100-YEARS-AGO: HORSESHOE PROVES TO BE UNLUCKY FOR SPURNED SALFORD WOMAN

Horseshoes have long been considered lucky, they were originally made of iron, a material that was believed to ward off evil spirits, and traditionally were held in place with seven nails, seven being the luckiest number, however if used in a domestic argument the luck soon wears thin as Nelly Clay was to find out, in this cautionary tale from March 1922.

Nelly appeared at Salford Magistrates Court charged with being drunk and disorderly and causing criminal damage at John Wilkinson's butchers shop on Regent Road by smashing his plate glass window.

Constable Mochan told the Court that he was on duty on the Saturday morning, when he saw Nelly creating a disturbance outside the butchers shop, where her husband worked, she was heard to shout, "I will have justice!" before hurling the horseshoe through the shop window valued at £7 and ten shillings. 

He added that Nelly was using language that she would not have used if she had been sober.

Nelly took the stand and gave her explanation for her behaviour but denied being drunk as she had only drank two bottles of stout.

Then followed her, heartfelt plea.

"When I said I will have justice, I was alluding to my husband, I meant to get at him, last week I was walking along Regent Road, when the woman my husband is living with, pulled me up and aske me, how many men I was going with.

I spoke to my husband but he looked away, if I hadn't have done the window, I would have done him, it is my honour that is at stake, I have to fight against it"

Warrant Officer Stear told the Magistrate that Nelly was separated from her husband and he was living with a recently divorced woman, and that she had been in Court last week in an attempt to get an increase under the separation order.

The Magistrate bound Nelly over for six months in the sum of £10 to keep the peace for six months or he would not be so lenient next time if she appeared in Court.

Poor Nelly, hell hath no fury as a woman scorned as the saying goes, she does sound if she had a right temper, but she was provoked by the "other woman" perhaps she should have used the horseshoe on her instead of the butchers window, also did Mr Clay keep his job and who did eventually pay for the damage?

Sadly every remnant of Regent Road, which was possibly the busiest thoroughfare in Salford with hundreds of shops, pubs, cinemas, a swimming baths, library etc has long gone in the name of progress.