FROM THE ARCHIVES: ‘WOMEN OF ILL REPUTE’ COST NAGS HEAD PUB A PRETTY PENNY

Over 100 years ago the 400 hostelries in Salford were doing a roaring trade – but as this June 1915 court case shows, some had better clients than others.

The Nags Head beerhouse on Regent Road was a boozer that seemed to attract the more ‘rough and ready’ customers, shall we say.

The licencee was Emmanuel Bradshaw who hailed from Rochdale and his previous occupation was that of a calico printer.

This was his very first venture having saved the £140 to purchase the licence. Sadly it would be something he would come to regret, not having done his homework on the pub and its regulars.

It came out in court that the pub depended chiefly on sailors and dock workers, and such was its notorious reputation that Salford police were called to step in at least once a day.

Mr Bradshaw was summoned to appear at Salford Magistrates Court on the charge of ‘permitting the house to be the habitual resort of disorderly women’.

The court was told that the pub had been under police observation from 16-23 April and it was noted ‘that women of ill fame’ had been seen to enter the pub and leave with foriegn sailors and other men.

Police Constable McNee told the court that he visited the pub on 16 April and saw in the parlour “two women of ill repute, eight other women, and fourteen sailors, mainly foreigners”.

One of the women was sitting between two sailors and was smoking a cigarette, whilst another was sitting on the knee of a sailor and seemed to be indulging in improper conduct.

PC McNee brought this to the attention of the landlord who replied: “I think you people are messing me about, I was wrongly fined last time, and I am doing the best that I can”.

Police Constables Lamb, Neary and McDonald all gave evidence against the landlord stating that the pub was a well known haunt of women of ‘ill fame’.

However, in his defence, Mr Bradshaw said that he had only received one warning from the police and in his opinion the women were entitled to a drink or reasonable refreshment and that he intended to serve them.

Mr Brocklehurst, defending, told the court that the pub was situated close to Salford Docks and was undoubtedly a difficult one to manage. He added that his client had come to Salford with his wife as a perfect stranger to the district and would not willingly allow disorderly women into the public house.

Sergeant Ronan, the Licencing Officer for Salford, said that he had warned Mr Bradshaw about the class of women who visited the pub and had told him to be very careful.

The Stipendary Mr Carnt weighed up all the evidence and and imposed a fine of £5 on him and warned him about his conduct and the class of customers that his pub was attracting.

Looking through the Salford City Reporter court cases from that period it would appear that the pubs of Regent Road/Trafford Road area particularly the Fox, Trafford, Ship and The Clowes were all well known haunts of these ladies, a tradition I believe that carried on until the late 1960’s.

Photo: Greater Manchester Police Museum