‘Birch My Boy’ — Mother

Evening News, London, 14 August 1947

‘No, No, No,’ Says a Woman Magistrate

WHEN a ten-year-old boy appeared to-day at Manchester County Juvenile Court where the Court’s first birching for 15 years was ordered recently, his mother sobbed: “His father told me to ask you to give him one or two strokes just to teach him a lesson.” Mrs. Alice Titt, senior woman magistrate, who led a storm of protest against the recent sentence and caused questions to be raised in Parliament, retorted sharply: “No, no, no. We don’t want to do anything like that.” The boy’s period of probation was extended for a further 12 months.

Stole Bugles

The boy, with his brother, aged nine, was accused of stealing bugles and pill-box hats from a Boys’ Brigade H.Q. With Mrs. Titt on the bench was Mr. J. Allan, who had no connection with the previous birching sentence.