Author Topic: Bookie's Runners  (Read 2243 times)

clonbron

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Bookie's Runners
« on: January 15, 2017, 02:38:47 PM »
Does anyone have any memories of bookie's runners in Balsall Heath/Edgbaston in the late 50s , early 60's? I did read one post on this site that referred to 'runners' congregating outside the Wellington pub on Balsall Heath Road.
In my later pre-school years, '59 to '61, As part of her shopping routine, my mother used to take me with her to a 'runner' on Hope Street to put my Dad's bet on. Always 3x6d each way doubles and 6d each way trebles - four bob wrapped up in a sheet of notepaper with the bet written on. Can't remember her ever collecting , though. Had no idea this activity was illegal till much later on as it was a normal part of my day.

GardenGerald

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Re: Bookie's Runners
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2017, 04:39:11 PM »
Hello and Welcome Clonbron.
I well remember the runners in the Vauxhall area. The Police would give them warning that we will pick you up tomorrow. In court fined a pound and back on the streets the next day.
Best wishes
Gerald

earlswoodbob

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Re: Bookie's Runners
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2017, 08:06:45 PM »
Hi Clonbron
You mention bookies runners near The Wellington in Balsall Heath Road/Mary
Street, the reason was that there was a rag and bone yard in Mary Street next to
the Wellington which was also a bookies, I can remember the runners standing on
the corner of Balsall Heath Road and Mary Street in late 50's early 60's looking
like extras from a 1940's gangster film. I once went into the bookies/rag and
bone yard to take a bet from my grandfather ( money wrapped up in a piece of
paper with the bet written on it, the punters had a pseudonym "Micky Mouse"
etc).They had a ticker tape machine in a glass dome presumably delivering the
results. The place must have been the worst kept illegal secret in the world. My
memory is the name of the bookies was Hillditch (probably wrong spelling)
Bob

Phil

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Re: Bookie's Runners
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2017, 08:47:49 PM »
Bob

The name was G H Hildick.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

clonbron

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Re: Bookie's Runners
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2017, 04:01:41 PM »
Hi all - interesting responses.
Bob - now you've mentioned it, I remember that my Dad used to write a 'non de plume' on the bet, but I can't recall what it is. He continued to write it on his slips even when it all went legal in 1961.


roy one

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Re: Bookie's Runners
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2017, 04:20:06 PM »

Now a professor of community history, broadcaster and writer, carl Chinn was himself a bookmaker, and his father and grandfather were illegal street bookies. through an exciting mixture of oral history, letters, newspapers and traditional documents he brings his own unique perspective to this colourful and compelling account of the profession's history - from its origins to the recent rapid growth of the leisure empires such as Coral and William Hill, and the explosion both in betting on 'vitual' horse races and in internet betting on events taking place all over the world.   




in the 1950s I went to his runner to take a bet  now hes a nice sort of chap but when I read about the hard times in the 50s that he goes on about he does not say that he went with out like the rest of us     
each day is a blessing and I bless each day when it comes

GardenGerald

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Re: Bookie's Runners
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2017, 04:49:43 PM »
Hello Roy
Could you and Phil have a look for a printer in Great Francis Street at the corner with Pitney Street, I think his name was Harper. His main
business was to print anything to do with betting, He was the big unlicensed bookie in that area with quite a few runners working for him.
I went to school with his Grandson and he used to say he was having a day off. In court. When the old boy retired his Grandson took over the business and it soon became a normal general printer and he moved the business to Small Heath.
Thanks in anticipation
Gerald.

Phil

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Re: Bookie's Runners
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2017, 06:08:31 PM »
The Vauxhall Printing Company 17 Great Francis Street on the corner of Pitney Street the signage says General Sports Printer. I remember there were commercial vehicle scales outside the building, I suppose that were something do with the railway wharf on Pitney Street. I remember the building because I has a mate who lived a few doors away next to the snooker club.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

GardenGerald

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Re: Bookie's Runners
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2017, 08:42:33 PM »
Hello Phil
Great picture brings back many happy memories. Mr Harpers daughter used to do some running for him in Duddeston Mill Road.
Go down Duddeston Mill Road past the Chemist on the right hand side and you would come to a grocery shop and a large entry next to it.
Down the entry was Billinghams Stained Glass works. As I said I went to school with the boy who's father did the stained glass work for all the pubs in the midlands. Fantastic to see him working with glass. This was where the daughter collected the bets and I rmember being there when some man said his winnings had been worked out wrongly.
Many thanks Phil
Grald.

Scipio

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Re: Bookie's Runners
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2022, 06:46:13 AM »
Clonbron I’ve just come across this thread , I have memories of a certain runner . He used to stand at the bottom of an entry in Granville St . He really looked the part pencil lined moustache , trilby , and a belted gaberdine mack he had a nack of palming the bet after you handed it to him . Any sign of the law he would just backstep his way into the entry and disappear . He always stuck out as as very noticeable to me , I used to visualise anyone crossing him out would come a gun . It never did of course he was of a very wiry build he probably couldn’t have lifted a bag of sugar to save his life . Finally I’d like to leave you with this , as you can’t recall your fathers the woman I fetched errands for in the late 50’s early 60’s used to mark her bets with LHX I never knew what it was but it must have meant something to her
If voting made any difference , they wouldn't let us do it.
Mark Twain

Edmund Fifield

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Re: Bookie's Runners
« Reply #10 on: April 27, 2022, 10:11:57 AM »
Scip my mother's betting slips had L A P always on them (Lucy Ann PARSLOW) her mom's name.
Make every day a day to remember
Because this ain't no rehearsal
And you ain't coming back


 

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