Wallasey Police and Fire Brigade
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This book is the first of two volumes covering the Wallasey Police and Fire Brigade. It concentrates on the history of the Wallasey Police whilst the second volume is focused on the Fire Brigade. However there is much of Police interest in the second volume as many officers were also Firemen – the Fire Bobbies. The Museum of Policing in Cheshire is grateful to the author, Noel E. Smith for the extensive research he has undertaken in writing these books and for his permission to reproduce them here. Dedication These two volumes are dedicated to all the members of the Old Wallasey Borough Police and Wallasey Borough Fire Brigade. Author's Note This is not an official history of Policing in Wallasey, nor that of the Fire Service. Rather, it is a look into those services from an outside observation, based on research and stories given to me. I apologise beforehand, should some of the facts and events be not quite accurate. I also apologise for all those Police Officers and Firemen whom I have failed to mention. There have been many faithful Officers who have served the town over the years and I am sure they, or their families, have stories to tell. I am always happy to hear from readers, should they care to write to me. I hope you all enjoy these two volumes. Noel E Smith For a FREE catalogue including the above books and other Wallasey & Wirral publications contact Ian & Marilyn Boumphrey, The Nook 7 Acrefield Road Prenton Wirral CH43 8LD Tel/Fax: 0151 6087611 e-mail: [email protected] or visit our website: yesterdaywirral.co.uk Law and Order Early Days Some form of Policing in this country has existed since the time of Alfred the Great. The ancient Courts from Anglo‐Saxon times were responsible for seeing that la\y and order was maintained in the land. The adults of each settlement were expected to see that their families and others in the settlement abided by the laws. Those that offended were brought before the community. A chief settler, known as a Tythingman, would be in charge of about ten or twelve families. We then had what was known as the Hundred ‐ an area of land that contained approximately one hundred families. Wallasey was a part of the Wirral Hundred. The Wirral Hundred became larger than other hundreds in that it reached 405. This number stands for heads of families and the population would have been well over 2,000, including 12 foreigners and 23 Radmen (or Riding Men ‐ who did some sort of service on the road). In pre‐Norman times the Tythingman was under the Hundredman. Those who broke the law were brought before the Shire‐reeve (Sheriff). In cases where a community did not comply, they were faced with a fine that each settler had to contribute to. Punishment included fightwitt, frithbrec and grithbrec. The nearest equivalent to our present day Constable is the Tythingman who was the Borsholder or Headborough. As time went on the King stated that if they obeyed the laws of the kingdom he would establish a state of peace throughout the land, known as the King's Peace, hence the wording, 'causing a breach of the Peace.' The Justices of the Peace were appointed. Everyone over twelve years of age was expected to chase anyone who committed a serious crime (a felon). It had been King Canute who had made tything compulsory. The Normans improved the laws by introducing the Frankpledge to the system. It required certain people, through their townships, to promise to be of good behavior or they could end up in trouble if the promise was broken. It was a forerunner of the present bail system. The Normans had Constables as an office in the Royal Courts; in castles and as High Constable in charge of the Hundred and lesser Constables whose responsibility was that of a village, Manor or to take charge of tything. The name 'Constable' was used in Norman times and refers to a master of the stable (from the Latin comes stabuli). These Officers eventually took the duty of the ancient Tythingman, though they had little in common. They had to report any unusual happenings that were going on in their neighbourhood to the Sheriff. A law was passed in 1166 that forced villages to report to the sheriff's tourns (Courts) any suspicious acts of their numbers and those who were lingering around after dark:. Also those who did not seem to be working for their living. The Manorial Courts replaced the Sheriff's Courts which elected Constables to keep the King's Peace. As early as 1195, it was expected that every able‐bodied man should join in the 'Hue and Cry' in pursuit of offenders or get into trouble if they failed to do so. The Magna Carta (AD 1215) used the word 'Constable' to describe a man who exercised judicial powers over those who sheltered in his castle. We still have the Constable of the Tower of London. In 1233 the citizens and burgesses, free tenants, villains and others between the ages of 16 and 60 had to take their turn of Watch and Ward' in every city, borough and township. Men were later elected to act as a sort of guard to perform police duties on behalf of their fellow citizens. This was voluntary at first but they later received payment. One of the early prisons in England was that of Chester which had been established in 1237. In 1252, a statute was passed that gave the Norman Constable similar powers to that of a Mayor or Bailiff. Later, the office became more important being the annually elected representative of the Parish or Manor and was recognised by the Crown. Boundaries often caused problems in early days as they were not clearly defined and resulted in law suits. On 1 June 1260 William Sansum sued Hamon de Mascy and other persons over pasture land in Kirkeby (Wallasey). De Mascy denied that the land was in Kirkeby and said it was in Budeston (Bidston) in his land. The Court agreed and gave him the verdict. Others also brought claims before the Court concerning land in Lisccark (Liscard) and Pulton (Poulton). One Robert de Pulle was awarded 6d damages. Another case in 1260 saw the same man win an action against Henry de Becheton and others for taking the crop of heath and broom from his field, known as Heiefeld, in Lisecark. He was awarded 6d damages. Jurors date from early times. A property qualification was first established in 1285. The Statute of Winchester of 1285 with its object 'to abate the powers of felons' and the cities that had walls adopted a system of Watch and Ward. Watchmen were appointed from the citizen but if they failed to act, they could be placed in the stocks alongside the law‐breakers. The Hue and Cry system was introduced again in which everyone was responsible for chasing the fugitive. Male adults were expected to keep arms in their houses, whether it be the humble bow and arrow of the peasant or elegant sword, helmet and other weapon of the richer man who had a horse. The High Constable of the Hundred could order the use of them and would pay a visit every six months to inspect the weapons. The Shires for the County and the Hundred for the Hundred, the latter being under the Wakentake Court. As regards the Moreton and Saughall Massie areas, one sees that in 1323 Lucy, wife of Robert, son of Henry de Salghal, obtained by fine from Richard the Earl, a tenement in Salghal Masey (Saughall Massie). This half‐timbered cottage which stood on what is now the corner of Saughall Massic Road and Saughall Road was rebuilt in 1690. In 1953 Mr Robert Blackburn Hill decided to rebuild the cottage, using some of the sandstone from the old white‐washed two storey cottage in the new construction There has been several disputes over lands owned by the de Mascy and the de Moreton families over the years. Indeed, the township of Moreton was fined in 1359 for failing to be properly represented at the Judge's Eyre Court in Wirral. In 1402 a special Hundred Jury were called to deal with letters patent issued by the Prince of Wales concerning a number of men who had driven cattle out of Wales into the Hundred of Wirral. They commissioned Sir John Mascy of Puddington, Hamon de Mascy and Richard de Morton to arrest the offenders and bring them to Chester Castle for judgement. Taken from the County jail By a set of curious chances; Liberated then on bail, On my own recognizances WS Gilbert William, the son of Thomas de Poulton and Thomas de Saynesbury, was in office at the Wakentake Courts in the 1380s. There was even a Coroner's Court as early as 1309 in Wirral. It is recorded that one Thomas from Poulton was killed by Henry de Walley in self‐defence. The wounded Henry was taken to Chester Castle and was later released on payment of 40 pence fine as he had acted in self‐defence. On 29 September 1350 William, the son of William Alcock, stole 22 ells of linen from William Morley at Seacombe and sold it. The samc person got into further trouble when he and his wife, Margery and his servant, John Poole, assaulted William, son of Roger of Seacombe on Sunday 26 May 1353 at Seacombe. They were brought before the Court but denied the charge.