Another peep into the pages of The Salford City Reporter from December 1922 and the tale of Mrs Lynch's lodger from Hell. Salford Magistrates Court was told that P.C. Oakley had been called to Mrs Lynch's house at Hodge Lane at 11pm on the Tuesday evening after reports that her lodger, Reginald Edgar Walker was drunk and smashing the house up. When he knocked on the front door, Walker asked him what right he had to be there, when told that he was a Police Constable and had been called there, he replied, "Keep outside, you have no business here!" Walker then manhandled him to the door and attempted to bolt it with a poker, a tussle ensued with punches being thrown and Wallace headbutting the Constable, Oakley held onto the man until police assistance arrived and he was taken to Cross Lane police station, where he was, "very violent all the way" In the dock, Walker was asked if he had any questions, he said that he hadn't and subsequently fainted in the dock and was revived with a glass of water. Mrs Lynch then gave evidence and described Walker as. "a man when in drink is mad and cannot control himself and I live in terror of him, he knocks me about". Inspector Lynch asked the Magistrate to take into account another charge, that of of damaging Mrs Lynch's, Queen Anne sideboard which had cost her £27 by smashing the glass and scratching the woodwork and then added that Walker was fined 40 shillings last year for police assault. The Stipendiary Magistrate, Mr P. W. Atkin asked Mrs Lynch what she knew about Walker, she told him that he was a Clerk but had been unemployed for a long time and had been lodging with her for two years, but when he had a drink, he would go "mad" P.C. Oakley was next up to stick the proverbial boot in, saying that Walker had been a proper villain to Mrs Lynch and that she was frightened of turning him out of the house...but presumably taking his weekly rent money? Last up was Mr Walbutton from Salford probation Services who said that Walker had been employed for a short time on the Salford Housing Scheme as a clerk, but had not worked for the past nine months, and had been receiving money from South Africa, and it was his wish to go back there but didn't have the money. The Magistrate delayed Mr Walker's departure for a month when he sentenced him to one months hard labour in Strangeways Gaol, on a brighter note for him the charges against him damaging Mrs Lynch's Queen Anne sideboard were dropped. The Salford Housing Scheme mentioned, I have heard of this before, local unemployed men were used on building new council homes as a way to reduce the numbers of men receiving state benefits or the dole as we know it as. Photo: Shire horses passing Cross Lane police station
