Mr Powell was the manager of a branch of the Commercial Bank in Manchester where Jack and Annie Walker had their joint personal account as well as a business account. One day, Jack called into the bank where the secretary, Miss Muldoon, alerted her boss who had wanted a confidential word with him the next time he called in. The two men chatted briefly about the manager’s sailing hobby in the Lake District before Mr Powell told Jack that the account, which usually had a credit of about £100, had been getting lower and lower and now it was in the red. Jack wasn’t surprised by the news but pointed out to Mr Powell that this was the first time that this had happened. Nevertheless, he promised the manager that he wouldn’t cash any more cheques until he was straight up with him and gave a nervous assurance that he would also make Annie aware of the situation.
Jack didn't keep the latter promise, instead appearing depressed and worried, and the next day Annie went on the shopping trip into town and called into the bank to cash a cheque. Mr Powell explained to the shocked landlady that the account was £63 overdrawn, and he wouldn't be honouring the cheque. Annie insisted that there must be a mistake in the addition of the account, but Mr Powell assured her it was correct and pointed out that more cheques had been drawn on it recently than was usually the case. He suggested that she take the statement home and compare it to their cheque book, and a chat to Jack would clear things up.
The news caused a temporary breakdown in the Walker's marriage after Annie discovered the regular cheques had been cashed from their accounts in the name of a Mrs. H Nicholls. Suspecting that Jack had another woman, Annie left him for a while until their son Billy came up from London and explained to her that he had been sacked from his job down there at the Blue Bell Garage and his father had been paying his landlady, Mrs Nichols, his rent.