Court hears of incident on bus

' Don't have all these festivals' , man told

Hertfordshire Mercury, 26th January 1951

Court hears of incident on bus –  ‘ Don’t have all these festivals’ , man told

Fined £1, with £1.16/6  (£1.83p) costs , on a summons accusing him of behaving in a disorderly manner on a bus on November 4 , James Blanche (28) , machine operator , of 16 Edgars Court , Welwyn  Garden City , said in an alleged  statement read by  Det.Constable  A.W. Cook to Welwyn magistrates on Friday : ” Me and Jock had had a night out on the drink as it was Guy Fawkes night . ” He pleaded not guilty .

The chairman of the magistrates , Mr W. H . Playle said ” You caused a disturbance and the case is proven. You cannot go about disturbing the peace although you were having a night out . “

Blanche asked for more time to pay saying he was fined last week , ” for a Christmas drink ‘  and had lost his job over it , he was given one month to pay and Mr Playle added ” You must not have all these festivals . “

Mr R. D. Singleton , prosecuting , said  that Blanche boarded a Number 330 St Albans to Welwyn Garden City bus at 10.46 p.m. on November 4 at the compulsory stop at Birchwood Avenue , Hatfield , with another person .

When the conductor went to the upper deck for their fares they were both standing the the top of the stairs .

Defendant was singing and shouting ” Any more fares please” . He refused to sit down and be quiet .

Police met bus 

At the Bull , Stanborough , the conductor arranged  for the Police to meet the bus at The Cherry  Tree ,  Welwyn  Garden City .

When he returned to get the men’s fare defendant kept holding out the money and then withdrawing his hand .

He told the conductor ” If you call the police I will get you and no one will know afterwards . “

At the Cherry Tree stop two Police Constables accompanied the conductor upstairs and told Blanche to leave the bus.

The conductor, John Reynolds of 9 Maple Avenue , St Albans told the Bench ” He put his knee in the small of my back and tried to push me downstairs. “

Thomas Gilroy , of 11 Holywell Road , Welwyn Garden City , a passenger who said he was sitting near the defendant in the bus stated he saw him push the conductor in the back so that he nearly fell downstairs and heard him say ” We will meet again . ” He had refused to sit down and be quiet .

Miss Grace Brooks , of 45 Heronswood Road , Welwyn Garden City , another passenger , said  Blanche refused to sit quietly . He pushed the conductor as he went downstairs .

P.c. James Sharkey of Hatfield, said defendant had been drinking but was not drunk when he met the bus at the Cherry Tree .

Blanche denied pushing the conductor but admitted in his statement to having  ” a sing-song ” .

 

 

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