Chocks2: I wonder if your grandad ever mentioned the bookie - Harry Jones - who operated (illegaly in those days!) from, I think it was No. 10...
Pedlarman. My Grandad was a bookies runner for someone down that way but that would have been in the 30's vwhilst on leave from the army. He was arrested for it but they fined him rather than send him to prison because of his career. For several years after my dad had to take sixpence a week up to the court but he never knew why 'till after the war
Chocks2: It was the depressed Thirties when your grandad was arrested, and in any case, I don't suppose that the Army paid its rankers much of a wage. So I presume your dad was paying off your grandad's fine by instalments.
I can't really say whether or not your grandad may have done some occasional "running" for my uncle as I don't know when Uncle Harry started up. I know that in the middle Forties - when Harry was operating - there was at least one other bookie in Devon Street, from whom I used to get the results...
Cheers,
Jim Pedley (pedlarman)