The Bookies' Runner

Betting shops only became legal in 1961, before then you had to place your bets on course or have a telephone account. If you wanted to stay on the right side of the law. If you were poor, neither of these options were really in your grasp. So to keep hope alive, you placed your bets with the local runner -  on the street, in a backyard or under the counter. This came with occupational hazards. As described here in "Pollywasher":


As a rule the Bobbies left Sparkes’ mob alone, most of them were betting men themselves and they thought they had better things to do I mean, you’ll never stop gambling will you? But every now and again I think there’d be this new broom who wanted to make an impression by arresting loads of bookies and there’d be these raids. Most of the time it just ended in a fine, which Sparkes could take in his stride, it was nothing to him just expenses. Then it would just start again where it had left off. But Joe was duty bound to at least try and make an effort to get away so he made a put for Lilly’s door and went into her house, dropping the latch down behind him. Then he went straight through and out the back yard, over the wall and down onto the canal towpath and away. The police barged into Lilly’s house because the door wasn’t up to much and she screamed blue murder, as you would. Everyone came out and started shouting at the coppers and getting in their way and they just knew they were beaten and gave up.



Search Amazon for "Pollywasher " by Sarah Miller Walters to read on.

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