IOO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 24 FEB - 2 MARCH 1925
This week's stories include the flooding at Peasley Cross Bridge that led to two prosecutions taking place, the aliens who were in trouble in St Helens, two mineworkers are killed down Sherdley Colliery in Peasley Cross, there's disappointment with the news that the King would not be staying at Knowsley Hall, and the Cooper Street courting and card playing case.
Since the war and the creation of the St Helens and District Blind Welfare Society, much fundraising had been undertaken. On February 26th the Society's annual concert was held in St Helens Town Hall performed by the Frivolities Concert Party from Manchester. Their advert in the St Helens Reporter had said:
"One bright flow of gaiety, fun and frolic by the Seven Frivolites". Tickets cost 1 shilling, 2 shillings or 2/6. In its review of their performance the Reporter wrote: "The Party are similar to others of the kind, with this difference, as their name denotes, that they indulge in much more burlesque, their items being thoroughly original and quite up to date."
When Emiline Gerard of Cooper Street appeared in St Helens Police Court on the 27th charged with assault she told the Bench: "There were courters in the kitchen and card playing going on in the parlour, and not being used to gambling, I objected to it." Abigail Crosland had brought the case and was partially blind and required a police constable to escort her to the witness box.
She claimed that Mrs Gerard had given her a violent dig in the arms and threatened to throw her into the street and added that if she had her bad character she would drown herself. It was another longstanding and silly dispute between two women and Mrs Gerard was fined 10 shillings.
"ALIENS IN ST. HELENS", screamed the headline in the St Helens Reporter on the 27th, although no one in the town would have been too concerned. This, of course, was the 1920s when the word aliens only meant foreigners. Non-British citizens had needed to register with the police since 1914 but once the post-war wave of unemployment had set in, the Aliens Order of 1920 had created even tougher rules.
Passports were made mandatory and aliens seeking employment or residence that failed to register with the police could be deported. But what Joseph Dakotis was accused of doing was not that serious that he might fear expulsion. The man had moved from an address in Ashcroft Street to Brown Street without informing the police.
When Joseph appeared in St Helens Police Court this week he was fined £1 and his new landlady was fined £2. She was Mary Shergalis and it was her responsibility to keep a register of all aliens sleeping on her premises. Mary appeared to have been an alien herself, as she required an interpreter in court to explain the charge.
"Police To Spy On Shops" was the rather dramatic headline to a Reporter article which stated that the council's Health Committee had decided that administering the Shops Act should now be the responsibility of the police. "If the Council adopt the Health Committee's recommendation," wrote the paper, "the tradesmen of St. Helens can look forward to an intensified form of officialdom, plus a system of traps, such as they have not yet known."
The Reporter also described how Rainford Congregational Church had held their first annual eisteddfod at the Village Hall writing: "Artistes for many miles round flocked to the village to compete in the numerous items". Although the afternoon attendance was barely 100, which raised fears of the organisers suffering a financial loss, the evening saw 500 persons filling the hall and extra seating accommodation needing to be brought in.
During that same evening the Rainford Potteries dinner was held at the Fleece Hotel in St Helens and the Reporter said there had been a "complete absence of fuss and formality, coupled with a spirit of camaraderie that prevailed from the first expectant moment to the happy last."
The floods at Peasley Cross Bridge (pictured above) figured in two court cases this week and in one the prosecution case got very short shrift from the magistrates. PC White had booked Hubert Clarke for riding his bicycle on the raised footpath at the side of the bridge that was intended for pedestrians. He was a railway porter living in Marshalls Cross Road and Hubert had ridden on the footpath because Peasley Cross Lane was flooded. The police argument that he should have got off his bicycle and walked with it along the four-feet wide pathway was not accepted by the magistrates who dismissed the charge upon Hubert paying the court costs.
Car driver James Leach from Brynn was not so fortunate. He had been summoned to St Helens Police Court for driving his motor car without lights. James' excuse was that he had driven through the floodwater at Peasley Cross Bridge and claimed it had seeped into his electric generator and caused a short-circuit that had knocked out his lights. But he had been previously told that his generator was defective and a fine of seven shillings and sixpence was imposed.
John Orford was in court charged with having committed a breach of the peace. He lived in Brunswick Street in Parr and was one of many people that caused trouble on their own doorstep. PC Graham told the court that he had heard Orford standing outside his house shouting: "I am John Bull; I don't care a _______ for anyone."
That's the Reporter's censorship, by the way, and the officer then explained how he had managed to get Orford inside his home and asked him where his wife was. He said he had replied something to the effect of her not playing the game. But when PC Graham left the house, Orford had followed him, "making a great noise and asking to be locked up". And so the constable obliged him and in court he was bound over for six months.
It was quite common for persons accused of some minor offence to claim that it was only in St Helens where police had booked them, with other towns not being so fussy. Frederick Reynolds from Bryn Street was prosecuted for riding a motorcycle in Westfield Street with an irregular number plate. When stopped by PC Crane he said he had ridden all through Liverpool without any problems. The numbers on Reynolds' registration plates were not as stipulated by law and he was fined 10 shillings.
On the 28th Wilfred Buckley appeared in court in Prescot charged with having obtained £1 by false pretences from Margaret Hill, the daughter of the licensee of the Griffin Inn in Bold. The man had claimed to work for Greenall Whitley and had called at the Griffin for a payment towards the cost of an advertisement.
A receipt signed "W. Jones" was given to Margaret in exchange for her pound. The fraud did not involve much money but the conman had worked it at many pubs in Liverpool, Wigan, Widnes and elsewhere. Tarbock had been arrested in one of these places on the previous day when in the act of trying to con another publican. Lots of receipt books had been found in his car with their counterfoils containing damning evidence against him. Buckley was remanded in custody for further inquiries to take place.
On March 2nd two mineworkers were killed at Sherdley Colliery in Peasley Cross through an underground roof fall. John Montgomery of Waterdale Crescent and William McCormick of Appleton Street had been engaged in repairing the roof of a roadway and a colliery fireman had just inspected their work.
Shortly after the fireman had left the spot the roof fall occurred and he dashed back to the place to help in the rescue. But after they had been extricated from the rubble, both 19-year-old John and 50-year-old William were found to be dead.
And finally, it was reported this week that King George V would not be attending the Grand National at Aintree later in the month, as was his usual practice, as well as make his customary stay at Knowsley Hall while attending the race meeting. But Lord Derby could still look forward to welcoming the King and Queen in July when the Royal couple would be visiting the Royal Agricultural Society's show at Chester.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the romantic bigamy case, the conman in Hardshaw Street, criticism of council meetings for being too political and the man that gave a chap a "slap on the jaw" because of a comment about his "missus".
Since the war and the creation of the St Helens and District Blind Welfare Society, much fundraising had been undertaken. On February 26th the Society's annual concert was held in St Helens Town Hall performed by the Frivolities Concert Party from Manchester. Their advert in the St Helens Reporter had said:
"One bright flow of gaiety, fun and frolic by the Seven Frivolites". Tickets cost 1 shilling, 2 shillings or 2/6. In its review of their performance the Reporter wrote: "The Party are similar to others of the kind, with this difference, as their name denotes, that they indulge in much more burlesque, their items being thoroughly original and quite up to date."
When Emiline Gerard of Cooper Street appeared in St Helens Police Court on the 27th charged with assault she told the Bench: "There were courters in the kitchen and card playing going on in the parlour, and not being used to gambling, I objected to it." Abigail Crosland had brought the case and was partially blind and required a police constable to escort her to the witness box.
She claimed that Mrs Gerard had given her a violent dig in the arms and threatened to throw her into the street and added that if she had her bad character she would drown herself. It was another longstanding and silly dispute between two women and Mrs Gerard was fined 10 shillings.
"ALIENS IN ST. HELENS", screamed the headline in the St Helens Reporter on the 27th, although no one in the town would have been too concerned. This, of course, was the 1920s when the word aliens only meant foreigners. Non-British citizens had needed to register with the police since 1914 but once the post-war wave of unemployment had set in, the Aliens Order of 1920 had created even tougher rules.
Passports were made mandatory and aliens seeking employment or residence that failed to register with the police could be deported. But what Joseph Dakotis was accused of doing was not that serious that he might fear expulsion. The man had moved from an address in Ashcroft Street to Brown Street without informing the police.
When Joseph appeared in St Helens Police Court this week he was fined £1 and his new landlady was fined £2. She was Mary Shergalis and it was her responsibility to keep a register of all aliens sleeping on her premises. Mary appeared to have been an alien herself, as she required an interpreter in court to explain the charge.
"Police To Spy On Shops" was the rather dramatic headline to a Reporter article which stated that the council's Health Committee had decided that administering the Shops Act should now be the responsibility of the police. "If the Council adopt the Health Committee's recommendation," wrote the paper, "the tradesmen of St. Helens can look forward to an intensified form of officialdom, plus a system of traps, such as they have not yet known."
The Reporter also described how Rainford Congregational Church had held their first annual eisteddfod at the Village Hall writing: "Artistes for many miles round flocked to the village to compete in the numerous items". Although the afternoon attendance was barely 100, which raised fears of the organisers suffering a financial loss, the evening saw 500 persons filling the hall and extra seating accommodation needing to be brought in.
Car driver James Leach from Brynn was not so fortunate. He had been summoned to St Helens Police Court for driving his motor car without lights. James' excuse was that he had driven through the floodwater at Peasley Cross Bridge and claimed it had seeped into his electric generator and caused a short-circuit that had knocked out his lights. But he had been previously told that his generator was defective and a fine of seven shillings and sixpence was imposed.
John Orford was in court charged with having committed a breach of the peace. He lived in Brunswick Street in Parr and was one of many people that caused trouble on their own doorstep. PC Graham told the court that he had heard Orford standing outside his house shouting: "I am John Bull; I don't care a _______ for anyone."
That's the Reporter's censorship, by the way, and the officer then explained how he had managed to get Orford inside his home and asked him where his wife was. He said he had replied something to the effect of her not playing the game. But when PC Graham left the house, Orford had followed him, "making a great noise and asking to be locked up". And so the constable obliged him and in court he was bound over for six months.
It was quite common for persons accused of some minor offence to claim that it was only in St Helens where police had booked them, with other towns not being so fussy. Frederick Reynolds from Bryn Street was prosecuted for riding a motorcycle in Westfield Street with an irregular number plate. When stopped by PC Crane he said he had ridden all through Liverpool without any problems. The numbers on Reynolds' registration plates were not as stipulated by law and he was fined 10 shillings.
On the 28th Wilfred Buckley appeared in court in Prescot charged with having obtained £1 by false pretences from Margaret Hill, the daughter of the licensee of the Griffin Inn in Bold. The man had claimed to work for Greenall Whitley and had called at the Griffin for a payment towards the cost of an advertisement.
A receipt signed "W. Jones" was given to Margaret in exchange for her pound. The fraud did not involve much money but the conman had worked it at many pubs in Liverpool, Wigan, Widnes and elsewhere. Tarbock had been arrested in one of these places on the previous day when in the act of trying to con another publican. Lots of receipt books had been found in his car with their counterfoils containing damning evidence against him. Buckley was remanded in custody for further inquiries to take place.
On March 2nd two mineworkers were killed at Sherdley Colliery in Peasley Cross through an underground roof fall. John Montgomery of Waterdale Crescent and William McCormick of Appleton Street had been engaged in repairing the roof of a roadway and a colliery fireman had just inspected their work.
Shortly after the fireman had left the spot the roof fall occurred and he dashed back to the place to help in the rescue. But after they had been extricated from the rubble, both 19-year-old John and 50-year-old William were found to be dead.
And finally, it was reported this week that King George V would not be attending the Grand National at Aintree later in the month, as was his usual practice, as well as make his customary stay at Knowsley Hall while attending the race meeting. But Lord Derby could still look forward to welcoming the King and Queen in July when the Royal couple would be visiting the Royal Agricultural Society's show at Chester.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the romantic bigamy case, the conman in Hardshaw Street, criticism of council meetings for being too political and the man that gave a chap a "slap on the jaw" because of a comment about his "missus".
This week's stories include the flooding at Peasley Cross Bridge that led to two prosecutions taking place, the aliens who were in trouble in St Helens, two mineworkers are killed down Sherdley Colliery in Peasley Cross, there's disappointment with the news that the King would not be staying at Knowsley Hall and the Cooper Street courting and card playing case.
Since the war and the creation of the St Helens and District Blind Welfare Society, much fundraising had been undertaken.
On February 26th the Society's annual concert was held in St Helens Town Hall performed by the Frivolities Concert Party from Manchester. Their advert in the St Helens Reporter had said:
"One bright flow of gaiety, fun and frolic by the Seven Frivolites". Tickets cost 1 shilling, 2 shillings or 2/6. In its review of their performance the Reporter wrote:
"The Party are similar to others of the kind, with this difference, as their name denotes, that they indulge in much more burlesque, their items being thoroughly original and quite up to date."
When Emiline Gerard of Cooper Street appeared in St Helens Police Court on the 27th charged with assault she told the Bench:
"There were courters in the kitchen and card playing going on in the parlour, and not being used to gambling, I objected to it."
Abigail Crosland had brought the case and was partially blind and required a police constable to escort her to the witness box.
She claimed that Mrs Gerard had given her a violent dig in the arms and threatened to throw her into the street and added that if she had her bad character she would drown herself.
It was another longstanding and silly dispute between two women and Mrs Gerard was fined 10 shillings.
"ALIENS IN ST. HELENS", screamed the headline in the St Helens Reporter on the 27th, although no one in the town would have been too concerned. This, of course, was the 1920s when the word aliens only meant foreigners.
Non-British citizens had needed to register with the police since 1914 but once the post-war wave of unemployment had set in, the Aliens Order of 1920 had created even tougher rules.
Passports were made mandatory and aliens seeking employment or residence that failed to register with the police could be deported.
But what Joseph Dakotis was accused of doing was not that serious that he might fear expulsion.
The man had moved from an address in Ashcroft Street to Brown Street without informing the police.
When Joseph appeared in St Helens Police Court this week he was fined £1 and his new landlady was fined £2.
She was Mary Shergalis and it was her responsibility to keep a register of all aliens sleeping on her premises.
Mary appeared to have been an alien herself, as she required an interpreter in court to explain the charge.
"Police To Spy On Shops" was the rather dramatic headline to a Reporter article which stated that the council's Health Committee had decided that administering the Shops Act should now be the responsibility of the police.
"If the Council adopt the Health Committee's recommendation," wrote the paper, "the tradesmen of St. Helens can look forward to an intensified form of officialdom, plus a system of traps, such as they have not yet known."
The Reporter also described how Rainford Congregational Church had held their first annual eisteddfod at the Village Hall writing: "Artistes for many miles round flocked to the village to compete in the numerous items".
Although the afternoon attendance was barely 100, which raised fears of the organisers suffering a financial loss, the evening saw 500 persons filling the hall and extra seating accommodation needing to be brought in.
During that same evening the Rainford Potteries dinner was held at the Fleece Hotel in St Helens and the Reporter said there had been a "complete absence of fuss and formality, coupled with a spirit of camaraderie that prevailed from the first expectant moment to the happy last."
The floods at Peasley Cross Bridge (pictured above) figured in two court cases this week and in one the prosecution case got very short shrift from the magistrates.
PC White had booked Hubert Clarke for riding his bicycle on the raised footpath at the side of the bridge that was intended for pedestrians.
He was a railway porter living in Marshalls Cross Road and Hubert had ridden on the footpath because Peasley Cross Lane was flooded.
The police argument that he should have got off his bicycle and walked with it along the four-feet wide pathway was not accepted by the magistrates who dismissed the charge upon Hubert paying the court costs.
Car driver James Leach from Brynn was not so fortunate. He had been summoned to St Helens Police Court for driving his motor car without lights.
James' excuse was that he had driven through the floodwater at Peasley Cross Bridge and claimed it had seeped into his electric generator and caused a short-circuit that had knocked out his lights.
But he had been previously told that his generator was defective and a fine of seven shillings and sixpence was imposed.
John Orford was in court charged with having committed a breach of the peace.
He lived in Brunswick Street in Parr and was one of many people that caused trouble on their own doorstep.
PC Graham told the court that he had heard Orford standing outside his house shouting: "I am John Bull; I don't care a _______ for anyone."
That's the Reporter's censorship, by the way, and the officer then explained how he had managed to get Orford inside his home and asked him where his wife was. He said he had replied something to the effect of her not playing the game.
But when PC Graham left the house, Orford had followed him, "making a great noise and asking to be locked up".
And so the constable obliged him and in court he was bound over for six months.
It was quite common for persons accused of some minor offence to claim that it was only in St Helens where police had booked them, with other towns not being so fussy.
Frederick Reynolds from Bryn Street was prosecuted for riding a motorcycle in Westfield Street with an irregular number plate.
When stopped by PC Crane he said he had ridden all through Liverpool without any problems.
The numbers on Reynolds' registration plates were not as stipulated by law and he was fined 10 shillings.
On the 28th Wilfred Buckley appeared in court in Prescot charged with having obtained £1 by false pretences from Margaret Hill, the daughter of the licensee of the Griffin Inn in Bold.
The man had claimed to work for Greenall Whitley and had called at the Griffin for a payment towards the cost of an advertisement.
A receipt signed "W. Jones" was given to Margaret in exchange for her pound.
The fraud did not involve much money but the conman had worked it at many pubs in Liverpool, Wigan, Widnes and elsewhere.
Tarbock had been arrested in one of these places on the previous day when in the act of trying to con another publican.
Lots of receipt books had been found in his car with their counterfoils containing damning evidence against him.
Buckley was remanded in custody for further inquiries to take place.
On March 2nd two mineworkers were killed at Sherdley Colliery in Peasley Cross through an underground roof fall.
John Montgomery of Waterdale Crescent and William McCormick of Appleton Street had been engaged in repairing the roof of a roadway and a colliery fireman had just inspected their work.
Shortly after the fireman had left the spot the roof fall occurred and he dashed back to the place to help in the rescue.
But after they had been extricated from the rubble, both 19-year-old John and 50-year-old William were found to be dead.
And finally, it was reported this week that King George V would not be attending the Grand National at Aintree later in the month, as was his usual practice, as well as make his customary stay at Knowsley Hall while attending the race meeting.
But Lord Derby could still look forward to welcoming the King and Queen in July when the Royal couple would be visiting the Royal Agricultural Society's show at Chester.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the romantic bigamy case, the conman in Hardshaw Street, criticism of council meetings for being too political and the man that gave a chap a "slap on the jaw" because of a comment about his "missus".
Since the war and the creation of the St Helens and District Blind Welfare Society, much fundraising had been undertaken.
On February 26th the Society's annual concert was held in St Helens Town Hall performed by the Frivolities Concert Party from Manchester. Their advert in the St Helens Reporter had said:
"One bright flow of gaiety, fun and frolic by the Seven Frivolites". Tickets cost 1 shilling, 2 shillings or 2/6. In its review of their performance the Reporter wrote:
"The Party are similar to others of the kind, with this difference, as their name denotes, that they indulge in much more burlesque, their items being thoroughly original and quite up to date."
When Emiline Gerard of Cooper Street appeared in St Helens Police Court on the 27th charged with assault she told the Bench:
"There were courters in the kitchen and card playing going on in the parlour, and not being used to gambling, I objected to it."
Abigail Crosland had brought the case and was partially blind and required a police constable to escort her to the witness box.
She claimed that Mrs Gerard had given her a violent dig in the arms and threatened to throw her into the street and added that if she had her bad character she would drown herself.
It was another longstanding and silly dispute between two women and Mrs Gerard was fined 10 shillings.
"ALIENS IN ST. HELENS", screamed the headline in the St Helens Reporter on the 27th, although no one in the town would have been too concerned. This, of course, was the 1920s when the word aliens only meant foreigners.
Non-British citizens had needed to register with the police since 1914 but once the post-war wave of unemployment had set in, the Aliens Order of 1920 had created even tougher rules.
Passports were made mandatory and aliens seeking employment or residence that failed to register with the police could be deported.
But what Joseph Dakotis was accused of doing was not that serious that he might fear expulsion.
The man had moved from an address in Ashcroft Street to Brown Street without informing the police.
When Joseph appeared in St Helens Police Court this week he was fined £1 and his new landlady was fined £2.
She was Mary Shergalis and it was her responsibility to keep a register of all aliens sleeping on her premises.
Mary appeared to have been an alien herself, as she required an interpreter in court to explain the charge.
"Police To Spy On Shops" was the rather dramatic headline to a Reporter article which stated that the council's Health Committee had decided that administering the Shops Act should now be the responsibility of the police.
"If the Council adopt the Health Committee's recommendation," wrote the paper, "the tradesmen of St. Helens can look forward to an intensified form of officialdom, plus a system of traps, such as they have not yet known."
The Reporter also described how Rainford Congregational Church had held their first annual eisteddfod at the Village Hall writing: "Artistes for many miles round flocked to the village to compete in the numerous items".
Although the afternoon attendance was barely 100, which raised fears of the organisers suffering a financial loss, the evening saw 500 persons filling the hall and extra seating accommodation needing to be brought in.
PC White had booked Hubert Clarke for riding his bicycle on the raised footpath at the side of the bridge that was intended for pedestrians.
He was a railway porter living in Marshalls Cross Road and Hubert had ridden on the footpath because Peasley Cross Lane was flooded.
The police argument that he should have got off his bicycle and walked with it along the four-feet wide pathway was not accepted by the magistrates who dismissed the charge upon Hubert paying the court costs.
Car driver James Leach from Brynn was not so fortunate. He had been summoned to St Helens Police Court for driving his motor car without lights.
James' excuse was that he had driven through the floodwater at Peasley Cross Bridge and claimed it had seeped into his electric generator and caused a short-circuit that had knocked out his lights.
But he had been previously told that his generator was defective and a fine of seven shillings and sixpence was imposed.
John Orford was in court charged with having committed a breach of the peace.
He lived in Brunswick Street in Parr and was one of many people that caused trouble on their own doorstep.
PC Graham told the court that he had heard Orford standing outside his house shouting: "I am John Bull; I don't care a _______ for anyone."
That's the Reporter's censorship, by the way, and the officer then explained how he had managed to get Orford inside his home and asked him where his wife was. He said he had replied something to the effect of her not playing the game.
But when PC Graham left the house, Orford had followed him, "making a great noise and asking to be locked up".
And so the constable obliged him and in court he was bound over for six months.
It was quite common for persons accused of some minor offence to claim that it was only in St Helens where police had booked them, with other towns not being so fussy.
Frederick Reynolds from Bryn Street was prosecuted for riding a motorcycle in Westfield Street with an irregular number plate.
When stopped by PC Crane he said he had ridden all through Liverpool without any problems.
The numbers on Reynolds' registration plates were not as stipulated by law and he was fined 10 shillings.
On the 28th Wilfred Buckley appeared in court in Prescot charged with having obtained £1 by false pretences from Margaret Hill, the daughter of the licensee of the Griffin Inn in Bold.
The man had claimed to work for Greenall Whitley and had called at the Griffin for a payment towards the cost of an advertisement.
A receipt signed "W. Jones" was given to Margaret in exchange for her pound.
The fraud did not involve much money but the conman had worked it at many pubs in Liverpool, Wigan, Widnes and elsewhere.
Tarbock had been arrested in one of these places on the previous day when in the act of trying to con another publican.
Lots of receipt books had been found in his car with their counterfoils containing damning evidence against him.
Buckley was remanded in custody for further inquiries to take place.
On March 2nd two mineworkers were killed at Sherdley Colliery in Peasley Cross through an underground roof fall.
John Montgomery of Waterdale Crescent and William McCormick of Appleton Street had been engaged in repairing the roof of a roadway and a colliery fireman had just inspected their work.
Shortly after the fireman had left the spot the roof fall occurred and he dashed back to the place to help in the rescue.
But after they had been extricated from the rubble, both 19-year-old John and 50-year-old William were found to be dead.
And finally, it was reported this week that King George V would not be attending the Grand National at Aintree later in the month, as was his usual practice, as well as make his customary stay at Knowsley Hall while attending the race meeting.
But Lord Derby could still look forward to welcoming the King and Queen in July when the Royal couple would be visiting the Royal Agricultural Society's show at Chester.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the romantic bigamy case, the conman in Hardshaw Street, criticism of council meetings for being too political and the man that gave a chap a "slap on the jaw" because of a comment about his "missus".