Snippets from the Manchester Evening News, 1900 to 19051900, May. Under the heading 'The terror of Ancoats' a 32yr old woman was sent down for three months
hard labour for running amok, being drunk and disorderly with a poker, breaking beer house and other windows. It was her 37th
appearance at the courts. May. A young man named Fred Hobson the other night walked into the Detective Office at the Manchester Town Hall and inquired from Detective Inspector Ashton whether there was a warrant out for his arrest. The officer asked what it might be for, and Hobson replied that it was for stealing £70 eight years ago. The officer looked up the records, and finding that there was such a warrant out told Hobson so. 'Has it been renewed?' asked the young man. 'No,' replied the officer; 'It doesn't require renewal.' 'Oh, I thought it did,' observed Hobson, who a few minutes later found himself under arrest. Hobson served four months hard labour for his curiosity. June. At the Manchester County Police Court, this morning, William Moore, a bricklayer residing in
King Street, was remanded charged with attempted suicide. The man was found lying on the footpath in Highfield Road, and it was
noticed that his clothing was wet. He said he had been trying to drown himself in the river and if he was not taken to the Police
Station, he would do it again. He said he was unable to drown himself, as the water kept washing him against the side, and so he
eventually crawled out exhausted. 1901. April.
Under the heading 'The Transvaal', a servant girl was sent to the local fishmonger for
fresh herrings on the day that the town rang with the news of Cronje's surrender. But the servant girl minded her own business,
and that only. 'They've got Cronje' remarked the fishmonger as he wrapped up her '5 for threepence'. On arriving home the girl
handed over the purchase....."here they are madam" she said.."but I don't know how they'll do - the fishmonger said
they'd got Cronje". Aug. Furious car driving at Ashton.....17/18 mile per
hour. Fatal accident. Defence was that the car was notched to do only 8 m.p.h. Sept. Heaton Park officially opened (24th) though had
been in use three months. Music of three bands - City Police, Besses o'th Barn and Forsyth's string Band. Nov.
Trouble at Salford Council Meeting, arguments raged
between opposing council members as to the proposed arrangements regarding the provision of Nightshirts for tramps in the
Workhouse. 1902. Aug. Lamplighters Strike. Audenshaw. Wages 18
shillings. Council wanted to reduce to 15 shillings. Lamplighters wanted same rate as in other districts. There wasn't a lamp lit
anywhere, and pedestrians had some difficulty avoiding collisions and making their way about in the murky gloom. 1903. Martin Cleary, the man who appeared in the dock at the Manchester Police court on Saturday, dressed in a sack, stepped up again this morning in the same attire. He was arrested for two petty thefts, Detective sergeant Ashton and Detective Winter noticing him in Dantzic street on Friday night apparently hiding articles under his coat. While in the cells that night Cleary tore his suit to tatters. After the evidence this morning the presiding magistrate queried: 'I suppose you are fond of a drink.' Cleary was much surprised. He bent forward with eagerness, and expectantly replied: 'Yes, Sir'. Then he saw he had made a mistake. Sentence of two months imprisonment was passed. Other bits of news:- There were many accidents at work, such as; One man fell into a vat of boiling soap (premises very slippy), and another had his head crushed in a press. Manchester's Death Rate in the week ending Saturday 31st December 1904; there were 232 deaths, 55 from Bronchitis, 34 from Pneumonia and 23 from Phthisis (TB). City Medical Officer considered there was no doubt the fog was responsible. Police objected to renewal of licence at the Old House at Home on Ashton Old Road, on the grounds that an electric piano had been playing on the premises on Sundays. A police officer stated he had heard selections from the 'Belle of New York' one Sunday as he passed by. The licence was renewed for twelve months with a warning to discontinue the Sunday playing, which was most annoying to churchgoers. An Ardwick man attempted suicide by jumping over Pin Mill Brow Bridge. There was only 3' of water in the canal. A police constable pulled him out and took him off to the Police Station. Prices in the year 1905 Butter, per lb. - 1s. 1d. *
Tea, per lb. - 1s. 4d. Cheese, per lb. - 7d. Currants, per lb. - 3d. Holidays were cheap, and for £2 2 shillings and 6d. a
grand holiday could be had in Ireland; 260 miles railway travel, 70 miles coach travel and six days hotel accommodation, (Bed and
three meals a day). Dentists:- Painless extraction’s 1/- per tooth (half returned to those having new false teeth as
replacements). All
the above were taken from adverts in the Manchester Evening News. Some smaller adverts included:- Mother Siegel’s Syrup - Veno's
Seaweed Tonic and Dr. Tibbles Vi-Cocoa. All these products claiming to do wondrous things for any would be purchasers. *
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