Arthur Lewis, Market Manager, complained in May 1936 that some stall owners were not using their tables on Wednesdays and Saturdays as they alleged that trade was bad.  Arthur Lewis tended to watch costings closely and objected to proposals for such innovations as neon signs, but did support the installation of glass doors on the side entrances in Green Street.  It seems that Arthur Lewis had gained the nickname of 'Daddy Loo Loo' as when he emptied the penny slots in the ladies’ toilets, he would often drop the coins and local lads would scramble to pick them up. Loo Loo might have come from a shortening of his surname coupled with loo being a euphemism for toilet.

However, his story is not a happy one; he was attacked in the market in the early hours of Sunday 23^rd May 1937 by an intruder who also stole his keys.  In spite of tying Mr Lewis up and beating him about the head with an enamel jug the attacker was unable to learn which were the keys to the office and safe which contained the takings.  Thus frustrated, after taking two books of postage stamps from Mr Lewis' pockets, the intruder left the building.  Miss Emily Madden, housekeeper to Mr Lewis concerned that her employer had not returned home, went to the market and found him in a seriously injured state.¹  A few days after receiving medical treatment he returned home. 

Just over a week later the bunch of keys were discovered by Thomas Owen of Penydre whilst he was cutting the grass of St. Thomas' churchyard.  Whilst a number of keys were missing, those to the office and the safe were still attached.²  Although he had made an initial recovery, Mr Lewis' health deteriorated and two months later he died.  He had been Market Manager for 36 years.  Suspecting that this had resulted from the injuries he had suffered in the assault an inquest was ordered.  Dr Trevor Walters stated the cause of death to be from Myocarditis and arteriole sclerosis [the condition had probably been exacerbated by the attack].  Because there was no evidence to prove that the intruder had a felonious intent, the Coroner directed a verdict of manslaughter by person or persons unknown.³

Despite the outcome of the inquest, the story was elaborated in the memories of later managers and persisted to be referred to as a 'murder'.

         

Although the actual perpetrator was never apprehended, bizarrely the police were sent a diary by a 23 year old seaman, Leonard Ward Davies in which he confessed to the crime.  Sometime later he further sent the police a letter in which he admitted that the statements he made were false.  Being a resident of Limehouse, London he was tried and sentenced at the Old Bailey to six months imprisonment for 'effecting a public mischief' on 7^th September 1937.⁴

This was adapted from a longer piece on Neath Market by the late Caroline Wheeler which will be published in The Neath Antiquarian Vol.4 in 2023.

 

1. Western Mail - 24^th May 1937

2.Neath Guardian - 4^th June 1937

3. Western Mail - 26^th July 1937