‘Watchit George, there’s a copper up the road’

My grandparents Bill and Amy Nicholls lived in Finchley Road from about 1940 onwards and my Aunt still lives in the same house. They ran a bookmaking business from their front room and after bookmaking was legalised, they bought a betting shop on the corner of Kings Rd/Finchley Rd which was managed by my uncle Fred Nicholls. I do remember very well the chap who stood outside the house in Finchley Rd taking the bets, I went to school in Erdington and got off the bus on Kings Rd. If there was a policeman anywhere near as i walked past the house I would say “Watchit George, there’s a copper up the road”. With thanks George would do a disappearing act. However he was often caught and had to appear in court where a fine had to be paid. my cousin used to have a little three wheeler bike with a little basket on the handlebar and rode up and down Finchley Road on it. People who wanted to have a bet used to put the money and betting slip in the basket and tell him to go home with it.