100 YEARS AGO: COAL THEFT FROM SALFORD RAILWAY SIDINGS ENDS IN PRISON SENTENCE

With the sudden price rise in Gas and Electricity from the energy suppliers and warning that we are in for a grim winter, this is a cautionary tale from the pages of The Salford City Reporter from May 1922 as local lads fall foul of the law.

They were named as, Peter Hanlon aged 15, George Rosamond aged 15, John Smith aged 14 and Thomas Martin aged 17.

Following reports of the theft of coal from the railway sidings at Ordsall Lane, Salford, the police set up observations and waited for any potential thief to fall into their trap and they didn't have to wait long.

Inspector Mitchell told Salford Juvenile Court that Inspector Coloran from the Railway Police and three police constables, hid on the embankment and at 6,45am and saw the four defendants climb the wall into the sidings and fill three bags of coal from a truck.

When the police made their presence known the boys fled, Hanlon was caught at the scene, Rosamond and Smith were later arrested at their homes, whilst Martin turned himself in at Regent Road police station.

The Stipendiary Magistrate, Mr P.W. Atkin asked if anything was known about the boys, Inspector Mitchell said that, Martin in 1920 had been placed on probation for the theft of oranges in Manchester and that the other three boys had not been in trouble.

Inquiry Officer Walton told the Court that Martin was the eldest of a family of six children, when he left school he was employed at a paper mill but was sacked for falling asleep when at work, and he had done no work in the last twelve months despite his fathers attempts to make him.

Walton then said that he was convinced that Martin was the ring leader of this gang of boys, who had admitted to him that, they had each stolen coal from the sidings before.

The Stipendiary Magistrate told Hanlon, Rosamond and Smith that this was the first time they had appeared before him, but not the first time you ought to have appeared here and in that they were fortunate.

He then bound them over in the sum of £5 and placed them on probation for 12 months.

Turning his attention to Martin, he said,

"I believe you are the leader of these boys, you have been in trouble before and have, had the chances to do better for yourself.

You will go to prison for 14 day with Hard Labour"

I have some sympathy for Thomas Martin, he must have had a hard life being the eldest of six children, being born into hardship at virtually the turn of the century when poverty was rife in Salford and education was basic to say the least and job options were usually in a Mill or possibly the pit.

Was he stealing the coal to keep his family warm? I'd like to think so, however a prison sentence with hard labour at that young age could so easily drive him to a life of crime, fingers crossed he saw the errors of his ways and led a quiet and respectable life.

Photo shows Oldfield Road railway sidings in 1948.