Whatever Happened to the Real Black Country? by Tom Larkin

Author:Tom Larkin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The History Press

Gambling

Many working-class men and women have long enjoyed a small wager on the Derby and Grand National, but the Street Betting Act of 1906 made betting away from the racecourse illegal. Nevertheless, all over the country betting thrived down back streets, in entryways, alleyways, on concealed patches of waste ground and in certain pubs. The whole business revolved around what were known as ‘bookies’ runners’, who would be paid a fixed commission by a local bookmaker on the number of betting slips taken each day. Around lunchtime they would begin to appear on their familiar patch, or in a discreet corner of a public house – obliging landlords would be aware of their presence but were prepared to turn a blind eye.

Often this routine would be interrupted as policemen, sometimes in disguise, swooped in the middle of transactions. They would even sometimes place a bet themselves to provide evidence at court. Regular raids also took place to apprehend those taking bets at street locations, and there are lots of accounts detailing the ridiculous farce associated with these incidents that often ended in complete chaos. This would happen whenever the bookie’s representative had been pre-warned by a neighbourhood resident, who was probably one of his regular clients, fully aware that their betting slip for that day would be confiscated along with all the others by the police. The tip-off allowed the runner enough time for a swift escape over the nearest garden wall or down an alleyway. Whenever an arrest was made, it set in motion a total charade beginning with the formal charge of illegally taking bets in public, followed by the standard ritual of a fine being paid by the bookmaker. This allowed his runner to simply return to the same venue and continue taking bets until the next futile police swoop.

Illegal betting also flourished in factories, and everyone knew the identity of the bookie’s representative who accepted bets on the premises. The works’ management were usually also alert to the situation, but not unduly bothered provided it never interfered with production.

The 1906 Street Betting Act was viewed with contempt for being unfair, unnecessary and penalising only one section of the community, which is why reforms brought about by the revolutionary Betting and Gaming Act of 1960, which legalised official high street betting shops, was warmly welcomed by all those who enjoyed the occasional flutter. Those controversial restrictions seem so far removed from today, considering the constant pressure from TV and other forms of advertising to encourage people to buy lottery tickets or bet on every type of sporting activity.

This new legislation meant the term ‘bookies’ runner’ disappeared, because under the new laws they could obtain an official document that allowed them to negotiate and receive bets on behalf of a nominated bookmaking agency. These ‘betting agency permits’ were introduced in 1962, ending a nostalgic part of yesterday’s Black Country tradition.

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