IOO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (24th - 30th June 1919)
This week's stories 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, the Church Street obstructionists from Haydock and a Balfour Street benefit fraud.
St Helens used to have a successful water polo team based at Boundary Road baths and in 1903 they were the runners up in the English National Championships (team pictured above). During the evening of the 24th the team began their new season with a match against Warrington in front of a large crowd losing 5 – 7.
The St Helens Reporter wrote that the players were showing signs of "bellows to mend" towards the end of the game – a curious expression that apparently means being out of breath. Water polo could be a more violent sport than you might think. In 1923 a Wigan player obtained £20 damages from a member of the St Helens team after being punched during a game.
Cigarette making is not an industry that St Helens is renowned for. However since 1878 C. D. Fothergill had been manufacturing tobacco products in the town, latterly in premises in Church Street. During the evening of the 24th Christopher Dixon Fothergill, the 67-year-old founder of the firm, died at his home in Keswick Road in Dentons Green.
As well as making their own cigarettes they also wholesaled other brands. During the war Edith Hughes of Sherdley Hall had purchased large quantities of Woodbines from Fothergill's for sending onto soldiers, some in Providence Hospital (see above). These cost 6s 8d (or 33p) per 1,000. That's three packs of 20 cigarettes for 2 (new) pence!
The St Helens Reporter on the 27th featured a letter by three ex-soldiers who were complaining about their experiences of finding work. Signing their letter "Three Disgusted ex-Soldiers" the men stated that women were monopolising men's jobs and prospective employers would only hire married men.
There was a jobs crisis in the town with the closing down of munitions factories leading to large numbers of individuals losing their jobs. In addition soldiers returning from the war were either adding to the numbers of the unemployed or being given their old jobs back – leading to others who'd been doing the job in their place having to be sacked.
That said the latest weekly unemployment figures released this week appeared to show good news. There were just over 3,000 out of work in St Helens, with a 50/50 split between men and women. At the beginning of April the number of jobless in the town was 5,200, with 4,100 being women. However the "unemployment donation" only usually lasted for three months, so the real figure was probably higher.
With unprecedented numbers claiming the dole, cases of what we call benefit fraud were bound to occur. On the 27th in St Helens Police Court the Ministry of Labour brought a prosecution against Beatrice Rigby of Balfour Street. The woman was accused of receiving £3 2s 6d by false pretences from the manager of the St Helens Labour Exchange. The prosecution case was that on fifteen days from the 24th February until April 2nd, Beatrice had been working at Middlehurst's confectioners while claiming the unemployment donation.
The defence claimed ignorance of the rules, saying the woman thought she could continue to claim until she had obtained permanent work. A clerk at the Labour Exchange in Church Street called Marion Rice was asked in court how many rules they had for claimants and caused laughter by replying "umpteen". However Beatrice Rigby insisted that she had never been told that she could not draw the out of work donation if she was casually employed but was still fined £5.
Also in court was Owen Owens from Dunriding Lane who was accused of assaulting an assistant at the Hippodrome. In fact Joseph Crooks had got one in the eye because the manager had ducked! The trouble began after Crooks told two men who were causing a nuisance to leave the Corporation Street theatre. Owens was related to one of them and objected to the pair being turned out.
A struggle with the manager ensued and Owens struck out and hit the assistant. Or did he? A female witness swore that it was one of the two men who had lashed out and not Owens. However the manager and his assistant were adamant that the assailant was Owen Owens and he was fined £2. Mr Lloyd, the Hippodrome's manager, told the court that since peace had been declared his theatre had seen a lot of trouble: "Since all these young fellows have been demobilised, we find we have to have an example of order."
In an unusual prosecution in the court a man from West Derby called Joseph Stevens was charged with aiding and abetting in connection with the "exposing of horses for sale in Ward Street to the annoyance of the public". Not that the public seemed all that bothered. In fact many people had gathered in the street off North Road to watch the horses running up and down. Chief Inspector Roe appeared to be the only one concerned, labelling the scene "disgraceful" with the gathered throng causing an obstruction. Stevens was fined ten shillings.
Another batch of "Church Street obstructionists" was also before the court. This was the long-standing tradition in certain parts of St Helens for young people to meet up on Sunday evenings and parade on the street. A police campaign against those blocking the pavement had been on-going for some time and four lads from Haydock were next in the dock.
PCs Pugh and Shepherd had observed John Chadwick from Juddfield Street, George Greenall from West End Road, James Littler from Clipsley Lane and Jack Traverse from Vicarage Road having too much fun. The lads were accused of "staging and shouting in the street at the top of their voices. They were singing and shouting and jostling about, turning everybody off the footpath."
Superintendent Dunn also told the court that such youths were coming in regularly from Haydock on Sunday nights and causing a nuisance – although there was no suggestion of alcohol being involved. The Chairman of the Bench said they were determined to put this kind of conduct down, telling the lads: "You come in from Haydock, and you think you can act as you like. However, this is a first offence, and you will be fined 5 shillings each."
On the 30th in St Helens Police Court John Garrity from Charnwood Street in Parr was charged with deserting his wife Mary. When asked to say whether he was guilty or not, the man replied: "I did not desert her, she left me." It was decided to adjourn the hearing in order for the two parties and the court missionary (probation officer) to enter an adjoining room to discuss whether an amicable settlement could be reached. After a short while they returned to court to request a three-month adjournment while the couple attempted to resolve their problems, which was granted by the Bench.
Also in court was Thomas Worsley of no fixed abode who was accused of placing himself in Parr Street in a position to receive alms. Sergeant Lomas gave evidence that the man had been standing in the middle of the street and several persons in adjoining houses had given him coppers. When arrested and taken to the police station, Lomas was found to have 113 pennies and 62 halfpennies in his possession and he was sent to prison for 14 days with hard labour.
Labourer David Jones from Liverpool Road appeared in court charged with unlawfully wounding his wife Elizabeth by kicking her on the head. PC Heaton who made the arrest said Jones admitted striking his wife with something but did not know what it was. Elizabeth Jones was unfit to attend court and there was a concern that septic poisoning might set in, so a remand was granted for several days.
At the St Helens Juvenile Police Court on the 30th a boy called Abraham Baker from Grant Street (which used to be near Queens Park) was charged with theft. The 13-year-old was accused of stealing sixpence change from his 9-year-old brother Henry after his mother had sent him to the shop to buy cheese. Abraham spent the tanner on cakes and also stole jackets and a vest that had belonged to his late father and sold them to a ragman called Johnson for 6d.
His mother Grace Baker appears to have been at her wits end with her boy. Abraham had recently been cautioned at the police station after stealing a silver watch and selling it to a jeweller. Superintendent Dunn said the lad was beyond his mother's control having stolen a second watch and been convicted for stealing cigarettes. "He is a thoroughly bad lad", he said, "and it is in the interests of all that he should be sent away."
However the Chairman of the magistrates thought the recipients of the stolen property bore some blame, saying it was a pity the ragman was not before the Bench to be given a "good dressing down." The boy was sent to a reformatory for five years with the St Helens Reporter saying he appeared quite unconcerned with his sentence.
Next week's stories will include a "mean and despicable theft" down a coal mine, the woman from Boundary Road who wouldn't shut up, the man who perjured himself in a St Helens court, the honourable defendant in a child maintenance case, the traders holiday in St Helens and the Sutton Manor man accused of playing pitch and toss who got his mother to give an alibi.
The St Helens Reporter wrote that the players were showing signs of "bellows to mend" towards the end of the game – a curious expression that apparently means being out of breath. Water polo could be a more violent sport than you might think. In 1923 a Wigan player obtained £20 damages from a member of the St Helens team after being punched during a game.
Cigarette making is not an industry that St Helens is renowned for. However since 1878 C. D. Fothergill had been manufacturing tobacco products in the town, latterly in premises in Church Street. During the evening of the 24th Christopher Dixon Fothergill, the 67-year-old founder of the firm, died at his home in Keswick Road in Dentons Green.
The St Helens Reporter on the 27th featured a letter by three ex-soldiers who were complaining about their experiences of finding work. Signing their letter "Three Disgusted ex-Soldiers" the men stated that women were monopolising men's jobs and prospective employers would only hire married men.
There was a jobs crisis in the town with the closing down of munitions factories leading to large numbers of individuals losing their jobs. In addition soldiers returning from the war were either adding to the numbers of the unemployed or being given their old jobs back – leading to others who'd been doing the job in their place having to be sacked.
That said the latest weekly unemployment figures released this week appeared to show good news. There were just over 3,000 out of work in St Helens, with a 50/50 split between men and women. At the beginning of April the number of jobless in the town was 5,200, with 4,100 being women. However the "unemployment donation" only usually lasted for three months, so the real figure was probably higher.
With unprecedented numbers claiming the dole, cases of what we call benefit fraud were bound to occur. On the 27th in St Helens Police Court the Ministry of Labour brought a prosecution against Beatrice Rigby of Balfour Street. The woman was accused of receiving £3 2s 6d by false pretences from the manager of the St Helens Labour Exchange. The prosecution case was that on fifteen days from the 24th February until April 2nd, Beatrice had been working at Middlehurst's confectioners while claiming the unemployment donation.
The defence claimed ignorance of the rules, saying the woman thought she could continue to claim until she had obtained permanent work. A clerk at the Labour Exchange in Church Street called Marion Rice was asked in court how many rules they had for claimants and caused laughter by replying "umpteen". However Beatrice Rigby insisted that she had never been told that she could not draw the out of work donation if she was casually employed but was still fined £5.
Also in court was Owen Owens from Dunriding Lane who was accused of assaulting an assistant at the Hippodrome. In fact Joseph Crooks had got one in the eye because the manager had ducked! The trouble began after Crooks told two men who were causing a nuisance to leave the Corporation Street theatre. Owens was related to one of them and objected to the pair being turned out.
A struggle with the manager ensued and Owens struck out and hit the assistant. Or did he? A female witness swore that it was one of the two men who had lashed out and not Owens. However the manager and his assistant were adamant that the assailant was Owen Owens and he was fined £2. Mr Lloyd, the Hippodrome's manager, told the court that since peace had been declared his theatre had seen a lot of trouble: "Since all these young fellows have been demobilised, we find we have to have an example of order."
In an unusual prosecution in the court a man from West Derby called Joseph Stevens was charged with aiding and abetting in connection with the "exposing of horses for sale in Ward Street to the annoyance of the public". Not that the public seemed all that bothered. In fact many people had gathered in the street off North Road to watch the horses running up and down. Chief Inspector Roe appeared to be the only one concerned, labelling the scene "disgraceful" with the gathered throng causing an obstruction. Stevens was fined ten shillings.
Another batch of "Church Street obstructionists" was also before the court. This was the long-standing tradition in certain parts of St Helens for young people to meet up on Sunday evenings and parade on the street. A police campaign against those blocking the pavement had been on-going for some time and four lads from Haydock were next in the dock.
PCs Pugh and Shepherd had observed John Chadwick from Juddfield Street, George Greenall from West End Road, James Littler from Clipsley Lane and Jack Traverse from Vicarage Road having too much fun. The lads were accused of "staging and shouting in the street at the top of their voices. They were singing and shouting and jostling about, turning everybody off the footpath."
Superintendent Dunn also told the court that such youths were coming in regularly from Haydock on Sunday nights and causing a nuisance – although there was no suggestion of alcohol being involved. The Chairman of the Bench said they were determined to put this kind of conduct down, telling the lads: "You come in from Haydock, and you think you can act as you like. However, this is a first offence, and you will be fined 5 shillings each."
On the 30th in St Helens Police Court John Garrity from Charnwood Street in Parr was charged with deserting his wife Mary. When asked to say whether he was guilty or not, the man replied: "I did not desert her, she left me." It was decided to adjourn the hearing in order for the two parties and the court missionary (probation officer) to enter an adjoining room to discuss whether an amicable settlement could be reached. After a short while they returned to court to request a three-month adjournment while the couple attempted to resolve their problems, which was granted by the Bench.
Also in court was Thomas Worsley of no fixed abode who was accused of placing himself in Parr Street in a position to receive alms. Sergeant Lomas gave evidence that the man had been standing in the middle of the street and several persons in adjoining houses had given him coppers. When arrested and taken to the police station, Lomas was found to have 113 pennies and 62 halfpennies in his possession and he was sent to prison for 14 days with hard labour.
Labourer David Jones from Liverpool Road appeared in court charged with unlawfully wounding his wife Elizabeth by kicking her on the head. PC Heaton who made the arrest said Jones admitted striking his wife with something but did not know what it was. Elizabeth Jones was unfit to attend court and there was a concern that septic poisoning might set in, so a remand was granted for several days.
At the St Helens Juvenile Police Court on the 30th a boy called Abraham Baker from Grant Street (which used to be near Queens Park) was charged with theft. The 13-year-old was accused of stealing sixpence change from his 9-year-old brother Henry after his mother had sent him to the shop to buy cheese. Abraham spent the tanner on cakes and also stole jackets and a vest that had belonged to his late father and sold them to a ragman called Johnson for 6d.
His mother Grace Baker appears to have been at her wits end with her boy. Abraham had recently been cautioned at the police station after stealing a silver watch and selling it to a jeweller. Superintendent Dunn said the lad was beyond his mother's control having stolen a second watch and been convicted for stealing cigarettes. "He is a thoroughly bad lad", he said, "and it is in the interests of all that he should be sent away."
However the Chairman of the magistrates thought the recipients of the stolen property bore some blame, saying it was a pity the ragman was not before the Bench to be given a "good dressing down." The boy was sent to a reformatory for five years with the St Helens Reporter saying he appeared quite unconcerned with his sentence.
Next week's stories will include a "mean and despicable theft" down a coal mine, the woman from Boundary Road who wouldn't shut up, the man who perjured himself in a St Helens court, the honourable defendant in a child maintenance case, the traders holiday in St Helens and the Sutton Manor man accused of playing pitch and toss who got his mother to give an alibi.