X Richard BoultonDear TamsinThank you for enquiry concerning Richard, butfirst I have to point out a few things. Sadly wedo not have a photograph, that is to say we may,there are literally hundreds of photographs ofofficers, but their names were never recorded onthe reverse. If you do have a photograph oranything you would like to add to his personalrecord I will be delighted to enter it on theMuseum Database.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, with regard to his pension thisis recorded in 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 £52, so please be aware. The Museum charges,for searching the two volumes are on a reducingscale i.e. dependant on the information recorded,the maximum amount payable is £10, whichrepresents good value. Your remittance is as Isaid £8 and as we are working on a trust basisplease forward a cheque made payable to the'Museum of Policing in Cheshire' to The Curator,Mr. Peter Wroe, Museum of Policing in Cheshire,Warrington Police Station, 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. Within Richard'srecord there is a particular reference to the'Dukinfield Riots 1868' which I will explain alittle later. Also the restrictions on theirprivate life, an officer was not allowed to drinkon or off duty even in his own home. It all comesdown to the fact that up until the 1960's everyChief Constable of Cheshire was an ex militaryofficer and they of course brought with them themilitary codes of practice. I have to say thatRichard appears to be an exception to the rule ashe has no 'Misconduct Reports' recorded againsthim. Nearly every officer for this period of timehas one or two charges against him for drunkennessor drinking on duty etc.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. PC 27 Richard BOULTON.Born. Circa 1825 Church Lawton, Cheshire.Date of Entry. 20 April 1857 (this date indicatesthat he was one of the original members of the NewCheshire Constabulary on its formation. He has infact seven months service in the Old CheshireForce commencing in October 1856.Date of Leaving. 14 November 1857 (Resigned,reason unrecorded)Reappointed. 08 December 1857Final Date of Leaving. 12 April 1878How Discharged. To pension.Initial Posting. Broxton.Other Postings and Dates. December 1875 to HydeDivision.Miscellaneous Information. Subject has 5 yearsprior service with Manchester Borough Police and 7months Cheshire Old Force. (It is well worthcontacting the Greater Manchester Police Museumthey have some very old records, they are on theinternet) Religion. Protestant, Height 5' 11",Age 32, Eyes Grey, Hair Light Brown, ComplexionFair, Build proportional. Age on retirement 53years. Total service 21 years 210 days. Died 15December 1900, aged 75 years 8 months.Promotion/Misconduct. No Misconduct or promotiondetails recorded.Weekly Pay. 01October 1857 19/- to 20/-. 15 July1858 21/-. 28 July 1865 Merit Class awarded payincreased to 22/2d. January 1866 23/2. August 186824/6d. September 1872 25/8d. June 1873 26/10d.September 1875 28/-. March 1877 29/2d. Annual payon retirement £76. 0s. 10d. Discharged with aPension of £35 per annum. Total time on pension 22years 248 days, Total pension received £793. 15s.7d.Awards/Good Conduct/Other information. July 1865Long and Continuous Good Service, Merit Badge and2d per day additional pay. February 1868 ForCoolness and Judgment at Dukinfield Riots, 5/-gratuity from the Chief Constable. May 1868 ForCoolness and Judgment at Dukinfield Riots, £3reward by Court of Quarter Sessions.The year 1868 was a busy one for the Force.Industrial disturbances in the early part of theyear in the Dukinfield, Hyde and Stalybridgedistricts followed by an election which, for thefirst time, brought in the "working man" votemeant a great deal of what one may describe as"active service". In justice to the policeman ofthese times at least one event of the many callingfor high personal courage and devotion to duty,should be placed on record. (Ashton-under-LyneReporter, 25th January, 1868 (Extract)).One day in January, 1868, during a strike ofcolliers in the Ashton Dukinfield district, a mobof upwards of 1,000 strikers armed with sticks andbludgeons came into Dukinfield from Ashton.Sergeant Leah and Constable Chivers met them atAlma Bridge and attempted to turn them back. Theattempt failed and the mob proceeded to the Marketground. They damaged the Roman Catholic Church andwent on to the Astley Deep Pit, with a view toturning out a number of Staffordshire "blacklegs".Sergeant Leah and Constable Chivers and threeother constables (I assume that Richard was one ofthe three other Constables) who had now joinedthem arrived before the mob at the lamp-house ofthe colliery. The police held the mob at bay forsome forty-five minutes with physical force,remonstrance and threats. The "blacklegs" had beenbrought to the lamp-house for safety. The mobpulled the shutters down and threw stones. Some ofthe "blacklegs" having promises of safe conductleft the lamp-house but were set upon by the mobthat struck and kicked them unmercifully. Theaccount goes on to say that Mr. Little, the DeputyChief Constable, arrived and with his well-knownactivity the law was set in motion. For theirgallant action Sergeant Leah and Constable Chiverswere both commended and promoted. The otherconstables received pay increases.