Fred M Bickerton

A well-known character in Failsworth about the year 1890 went by the name of “Bid. Dick.” (Richard. Fletcher, Landlord of the Star Inn 1875—1889).

He was the proprietor of the Star Inn. (Ashton Rd E/Church St - although the original spoken of was demolished due to mining subsidence, one of the same name still, 2003, stands on roughly the same spot).

In connection with the hostelry was a sports ground known as the “Moorfields Recreation Grounds,” on which some of the finest exponents of sports of all kinds exhibited their prowess, or their capacity for losing in the encounter, but gaining in pocket.

Lads who could not afford the admission fee, have peeped through the gaps in the boards to watch Lancashire play Yorkshire at Rugby Union Football, or Joe Darby make some of those prodigious jumps, or some of the best well—known catch—as—catch—can wrestlers pull one another about. The most regular sport practiced there was whippet racing, and the yelping of the dogs as they were held in leash prior to the start were the usual scenes of the Saturday afternoon sport.

Some of those dogs did very well indeed. They went about in their little coats, well muzzled, lest they should pick up any morsel which would not agree with their insides.

The following is a bit awkward to read in verse form, so I issue it in prose. It is a piece containing short bursts of sentences strung together in bad. timing. DJH. Referring to the whippets —Their owners fed. them on mutton chops, though the wife and family

might have to be satisfied. with dry bread when the dog failed to win. They were taken to bed as carefully as any sick child, and were waited on hand and foot. “Big Dick’s” hostelry, then being the centre of so much interest, his name was spoken of far and near. He was an extremely

big man, jovial and carefree, but a practical joker of the deepest dye. He had a taste for doing good things, and then suggesting something obnoxious in connection therewith, just to test people. He studied psychology, before ordinary folk knew it was psychology, and it gave him great fun. One Wednesday in Oldham Wakes Week, a band of Morris dancers, having exhausted the abilities of the Oldham people to throw arty more loose cash, arrived at the Star Inn, Failsworth.

Big Dick welcomed them, encouraged. them to perform, and then asked them to come back in the afternoon, when he would give them a good feed. This was great encouragement, and was well received, and. sure enough, at the appointed time three big steaming potato pies stood on the tables in the Star Inn, and the dancers and their friends were invited to tuck in. It was a grand feed., knives and forks rattled, there was much banter, and soon all the dishes were empty, and. everyone was speaking well of mine host, and demanding that he should come in, and hear the good things said about him.

Big Dick said.: “I’ve put best beef aw cud get in Failsworth in those pies.”

“Hear, hear,” they cried, “Good owd Dick.”

“An’ I’ve put the best spuds in too,” continued Dick.

“Well done, it wur rare an’ good,” they chanted.

“But aw put a couple of rats in each pie just to flavour them,” said he. The din gradually subsided., and faces began to blanch, and. bottom jaws wobbled about uncontrollably. Then one chap got up and went to the back, followed by another, until there was only one left. “Well,” he said ”aw dunna know whether thart telling truth or not, but it wur rare an good, un I don’t see any reason for spoiling it now. Aw don’t intend to part with it, so bring me a pint to wash it down.”

Needless to say there were no rats in the pies, and before the joke could have serious consequences the truth was told..

A tale somewhat similar to this was told years ago in the Hollinwood district, of one known as Jim Green, who worked in the Bower Pit. Colliers took their snap with them down the pit, and. it was noticed that Jim Green’s snap was usually of a tasty nature, and he began to miss it. (ie— had. it stolen). One day he announced as they were gathering at the cage bottom to come up, “I’ll tell you what, chaps, that man who pinched my snap today has eaten two rat sandwiches.”

A tale of joking with food. is also told by a relative of “Big Dick,” and was known as “Badger Dick,” Badger standing for grocer. If a little girl came into his shop spick and span, with a nice clean “pinny” or a boy nicely washed with his ears clean, Badger Dick would. invariably cut the child. a thick piece of bread, make a hole in the centre, and plaster it liberally with treacle. Then with “Neaw then, here’s a trade butty for thee” He would see that the child’s nice clean hands were fixed in the centre of the treacle covering. When the child arrived home the treakly mess would be all over face and hands, and down a pinny or suit. There has been many a row in the little whitewashed shop, which stood on Manchester Road, Hollinwood, opposite the end. of Bourne Street, between the irate mothers and. the practical joker, who was the proprietor. Another of his tricks was to keep back for a moment a copper from the change he was giving a child.. If he had to give 4d., he would hand the child 3d, saying “This is for thi mother,” then handing over the other penny would say “this is for thee.” Many a child has spent the penny, and got into trouble in consequence.

It is said that one day “Big Dick” was in Manchester, and looked into a tailor’s shop window. He saw that the tradesman was offering cheap suits to all who made application. Needing a suit very badly, he went in and asked. for one of the suits advertised.

The tailor eyed his ample proportions, and said he would be a long way out of pocket with such a large customer, so he began to hedge.

“Neaw then, chap,” said Big Dick, “An offer’s an offer. A mon Ut puts such things in his window should keep to it. Aw’ll tell thi what, if tha’ll make a suit fur me us tha con see on that notice, aw’ll bring mi lad down tomorrow, and tha shall mak a suit fur him too.” The tailor was

appeased, and thought there would be a way of getting his own back, but when on the following day, Big Dick arrived at the shop with his son Albert, he saw that the son was bigger than the father, and knew that he had been done, but be stuck to his bargain, and the two suits were duly delivered.