100 years ago in Salford a case detailed by the now-defunct Salford City Reporter ran with a rather inflammatory headline, “Theft by Foreign Gypsies”.
But as the city would hear, the two women involved had fled the German invasion of Belgium as war broke out on the continent.
In September 1915 the two women came before Salford Magistrates Court charged with stealing a lady’s hat from Fanny Jaques on Broad Street in Salford and three silk mufflers from John Kenyon’s clothing store, also on Broad Street.
The court heard that Olga Adele, 30, and Emma Bassile, 23, were found in possession of the hat, worth one shilling and 11 pence and the three silk mufflers, valued at six shillings.
Detective Sergeant Thom told the court he had noticed the two women acting suspiciously and decided to follow them.
He watched as they went into a fish shop, then into the premises of Mrs Jacques and were seen to come out with a ladies hat.
They then went into the premises of John Kenyon and asked to see some silk mufflers.
Whilst they were examining a box on the counter, they pointed to some towels on a shelf at the back of the shop.
Despite acting in a suspicious manner they purchased one towel for four pence and left the shop.
Detective Thom followed the two women and questioned them near to the Woolpack Hotel, and took them back to a caravan that they were staying in at the rear of the pub.
A search of the caravan revealed the three silk mufflers hidden in a child’s carriage at the rear of the caravan.
Both women were arrested and taken in for questioning, however the women purported to speak no English which caused a problem.
There were already a large number of Belgian war refugees staying in Salford who had fled to England for safety when Germany invaded.
250,000 men, women and children escaping the brutal fighting made their way across the English Channel to be welcomed into homes in Britain, with many staying in Salford, Eccles and Irlam.
Read: 100 years ago in Salford: Belgian refugees flood into city
Mr Wooter, an interpreter who was staying at the Belgian Refugee Home at Summer Hill, was sent for to help with the questioning.
He established that the women were not Belgians, but they happened to be in Belgium when the invasion started in August 1914 and fled the country.
They did however speak French and they told him that they were drunk at the time of the offence but could not remember where thay had left the stolen hat.
They told him that they were only passing through Salford and were making their way to Blackpool and were sorry for their offence.
The Stipendary, Mr Desquenes, fined both women ten shillings each for the offences, and they both paid the fine there and then.
Presumably they were assisted out of Salford onto Blackpool in their caravan with a warning about ever returning to the city.
Main image – Bexley Square in 1915 © Salford Local History Library
