Two gun-happy Walkden men fell afoul of poaching laws in historic Worsley Woods 100 years ago today.
Their court case, published in the Eccles and Patricroft Journal of March 1916 is a good reminder of a more rural time in Salford’s history.
Strangeways Police Court heard the story of David Williams and John King who were summoned to appear for trespassing in pursuit of game near Parr Fold Farm, Worsley.
The land in question belonged to the Earl of Ellesmere, who also held the shooting rights.
Suspicions of poaching were aroused when in the close season, gamekeepers had found pheasants and hares that had been shot with a small-bore rifle.
Patrols were stepped up and on the afternoon of Friday 11 March a gamekeeper by the name of John Alderson saw the two men near Linnyshaw Moss, Walkden, walking in the direction of Kearsley.
He followed the two men and and watched as they walked along a private railway, examining the fields on either side.
Akderson them met a Detective Hogg who was in the employment of his Lordship and asked him to keep an eye on these two suspicious figures.
He intution soon payed off when he saw King fire several shots at a hare in the fields, Hogg summoned for police help and the two men were apprehended and searched.
King was found to have a .22-calibre Winchester rifle concealed under his coat with the barrel down his trouser leg.
Williamson was found to be carrying a quantitiy of ammuniton in his coat for use by King.
The men were arrested and taken into police custody and told to appear at Strangeways Police Court.
Williams had other ideas though and did not attend the court and left King to face the music.
The prosecutor Mr Crofton told the court that the cartridges Williamson was in possesion of would carry for 1,000 yards and were exceedingly dangerous to use in open country as there was no telling where the bullet might go.
In addition the men had in their possesion a bag which had been clearly used for puting game into, and neither man had a gun licence.
King admitted being with Williams but denied firing the rifle and trespassing on private land.
The Magistrate chose not to believe him and fined him 10 shillings.
Williamson was known to use the alias Mawson and warrants were out for his arrest on another charge.
It was revealed that Williamson was no stranger to the courts having some 29 previous convictions for similar offences committed chiefly in the Wigan and St Helens area, and had already paid out £50 in fines in the past.
To add to his additional financial woes the Magistrate fined him 40 shillings and a guinea court costs in his absence.
This illegal profession is still highly lucrative but much less common in Salford given the heavy penalties handed out in court.
Main image (edited) © Phil Platt/geograph.org
