X John JOHNSTONEDear Mr. Johnstone,Thank you for your request for informationconcerning John firstly I have to point out a fewthings. Sadly we do not have a photograph, that isto say we may, there are literally hundreds ofphotographs of officers, but their names werenever recorded on the reverse. We have severalofficers named Johntsone, but only one John, andnone recorded Johnston. I am not saying this isthe man you are searching for but it's the onlyone.The Cheshire Constabulary was formed in April1857; there are many thousands of records, theseare held by the Cheshire Record Office, Chester. Ias a retired Police officer and voluntary PoliceMuseum Researcher am slowly extracting theserecords. Cheshire Police Officer Enrolment Recordsare held under Reference CJP7 Volumes 1-5. Thesefive volumes are very large and in poor condition,run from 1857- 22 March 1913; the informationwhich you seek would therefore be recorded inVolume 3.If you also read the history of the CheshireConstabulary "To the Best of Our Skill andKnowledge" which is on the Museum Web Site, I feelcertain that a useful picture can be obtained oflife in the force at the time, my own opinion isthat discipline was draconian and those whostrayed outside the rule's were fined way abovewhat they earned or dismissed. Also therestrictions on their private life, an officer wasnot allowed to drink on or off duty even in hisown home. It all comes down to the fact that upuntil the 1960's every Chief Constable of Cheshirewas an ex military officer and they of coursebrought with them the military codes of practice.I trust you will enjoy what follows and can I askyou when you get a moment would you send a quickmail so I can mark of your enquiry as completed.If you have any further questions please don'thesitate to contact me. Jim Talbot. Trustee andResearcher, Cheshire Museum of Policing.Collar Number/Rank. PC492 John JOHNSTONE Born. 1856 Birkenhead, Cheshire.Date of Entry. 24/05/1881 to 28/02/1882.Reappointed 08/12/1882.Date of Leaving. 09/05/1896Final Date of Leaving. 09/06/1896How Discharged. Dismissed.Initial Posting. HQ Reserve, Chester.Other Postings and Dates. June 1881 Altrincham, 28July 1883 Reserve, 29 January 1885 Northwich, 20January 1886 Macclesfield. 15 January 1890Northwich, 01 May 1892 Northenden, 13 August 1892Sale, 21 October 1893 Egremont.Miscellaneous Information. Previous OccupationBricklayer. Prior Service of 7 years 2 months withthe 72nd of Foot Regiment (Seaforth Highlanders)left May 1881. Religion Protestant, Height 5' 10",Age 25, Eyes Grey, Hair Sandy, Complexion Fresh,Build Proportional, Tattoo of Star on left Hand.Promotion/Misconduct. 03/02/1882 drinking in apublic house when on duty at Altrincham,Cautioned. 10/1883 (1) Drunk at Altrincham on the1st (2) absent without leave from 9pm to 2pm the2nd, Fined 15/-. 01/12/1885 absent from duty at7.30 to 8.45am at Polling Booths, Middlewich, andAdmonished and deprived of one days special dutypay. 19/06/188 Absent from Petty Sessions atMacclesfield and absent from Divisional Parade,Fined 2/6d, 24/12/1888 Drunk whilst on duty atChorley at 1am and neglect of duty at Chorley at12 midnight, Fined 10/- and reduced to 26/10d perweek, 01/01/1890 Under the influence of drink onduty at Wilmslow at 3pm, Fined 15/-. 11/02/1890Losing his Instruction Booklet, Fined 5/-.30/07/1892 absent from Conference Point atNorthenden Road, Station at 10pm and found drunkat his station at 10.30pm, Reduced to the rank ofConstable. 28/09/1893 Drunk in uniform when onduty regulating traffic outside of AgriculturalShow, at Altrincham, Reduced to 29/2d per week for12 months from 01/10/1893. 04/05/1896 (1) Drunk onduty in uniform at 7.30pm at Seacombe (2)Assaulting Sgt Cooper when assisting to take himthe station in a cab, Dismissed.Pay. 28/05/1881 23/11d, 10/12/1881 24/6d,12/01/1883 25/8d, 25/06/1885 26/10d, 26/12/188728/-, 24/12/1888 26/10d, 30/09/1889 28/-,01/07/1891 30/4d, 01/05/1892 Acting Sgt,20/07/1892 Constable. 01/10/1893 29/2d, 01/10/189431/6d.Awards/Good Conduct/Other information. 30/07/1891Skill, energy and perseverance in arresting Ernestand Thomas Lawton for stealing five turkeys atBarthomley on the 30th July 1891 and recovering aportion of stolen property, Commended by ChiefConstable.