ON THE BEAT IN SOUTH BRISTOL
5th January 1837
Mr Harris, Guinea Street, called at Bedminster Station on the 4th January and states that a tenant of his complained of PC 215 Way for being in the tenant’s back-yard at 4 am on the 23rd smoking his pipe and being without his coat and shirt, and the same PC had been seen four days previously with a girl in the privy.
Enquiry has been made by Mr Inspector Gardener who reports that the WHOLE STORY is a complete fabrication.
In the same year another complaint was made to the Watch Committee concerning young women who made a habit of calling at Bedminster Station and that, after their arrival, the blinds of one room of the station house were pulled down.
The explanation given to the Watch Committee was that Mrs Knapman, the Housekeeper, had had a Mrs Chandler and Anna and Mary Baker to tea. The blinds were drawn to prevent those men on evening duty looking into the apartment.
Sometimes, however, when the case against a member of the force was proven, the man concerned was either fined so many days pay, or dismissed. In the case of this being a sergeant he could be demoted.
ROBBERIES
February 1837
About half past seven o’clock on Sunday evening Mr William Hill in Redcliff Street, discovered that his house had been forcibly entered by means of a crowbar during the absence of his family at church. Mr Hill immediately called PC 206 Gammon who was sent from Bedminster Police Station and on the arrival of Inspector Gardener and Sergeant Sims, they searched the premises and found two well-known thieves named Watkins and Brown concealed. 3 dozen of skeleton keys were found on their person and various other implements of house breaking. They were taken to Bedminster Station and on Monday committed for trial.
28th March 1837
Stolen from the house of Mr Samuel Dyer, Failand, Somerset. 3 pigs value about £6. PC 12 and PC 188 succeeded in tracing out the party who committed the robbery and found part of the property in the possession of a man named Job Wade who was arrested and subsequently transported for life for the offence.
2nd December 1837
Reported robbery from the premises of Hand and Bailey, Grocers, 3 Queen Lane, Redcliff Street, of 4 cwt of cheese.
Report of Inspector Gardener (Bedminster Station)
'I have examined the premises in Redcliff Street from which it was stated that 4 cwt of cheese, valued at £9 was stolen on the 1st of December. The only way to the warehouse is through the shop in Redcliff Street. At the back, where he states the entry was made, is a small window, about a foot square, looking into a dry ditch covered over with soft mould, the surface of which is very smooth and over which there is no thoroughfare or footmarks, which there must have been had the robbery taken place.
From Mr Bailey’s manner and statements I am convinced that the robbery never occurred as on a former occasion he states that his warehouse in Redcliff Back was opened two or three times by means of false keys~, which I can prove beyond a doubt such was never the case'.
An interesting deviation from normal police procedure was made on the 16th April 1838.
At 9 pm information was received that two men had been robbed on Bedminster Down. PS 22 and three PCs were immediately sent to the spot in plain clothes ~ who made every exertion to trace the parties but without success.
22nd November 1838
About eight o’clock Wednesday evening the 21st a man from the country named James Yard gave information at Bedminster Station that he had been robbed at the 'General Elliot' public house, East Street, of wearing apparel - value 27/- - under very aggravating circumstances by a man and boy, the former representing himself as a gangsman on the Western Railway. PC 193 Moore was immediately specially employed and having ascertained that no person had passed the turnpike on the Bath Road, answering the description, he returned searching the public houses on his way and in the 'Duke of Cumberland' found the man and boy with the whole of the articles stolen in their possession and he then took them to Bedminster Station where they were detained and next day the magistrates fully committed them for trial.
30th April 1839
Between 12 and 1am on Monday morning the 29th, PC 193 Spear, when on duty near Bath Bridge, observed three men coming towards him from Messrs Hare and Co’s premises. He waited their approach and from their appearance suspected all was not correct; stopped them and found in their possession, under their smock frocks a quantity of lead for which they could not account. He then took them to Bedminster Station where they were detained and before they were sent to the magistrates it was ascertained that the same had been stolen from the premises of Messrs Hare and Co, Temple Gate and for which all three were fully committed for trial.
Note - An instance of a report from which much information can be obtained apart from the police involvement. The clothing of the day is identified and also the establishment and address of Hare and Co.
1st August 1839
About 4 o’clock on Saturday morning PC 191 Lewis stopped a man near Bath Bridge with a basket containing a leg of mutton, 3 cucumbers and some vegetables. Suspecting he had stolen the same the PC took him to Bedminster Station but from the satisfactory statement he gave of his possession thereof he was not detained in the course of the morning.
However, information we received that a sheep belonging to Mr Hardwick at Brislington had been slaughtered in a field and part thereof stolen. Also the gardens of Mr Irelands, a magistrate, plundered of some vegetables which left no doubt but that the man in question was the depredator. In consequence of which Sgt West and PC Lewis were immediately specially employed and succeeded in tracing and apprehending him in a house in a court in Redcliff Street in the act of enjoying his booty, but part of the vegetables had disappeared. They then took him to Bedminster Station with the remaining part of the dressed mutton, the bone of which was matched with the portion left in the carcase.
On Monday last the prisoner named James Short was taken before Mr Edwards, a county magistrate at Brislington, who is summarily convicting him to 3 months hard labour for the garden robbery and for trial at the Bridgwater Assizes for killing and stealing part of the sheep.
ASSAULT ON POLICE
November 19th 1839
On the 19th PC 211 John Bartlett was met on his beat between the New Gaol and Messrs Hillhouse’s Dockyard by 8 or 10 men who were very disorderly. On his requesting them to go home and not disturb the neighbours, they then swore they would murder him and directly began throwing stones when at the time two gentlemen came up and interceded when they immediately made off. It has since been ascertained that two men of the same party are in the employ of Messrs Hillhouse and Co., have been summoned before the magistrates to answer the complaint.
10th May 1839
Silias Perrot was on duty near Clift House and observed in a ditch in a field near the Alligator Beerhouse, Coronation Road, a basket resembling that generally sent out by milliners and dress-makers and on looking over the hedge, he observed two men. He got over the hedge and made after them and on their coming to some railings, which divide the pleasure gardens of Clift House from the field, he came up to both but the shorter of the two got over and the taller one got entangled at the top of the railings where the PC collared him.
The shorter one ran off and the PC retained his grasp on the other. He asked him what he did there. He said he was bound for a 'Peeler'. He then ordered him to surrender and a violent conflict ensued which must have lasted from 15 to 20 minutes. In the midst of the scuffle sometimes the man got the best of it, sometimes the PC.
They were often up and down together, in the midst of which the man stabbed the PC twice with an instrument, which appears to have come out of a sheath with a spring. He felt himself wounded but retained a hold of him by the neckerchief which, as the man could not extricate himself from the PC’s grasp, he cut with the knife he held in his hand.
The man then jumped off the wall about eight feet high and the PC jumped after him and again collared him. But, in jumping off, he lost his staff, which the man must have taken up and with it inflicted several blows on the PC’s head and, on aiming another, the PC turned it aside and the staff came in contact with the wall and split in two pieces - as found on the spot. The PC still insisted on his going with him to the Station house and retained a hold of the man’s collar, walking up the field to the wicket gate leading to Rownham Ferry, where again the man resisted.
The PC went on with him as far as the entrance doors to Clift House holding him, and where the PC insisted he should turn down to the Bedminster Gate, the line of his beat. The man again refused and said he would murder him if he did not let go and immediately ran the knife into his right side, which he felt was very deep.
The PC then let go of him and the man ran off, hollering for his comrade and the PC watched him over the bridge to Rownham Ferry. He then attempted to make his way to the Station house and was met by another PC who assisted him there.
Mr Fryer, Surgeon, of Redcliff Hill, was immediately in attendance and dressed his wounds. Mr Ruddock, Surgeon to the Force, arrived soon after and they both pronounced them to be very dangerous.
The lungs being wounded in two places.
The following is their description:
The one who stabbed the PC is about 40 years of age, six feet high, strong built, muscular with dark hair and whiskers, in appearance resembling a blacksmith, was dressed in a dark frock-coat, fustian trousers, and a narrow trimmed black hat. The other is apparently much younger and was dressed in a short frock coat and a white 'Jim Crow' or navigator’s hat.
The basket is made up of the following articles:A black shawl made up as a bag, a leather apron, two large files, 2 horse cloths and girth, one packet of half-boots and six fowls which were stolen from the above mentioned premises and a small arm basket; an iron bar resembling a crow-bar, a towel or cloth and a carpet bag which has not been identified.
The above mentioned men named William Lemon Snr and William Lemon Jnr from information received from a navigator, were traced and apprehended in the 'Black Bird' public house, Stapleton Road, by PS 18 Hill and PS 12 Griffiths. The father at once identified by PC Perrot as the man who had stabbed him.
They were taken before the magistrates who discharged the son, there not being evidence sufficient against him, but remanded the father whom they afterwards committed for trial.
15th Sept 1839
On the night of the 14th PC 204 Rout when on duty near Ashton Gate seeing some navigators assaulting a man who was passing, he ordered them on and was immediately knocked down. The PC then sprang his rattle and PS 22 Smith and PC 192 Brown were soon on the spot and succeeded in taking four of the party into custody.
28th January 1840
About 11 pm a soldier of the 19th Regt named Thomas Malone met PC 212 Brean on duty near Chatterton Square and told him there was a row down in the Square. The PC proceeded with him a short distance when the soldier, without the slightest provocation, on the part of the PC, got behind him and struck him a violent blow on the head, which knocked him down, at the same time calling to another soldier who was near the spot to bring his bayonet. The PC, recovering, took Malone into custody. The other soldier interfered and said he should not take him but he was ultimately taken to Bedminster Station and charged with the assault on the PC and likewise on a man named Isaac Horsell, whom he had assaulted previous with his meeting with the PC.
9th September 1840
In consequence of the dead body of a child having been found in North Street, Bedminster, on the 24th August, the neighbourhood has been in a constant state of excitement against a female named - residing there, who they suppose to be the mother. About 2 pm on the 8th a large number of women assembled together, making a great disturbance with frying-pans, kettles etc. headed by a woman named 'Harwood' who was inebriated. PC 195 Masters, on the beat endeavoured to disperse and in so doing accidently pushed a woman down, when he was assaulted by Mrs Harwood and others. He got inside the residence of PC 209 Cleed when the party broke the windows and attempted to force the door. PC Gleed was likewise assaulted but ascertained several of the names, who will be summoned. PS 18 Gammon with several PCs afterwards in attendance and succeeded in dispersing them and all was quiet at 4 pm.
7th July 1841
Supposed to be stolen on the night of the 4th and 5th from a field at Pile Hill.
A Brown Cart-horse, 16 hand high, the hair rubbed off the chest by the collar and off the upper part of the tail. The property of Mr Veare, Brown’s Row, Bedminster.
27th July 1841
At 12 am PC 193 Spear found the door open of Mr Vear’s premises in Brown’s Row.
21st August 1841
About 11 am on the 20th as a horse belonging to William Vear, of Brown’s Row, was drawing a loaded cart over Bath Bridge, one of the Bath coaches belonging to Mr Moses Pickwick drove against the horse which injured it so much so that he is not expected to live. PC 221 Louey was on the spot and rendered his assistance, for which Mr Vear expressed himself obliged and stated that he would bring an action against the party for damages, having ascertained the coachman’s name from the PC.
Note - One wonders if Dickens used the name 'Pickwick', after the Bath coach proprietor, for his characters in the book of that name came along this route.
5th November 1841
About 12½ pm some persons were observed by Mrs Enebin(?) of No 27 Redcliff Crescent, shooting at her pigeons. She immediately sent to Bedminster Station for the assistance of a constable. PC 202 Thomas was sent to the spot but previous to his arrival the depredators had made off. He ascertained that one pigeon had been shot by a son-in-law of Mr Vear, Brown’s Row; also that a stone had been thrown through the window of the house, breaking a looking glass. Mrs Enebin was recommended to apply to the magistrate for a summons.
Note - A search of court records produced no evidence of either William Vear taking Mr Pickwick to court, or Mrs Enebin applying for a summons against William Vear’s son-in-law.
