Chester Chronicle – Friday 21 February 1800 CHESTER POLICE ACT. Attendance
of the Inhabitants of the City is requested at the Exchange Assembly Room on
Tuesday next, at eleven o'clock, to consider the Draft Act, as settled by
Counsel, and to petition Parliament. Exchange Assembly Room 18th Feb. 1800. Mr
Mayor. Being unable to attend, on account of indisposition, the Meeting is
Adjourned to be held here on Monday 24th inst at twelve o’clock.
Lancaster Gazette – 17 January 1807 On Wednesday morning, the 7th inst. one of
the watchmen of Chester, named John Boulton, was found drowned in one of the
locks of the Ellesmere Canal, at the Tower Wharf. It appears, that his lantern
was found in the cabin of a flat boat, his hat and stick in the Graving-Dock
adjoining, and his rattle swimming right over the spot where the body was hound;
from these circumstances, two flatmen (now in custody) are suspected of throwing
him into the lock. An inquisition was held on the body before the Coroner of
that City, on Wednesday and Thursday, (13TH AND 14TH) and when a verdict was
given of – wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.
Chester Chronicle – Friday 8 April 1808 On Friday night or early Saturday
morning, the shop of Mr. Taylor, music-seller and jeweller, in Bridge-street,
was broken open, and seven silver watches, a pair of silver tea-tongs, some
silver tea spoons, gold ear rings, brooches etc. stolen there-out.—-The robber
or robbers had taken out a piece of the window shutter, by means of a gimlet,
sufficient to admit an arm, and consequently took only what was within reach. No
clue has yet been obtained to lead to a discovery. Several robberies having been
committed lately, we seriously recommend to the Police of this city the
necessity of doubling the watchmen, 18 being too few for this city, or to our
fellow-citizens the adoption of a nightly patrole (sic) which we have no doubt
would effectually prevent a repetition of such daring outrages.
Chester Chronicle – Friday 22 August 1817 City and County Prisoners. It is
really melancholy to observe the progress which guilt makes in this city. Before
the last three years, it was unusual to have more than five or six prisoners for
trial at our Crownmote Court; unhappily, vice has increased to such a degree in
Chester, as to vie in its catalogue of crime with the most populous places in
the county. We will not be rash in attributing this disagreeable change to any
particular cause; but must unequivocally declare, that no blame can be attached
to our police—on the contrary, there are few places in the kingdom which
possesses more the personal superintendance (sic) of its Chief Magistrate, and
the active co-operation of the subordinate officers, than Chester
Chester Chronicle – Friday 28 November 1817 Wednesday.—Edward High, Watchman,
was suspended from his employ, for receiving a shilling from the wife of a
person against whom there was an information for drunkenness, and disturbing the
streets.—
Assault on a Watchman, by a soldier.— Thomas Tilston, a watchman, charged Daniel
Cavenagh, a soldier in the 85th regiment, with a violent assault. On Tuesday
night about hall-past eleven o'clock, he was going on his round up
Castle-street, when he heard a noise at the end of Potter's-Court, (the same
disgraceful rendezvous above alluded to) he went to the spot, and found there
the prisoner Cavenagh and a woman; the woman was very drunk, and he took her
into custody. The prisoner requested Tilston to let her go, and on his refusal,
immediately struck him a violent blow under the left eye, following it up by
several others equally severe or other parts of the face. A long scuttle ensued
in which the watchman brought the prisoner to the ground, but availed himself of
the opportunity of seizing the watchman by his neck-handkerchief, and nearly
choked him. After calling a long time in vain for assistance, at last Johnson,
another watchman came up: in the interim the prisoner made his escape, but they
followed him to a house kept by one Ithell, in Potter's-Court, and there they
apprehended him. On taking him to the House of Correction, he said he knew
Tilston, and when he got out would lie in wait for him.—At the bottom of Castle
street, listen met the night piquet of the 85th regiment, and shewed one of them
his face, then running with blood; when one them said, "D..n your eyes, serve
you right”.— Johnson confirmed the testimony of Tilston.— The prisoner said he
was servant to Captain Vandeleur, and was drunk; was sorry for what he had done.
The watchmen were bound over in 50s each, to prosecute at the next Session in
April. The prisoner said he had no one who would be bail for his appearance
then; of course was fully committed to gaol, answer the indictment to preferred
against him.
Chester Chronicle - Friday 7 January 1825 Chester Police Report. STREET AFFRAY—
Bennett, a Watchman, charged Hubert Owens with assaulting, him near Mr. Hooley's
Public-house, opposite the Theatre. He said he had been in the house to warn the
defendant to leave it, when Owens followed him to the door, seized his stick,
knocked him down, and then broke his rattle. Owens denied the statement; and
produced two witnesses, who expressed a readiness to swear that the assault was
altogether provoked by Bennett, and was entirely uncalled for; they saw him
repeatedly strike Owens with the stick, in a most violent manner, and certainly
Owens's head evinced ample testimony that some one had beat him pretty
handsomely there. They further stated that they thought the Watchman must be
either drunk or mad to act in such a manner. The Magistrates were of opinion
that the charge against Bennett demanded the most serious enquiry; if it was
true, he was a very unfit man to be on the Watch Bennett strongly denied the
statement, and finally the affair was left over, to be investigated before the
Commissioners of Police
Chester Chronicle - Friday 18 February 1825 STEALING LEAD. William Knight,
from Botany Bay, in Chester, and a candidate for a place of the same name in New
South Wales, was brought up in custody, charged with the heavy crime of stealing
lead. The readers of our Police Report pretty well know, that this has been a
growing evil for several years, and let us hope the detection of this offender
will put a stop to the traffic That there are others, —we mean the
purchasers,—more to blame than the thieves, is quite obvious, and we trust the
eye of our active Police is upon them. The circumstances which led to the
detection of this offender are these: about half-past eight o'clock on Friday
night last, as Mr. Dawson, and Mr. John Hill, were on the look-out on the Canal
bank, they observed on the north bank, between the Lead Works and Messrs.
Frosts' Mill, a person, carrying a heavy load. Suspicion was excited, and they
watched him; but, the burthen carrier was also on the alert, and throwing down
his load, made off. He was pursued, and driven to desperation, he plunged into
the Canal. Mr. Dawson resolutely followed him, and on the other side, he was
seized and secured, and lodged in gaol. The lead weighs about 110lbs and is
composed of spouting, but from whence taken is not yet discovered. It was
concealed in a large and small bag, the latter of which Knight carried under his
arm. Great praise is due to Mr Dawson for his activity on this as on previous
occasions, and we congratulate the city on having an officer so competent to the
superintendence of its Police.
Chester Chronicle - Friday 10 June 1825 WEDNESDAY.—Present, the Mayor, Ald.
Francis & Massey. POLICE RATES. Thomas Dodd, formerly Conductor of the Watch,
appeared to a summons obtained by Mr. Brown, Surveyor of Police, for not paying
his rates. The case was formally stated, and Defendant was called upon for his
plea. Dodd: "What's he bother me about the rates for? I never refused to pay him
and he knows it. But the money is not due till June."---Mr. Brown: "He told me
he would not pay till June, because the money was not due till the 1st of
August. ---Dodd: "I tell you what, Gentlemen, Brown told me, says he, there's
Mr. Bateman looks as blue as the D***l at me, if I don’t pay him."— Mr. Brown:
"I said no such thing. — Dodd: Why I'll take my oath of it; and I tell you,
Gentlemen. I want the money as bad as Mr. Bateman."—Ald. Francis: You are wrong,
Dodd; the money was due from you on the last 1st of August, not on the next;
besides, how is Mr. Bateman to pay the Watchmen & other things if he does not
receive the money?" Dodd: "Pay fiddle-de-dee; why there's £2000 collected by the
Commissioners."--The Mayor: "Did you ever hesitate to pay before?"--Dodd: "I
never paid before so soon. Mr. Brown: "No, when he held a place in the Police he
never objected." Dodd: "That's nothing to do with it. I’m one that's not ashamed
of nothing. Why you told me Mr. Bateman wanted it for himself."--Mr. Brown: "And
that you know is a most abominable falsehood." A warrant of distress was now in
process of making out, when Dodd put down 6s being the amount of his rate. He
was told there was the shilling for the summons, but this he refused to pay,
till he was told, the money would not be received without it, and then down came
the shilling and out walked Mr. Dodd.
Chester Chronicle - Friday 11 November 1825 CHESTER POLICE REPORT.
MONDAY—Present, Ald. Larden, H. Bowers, and Francis - PAST FIVE O'CLOCK, AND A
WET MORNING — Jos. Blake, a watchman, was reported for not appearing at roll
call, before the Conductor of the Watch, at 5 o'clock in the morning. Blake
stated that he had finished his round, and was as “sober as a judge," when a
person whom he had been calling up, gave him a glass of brandy, which “got into
his head," and quite settled him. This excuse would apparently have had some
weight, but unfortunately two brother Charleys, Newton Frith and J Tilston, came
forwards, stating, that when Blake came into the watch-house he was " like a
mad-bull," stripping to fight, and proving himself a very great bore to the
heavy-coated community, assembled at their quarters after the Feast of
Lanterns.— Under these circumstances, the Magistrates thought it necessary that
the complaint should be referred to the next Meeting of the Commissioners, which
was ordered accordingly.
Chester Chronicle – Friday 18 Nov 1825 CHESTER POLICE REPORT MONDAY Present,
Aldermen Francis, Williamson, Massey, and Morris Richard ROW IN THE ROW'S -
Tilston and Johnson, two of the "good men and true" of the Corps of Dogberry,
vulgo Watchmen, complained of two young men by name Morris & Bithell, for
raising a disturbance in Eastgate-row— It was stated that there was a row in the
street, and when Tilston approached the Children of Beliel, Morris came up to
him, and "squared his fist in his face"; this insult was resented by Tilston
flooring him, and the floorer soon afterwards, became the flooree. How they
could conveniently explain what took place at this point of time did not
precisely appear, and perhaps there might be some difficulty in ascertaining the
precise matter of fact, inasmuch as both of the beligerents—the legal and
illegal—declared they were "knocked down quite senseless”. The Magistrates
appeared to think they had well described the state in which they became
couchant, and the Mayor therefore ordered the parties to pay for the summonses,
giving them at the same time a suitable reprimand for keeping late hours.
EXCESS OF DUTY — Mr. Ellis, landlord of a respectable tavern, in
Newgate-street, called the White Talbot, made a complaint against Mr. J.
Barclay, under the following circumstances: Mr. E. stated that his family had
before been annoyed by Mr. B’s gratuitous visits, and on Monday night last, as
they were about going to bed, they were alarmed by a loud and important
sort-of-a rap, tap, at the door, which induced complainant to ask who was there?
and at the same time putting his head through the window, he beheld his old
Monsieur Tonson-friend Mr. Barclay, who, he said, reeled round, and demanded
admittance, stating that he was on his “rounds" and wished to see that all was
"right and straight." [A Magistrate asked was Mr. B. a Constable? Certainly
not.] Mr. Barclay then repeated his demands, and Mr. Ellis seeing another
peace-officer at hand, in the shape of Sumpter, the watchman, put Mr. B. in
charge, and he would have been sent to quod only for the interference of a
gentleman who was passing by. The watchman said Mr. B made a great disturbance
in the street—lt being stated that Mr. B. had promised to appear this day to
answer to the charge, and had failed in so doing, the Mayor said he felt it his
duty to issue a summons, and was almost fearful he had not done his duty, by not
issuing that process in the first instance—he was determined to do his duty
without favour or affection. A summons was accordingly issued for Saturday
(to-morrow).