LIVED ON TENPENCE A WEEK

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20911, 16 September 1939, Page 14 (Supplement)

LIVED ON TENPENCE A WEEK

An old age pensioner, who, for nearly two months, managed to exist on lOd a week, figured in a moving scene at the Old Bailey. Standing in the dock, thin-faced and white-haired, the old man, William Samuel Howcroft. 80. of North Kensington, pleaded guilty in a trembling voice to a charge of setting fire to the house in which he lived. Howcroft, it was revealed, had occupied for 30 years the top flat of the house in Adair Road. All fiis children grew up and married. When his wife died some years ago a. relative continued to live with him, but since April last he had been left alone with his memories. Lived On Bread His only income was the old-age pension. Out of his 10s, 9s 2d went in rent. Too proud to ask for help from relatives and friends, he managed to exist for six weeks on lOd a week. The lOd was spent in buying two loaves of bread and a little margarine. His only drink was water.

In the early hours of May 27 his fiat was found to be on fire. He was rescued unhurt and taken to hospital for his own protection. When the fire brigade had put out the tire, which badly damaged the fiat, it was discovered that the blaze had been started in three different places. In a statement to the police, Howcroft said:— "I have been too long on this earth. I know you took the note 1 left behind. 1 have been very lonely of late. 1 am glad no one was hurt." At the Old Bailey one of -Howcroft’s

sons said that he was prepared to look after his father. He could provide him with a room and a happy home. Mr Justice Humphreys turned to

Pensioner Would Not Seek Help

Bound Over on Arson Charge

Howcroft and asked: “Will you promise me you won't do anything like this again ?" "Yes, sir," replied Howcroft, in a whisper. “I do not know what made me do it. I could not have been in my right state of mind." "All right," said the judge. "There is no doubt this was due to undernourishment. I shall bind you over. I hope you will be happy with your son." "Thank you, sir," replied Howcroft as he stumbled from the dock. Later he left the court with his son to.go to live at Hayes, Middlesex. Howcroft was still too upset to make any statement. “He Was 80 Proud” But Mr John Emery, who had lived in the same house with Howcroft for more than 20 years, told the "News of the World": "In his younger days Howcroft was a painter and decorator. "He was an independent sort of man and never talked about his own business. "He refused to give up the flat and never once asked for help. We had not much ourselves, but we would gladly have given him what we could. "We did not offer to help him because we did not know which way he would take it. He was so proud we did not know what t-o do. “For his age he was a very active man. He did all his own cleaning and washing." Another friend said that "the old gentleman,” as ’he was called by everybody at the Old Bailey, including the judge, had declined help from his relatives. "lie did not want to deprive them of anything for his sake," the friend stated.