Looking back through news stories from Salford and Eccles 100 years ago, crime and punishment is certainly not more lenient than it is today, despite what the history revisionists might have you thinking.
This case in particular seems exceptionally sad and the punishment administered quite shocking.
Mary Chandly, who was described as being ‘elderly’ and having no fixed abode, appeared at Salford Magistrates Court charged with the theft of a shawl.
The garment was apparently taken from a pram in the backyard of Annie Hilton’s house at Marlborough Road in Broughton.
The court heard that Annie Hilton’s daughter, age 7, saw Mary swipe the shawl and immediately told her mother.
Annie followed Mary Chandly to a place called Fitton’s Court off Bank Street and accused her of stealing the shawl.
Mary didn’t seem too perturbed by the accusation and firmly denied the theft, then added, “Do what you like,” which to be honest does sound like an admission of guilt.
Mary was employed as a servant for Jewish families in Broughton, and was known in the local area as a ‘bucket pincher’, the translation for which hasn’t survived through the ages.
One would guess it meant a habitual offender who only stole small articles of little value.
Mary’s age isn’t given in the Salford City Reporter story but the term ‘elderly’ indicates that she was no doubt in her sixties.
Police Constable Hodgson from Salford police arrived and promptly arrested and charged her with theft.
He told the court that Mary was “no shrinking violet” and had 13 previous convictions for theft and drunkenness.
Amazingly the Magistrate sentenced poor Mary to a month’s imprisonment with hard labour.
Female prisoners given hard labour were forced to do the most menial and back-breaking tasks, including scrubbing stone floors, sewing old uniforms, sorting out huge piles of rags; basically anything to keep you occupied whilst you were in there.
Admittedly she was a convicted thief, but to be given hard labour on top of a prison sentence does seem particularly harsh by today’s standards.
If you have a local history story you’d like SalfordOnline.com to investigate, please contact tony.flynn@salfordonline.com
Main image © Working Class Movement Library
