BAILIFF’S LUCK

Evening Star, Issue 19664, 17 September 1927, Page 9

BAILIFF’S LUCK

ms £15,000 FORTUNE?. Mr H. E. Rockett, the Hackney High Bailiff, in an interview with ft ‘ Sunday 'Times ’ representative, described a few incidents in his career, public attention to which was drawn when, in the course of official duties, Jio seized a London County Council tiamcar. Some of Mr Rockett’s experiences include:— Inheriting £15,000 last year from an American “ canned meat king.” Diving off Brighton pier _ to_ rescue a baby blown into tbo sea in its perambulator. (Mr Bockett was awarded the Royal Humane Society’s silver medal.) . ' Seizing tho “ flipllap ” at the Franco-British Exhibition at Shepherd’s Bush. Telling of his inheritance, Mr Bockett said: “It was a sequel to events which were little more than a memory—a memory of happy days when I answered the call of tho sea and served on a vessel sailing between England and America. . , “ I was purser in those days on tho Cunard liner Samaria. We did tho trip between Liverpool and Boston, and in the course of my duties I met an American 1 canned meat king,’ who had made tho crossing once "or twice. “Tho day came when lie sent his wife and daughter to Europe in my charge. I looked after them on that trip, and also saw to their comfort on the return journey. It was my job aud I thought nothing about it. “Tho American died last year and left me £15,000 in hard cash, and American estates.” Mr Bockett, who is a Freeman of the Citv or London—his father and grandfather were Freemen also—related how, in 1908, acting for the Borough of Hammersmith, he distrained on the Franco-British Exhibition at Shepherd’s Bush for non-pay-ment of rates. . “Hie first thing I did,” he said, “ was to seize the ‘ Blip-Flap,’ one of those dizzy pleasure machines, I threw out the attendants in charge of the turnstiles, engaged my own men to take their places, and then when wo had taken sufficient money I allowed tho manager to resume operations. # Referring to the L.C.C. tramcar _episodo, Mr Bockett said Ilia own idea was to seize a fire engine instead of a tramcar. His council, however, thought a tramcar would meet tho case.