IOO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (24 - 30 JULY 1923)
This week's many stories include the Italian man who conned a Thatto Heath priest, the street singer in Corporation Street charged with begging, the abusive man caught playing banker in Parr, the huge traffic congestion outside the Sefton Arms and the man behind Old Mother Riley returns to St Helens.
Prince Albert was the Duke of York who later became King George VI and in April he had wed Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. We remember the latter as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. On the 24th the couple visited Liverpool to lay the foundation stone of a new Nurses Home for the Royal Infirmary. However, the cheering as the Royal party approached the hospital startled the horses attached to Lord Derby's carriage and the nags swerved into the crowd. About a dozen people, including children, were hurt, although most injuries were minor.
However, PC John O’Kell – who was on point duty in Dale Street – was credited with prevented a separate incident from turning into a disaster. As the Royal party passed Hatton Gardens, the fire brigade suddenly appeared having been on a call. Their engine looking like colliding with the Royals but some prompt signalling by PC O’Kell saved the day. The St Helens Reporter wrote:
"On all hands it is admitted that nothing but the promptitude and presence of mind of P.C. O’Kell …averted what might have been a most serious accident to the Royal procession during the progress through the city." The 23-year-old was a St Helens man who had grown up in Dentons Green and whose father worked for the town's Co-op as a butcher.
A curious story of an Italian painter and a trusting St Helens priest was related in the Police Court on the 27th. Joseph Martini had persuaded Fr Dobson to let him undertake some painting work in his church. The rector of St Austin's in Thatto Heath gave the man a cheque for £11 to buy painting materials. But Martini used the cash as a down payment on a motorcycle at Dunwoody's shop in Duke Street and then took off for Glasgow. Martini – who claimed to be a native of Naples – was later traced to the Scottish city and the police returned him to St Helens. The Italian was sent to prison for three months.
Edward Mooney was described as a glass hand living in Victoria Street in St Helens. He appeared in St Helens Police Court this week charged with being drunk and incapable in Manning Street, off Borough Road, on the previous Saturday night. There were many such cases then in the town that I only bother to report unless they have unusual aspects. And the uncommon feature in Mr Mooney's case was that he was appearing before the Bench for the 102nd time and was fined 10 shillings.
The card game called "banker" (aka baccarat) was popular in St Helens. It was illegal if played for money and PC Reynolds told St Helens Police Court this week that he'd seen a group of youths playing the game – but they had all ran off when he approached. However, the constable had recognised Arthur Wright and on the following day he went to his house in Orrell Street in Parr and charged him with the offence.
But instead of simply accepting his bad luck in having been identified, Wright became very abusive to the constable. That led to him also being charged with breach of the peace. Wright's defence was that he could not have been gambling because he was out of work and so had no money – but was fined 20 shillings and bound over for six months.
William Lawrenson – a haulage hand from Exeter Street in St Helens – had been ordered in April to pay 6 shillings a week towards the maintenance of Eva Bailey's child. But he had paid nothing and his arrears were now over £12 and so this week Lawrenson was arrested and brought back to court. His excuse was that he'd appealed against the court order and thought that he did not have to make any payments prior to the appeal being heard. That was a poor excuse, as the baby could not go without sustenance or clothing until the court case was heard.
Lawrenson said the appeal had so far cost him £11 and he had borrowed the money from friends and was not in any position to pay Miss Bailey anything. However, that did not impress the Bench who made an order for immediate payment. Unless he had more friends to tap money from William Lawrenson was likely to find himself in prison very soon.
Buskers and street singers were not welcome in St Helens. Their performances were seen as begging despite the fact that they did not directly approach people for money, unlike vagrants. If people felt like tossing a coin or two into a hat in appreciation of the performer's musical efforts, then that was their free choice. But St Helens police seemed to have been much more strict than other towns in their interpretation of entertainment laws and street performers would be arrested.
Michael Graham had been entertaining a queue with his songs outside the Theatre Royal when the police nabbed him. Several people were seen throwing him money and when arrested he was found to have more than £1 in his possession. Graham told the court that he had been on the road for 18 months and street singing was the only way he could earn a living. Upon being fined 15 shillings he asked the Bench if he could serve 7 days in prison instead – but his request was declined.
George Murphy was an actual beggar of the non-musical kind who had asked a Mrs Ashcroft in Lugsmore Lane for money. He told a sad tale in the courtroom this week of having come to St Helens from Belfast eighteen months ago to obtain work – but had never found any. A magistrate enquired if he had any chance of getting work and Murphy said: "Not the slightest". When told by a policeman that he was being arrested, George Murphy had replied: "Don't – give me a chance." But beggars received few chances and he was sent to prison for a week with hard labour.
"Now Is The Time To Buy Your New Suit" was not a Reporter headline that would have applied to George Murphy. The advert published on the 27th was from The Smart Set Tailors of Church Street, a new name to me that underlined the fact that although many people were out of work, on short time or receiving reduced wages – others were not. Their summer sale was now on in which they were offering made-to-measure suits for 42 shillings.
The paper also described how on the previous Friday the police had conducted a traffic census in St Helens with startling results that showed the pressure on the town's narrow roads. The junction at the Sefton Arms – often called Sefton Place (pictured above) – was seen as probably the most congested and dangerous part of St Helens. Between 9am and 9pm on the day in question, 4,143 vehicles of all kinds – from bicycles to heavy lorries – had passed that point.
Some would have been trams that began – or ended – near Sefton Place. That was something the St Helens Reporter deplored, publishing this editorial on the subject: "We are particularly interested in the [traffic] returns for this spot on account of the demand we have voiced for several weeks for an improvement of the system by which tramcars assemble there, to the undisputed danger of everyone who has occasion to cross the road.
"The figures prove, if further proof were necessary, how completely unsuited is the Cotham-street corner either as a terminus or starting point for tramcars, and it is to be hoped the conference which is being held on the subject by two Corporation departments will be inspired to more energetic efforts in the light of the new and convincing facts which the census reveals. It must not be thought, however, that the Sefton Arms junction is the only point at which dangerous traffic conditions exist. There is hardly a street in the business centre of St. Helens that is free from this serious blemish."
Another 'No More War Movement' demonstration took place in St Helens on the 29th, this time on the market square. The international movement had been founded in 1921 and the speakers at the event included Ald. Peter Phythian (Mayor of St Helens), Canon Baines (Vicar of St Helens), and the town's MP, James Sexton.
On the 30th it was all change for another week at the Hippodrome Theatre in Corporation Street. Top of the bill were Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane described as "in their character comedy scene “Come Over”". Arthur Lucan became famous in the 1930s when he began performing as 'Old Mother Riley', making 17 films as that character over a 15-year-period, mostly with his wife Kitty McShane. The other turns at the Hippodrome included:
Miss Jen Latona ("Songs of character and humour"); Billy French ("Comedian and dancer"); Two Elites ("Herculean equilibrists"); Benson Gray ("Novelty ventriloquist"); John West ("Ireland's greatest baritone") and Brothers Lloyd ("Musical entertainers"). "Greatly reduced prices of admission" were promised, comprising 4d in the balcony, 9d in the Pit, 1 shilling in either Stalls or Circle with 1/6 in the Grand Circle. However, entertainment tax was added on top of those prices.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the dead baby in Thatto Heath Park, the proposed conversion of a Parr tip into a thing of beauty, the Grand Gala and Sports at Rainhill and the improvements planned for St Helens parks.
Prince Albert was the Duke of York who later became King George VI and in April he had wed Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. We remember the latter as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. On the 24th the couple visited Liverpool to lay the foundation stone of a new Nurses Home for the Royal Infirmary. However, the cheering as the Royal party approached the hospital startled the horses attached to Lord Derby's carriage and the nags swerved into the crowd. About a dozen people, including children, were hurt, although most injuries were minor.
However, PC John O’Kell – who was on point duty in Dale Street – was credited with prevented a separate incident from turning into a disaster. As the Royal party passed Hatton Gardens, the fire brigade suddenly appeared having been on a call. Their engine looking like colliding with the Royals but some prompt signalling by PC O’Kell saved the day. The St Helens Reporter wrote:
"On all hands it is admitted that nothing but the promptitude and presence of mind of P.C. O’Kell …averted what might have been a most serious accident to the Royal procession during the progress through the city." The 23-year-old was a St Helens man who had grown up in Dentons Green and whose father worked for the town's Co-op as a butcher.
A curious story of an Italian painter and a trusting St Helens priest was related in the Police Court on the 27th. Joseph Martini had persuaded Fr Dobson to let him undertake some painting work in his church. The rector of St Austin's in Thatto Heath gave the man a cheque for £11 to buy painting materials. But Martini used the cash as a down payment on a motorcycle at Dunwoody's shop in Duke Street and then took off for Glasgow. Martini – who claimed to be a native of Naples – was later traced to the Scottish city and the police returned him to St Helens. The Italian was sent to prison for three months.
Edward Mooney was described as a glass hand living in Victoria Street in St Helens. He appeared in St Helens Police Court this week charged with being drunk and incapable in Manning Street, off Borough Road, on the previous Saturday night. There were many such cases then in the town that I only bother to report unless they have unusual aspects. And the uncommon feature in Mr Mooney's case was that he was appearing before the Bench for the 102nd time and was fined 10 shillings.
The card game called "banker" (aka baccarat) was popular in St Helens. It was illegal if played for money and PC Reynolds told St Helens Police Court this week that he'd seen a group of youths playing the game – but they had all ran off when he approached. However, the constable had recognised Arthur Wright and on the following day he went to his house in Orrell Street in Parr and charged him with the offence.
But instead of simply accepting his bad luck in having been identified, Wright became very abusive to the constable. That led to him also being charged with breach of the peace. Wright's defence was that he could not have been gambling because he was out of work and so had no money – but was fined 20 shillings and bound over for six months.
William Lawrenson – a haulage hand from Exeter Street in St Helens – had been ordered in April to pay 6 shillings a week towards the maintenance of Eva Bailey's child. But he had paid nothing and his arrears were now over £12 and so this week Lawrenson was arrested and brought back to court. His excuse was that he'd appealed against the court order and thought that he did not have to make any payments prior to the appeal being heard. That was a poor excuse, as the baby could not go without sustenance or clothing until the court case was heard.
Lawrenson said the appeal had so far cost him £11 and he had borrowed the money from friends and was not in any position to pay Miss Bailey anything. However, that did not impress the Bench who made an order for immediate payment. Unless he had more friends to tap money from William Lawrenson was likely to find himself in prison very soon.
Buskers and street singers were not welcome in St Helens. Their performances were seen as begging despite the fact that they did not directly approach people for money, unlike vagrants. If people felt like tossing a coin or two into a hat in appreciation of the performer's musical efforts, then that was their free choice. But St Helens police seemed to have been much more strict than other towns in their interpretation of entertainment laws and street performers would be arrested.
Michael Graham had been entertaining a queue with his songs outside the Theatre Royal when the police nabbed him. Several people were seen throwing him money and when arrested he was found to have more than £1 in his possession. Graham told the court that he had been on the road for 18 months and street singing was the only way he could earn a living. Upon being fined 15 shillings he asked the Bench if he could serve 7 days in prison instead – but his request was declined.
George Murphy was an actual beggar of the non-musical kind who had asked a Mrs Ashcroft in Lugsmore Lane for money. He told a sad tale in the courtroom this week of having come to St Helens from Belfast eighteen months ago to obtain work – but had never found any. A magistrate enquired if he had any chance of getting work and Murphy said: "Not the slightest". When told by a policeman that he was being arrested, George Murphy had replied: "Don't – give me a chance." But beggars received few chances and he was sent to prison for a week with hard labour.
"Now Is The Time To Buy Your New Suit" was not a Reporter headline that would have applied to George Murphy. The advert published on the 27th was from The Smart Set Tailors of Church Street, a new name to me that underlined the fact that although many people were out of work, on short time or receiving reduced wages – others were not. Their summer sale was now on in which they were offering made-to-measure suits for 42 shillings.
Some would have been trams that began – or ended – near Sefton Place. That was something the St Helens Reporter deplored, publishing this editorial on the subject: "We are particularly interested in the [traffic] returns for this spot on account of the demand we have voiced for several weeks for an improvement of the system by which tramcars assemble there, to the undisputed danger of everyone who has occasion to cross the road.
"The figures prove, if further proof were necessary, how completely unsuited is the Cotham-street corner either as a terminus or starting point for tramcars, and it is to be hoped the conference which is being held on the subject by two Corporation departments will be inspired to more energetic efforts in the light of the new and convincing facts which the census reveals. It must not be thought, however, that the Sefton Arms junction is the only point at which dangerous traffic conditions exist. There is hardly a street in the business centre of St. Helens that is free from this serious blemish."
Another 'No More War Movement' demonstration took place in St Helens on the 29th, this time on the market square. The international movement had been founded in 1921 and the speakers at the event included Ald. Peter Phythian (Mayor of St Helens), Canon Baines (Vicar of St Helens), and the town's MP, James Sexton.
On the 30th it was all change for another week at the Hippodrome Theatre in Corporation Street. Top of the bill were Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane described as "in their character comedy scene “Come Over”". Arthur Lucan became famous in the 1930s when he began performing as 'Old Mother Riley', making 17 films as that character over a 15-year-period, mostly with his wife Kitty McShane. The other turns at the Hippodrome included:
Miss Jen Latona ("Songs of character and humour"); Billy French ("Comedian and dancer"); Two Elites ("Herculean equilibrists"); Benson Gray ("Novelty ventriloquist"); John West ("Ireland's greatest baritone") and Brothers Lloyd ("Musical entertainers"). "Greatly reduced prices of admission" were promised, comprising 4d in the balcony, 9d in the Pit, 1 shilling in either Stalls or Circle with 1/6 in the Grand Circle. However, entertainment tax was added on top of those prices.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the dead baby in Thatto Heath Park, the proposed conversion of a Parr tip into a thing of beauty, the Grand Gala and Sports at Rainhill and the improvements planned for St Helens parks.
This week's many stories include the Italian man who conned a Thatto Heath priest, the street singer in Corporation Street charged with begging, the abusive man caught playing banker in Parr, the huge traffic congestion outside the Sefton Arms and the man behind Old Mother Riley returns to St Helens.
Prince Albert was the Duke of York who later became King George VI and in April he had wed Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. We remember the latter as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
On the 24th the couple visited Liverpool to lay the foundation stone of a new Nurses Home for the Royal Infirmary.
However, the cheering as the Royal party approached the hospital startled the horses attached to Lord Derby's carriage and the nags swerved into the crowd.
About a dozen people, including children, were hurt, although most injuries were minor.
However, PC John O’Kell – who was on point duty in Dale Street – was credited with prevented a separate incident from turning into a disaster.
As the Royal party passed Hatton Gardens, the fire brigade suddenly appeared having been on a call.
Their engine looking like colliding with the Royals but some prompt signalling by PC O’Kell saved the day. The St Helens Reporter wrote:
"On all hands it is admitted that nothing but the promptitude and presence of mind of P.C. O’Kell …averted what might have been a most serious accident to the Royal procession during the progress through the city."
The 23-year-old was a St Helens man who had grown up in Dentons Green and whose father worked for the town's Co-op as a butcher.
A curious story of an Italian painter and a trusting St Helens priest was related in the Police Court on the 27th.
Joseph Martini had persuaded Fr Dobson to let him undertake some painting work in his church.
The rector of St Austin's in Thatto Heath gave the man a cheque for £11 to buy painting materials.
But Martini used the cash as a down payment on a motorcycle at Dunwoody's shop in Duke Street and then took off for Glasgow.
Martini – who claimed to be a native of Naples – was later traced to the Scottish city and the police returned him to St Helens. The Italian was sent to prison for three months.
Edward Mooney was described as a glass hand living in Victoria Street in St Helens.
He appeared in St Helens Police Court this week charged with being drunk and incapable in Manning Street, off Borough Road, on the previous Saturday night.
There were many such cases then in the town that I only bother to report unless they have unusual aspects.
And the uncommon feature in Mr Mooney's case was that he was appearing before the Bench for the 102nd time and was fined 10 shillings.
The card game called "banker" (aka baccarat) was popular in St Helens.
It was illegal if played for money and PC Reynolds told St Helens Police Court this week that he'd seen a group of youths playing the game – but they had all ran off when he approached.
However, the constable had recognised Arthur Wright and on the following day he went to his house in Orrell Street in Parr and charged him with the offence.
But instead of simply accepting his bad luck in having been identified, Wright became very abusive to the constable. That led to him also being charged with breach of the peace.
Wright's defence was that he could not have been gambling because he was out of work and so had no money – but was fined 20 shillings and bound over for six months.
William Lawrenson – a haulage hand from Exeter Street in St Helens – had been ordered in April to pay 6 shillings a week towards the maintenance of Eva Bailey's child.
But he had paid nothing and his arrears were now over £12 and so this week Lawrenson was arrested and brought back to court.
His excuse was that he'd appealed against the court order and thought that he did not have to make any payments prior to the appeal being heard.
That was a poor excuse, as the baby could not go without sustenance or clothing until the court case was heard.
Lawrenson said the appeal had so far cost him £11 and he had borrowed the money from friends and was not in any position to pay Miss Bailey anything.
However, that did not impress the Bench who made an order for immediate payment.
Unless he had more friends to tap money from William Lawrenson was likely to find himself in prison very soon.
Buskers and street singers were not welcome in St Helens. Their performances were seen as begging despite the fact that they did not directly approach people for money, unlike vagrants.
If people felt like tossing a coin or two into a hat in appreciation of the performer's musical efforts, then that was their free choice.
But St Helens police seemed to have been much more strict than other towns in their interpretation of entertainment laws and street performers would be arrested.
Michael Graham had been entertaining a queue with his songs outside the Theatre Royal when the police nabbed him.
Several people were seen throwing him money and when arrested he was found to have more than £1 in his possession.
Graham told the court that he had been on the road for 18 months and street singing was the only way he could earn a living.
Upon being fined 15 shillings he asked the Bench if he could serve 7 days in prison instead – but his request was declined.
George Murphy was an actual beggar of the non-musical kind who had asked a Mrs Ashcroft in Lugsmore Lane for money.
He told a sad tale in the courtroom this week of having come to St Helens from Belfast eighteen months ago to obtain work – but had never found any.
A magistrate enquired if he had any chance of getting work and Murphy said: "Not the slightest".
When told by a policeman that he was being arrested, George Murphy had replied: "Don't – give me a chance."
But beggars received few chances and he was sent to prison for a week with hard labour.
"Now Is The Time To Buy Your New Suit" was not a Reporter headline that would have applied to George Murphy.
The advert published on the 27th was from The Smart Set Tailors of Church Street, a new name to me that underlined the fact that although many people were out of work, on short time or receiving reduced wages – others were not.
Their summer sale was now on in which they were offering made-to-measure suits for 42 shillings.
The paper also described how on the previous Friday the police had conducted a traffic census in St Helens with startling results that showed the pressure on the town's narrow roads.
The junction at the Sefton Arms – often called Sefton Place (pictured above) – was seen as probably the most congested and dangerous part of St Helens.
Between 9am and 9pm on the day in question, 4,143 vehicles of all kinds – from bicycles to heavy lorries – had passed that point.
Some would have been trams that began – or ended – near Sefton Place. That was something the St Helens Reporter deplored, publishing this editorial on the subject:
"We are particularly interested in the [traffic] returns for this spot on account of the demand we have voiced for several weeks for an improvement of the system by which tramcars assemble there, to the undisputed danger of everyone who has occasion to cross the road.
"The figures prove, if further proof were necessary, how completely unsuited is the Cotham-street corner either as a terminus or starting point for tramcars, and it is to be hoped the conference which is being held on the subject by two Corporation departments will be inspired to more energetic efforts in the light of the new and convincing facts which the census reveals.
"It must not be thought, however, that the Sefton Arms junction is the only point at which dangerous traffic conditions exist.
"There is hardly a street in the business centre of St. Helens that is free from this serious blemish."
Another 'No More War Movement' demonstration took place in St Helens on the 29th, this time on the market square.
The international movement had been founded in 1921 and the speakers at the event included Ald. Peter Phythian (Mayor of St Helens), Canon Baines (Vicar of St Helens), and the town's MP, James Sexton.
On the 30th it was all change for another week at the Hippodrome Theatre in Corporation Street.
Top of the bill were Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane described as "in their character comedy scene “Come Over”".
Arthur Lucan became famous in the 1930s when he began performing as 'Old Mother Riley', making 17 films as that character over a 15-year-period, mostly with his wife Kitty McShane. The other turns at the Hippodrome included:
Miss Jen Latona ("Songs of character and humour"); Billy French ("Comedian and dancer"); Two Elites ("Herculean equilibrists"); Benson Gray ("Novelty ventriloquist"); John West ("Ireland's greatest baritone") and Brothers Lloyd ("Musical entertainers").
"Greatly reduced prices of admission" were promised, comprising 4d in the balcony, 9d in the Pit, 1 shilling in either Stalls or Circle with 1/6 in the Grand Circle. However, entertainment tax was added on top of those prices.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the dead baby in Thatto Heath Park, the proposed conversion of a Parr tip into a thing of beauty, the Grand Gala and Sports at Rainhill and the improvements planned for St Helens parks.
Prince Albert was the Duke of York who later became King George VI and in April he had wed Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. We remember the latter as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
On the 24th the couple visited Liverpool to lay the foundation stone of a new Nurses Home for the Royal Infirmary.
However, the cheering as the Royal party approached the hospital startled the horses attached to Lord Derby's carriage and the nags swerved into the crowd.
About a dozen people, including children, were hurt, although most injuries were minor.
However, PC John O’Kell – who was on point duty in Dale Street – was credited with prevented a separate incident from turning into a disaster.
As the Royal party passed Hatton Gardens, the fire brigade suddenly appeared having been on a call.
Their engine looking like colliding with the Royals but some prompt signalling by PC O’Kell saved the day. The St Helens Reporter wrote:
"On all hands it is admitted that nothing but the promptitude and presence of mind of P.C. O’Kell …averted what might have been a most serious accident to the Royal procession during the progress through the city."
The 23-year-old was a St Helens man who had grown up in Dentons Green and whose father worked for the town's Co-op as a butcher.
A curious story of an Italian painter and a trusting St Helens priest was related in the Police Court on the 27th.
Joseph Martini had persuaded Fr Dobson to let him undertake some painting work in his church.
The rector of St Austin's in Thatto Heath gave the man a cheque for £11 to buy painting materials.
But Martini used the cash as a down payment on a motorcycle at Dunwoody's shop in Duke Street and then took off for Glasgow.
Martini – who claimed to be a native of Naples – was later traced to the Scottish city and the police returned him to St Helens. The Italian was sent to prison for three months.
Edward Mooney was described as a glass hand living in Victoria Street in St Helens.
He appeared in St Helens Police Court this week charged with being drunk and incapable in Manning Street, off Borough Road, on the previous Saturday night.
There were many such cases then in the town that I only bother to report unless they have unusual aspects.
And the uncommon feature in Mr Mooney's case was that he was appearing before the Bench for the 102nd time and was fined 10 shillings.
The card game called "banker" (aka baccarat) was popular in St Helens.
It was illegal if played for money and PC Reynolds told St Helens Police Court this week that he'd seen a group of youths playing the game – but they had all ran off when he approached.
However, the constable had recognised Arthur Wright and on the following day he went to his house in Orrell Street in Parr and charged him with the offence.
But instead of simply accepting his bad luck in having been identified, Wright became very abusive to the constable. That led to him also being charged with breach of the peace.
Wright's defence was that he could not have been gambling because he was out of work and so had no money – but was fined 20 shillings and bound over for six months.
William Lawrenson – a haulage hand from Exeter Street in St Helens – had been ordered in April to pay 6 shillings a week towards the maintenance of Eva Bailey's child.
But he had paid nothing and his arrears were now over £12 and so this week Lawrenson was arrested and brought back to court.
His excuse was that he'd appealed against the court order and thought that he did not have to make any payments prior to the appeal being heard.
That was a poor excuse, as the baby could not go without sustenance or clothing until the court case was heard.
Lawrenson said the appeal had so far cost him £11 and he had borrowed the money from friends and was not in any position to pay Miss Bailey anything.
However, that did not impress the Bench who made an order for immediate payment.
Unless he had more friends to tap money from William Lawrenson was likely to find himself in prison very soon.
Buskers and street singers were not welcome in St Helens. Their performances were seen as begging despite the fact that they did not directly approach people for money, unlike vagrants.
If people felt like tossing a coin or two into a hat in appreciation of the performer's musical efforts, then that was their free choice.
But St Helens police seemed to have been much more strict than other towns in their interpretation of entertainment laws and street performers would be arrested.
Michael Graham had been entertaining a queue with his songs outside the Theatre Royal when the police nabbed him.
Several people were seen throwing him money and when arrested he was found to have more than £1 in his possession.
Graham told the court that he had been on the road for 18 months and street singing was the only way he could earn a living.
Upon being fined 15 shillings he asked the Bench if he could serve 7 days in prison instead – but his request was declined.
George Murphy was an actual beggar of the non-musical kind who had asked a Mrs Ashcroft in Lugsmore Lane for money.
He told a sad tale in the courtroom this week of having come to St Helens from Belfast eighteen months ago to obtain work – but had never found any.
A magistrate enquired if he had any chance of getting work and Murphy said: "Not the slightest".
When told by a policeman that he was being arrested, George Murphy had replied: "Don't – give me a chance."
But beggars received few chances and he was sent to prison for a week with hard labour.
"Now Is The Time To Buy Your New Suit" was not a Reporter headline that would have applied to George Murphy.
The advert published on the 27th was from The Smart Set Tailors of Church Street, a new name to me that underlined the fact that although many people were out of work, on short time or receiving reduced wages – others were not.
Their summer sale was now on in which they were offering made-to-measure suits for 42 shillings.
The paper also described how on the previous Friday the police had conducted a traffic census in St Helens with startling results that showed the pressure on the town's narrow roads.
Between 9am and 9pm on the day in question, 4,143 vehicles of all kinds – from bicycles to heavy lorries – had passed that point.
Some would have been trams that began – or ended – near Sefton Place. That was something the St Helens Reporter deplored, publishing this editorial on the subject:
"We are particularly interested in the [traffic] returns for this spot on account of the demand we have voiced for several weeks for an improvement of the system by which tramcars assemble there, to the undisputed danger of everyone who has occasion to cross the road.
"The figures prove, if further proof were necessary, how completely unsuited is the Cotham-street corner either as a terminus or starting point for tramcars, and it is to be hoped the conference which is being held on the subject by two Corporation departments will be inspired to more energetic efforts in the light of the new and convincing facts which the census reveals.
"It must not be thought, however, that the Sefton Arms junction is the only point at which dangerous traffic conditions exist.
"There is hardly a street in the business centre of St. Helens that is free from this serious blemish."
Another 'No More War Movement' demonstration took place in St Helens on the 29th, this time on the market square.
The international movement had been founded in 1921 and the speakers at the event included Ald. Peter Phythian (Mayor of St Helens), Canon Baines (Vicar of St Helens), and the town's MP, James Sexton.
On the 30th it was all change for another week at the Hippodrome Theatre in Corporation Street.
Top of the bill were Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane described as "in their character comedy scene “Come Over”".
Arthur Lucan became famous in the 1930s when he began performing as 'Old Mother Riley', making 17 films as that character over a 15-year-period, mostly with his wife Kitty McShane. The other turns at the Hippodrome included:
Miss Jen Latona ("Songs of character and humour"); Billy French ("Comedian and dancer"); Two Elites ("Herculean equilibrists"); Benson Gray ("Novelty ventriloquist"); John West ("Ireland's greatest baritone") and Brothers Lloyd ("Musical entertainers").
"Greatly reduced prices of admission" were promised, comprising 4d in the balcony, 9d in the Pit, 1 shilling in either Stalls or Circle with 1/6 in the Grand Circle. However, entertainment tax was added on top of those prices.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the dead baby in Thatto Heath Park, the proposed conversion of a Parr tip into a thing of beauty, the Grand Gala and Sports at Rainhill and the improvements planned for St Helens parks.