Policing Aristocratic Duellists

[Brian Wolfe]

Policing Aristocratic Duellists

While reading “The Great British Bobby” by Clive Emsley, I ran across this passage that I thought would be of interest to both Police and Military historians. I may post this in the appropriate Military interest section as well.

Historians have recently pointed to a growing refinement in manners apparent at least from the early eighteenth century. This led to increasing limitations on male aggression, particularly among those social groups that considered themselves respectable. The development was largely encouraged by peer-group attitude and approval, but sometimes it was even enforced by the courts. One of the clearest manifestations of the development was the way in which duelling was increasingly frowned upon in early nineteenth-century England. Even so, there continued to be men, particularly in the military, who responded to a perceived slight against their honour with a challenge. Wimbledon Common, which abutted “V” Division of the Metropolitan Police District, was a popular place for such confrontations. Towards the end of the 1830s the local magistrates were sufficiently concerned about the number of duels on the Common to seek a new parish constable for Wimbledon. They found their man in Thomas Hunt Dann, a local miller who lived with his family in a windmill that overlooked a site popular with duellists. In the late afternoon of 12 September 1840 Thomas Brudenell, 7^th Earl of Cardigan., and Captain Harvey Tuckett faced each other on the Common twelve paces apart. The first shots of both men missed their targets. Tuckett fired a second time, and missed again. Cardigan took his second shot; the ball ripped its way under Tuckett’s ribs, exiting his body by his spine. The duelists and their seconds were not aware of being observed. Constable Dann, standing 20 feet up on the stage of his mill, had seen their coaches arrive and, as the scene began to unfold, he suspected their intentions. He called to his wife to keep watch on the proceedings as he rushed into the mill to get his constable’s tipstaff: ‘I did not like to go without my authority’. He ran the 220 yards to the scene, arriving moments after Cardigan’s second shot. He arrested Cardigan, took Tuckett’s card and ordered a surgeon to take him home and see to the wound – a wound which Tuckett was fortunate to survive. It says much for Dann’s courage, his commitment to his office and his faith in the standing of that office, that he was prepared to confront and arrest a man who was clearly his social superior and who was among a cluster of other men who were also his social superiors. Moreover, while the prickly Cardigan and his entourage may, in private, subsequently have mocked Dann as a local Dogberry, they bowed to the authority of his office. Cardigan and his second, Captain John Douglas, got into a post-chaise with Dann and were escorted by him to the nearest Metropolitan Police station at Wandsworth, where Dann handed over his charges to Inspector John Busain.

It was not the first time that Dann had been involved in prosecuting duelists; and he claimed that he had even managed to prevent some confrontations. But the Cardigan duel was exceptional in that the earl stood trial before his peers. Dann, his wife and their fourteen year old son gave evidence at the Home Office, before the Grand Jury and then in Cardigan’s trial in the House of Lords. The earl was acquitted on the charges of intent to murder, and intent to maim and inflict grievous bodily harm, largely on a technically. Cardigan went on to lead the Light Brigade into the Valley of Death at Balaclava. Dann went back to his mill and probably remembered, with advantages, that particular feat on Wimbledon Common and its aftermath.

Regards

Brian

[Mervyn Mitton]

Brian a very interesting example of why the tipstaff is so important in British history. Only just over 2000 are known

to exist and some of them are very valuable. Basically though - they were necessary for the carrier to be able to

use his powers from the Crown.

I'm sorry Gentlemen - but, would it really take so much time to thank Brian for this long post ? I know how many

police and specials we have as members on this Forum and the numbers are not great - all the more reason to

support each other. After all - the Police as a working community are closer - in most cases - then the armed forces.