Two boys’ brush with the law over hen thefts
HERE in our regular nostalgia feature we look back at stories in the Rochdale Observer from years gone by. Following on from last year’s 100 years ago feature, this year, we are turning back the clock to see what was being reported on 80 years ago:
●●BOUND OVER FOR HEN THEFTS
IN the Rochdale County Juvenile Court on Wednesday two Milnrow boys were bound over and placed under supervision after having pleaded guilty to stealing.
One of them, aged twelve, was charged with having stolen fourteen hens, valued at £2 2s, from Low House Farm,
Milnrow, and with him was a thirteen-year-old boy who in addition was charged with having stolen a handcart, valued at 7s. 6d, from the rear of 26, Dale Street, Milnrow.
The elder boy was bound over for eighteen months and ordered to pay £2 10s. costs and the younger boy was bound over for 12 months and directed to pay £1 10s costs.
The magistrates were Mrs W. Tweedale (in the chair) and Mr J. Nuttall.
It was stated by Inspector Buxton that Cyril Taylor of Low House Farm, Milnrow, visited the pen on February 28 and everything was then in order. When he went to the pen on March 2, 14 hens were missing and the police were informed. P.C. Elliott, who made inquires, interviewed the elder boy, who admitting having taken the hens, saying that he was with the other boy on the Thursday night and took seven hens, and the other seven on the following Saturday morning. The younger boy also admitted the offence and they both said they were sorry.
Tom Schofield, a greengrocer and poultry dealer, of Moorland Avenue, Milnrow, stated that he was approached by the elder boy about buying some hens and he subsequently bought fourteen from him and paid two shillings each for them. When witness was seen by the police he handed them seven of the hens.
Regarding the second offence against the elder anything about it,” was the excuse made by Ernest Bradley of 10, Crossfield Terrace, Rochdale, who admitted having been drunk and disorderly in Dale Street, Milnrow, at 9.15pm on March 3.
The evidence of P.C. War Reserve Walsh was to the effect that the accused, who was in the company of two young women, was drunk and shouting. He refused to be quiet and was told that he would be reported. Bradley expressed regret for this, his first, offence.
He was ordered to pay costs.
●●THE EASTER HOLIDAY - A FINE TONIC AFTERA TRYING WINTER
THE Easter holiday was a welcome and muchneeded tonic. After a winter of depressing black-out, weather of the most severe type and an influenza epidemic, all who were at liberty to take advantage of the break were heartily thankful to spend as much time as possible out of doors recruiting fresh vigour of body and spirit.
All the popular walks through the fields and over the moors were alive with groups of young ‘bikers’ and family parties on each day of the weekend and even if it was too early in the year to find much evidence of Spring in nature there was refreshment in the sight of lambs frisking about in the meadows.
Petrol rationing, coupled with high taxation, considerably reduced the numbers of private cars on the roads compared with recent years, but cyclists were very much in evidence, the ‘buses and motor coaches were heavily patronised and the railway carried loads of folk to seaside resorts.