Black Country Bookmakers

 

During and after the 2nd World War “Street” (illegal) Bookmakers flourished, usually

with the tacit co-operation of the local Police and no more so than in the Black Country

This site recalls memories of two Bookies, one in Cradley Heath, the other in Old Hill

 

                    #  The Sidaways of Cradley Heath   #

 

                         #   The Homers of Old Hill   #

 

My knowledge of the Sidaways is mostly first hand, my connection with Benjamin Homer is that I married his

Grand Daughter--Pat Johnson.

She lived next door to him, in Ashtree road for 22 years, and was a well known Hair Dresser in Old Hill

 

There is one other Sidaway family connection with the Bookmaking fraternity;

the eldest Sidaway daughter, my Aunt Doris, married Bert-- the eldest son of a Mr Harry Watts. 

He made a book from his terraced house in Oldfields, off Corngreaves Road, Cradley Heath and ran the business

for many years mainly with the help of his two unmarried daughters.

 

With our family history it’s a little surprising that none of the succeeding generations of Sidaways have any

connections with the Bookmaking fraternity.

We all seemed to have opted for fairly safe but, I suspect, a lot less colourful occupations and professions

 

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