Tales from the station cat...............

[bigjarofwasps]

ACTING POLICE SERGEANT 618 S GEORGE MORRIS
George Morris was born in Westport, south Somerset on 2 April 1852. He was the fourth child of John Morris, an agricultural labourer and parish clerk of Barrington where they lived, and Eliza Barrett, a kid glove maker. George was living in London with his wife, Mary Hunter, who was originally from Cumberland, when their daughter Ellen was born in 1878. He worked as a labourer and they lived in south Kensington at the same address as his elder brother Henry, his wife and two children. The following year on 10 March 1879 George joined ‘S’ Division of the Metropolitan Police and when a second child, Alice, was born in 1881 he was stationed at Edgware Police Station; they lived in Church Road, Great Stanmore. After being appointed Acting Police Sergeant in April 1898 he was transferred to Shenley where they remained until he resigned on 11 April 1904 after twenty-five years service with a yearly pension of £57 8s 6d. During their time in Shenley the Morris’ lived in New Road (No 7) near the Mission Room. Ellen, the eldest of their five children married Archibald Lea, an oilman, at St Botolph’s, Shenleybury in 1903.
They returned to south Somerset and lived in the small town of Wincanton where their twenty-one year old daughter, Rose, died in 1906. George died on 10 July 1920 not long after moving to the village of Ludwell near Salisbury, Wiltshire.

POLICE CONSTABLE 366 S LEONARD W. NEVILLE
Leonard William Neville, born at Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire on 9 April 1867, was the youngest son of James Neville, an agricultural labourer, and Mary Smith. He married Elizabeth White on 2 May 1892 at the parish church in Chalfont St Giles and their first child, William was born in December. The following year on 2 October 1893 he joined ‘S’ Division of the Metropolitan Police at New Scotland Yard. Prior to this he worked as a labourer for Henry Damer Cape at 383 Hornsey Road, Holloway.
When a second child, Reginald, was born in 1894 they were living in Camden Town. After transferring to Shenley Police Station in about 1896 they lived at Elm Cottages in Green Street later moving to Chapel Cottages in London Road. Three more children Hilda, Aubrey and Laurence were born in 1897, 1901 and 1907.
P. C. Neville resigned on 3 May 1919 after twenty-five years service with a pension of £85 14s 8d per annum. They remained in Shenley and continued to live at Chapel Cottages until his death on 12 May 1951 aged eighty-four. Elizabeth went to live at the Wilton House Old People’s Home and died on 11 April 1962. William and Reginald Neville both served in the Bedfordshire Regiment during WWI and Reggie joined the Metropolitan Police in 1919.

POLICE CONSTABLE 193 S DANIEL J. MURPHY
Daniel Jeremiah Murphy was born on 23 February 1861 at Kingston, Portsea, Hampshire. He was the eldest son of Daniel Murphy, a Royal Navy seaman from Castletown, Cork, Ireland, and Mary Ann Martin from Portsea. Fifty-six year old Daniel Snr was accidentally drowned in Portsmouth Harbour when he fell overboard from a coal hulk on Christmas Day 1878. He had been returning from a trip ashore to buy oranges with one of his children.
Daniel attended the Gunnery School in Portsmouth before joining the Royal Navy as a Ship’s Steward’s Boy in April 1876 progressing to Ship’s Steward’s Assistant when he turned eighteen in February 1879 and had signed on for ten years continuous service. After being discharged just three years later in July 1882 he joined ‘S’ Division of the Metropolitan Police at Great Scotland Yard, Westminster on 4 June 1883.
He married twenty-two year old Elizabeth Rule, a miller’s daughter from Suffolk, in Islington in 1889 and when their first child, Elizabeth Florence, was born in November that year they were living in Chipping Barnet following his transfer to Barnet Police Station. Elizabeth was baptised on 24 September 1890 at Great Cornard, Suffolk. They were living in Sebright Road when another daughter, Grace, was born in 1892. Elizabeth died after the birth of their third child, Charles, in November 1893 and Daniel married Sarah Ireland, a widow with an adult son and teenage daughter who worked as a cook in Barnet, in 1895. Charles, who was baptised at Great Cornard on 19 August 1894, lived with his maternal grandparents in Suffolk.
Daniel was stationed at Shenley Police Station from about 1896 and lived with Sarah, Florence and Grace at No 2 Bay Cottages, The Folly (the village end of Rectory Lane where 1 & 2 The Pines are today between Coombe and Warwick Cottage). Grace died aged thirteen after a four months illness in November 1905 at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington. Eight members of the Metropolitan Police carried her coffin from the Murphy’s home to the churchyard at St Botolph’s, Shenleybury for her funeral.
Daniel resigned on 8 June 1908 after twenty-five years service with an annual pension of £54 3s 10d. After leaving Shenley he became the caretaker of Castelnau Mansions in Barnes, S.W. London later moving to Reading. He died at the Star Inn, Newbury on 24 February 1927.

POLICE CONSTABLE 256 S WILLIAM C. LANCASTER
William Charles Lancaster was born in the hamlet of Moulsham, Chelmsford, Essex on 2 October 1869. He was the eldest son of William Lancaster, a brickmaker, and Eliza Drane, who lived in Lower Anchor Street, Chelmsford. Prior to joining ‘S’ Division of the Metropolitan Police at Great Scotland Yard on 22 December 1890 William was employed as a labourer by William Hull Boardman, a brick and tile maker, of Duke Street, Chelmsford.
When he married Ellen Jane Smith, a housemaid originally from Worcestershire, on 14 September 1892 at St Stephen the Martyr Church, St Marylebone, he was stationed at New Street Police Station, St John’s Wood and lodged nearby in Barrow Hill Road. Their daughter Ethel was born in 1894 and baptised at St Botolph’s, Shenleybury following William’s transfer to Shenley Police Station. They stayed in the village for about twenty years and had six more children who were born between 1896 and 1912. In the early years they lived in Harris Lane and later in New Road next door to Fern Cottage. William was a keen gardener and a regular prize-winner at the annual Shenley Cottage Garden Show.
After being transferred to Barnet Police Station just prior to 1914 they lived in Salisbury Road, High Barnet. William resigned on 27 March 1916 after twenty-five years service with an annual pension of £64 14s 1d and became the manager of the Rose and Crown Inn, Church Street, Welwyn before moving to Hastings, Sussex. They were living in Shropshire, where their youngest daughter was married to a dairy farmer, when Ellen died in 1953 and William in 1961 aged ninety-one.
Alfred Ethelred Lancaster, their eldest son, was killed in action on 3 May 1917 aged twenty-one. His name is on the Shenley war memorial.

MOUNTED POLICE CONSTABLE 598 S FRANK SMITH
Frank Smith, born in Blackmoor, Selborne, Hampshire on 10 January 1869, was the fifth son of James Smith, an agricultural labourer, and Ann Walker. When he was nineteen he joined the 20th Hussars as a private in February 1888 transferring to the 18th Hussars four months later. He spent just over a year and a half with his regiment in India returning home in July 1891. After five years and four months he was transferred to the army reserve for a further six years and eight months.
In 1895 prior to joining ‘S’ Division of the Metropolitan Police on 25 March at New Scotland Yard he was employed as a coachman by Dr Edward Crouch in Gosport, Hampshire. At the time of his marriage to eighteen year old Emma Chamberlain, a farmer’s daughter from Norfolk, at St Cuthbert’s Church, Hampstead in October 1898 he was stationed at West Hampstead Police Station in West End Lane not far from the large detached house where Emma was employed as a servant.
Following the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War Frank was recalled to army service in January 1900 and embarked for South Africa on 10 February. He returned just over a year later and was reappointed to police duties in March 1901. Later that year he was transferred to Shenley Police Station where he remained until resigning on 13 June 1921 aged fifty-two after twenty-six years service with a pension of £165 4s 8d per annum. He and Emma lived with their two children, Sidney, born 1903, and Frank, born 1909, at Daisy Cottages on London Road (Metropolitan Police property) for about twenty years. They stayed in Shenley after Frank retired moving to a new council house in Anderson Road and later to Woodhall Lane. Emma died in 1936 and Frank in 1945. They were buried in the churchyard at St Botolph’s, Shenleybury where a headstone marks their grave.

POLICE CONSTABLE 106 S DONALD ROSE
Donald Rose was born on 2 March 1867 at Auchindoir, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He was the seventh son of Alexander Rose, a tailor, and Sophia Cowie Gordon, who lived at Knapperthillock, Auchindoir. When he was twenty-one he joined ‘S’ Division of the Metropolitan Police at Albany Street Police Station, St Pancras on 30 July 1888. His older brother, Alexander, a tailor, lived in Battersea and a younger brother, Robert, worked as a tramcar conductor in Islington before joining the Metropolitan Police in 1892.
Initially, Donald lived in the section house of the police station at Albany Street later taking lodgings nearby. He married Maud Mary A. Chester, a carpenter’s daughter from Buckinghamshire, on 1 June 1898 at Christ Church, Albany Street, and their first child, Maud Violet, was born in March 1899 after Donald had been transferred to Shenley Police Station. For several years they lived at the lower end of London Road in one of the semi-detached cottages just past Woodhall Lane opposite the Smithy. Two more children were born during their time in the village: William Alexander in 1901 and Donald Albert in 1903. On 11 August 1905 Donald was transferred to ‘N’ (Islington) Division. They moved to Seaford Road, South Tottenham and a daughter, Annie Georgina, was born in September. Three year old Donald Jnr died the following year and another son George Albert was born in 1907.
Maud died in January 1910 aged thirty-seven and later that year, on 28 November, Donald resigned from the Metropolitan Police after twenty-two years service with an annual pension of £41 19s 1d. He returned to Aberdeenshire with his young family and lived in Ballater, Glenmuick where his brother David and his family also lived. Donald married Mary Gordon in 1926 and died on 6 December 1933.
The Rose family maintained their links with London and Donald’s youngest son, George, also joined the Metropolitan Police. Violet and Annie both married Metropolitan police constables.

POLICE CONSTABLE 10 SR WILLIAM JONES
William Jones was born on 27 January 1854 in the village of Eglwysbach, Llanwrst, Denbighshire, North Wales. He was the third child of William Jones, a general labourer, and Margaret Evans. When he was seventeen William was employed as an assistant porter by the London & North Western Railway at Tal-Y-Cafn and Eglwysbach station (opened in 1863) on the Bettws-Y-Coed branch line from Llandudno Junction. Ten years later, in the spring of 1881, he was an unemployed gardener and living at Lerpwl Cottage, Eglwysbach with his parents and three youngest sisters. The following year, on 18 August 1882, he joined ‘S’ Division of the Metropolitan Police at Old Scotland Yard and was stationed at Albany Street Police Station when he married Elizabeth Morris, a tailor’s daughter from Denbighshire, at St Mark’s Church, Regents Park on 18 January 1883; their daughter, Margaret, was born in November the same year. A second child, William John, was born in March 1886 after William had been transferred to Shenley Police Station and between 1888 and 1907 they had another nine children, two of whom died in infancy. For around twenty-eight years they lived in Green Street at Limes Farm, which was four doors down from the Green Willows beerhouse, where Shenwood Court is today. The four bedroomed house had a large garden and an adjoining farmyard with pig styes, a cow house, stable and other assorted outbuildings. William also rented the three quarter acre paddock next door. Fellow police constable Leonard Neville lived next door at Elm Cottages for several years before moving to Chapel Cottages in the village.
William was an active member of the Shenley and Green Street Total Abstinence Society which organised outings and entertainments several times a year. He also took part in fundraising events for the Church Missionary Society and for many years he was a regular prize-winning exhibitor at the annual Shenley Cottage Garden Show.
On 18 August 1907 William resigned after twenty-five years service with an annual pension of £54 3s 10d. At the end of August the Jones’ eldest son William, who worked as a baker, left England for the United States. Robert, his seventeen year old brother, and his sisters, Elizabeth and Edith, left in 1911 and 1912 to join him in Salem, Oregon where he was studying to become a doctor at Willamette University.
In the late spring of 1913 William, Elizabeth and their remaining four daughters also left Shenley for Salem. Mrs Jones’ fourteen year old nephew, Henry Morris, and Henry Southcombe, a friend of their son Ellis who later married Edith Jones, went with them. Ellis Jones’ wife, Agnes, died in July 1913 when their daughter, Mabel, was just under a year old and in 1914 he joined the rest of his family in Salem accompanied by his sister-in-law Emma Hitchings, whom he later married, and also Thomas Males, a gardener at the Grange in Shenley, and his wife, Margaret.
By 1920 all the family were living in Seattle, WA where William died on 1 March 1923 aged sixty-nine and Elizabeth on 10 April 1938. They were buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Seattle.

POLICE CONSTABLE 257 S DENNETT E. FOX
Dennett Edgar Fox was born on 30 April 1863 in the hamlet of Upper Dicker, Arlington, East Sussex. He was the second son of Stephen Fox, a blacksmith who died in 1874, and Jane Barnes. In the spring of 1881 nineteen year old Dennett was living in Cuckfield, Haywards Heath, Sussex where he was employed as a grocer’s assistant. Later that year he became a porter with the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway at Eastbourne station where he remained until resigning in October 1884.
He joined ‘X’ (Paddington) Division of the Metropolitan Police at Old Scotland Yard on 22 February 1886. In April the following year he was a witness at the wedding of his sister Clara who married Harry Brooker, a railway guard with the L, B & S C Railway, at St Peter’s Church, Croydon. Shortly after, in May 1887, Dennett was transferred to ‘E’ (Holborn) Division and lodged at the section house of Bow Street Police Station. When he married twenty-five year old Elizabeth Price, a farmers daughter from Malmesbury, Wiltshire, on 18 February 1889 at St-Martin-in-the-Fields, Strand he was lodging at the police section house in Leicester Square, near the Alhambra Theatre.
Their first child, Mabel, was born later the same year at Derby Buildings, Wicklow Street, Kings Cross but when their second child, Jessie, was baptised on 5 April 1891 at St Pancras New Church they were living in a large, and otherwise unoccupied, Regency house in Gordon Square, Bloomsbury which was part of the Bedford Estate. Their stay only lasted a few months and in October that year Dennett was transferred to ‘S’ Division. Mabel died in the summer of 1891 and when Daisy was born in 1893 they had moved to Church End, Finchley where he was stationed at Finchley Police Station. They rented rooms in a house in nearby Newcomen Road before moving to Malmesbury Villa, Birkbeck Road in North Finchley. Thirty-two year old Elizabeth died in 1896 leaving Dennett with the sole care of their two daughters who were aged just five and three. The following year he married Ophelia Bethia Clark from Malmesbury, a widow who was nine years older than her new husband and had seven children of her own whose ages ranged from eleven to twenty-five.
Dennett was transferred to Elstree Police Station in c1898 and they moved into a house in Drayton Road, Boreham Wood. He resigned on 5 April 1902 when he was thirty-nine after sixteen years service and received an annual pension of £26 4s 5d. They remained in Boreham Wood for several years before moving to Hanwell, Middlesex in c1909 where Dennett was an Insurance Agent and later a certified Bailiff. He died on 23 June 1949 aged eighty-six and Ophelia died in 1950 aged ninety-six.

 

 

 

 

METROPOLITAN POLICE OUTSIDE THE POLICE STATION IN HARRIS LANE, SHENLEY c1901

Back row left to right:
P. C. Donald Rose, P. C. William Jones, P. C. Dennett Edgar Fox

Middle row left to right:
? P. C. Reuben Fordham (not in uniform), P. C. John Houndsome, P. C. Leonard Neville, P. C. Daniel Murphy, P. C. William Lancaster, P. C. Frank Smith, ? P. C. John Gardner (not in uniform)

Front row seated left to right:
Act Sgt Sackville Boobyer, Sgt William T. Lanning, ? Sub-divisional Inspector Thomas Browning, Stn Sgt Richmond B. Young, Act Sgt George Morris

 

 

https://shenleymiscellany.wordpress.com/

 

 

Edited November 4, 2019 by bigjarofwasps

[Deelibob]

Although my interest is in the main Liverpool City PoliceI have acquired this medal to Sergeant Wingrave, Metropolitan Police accompanied by a poignant locket belonging to his daughter and pertaining to her brother Fred who died in service with Norwich City Police. I have not yet researched the items but thought the News cuttings would be of interest.

 

[Alan Baird]

 

'''An interesting piece of Tovil, Maidstone local history.'''

This is a Queen Victoria Metropolitan Police medal for 1887/1897 and was awarded to '''PC G Clarke F divn.''' [Paddington division].George Clarke was born in Dalby, in Leicestershire, in 1862.

On the 26th of November in 1883 George Clarke joined the Metropolitan Police and was assigned to Kilburn[Paddington] or 'X' division and was issued with the warrant number of 68768. 

In 1887 PC George Clarke is awarded the above medal.

In 1888 PC George Clarke is serving in Paddington or 'F' division during the JTR murders.

In 1897 PC George Clarke is serving in Paddington or 'F' division and awarded 1897 Jubilee Clasp.

On the 7th of June in 1899 Police Constable George Clarke leaves the Metropolitan Police and Paddington or 'F' division and is also given a gratuity.

George Clarke then becomes the '''Licenced Victualler'' of the Royal Paper Mill Inn at 39 Tovil Hill, Maidstone, in Kent. This is also confirmed in the England Census of 1901 and 1911 and in the Post Directory Listings of 1913 and the licensee's name does not change until 1918. This means George Clarke was the Licenced Victualler for the Royal Paper Mill Inn for over 17 years.

Public houses from Victorian times have often been demolished or had their names changed so many times that you loose track of their origins but the Royal Paper Mill public house is still trading under the same name even today so publican George Clarke is a nice piece of Tovil, Maidstone local history.

 

[Alan Baird]

Hi,

The 'ups and downs' of PC/Inspector/PC Joseph Goddard's career within the Thames division of the Metropolitan Police.

Joseph Goddard was born in Northfleet, in Kent, on the 21st of August in 1854. Joseph's father '''John Goddard''' in the England Census of 1861 is recorded as being employed as a '''shipwright.''' Joseph in the England Census of 1881 is recorded as being employed as a '''Mariner.''' Joseph Goddard married Alice Elizabeth Tricker and who's father '''James Till Tricker''' had also been employed as an '''Inspector in the Thames division of the Metropolitan Police.'''

Therefore Joseph Goddard's maritime connection proved appropriate for him joining the Thames [T.A.] division of the Metropolitan Police, on the 20th of November in 1882. He was issued with the warrant number of 67285 and the divisional number of PC39.

In 1887, Police Constable Goddard was on duty for Queen Victoria's Jubilee Parade through London and was therefore awarded the Queen Victoria's Metropolitan Police Jubilee medal for 1887. There was only 144 of these medals issued to Police Constables in the Thames [T.A.] division.

During the hunt for Jack the Ripper in 1888, Police Constable Goddard was serving in the Thames division of the Metropolitan Police.

On the 12th of June in 1891, Joseph Goddard was promoted to Sub Inspector within the Thames division. Obviously he carried out his Police duties in a professional manner to warrant the promotion.

On the 27th of July in 1891, Joseph Goddard [Thames Police Inspector] gave evidence at the Old Bailey trial of George Duke and James Hitchcock who were charged with damaging property. They were both found guilty and sentenced to 6 months imprisonment.

Inspector [3rd Class] Joseph Goddard continued to provide a good and reliable service up until the start of June in 1896. By this time he has been promoted to Inspector within his first 9 years and had completed 5 years within the rank of Inspector, totally 14 years service. [I believe the Thames division Inspector rank was the same as the Sergeant rank in a normal division and that he would have most likely commanded a rowing boat which would also be crewed by a number of Police Constables. These rowing boat patrols continued in service until approximately 1905. I believe eight steam patrol boats, were commissioned into service in 1898.]  

Unfortunately, on the 4th of June in 1896, Inspector Joseph Goddard was disciplined for '''leaving his boat and taking a Police Constable with him and was later found sitting in a public house smoking whilst on duty.''' Joseph Goddard was severely reprimanded and cautioned and was given a reduction in pay for 6 months ie weekly pay reduced from 39s to 37 shillings.

This appears to be the start of approximately a two year period which was extremely destructive to his career and appears to have involved a drink related problem and with the associated change in his behaviours.

On the 14th of January in 1897, Inspector [3rd Class] Joseph Goddard of the Thames division was reduced in rank to '''Police Constable and severely reprimanded and cautioned and transferred to another division.''' Joseph's conduct was considered highly improper, in that he attended a merchants office, in plain clothes and claimed he and his crew had recovered some timber adrift and was telling such falsehoods to obtain a gratuity. Joseph was then transferred to Kilburn [Paddington] or 'X' division within the Metropolitan Police.

In 1897, Police Constable [146X] Joseph Goddard was awarded the Queen Victoria's Metropolitan Police Jubilee Clasp for 1897.

On the 12th of August in 1897, Police Constable [146X] Joseph Goddard had his pay reduced from 32s to 29 shillings per week for 15 months and was severely reprimanded and cautioned. The Superintendent was to report every 3 months, for a period of 1 year, on Police Constable Goddard's conduct. Police Constable Joseph Goddard was found guilty of being '''drunk when parading to go off duty.''' 

On the 27th of December in 1897, Police Constable [146X] Joseph Goddard had his wages reduced from 29s to 24 shillings per week and was severely reprimanded and cautioned for being '''drunk on duty.'''

On the 27th of August in 1898, Police Constable [146X] Joseph Goddard retired on pension after completing 15 years and 274 days and was awarded a pension of £15 per annum. Like a '''wave''' his first 14 years of service had many highs but the last 2 years saw some very low dips.

In the England Census of 1901, Joseph Goddard is recorded as being employed as a '''ships master''' so he appears to be continuing the maritime connection and was doing well.

In 1902, Joseph Goddard is recalled to duty for the Coronation Parade through London and is therefore awarded the Metropolitan Police Coronation medal for 1902. Police Constable Joseph Goddard is given the temporary warrant number of 1438 and was assigned to Bow or ''K' division.

I think PC/Inspector/PC Joseph Goddard's story is very interesting from the point of view he could easily have been sacked on several occasions and that he managed somehow to even end up pensioned off. When either the Metropolitan or the City of London Police recalled individuals to assist with the Jubilee or Coronation Parades through London, they always appeared to recall their pensioned personnel first. Thus Joseph Goddard was requested to do Coronation duties in 1902.  

 

[Alan Baird]

Hi,

Police Constable Thomas Callender joined the Metropolitan Police on the 11th of August in 1884 and was assigned to Finsbury or '''G''' division and given the warrant number of 69792. [Awarded the 1887 Jubilee medal as a PC in 'G' divn, 1897 Jubilee Clasp as a PC in 'C' divn and the 1902 Coronation medal as a PC in 'C.'] Retired on pension on the 18th of January in 1905 as a PC in 'X' divn.

I thought this assault was extremely brutal.

'''''On the 3rd of August in 1886 we have the Old Bailey trial of Alfred Tonge [23] for feloniously wounding of Mary Ann Tonge with the intent to murder.'''''

At approximately between 7 and 8pm on the 5th of July in 1886, Mary Ann Tonge was in the kitchen of her sister-in-laws house at 23 Wilmington Square, in Derkenwell. [that maybe should read Clerkenwell?] Alfred Tonge, her husband's brother, came in and made some accusations about her husband and another woman. Alfred then demanded money for giving the information and was told where he could go. When he was alone with Mary Ann, in the kitchen, he suddenly and viciously attacked her. Alfred stabbed her twice in the middle of her back and she screamed and tried to escape. Then he stabbed her along the side of her head with the wound penetrating to the bone of the skull. He then attempted to cut her throat and inflicted other wounds on her neck and head. The injuries were all inflicted with the use of a razor which Mary Ann managed to hold onto. Therefore Alfred changed the method of attack and started to jump on to Mary Ann's ribs. He also struck her so severely around the face and head, that all her teeth were loosened. Alfred then tried to choke her with his hands around her neck. Mary Ann's sister-in-law tried to pull him off but then she ran outside to get help. Police Constable [G129] Thomas Callender was first on the scene  and arrested Alfred Tonge.

Alfred Tonge was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years penal servitude. 

 

 

[Alan Baird]

.

Police Constable [309X] Jesse Betts. Born in Knotting, in Bedfordshire, in 1859. Joined the Metropolitan Police on the 12th of May in 1879 and assigned to Kilburn [Paddington] or 'X' division. Retired on pension on the 16th of May in 1904 as a Police Constable serving in 'X' division.

'''When murder becomes manslaughter in Victorian London.'''

In the Old Bailey records we can find the trial record for '''Owen Leonard''' for the wilful murder of Mary Jane Byrne in November of 1891 and Police Constable Jesse Betts played his part in this prosecution at the Central Criminal Court.

On the 30th of September in 1891, at about 10 minutes to midnight and at 22 Swinbrook Road in West Kensington......this is the time and place where the murder occurred. Owen Leonard [40] and his common law wife of approximately 21 years, had taken rooms on the second floor of this building. Witnesses at the trial all heard the violent argument that was taking place between the couple and her screams of '''don't kill me.''' He did much shouting and bad language and things were smashed. Owen had locked the door to their rooms and Mary Jane fearing for her life fled by escaping via the window and dropping to the ground from the second floor of the building. Mary Jane suffered laceration wounds to the head and body and had a fractured spine from the fall. In October of 1891, Mary Jane died and the cause of her death was lockjaw brought about from her wounds.

Owen Leonard was originally charged with the murder of Mary Jane Byrne but because she died due to his conduct rather than his direct actions, Leonard could not be considered a murderer.

Owen Leonard was found guilty of her manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.

PC [309X] Jesse Betts was one of the first Police Constables on the scene ie taking her statement, arranging medical assistance and transportation to the hospital etc.

This case is listed in the publication '''Crime and Criminals of Victorian London by Adrian Gray, page 38 within the book.

[Michael Johnson]

PC Wyndham Hayter - 2/7th Royal Fusiliers and Metropolitan Police

 

I regret no longer having this man's medals, purchased in the 1980s, which were a Second Afghan and an 1887 Met. Police Jubilee.

The Afghan came with a Kandahar clasp, which was not supported by the roll, and Anthony Farrington's roll shows him "sick in Kandahar".

On his release he joined the Metropolitan Police on June 18, 1883, being posted to W Division. He resigned November 28, 1896 with a gratuity, so missed getting the 1897 clasp to his medal.

With the advent of the Internet, research is so much easier. Revisiting him, I discovered why he resigned. On November 11, 1896 Hayter was committed to what were then known as "lunatic asylums", and appears in the Lunacy Commission's Registers, which also record his death on August 4th, 1898.

A sad story, but sadly not uncommon.
 

[Alan Baird]

Police Constable William Nicholas. [Served in the Metropolitan Police from 1875-1895]. Awarded the Queen Victoria Metropolitan Police Jubilee medal for 1887 and this was his only entitlement.

 

Willian Nicholas was born in Newick, in Sussex, on the 6th of March in 1857 and his parents were Henry and Mary Nicholas.

On the 20th of December in 1875, William Nicholas joins the Metropolitan Police and is assigned to Bow or 'K' division and was given the warrant number of 59767. 

On the 17th of March in 1876, William Nicholas [20] and Elizabeth Perring [24] both residing at 125 Charles Street, in London, are married in the Parish Church of Stepney.

On the 26th of June in 1880, the Tower Hamlets Independent and East End Local Advertiser, reported on a case at the Old Bailey where PC William Nicholas 381K, disarms a knifeman. Peter Hill [35] a labourer was charged with unlawfully wounding Emily Collins by cutting her on the neck and arm with a knife and assulting PC William Nicholas. Emily Collins stated she and the defendant were residing at 5 John Street, in Stepney and that on the Sunday night Peter Hill had told her to go to bed. Then an arguement and struggle started on the bed and she sustained two knife injuries. The assault was also independently witnessed. Police Constable William Nicholas 381K was in Commercial Road and on plain clothes duties when he was called to investigate the incident. Peter Hill was very violent and assaulted the constables before being arrested and taken to the local Police Station. The magistrate Mr Lushington committed the prisoner for trial.

In 1887, Police Constable William Nicholas is awarded the Queen Victoria Metropolitan Police Jubilee medal for 1887 whilst serving with Finsbury or 'G' division.

On the 30th of June in either 1887 or 1888 or 1889, Police Constable William Nicholas was transferred to Whitechapel or 'H' division and he remains in this division until he retires on pension in 1895. The second part of this submission will go into greater detail on the research carried out on this specific point.

In the England Census of 1891, William Nicholas [34] who is recorded as being employed as a Police Constable and Elizabeth Nicholas [40] are residing at 6 Fair Street, Mile End Old Town, Western, in London. The family now consist of Maud Elizabeth [12] born in Middlesex in 1879, Frances Mary [10] born in Middlesex in 1881, William Henry Newman Nicholas [6] born in Middlesex in 1885 and Rose Harriet Nicholas 9 months old and born in Middlesex in 1890.

On the 10th of September in 1893, in 'The People Newspaper' there is a story about a 'brutal husband punished at the Thames Police Court.' Peter Titzel [20] was charged that whilst drunk he violently assaulted his wife and his 6 year old daughter. Police Constable William Nicholas 104H was called to the house and arrested the prisoner. Police Constable William Nicholas 104H stated there had been several previous summons against the prisoner for committing the same offence against his wife and so he was sentenced to one months imprisonment with hard labour and ordered to pay for support for his wife and child.

On the 2nd of March in 1895, Police Constable William Nicholas retires on pension from the Metropolitan Police and Whitechapel or 'H' division. William Nicholas is recorded as still being married to Elizabeth Nicholas and that they are residing at 6 Fair Street, in Stepney. William Nicholas retired on an annual pension of £29.19s.1d. and so he received a weekly pension of £1.12s. and had served for a total of 19 years and 70 days. William Nicholas was 37 years old and his physical description stated he had dark brown hair, grey eyes, fair complexion and was 6 feet tall. William Nicholas also had a slight scar on his right ear. Obviously it would appear that William Nicholas was probably in poor health for one reason or another and that is why he was released early on pension

On the 17th of April in 1896, William Nicholas dies and his probate is issued on the 13th of November in 1896 and he is recorded as William Nicholas of Woodbine Lodge, in Newick, in Sussex and strangely he leaves all his £60 effects to Henry Chown a retired provision merchant and not to his wife/children.  

On the 1st of February in 1899, Elizabeth Nicholas dies at Woodbine, in Newick, in Sussex and the probate is issued on the 23rd of February in 1900. Elizabeth leaves her estate amounting to £110.12s.5d. to her daughter Maud Elizabeth Blunden nee Nicholas.

 

That was a quick summary of the life of William Nicholas.

I will shortly complete a second part to his story but I need to take a short break.

 

 

[Alan Baird]

Part 2, the general research relating to PC William Nicholas 'G' division......Queen Victoria Metropolitan Police Jubilee medals for 1887.

 

These early Queen Victoria Metropolitan Police Jubilee medals for 1887 are not covered by the publication 'The Metropolitan Police, The men and their medals by J. H. F. Kemp.' Therefore there is no quick way to research them through this superb publication.

To trace 'PC W Nicholas' you have to go to the National Archives but the problem is.........it may be be very difficult to actually trace him with this limited information. I thought the surname 'Nicholas' might have many entries and make the research impossible but to my amazement the vast majority of Nicholas entries referred to it being a 'christian name and not a surname.' The small number of 'Nicholas surnames' did not have the correct christian name to fit the inscription on the medal. There was only one that fitted the bill and covering the period from 1860 to 1911 and that was a 'William Nicholas.' The 2 National Archieves entries on William Nicholas then gave me his joining and leaving dates and his divisions etc and I could then work from this.

It was now possibe to go to 'Ancestry' and view his Metropolitan Police pension details and it was there I found out that he had transferred to Whitechapel or 'H' division on the 30th of June in 188_. Unfortunately the 'last year digit' was unreadable due to the way the page was positioned in the document book and so the figure could not be seen in the photograph.

 

There are only 3 yearly figures that could be correct :-

 

[a] 1887 - in early June of 1887, PC William Nicholas was serving in Finsbury or 'G' division and therefore was awarded the Queen Victoria Metropolitan Police Jubilee medal for 1887 whilst serving within that division. Therefore PC William Nicholas could have transferred to Whitechapel or 'H' division on the 30th of June in 1887. This would mean he served in Whitechapel during the famous 'Jack the Ripper murders.'

 

[b] 1888 - On the 30th  of June in 1888, PC William Nicholas could have transferred to Whitechapel or 'H' division. This would mean he served in Whitechapel during the famous 'Jack the Ripper murders.'

 

[c] 1889 - On the 30th of June in 1889, PC William Nicholas could have transferred to Whitechapel or 'H' division. This would mean he served in Whitechapel, approximately 6 months after the famous 'Jack the Ripper reign of terror' was completed.

 

The National Archives also assisted in attempting to identify the missing 'year digit' but it turned out that the missing digit was damaged because the document stitching passed through the centre of the figure and their best assessment was..... ''it was either a '0' or a '6' or a '8.' It is impossible for it to be either the year of '1880 or 1886' because we know he was serving in either Bow or Finsbury divisions at these times. We also have local newspaper articles which again evidence PC William Nicholas location within the Metropolitan Police in 1880 and 1893

PC William Nicholas was awarded the Queen Victorian Metropolitan Police Jubilee medal in 1887 and this event took place at the start of June.

Although the original transfer to Finsbury or 'G' division is not recorded in his pension records, this is not a problem. The individual's first and last divisions and their dates had to be listed on the pension records, as well any promotions and associated transfers due to those promotions but otherwise the 'individual official' completing the record did not always complete this 'divisional history in full.' In the majority of cases they may have completed the details in full but I have also seen the cases were this was not done.

The only year date the transfer can relate to is ''1887 or 1888 or 1889.'' The curve shape that the National Archives observed on the damaged figure in the document cancels out the year digit being either '7' or '9.'

Therefore, I believe, all the evidence points to his transfer being made on the '30th of June in 1888.'

If you examine the final '8' in the year date and then amagine stitches destroying the centre of the figure, you get a curve coming down from the top and a curve coming up from the bottom which is what the National Archives archivist confirmed was the shape observed. 

Police Constable 104H William Nicholas remained with Whitechapel or 'H' division until her retired on the 2nd of March in 1895.

I believe, William Nicholas was one of the Police Constables that hunted Jack the Ripper in 1888 and is one of the 'still unrecorded Police Constables' from the original Whitechapel or 'H' division establishment list of 1888. I remember reading somewhere that over 200 Police Officers have been identified who served in Whitechapel during this period in history. 

 

Hopefully, I have explained the research adequately, as it has not been the easiest case to explain. 

 

 

         

 

[Alan Baird]

I meant to say that the ''National Archives archivist and staff were brilliant.'' Obviously, they are extremely busy but they made sure all the 'e' mails were answered and they were extremely professional and helpful.