In 1974 three teenage boys,Tommy Murphy,Billy Connings and Jimmy Ward squatted a manor house called Simonswood Hall.Naturally being teens they invited their friends round for a party.Gradually it became more organised.To the point that they notified the media they were reclaiming it for the "people".A loudspeaker system was setup and broadcasts of music and messages were went out to the local agriculteral workers to take the land for themselves.The owner of Manor,one William Tyrer,a magistrate turned up one night with his goons.Armed with shotguns they proceeded to take a six year old boy hostage.But everyone stuck to their guns knowing they dare not harm the boy.The police arrived and posted a 24 hour guard on the property.Incidently from conversations they had with the local cop they,the police were bewildered by it all.Then there was an incident with the 6 year old boys dog.A farm near by was tenanted and farmed from Tyrer by a farmer named Critchley.The boy and his dog had wandered onto a wheatfield behind the Manor and Critchley had fired a shotgun at them.All hell broke loose and the squatters and the guard cop had to intervene.The next day over the loudspeaker system it was announced that as the house was the manor then it followed the land was belonging to the house and therefore the squatters were also in possesion of all of the land between Kirkby and Ormskirk and would commence harvesting the same day.They then promptly helped themselves to Critchleys spuds while the cop told him there was nothing he could do.
It was starting to become a bit of an embarrasment now to the authorities and court proceedings began.But it took nine month.The squatters contacted Granada TV and Bob Smithies was sent out to do a report about it.He was supposed to arrive at 3pm but never turned up untill 6pm.None of the squatters as spokesmen were there and he flew into a rage at the girls who were there and with his own TV crew,your a local news reporter Bob not hollywood A list.
On the day of the court case everyone turned up at Liverpool Crown only to find out it had gone ahead.But some young barrister said "Are you the mansion squatters"?He then asked everyone to follow him into court were he stood up and said "Amicus Curiae".He then had the case reopened.The court public gallery had more wigs in it than all of the courts put together.Bill Connings stated that the mansion was the product of robber barons and act of enclosure and there fore by natural justice it belonged to the people.The judge said he agreed but unfortunetly that was the way it was then and it was not that way now.But he gave 28 days for possesion.
Now thats something should be looked into again.These were just kids having a ball.Imagine what could be done by experts.