning train that took miners to Clock Face had returned to the station and was standing empty in a bay when the 7:50am train from St Helens Junction steamed in.
That was described as having "bumped rather violently" into the stationary train but caused no serious injuries.
Before matters could be straightened out, the 8:07 train came along the line and decided to join the party by crashing into the passenger train.
The guard received injuries to his face, as well as sustaining shock, whilst one of the firemen also received slight injuries.
The trains were not seriously damaged but much time elapsed before they could be removed and the lines inspected and declared safe for further traffic.
Also on the 19th St Helens Parks Committee accepted applications from twelve local bands to each make two performances in the town's parks during the summer. Each band would be paid the sum of £5 10 shillings for their performance.
In January the committee had decided to install hard tennis courts in Sutton Park (pictured above) but at this week's meeting it was learnt that they had no money to pay for them – and so the plans were kicked, so to speak, into the park's long grass.
The St Helens Reporter on the 21st described another claim by a battered wife for a separation order against her spouse.
During the early 20th century, these were in reality court applications for maintenance payments.
However, the magistrates were reluctant to grant the order if the couple were young – even when a litany of violence was alleged.
Often in these cases when the wife accused her husband of abuse he would respond by blaming his in-laws for causing the trouble – although in many cases they were simply defending their daughter or sister from her violent husband.
As for the alleged acts, the husband would claim exaggeration by his wife and sometimes completely deny everything.
The latter was the strategy of Thomas Grice of Borough Road when he was accused of giving his wife Mary five black eyes in just twenty months of marriage.
During the first year of their married life the couple had lived with Mary's mother but since then they had resided with her sister and brother-in-law.
On the 9th of this month Thomas was said to have returned home for his supper but had refused to eat what was put in front of him.
Instead Mary said he rose from his chair and knocked her to the floor. Upon her getting up, she said he struck her again on the jaw.
On the following morning his wife was again knocked about several times and eventually Grice left home taking their bed with him, which left his wife having to sleep in a chair.
This was some of the court dialogue between the couple as quoted in the St Helens Reporter:
"Thomas: I have not struck you; what do you think about that statement? It is only your sister and her husband who have been agitating all the trouble….On the 13th March I asked her to come away in the hearing of P.C. Ridding. I have a place in Eldon-street.
"Mary: Yes, fifty yards from his mother's back door. I simply dare not live with my husband, he knocks me about so."
The Bench asked the man if he would treat Mary decently if she went away with him and his response was: "Yes, if she will come away from her own people."
The court asked Mary whether she could find another place for her and her husband to live away from her sister, and she replied:
"I don't know that I want to; I am frightened of my life with him." The Clerk to the Court then said: "But he promises to treat you better."
There was much pressure on Mary to agree to live with her brutal husband on a flimsy promise of reform.
Despite her sister corroborating Mary's evidence of brutality, the husband claimed the testimony was "all lies". In conclusion, the Reporter wrote:
"Eventually, the Bench adjourned the case for two weeks so as to allow Mr. Holmes [court social officer] another opportunity to breach the gap in the lives of the young people. The Bench hoped that in the meantime the defendant would pay his wife £1 a week."
Chucking stones at gas lamps was a popular pastime with lads. But with bobbies on their beats nearby, they could soon find themselves in trouble if caught.
At the age of 21 Robert Birchall from Newton Road was rather old to be breaking lamps.
But despite it being mid-March snow had been lying on the ground in St Helens and Robert could not resist the temptation of chucking a snowball at a lamp.
However, PC Shepherd heard the crash of glass and he chased Robert for a quarter of a mile until he collared him.
"I did not know I was such a good shot", was Robert's excuse and this week in court he was fined 10 shillings.
In various places in St Helens the housing shortage was overcome through people living in caravans.
In another case PC Higgs described how he had been tipped off that a group of men living in caravans parked on wasteland off Baker Street in Parr were sat outside playing "banker".
The card game also called baccarat was very popular in St Helens but it was illegal if played for money.
The gamblers had a lookout posted but he clearly was not up to the job. As soon as he saw the police approach, the lookout bolted, allowing PC Higgs to catch the men red-handed.
William Rogers was charged with gaming with cards but he denied the offence, oddly claiming he had gone to the place to "pick up some things that had fallen down". However, he was found guilty and fined 10 shillings.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Higher Parr Street assault in which parts of a man's ears were bitten off, the curious marital separation case, the prosecution for attempting suicide and the Rainford platelayer's reward for saving a train.
We begin on the 18th with the inquest into Alice Jolley of Derbyshire Hill Road. The 43-year-old had died from severe burns after her clothes had caught fire.
Similar deaths of young children at home were very common but burns fatalities of adults were rare.
However, the root causes of the deceased wearing highly flammable clothing and getting too close to a house fire were just the same.
Mrs Jolley had been dusting the fireguard when her skirt was ignited. A 15-year-old neighbour, Mary Ford, tried to beat out the flames with a sack and then called for help, but the woman died two days later.
This week proposals were made to reduce the high level of infantile mortality in children in St Helens, particularly of babies under seven days of age.
In many instances it was believed that mothers not eating sufficient good food was the cause.
A few years ago such women had access to feeding centres, but the Government grant that paid for them was removed.
At the latest meeting of the St Helens Health Committee, their Medical Officer, Dr Frank Hauxwell, proposed a scheme in which five places in St Helens would provide a midday meal for mothers who were at least seven months pregnant.
Women that had recently given birth and whose child was being entirely breastfed would also qualify for the free food or milk.
Those mothers that were unable to attend a centre, either because of their condition or because their nearest one was too far away, would be allowed a quart of fresh milk per day.
Qualification would also not be means tested, but would be at the discretion of the staff of the Medical Officer.
The committee decided that their scheme would run for an experimental period of three months.
The School Medical Officer also submitted a report to another committee regarding the treatment of what were called "defective" elementary schoolchildren.
A curious term to use but defective simply meant those kids requiring dental or medical treatment for minor ailments.
Centres were going to be established in Derbyshire Hill, Thatto Heath, Sutton and Sutton Manor.
It was also agreed for an assistant school dentist to be employed, as well as a nurse to assist him.
Another nurse would be employed to help treat minor ailments at the new district treatment centres.
The latter would be paid £2 17s 6d per week, as well as a uniform allowance of £8 a year.
However, she would also receive a bicycle allowance of £5 per annum, allowing her to pedal between the different treatment centres.
It was also decided that a detailed proposal be submitted to establish an open-air school for delicate children – what would eventually become known as Hamblett School.
There was chaos at St Helens railway station on the 19th when three trains bumped into each other.
An early morning train that took miners to Clock Face had returned to the station and was standing empty in a bay when the 7:50am train from St Helens Junction steamed in.
That was described as having "bumped rather violently" into the stationary train but caused no serious injuries.
Before matters could be straightened out, the 8:07 train came along the line and decided to join the party by crashing into the passenger train.
The guard received injuries to his face, as well as sustaining shock, whilst one of the firemen also received slight injuries.
The trains were not seriously damaged but much time elapsed before they could be removed and the lines inspected and declared safe for further traffic.
Also on the 19th St Helens Parks Committee accepted applications from twelve local bands to each make two performances in the town's parks during the summer. Each band would be paid the sum of £5 10 shillings for their performance.
The St Helens Reporter on the 21st described another claim by a battered wife for a separation order against her spouse.
During the early 20th century, these were in reality court applications for maintenance payments.
However, the magistrates were reluctant to grant the order if the couple were young – even when a litany of violence was alleged.
Often in these cases when the wife accused her husband of abuse he would respond by blaming his in-laws for causing the trouble – although in many cases they were simply defending their daughter or sister from her violent husband.
As for the alleged acts, the husband would claim exaggeration by his wife and sometimes completely deny everything.
The latter was the strategy of Thomas Grice of Borough Road when he was accused of giving his wife Mary five black eyes in just twenty months of marriage.
During the first year of their married life the couple had lived with Mary's mother but since then they had resided with her sister and brother-in-law.
On the 9th of this month Thomas was said to have returned home for his supper but had refused to eat what was put in front of him.
Instead Mary said he rose from his chair and knocked her to the floor. Upon her getting up, she said he struck her again on the jaw.
On the following morning his wife was again knocked about several times and eventually Grice left home taking their bed with him, which left his wife having to sleep in a chair.
This was some of the court dialogue between the couple as quoted in the St Helens Reporter:
"Thomas: I have not struck you; what do you think about that statement? It is only your sister and her husband who have been agitating all the trouble….On the 13th March I asked her to come away in the hearing of P.C. Ridding. I have a place in Eldon-street.
"Mary: Yes, fifty yards from his mother's back door. I simply dare not live with my husband, he knocks me about so."
The Bench asked the man if he would treat Mary decently if she went away with him and his response was: "Yes, if she will come away from her own people."
The court asked Mary whether she could find another place for her and her husband to live away from her sister, and she replied:
"I don't know that I want to; I am frightened of my life with him." The Clerk to the Court then said: "But he promises to treat you better."
There was much pressure on Mary to agree to live with her brutal husband on a flimsy promise of reform.
Despite her sister corroborating Mary's evidence of brutality, the husband claimed the testimony was "all lies". In conclusion, the Reporter wrote:
"Eventually, the Bench adjourned the case for two weeks so as to allow Mr. Holmes [court social officer] another opportunity to breach the gap in the lives of the young people. The Bench hoped that in the meantime the defendant would pay his wife £1 a week."
Chucking stones at gas lamps was a popular pastime with lads. But with bobbies on their beats nearby, they could soon find themselves in trouble if caught.
At the age of 21 Robert Birchall from Newton Road was rather old to be breaking lamps.
But despite it being mid-March snow had been lying on the ground in St Helens and Robert could not resist the temptation of chucking a snowball at a lamp.
However, PC Shepherd heard the crash of glass and he chased Robert for a quarter of a mile until he collared him.
"I did not know I was such a good shot", was Robert's excuse and this week in court he was fined 10 shillings.
In various places in St Helens the housing shortage was overcome through people living in caravans.
In another case PC Higgs described how he had been tipped off that a group of men living in caravans parked on wasteland off Baker Street in Parr were sat outside playing "banker".
The card game also called baccarat was very popular in St Helens but it was illegal if played for money.
The gamblers had a lookout posted but he clearly was not up to the job. As soon as he saw the police approach, the lookout bolted, allowing PC Higgs to catch the men red-handed.
William Rogers was charged with gaming with cards but he denied the offence, oddly claiming he had gone to the place to "pick up some things that had fallen down". However, he was found guilty and fined 10 shillings.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Higher Parr Street assault in which parts of a man's ears were bitten off, the curious marital separation case, the prosecution for attempting suicide and the Rainford platelayer's reward for saving a train.