Skegness Magazine

1941
SLEEPING OUT IN SHELTERS
BUT TOO PROUD TO GO TO WORKHOUSE
MAN AND WOMAN OFFENDERS

A Skegness man and woman, both of whom were sensitive to the humiliation of going to the Workhouse, were brought before the local magistrates in 1941 on a charge of sleeping out in shelters and being unable to give a good account of themselves.
They were separate cases, the woman being found in the High Street Public Air Raid Shelter, and the man in the Council’s South Parade Shelter.
P.c. Tyreman said he visited the Banana Stores, High Street, a Public Air Raid Shelter, at 1.30 in the early hours of Tuesday, July 29th, and found the defendant Mary Jane Clark, seated on a form with a carrier bag and respirator.

A REGULAR HABIT
In reply to his question as to what she was doing there, defendant answered that she wanted to stop the night. When he told her that he knew she had been repeatedly sleeping out and had refused to go to the Relieving Officer she replied ” It’s not my fault: I don’t wish to.”
Witness escorted her back to the police station.
Insp. Harvey said the woman had been wandering abroad from time to time, and had been sleeping in air raid or other public shelters. She knew the procedure as to applying to the Relieving Officer, but had declined to go. The police, therefore, had no option but to enforce the law. Should she continue to offend the procedure would be repeated.

AN HOUR LATER
The same police officer said that an hour later he found John Senescall in a Promenade Shelter on the South Parade, seated on a bench. Asked what he was doing there, Senescall replied “I am sheltering.”
Witness told Senescall that he knew he had been sleeping out, arrested him and brought him to the Police Station. When charged there Senescall replied “What can I say? You know I am sleeping out.”

OTHER LODGINGS
Senescall told the Court that a man named Pickering had offered him lodgings, and a Croft Marsh farmer had promised work on his land. He did not want to go to the Relieving Officer.
The Chairman : You both know there is a place where you can be accommodated. Will you promise to go to the Relieving Officer.
The Woman: All right, sir, thank you very much.
Senescall : I would like to try Mr Pickering first.
Conditional on their both immediately reporting to the Relieving Officer the magistrates imposed a nominal sentence of one day’s imprisonment which meant their immediate release.