X Alfred OLDHAMDear JanetThank you for your nicely worded request forinformation concerning Alfred you would besurprised how many enquires we get from people whonever say please or thank you and once again Iapologise for the delay in replying to yourenquiry. We actually have a copy of the secondphotograph of Alfred, i.e. the photograph withouthim wearing the hat, nevertheless thank you fortaking the time in sending it to us. Thephotograph is not an official police photograph,i.e. for official police use so we assume that itwas taken privately, a copy of which was placed inthe records.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 inVolumes 1 and 2. The information regarding hismarriages is retained in CJP24/2, 1847-1966. Andwith regard to his pension CJP20/2/1, 1857-1965.I say all this because I want to try and reassureyou that what I give you is as it appears in therespective volumes. However if you so wish, youcan of course have the records confirmed by theChester Records Office Archivist. But it would beremiss of me if I did not point out that TheRecord Office will charge you a minimum of £27 persearch per volume; therefore your total bill wouldbe in excess of £100, so please be aware. TheMuseum charges, for searching the 4 volumes are ona reducing scale i.e. dependant on the informationrecorded, the maximum amount payable is £10, whichby the time you have read the report I feel surethat what we have supplied represents good value.Your remittance is £10 and as we are working on atrust basis please forward payment by cheque madepayable to the 'Museum of Policing in Cheshire'and forward it to The Curator, Mr. Peter Wroe,Museum of Policing in Cheshire, Warrington PoliceStation, Arpley Street, Warrington, Cheshire. WA1.1LQ.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. 148 Superintendent AlfredOLDHAMBorn. 1843 Mottram, Cheshire.Date of Entry. 2nd March 1863Date of Leaving. 15th August 1902Final Date of Leaving. 15th August 1902How Discharged. To Pension.Initial Posting. HQ Chester ReserveOther Postings and Dates. 29 July 1864 Wirral;1875 Eddisbury; 1877 Altrincham; 1878 Northwich;1886 Nantwich; 1894 Hazelgrove.Miscellaneous Information. 1881 Census in Sandbachas a serving Sgt. 1891 Census as a servingInspector Crewe. 1901 Census as a servingSuperintendent Hazelgrove, Stockport.Religion Protestant, Height 5' 9", Age 20, EyesGrey, Hair Brown Complexion Pale, Buildproportional. 16th August 1902 Certificate ofService with Character reference marked "MostExemplary" sent to him.Age on retirement 59 years 6 months. Total service39 years 195 days. Died 29th October 1913, aged 70years 8months.Promotion/Misconduct.24th August 1878 Neglect of duty in not seeingthat Summonses were properly signed, therebycausing the cases to be dismissed and entailingthe costs to the County, Warned to be morecareful. November 1878 (1) General neglect of dutynot visiting the men of his Section (2) Entering aHouse of one Samuel Bennett at Knutsford with twoConstables and drinking therein (3) Failing tomake enquiries respecting a report against a PC.To forfeit Merit Badge with pay, and reduced to30/4d per week, transferred to another Division.Weekly PaySeptember 1865 20/-. December 1866 21/-. June 186722/-. April 1869 23/4d. May 1871 Promoted ActingSgt. November 1871 Promoted Sgt at 24/-. March1872 25/-. August 1872 26/3d. December 1872 28/-.January 1874 29/2d. May 1874 30/4d. September 187431/6d. June 1876 32/8d. March 1877 33/10d. 16thNovember 1878 Reduced to 30/4d. November 187932/8d.Annual pay.1st June 1886 Promoted Acting Inspector at £90.26th December 1886 £95. 25th June 1887 £100. 1stJuly 1888 £110. 1st July 1891 Promoted Inspectorat £120. 15th May 1894 Promoted Superintendent at£160. 1st June 1896 £180. 1st June 1898 £200.Discharged on a Pension of £133.6s.8d per annum.Total time on pension 11 years 75 days. Totalpension received £1464. 1s. 3d.Awards/Good Conduct/Other information.April 1864 Apprehension of a Deserter from theNavy, Reward of 20/- received from Admiralty.March 1877 Long and Meritorious Service, MeritBadge and pay of 2d per day in addition. September1882 Forbearance and determination when assaultedin company with Constable Bladon, 5/- ExtraSpecial Duty awarded by the Chief Constable.I have also checked the record of PC Bladon to seeif there is any further information on theassault, it basically states September 1882"Forbearance and determination when assaulted byseveral men in company with Superintendent Oldham,15/- Extra Special Duty payment awarded by theChief Constable". So it appears that the PCreceived 15/- and the Superintendent 5/-.Within our database the reference BSI sometimesappears next to an officer's name, this applies toa website known as the 'Black Sheep Index'(www.blacksheepindex.co.uk) this is a site thatcarries newspaper articles concerning PoliceOfficers. On occasions the officer's full name isnot given, but we have tried to make a matchagainst what the Museum Records show. There arecharges involved to obtain these newspapercuttings direct from the owner of the website. Itis emphasized that the Museum does not known thecontents of these cuttings and takes noresponsibility for them and further no payment isreceived by the Museum from the owner of the site.The Museum is only showing this as an aid thatthere is further information from another source.Superintendent Oldham appears to have severalevents recorded for him starting in 1875 with adrunk and disorderly case in which he givesevidence, 1890 two entries for giving evidence ina Murder case at Crewe as an Inspector. 1896 atStockport when a presentation is made to him, 1902Pension details, 1903 Biography and Picture, 1913when he is killed by a car.Marriage RecordOfficer. Alfred OLDHAMOccupation. Police Officer.Age. 27 years.Condition. Bachelor.Place of residence at Marriage. Tranmere,Cheshire.Date of Marriage. 24th October 1870Place Married. Holy Trinity Church, Hoylake,Cheshire.Fathers Name. Joseph Oldham.Fathers Occupation. Hatter, Cheshire.Spouse. Emily CokerOccupation. Servant.Age. 25 yearsCondition. Spinster.Place of residence. Hoylake.Fathers Name. John Coker.Fathers Occupation. Slater, Cheshire.