"SUIT ORDERS TAKEN IN EASTNEY PUBLIC HOUSE
MONEY AND COUPONS CHANGE HANDS
Goods Not Delivered
A STORY of ordered suits which did not materialize was related to the Portsmouth Magistrates to-day, when Samuel Goode (48), a tailor, of 55, Ingleby Road, Ilford, pleaded not guilty to charges of false pretences.
He was accused of obtaining on November 15, November 22, and December 17, 1943, the sums of £10 and ten coupons, and £10 and £5 respectively from Stanley Sullivan by means of false pretences, and on a day in November, 1943, obtaining £14 from Albert Cass, and on a day in August, 1943, obtaining £5 and 30 coupons from Thomas O’Flynn, also by means of false pretences.
George Sullivan, of 60, Tredegar Road, Southsea, said he met Goode in a public-house at Eastney and accused told him he was working at Airspeeds but in his spare time he represented Goode’s, naval Tailors, of the Hard, Portsea. Accused produced a number of patterns and as a result he ordered a suit, and gave Goode £10 and ten coupons. Subsequently he gave Goode another £10 and £5 as an advance on an overcoat.
Albert Cass, licensee of the Highland public house, Eastney, said he had known Goode for 20 years. He believed he represented the firm of Goode's and ordered a suit for which he gave Goode £14 as an advance.
Thomas O’Flynn, a store clerk at Airspeed, of 30 Andover Road, Southsea, said Goode told him that he represented the firm of tailors at the Hard. Witness gave him £5 and 30 coupons and ordered a suit.
NO CONNEXION WITH THE FIRM
Ernest Goode, of Petersfleld, manager of Goode's, naval tailors, the Hard, Portsea, said accused was his brother, but he had had no connexion with the firm since 1934.
Detective Sergeant Strugnell said that when he charged the accused he replied, “ I have a complete answer to that.
Accused said he had never represented himself as having any connexion with the firm of Goode’s.
He was himself a practica1 tailor, and during the last 18 months he had supplied several people with suits. He had intended to supply the suits for which he had taken money, but was unable to do so as he had been ill since September. He Intended to pay back all the money he had taken.
Mr. A. Ainscough, for defence. said all the evidence was “public housy,” and rather unsatisfactory.
The Magistrates found the case proved, but ordered a week's adjournment to see what settlement, if any, could be arranged between the defendant and complainants, before passing sentence."
Portsmouth Evening News - Monday 24 January 1944, page 4.
Was Goode intending to commit a fraud? Or did he just promise more than he could deliver? It's hard to say. But it seems a bit odd that he would try to con someone he had known for 20 years. Goode's brother does sound like he didn't want to have any connection with his brother. I wonder why he had left the family firm in 1934?
The sums involved are quite substantial for the time. £10 would get you 200 pints of Mild in 1944. Though the coupons - clothing ration coupons - could well have been worth as much, or even more. Clothing was strictly rationed during the war.
The magistrates were pretty lenient, giving Goode the chance to pay the duped punters back before passing sentence.
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