Cambridgeshire

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Notes

Soham Police - The Soham Police Charge Book, 1848-1855

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Soham Police Force - Notes and Queries

Parish Constables

The charge book includes a few references to Parish Constables, who continued to be appointed and to operate alongside regular police during this period.

Only two charges involving Parish Constables are recorded in the charge book by the Soham Police between 1848 and 1852. These were:

• James Brown, a Soham labourer, for breaking a window, arrested by Soham Parish Constable Josh Horsley (18.5.1848) and
• William Moore, miller, of Chippenham, arrested by Chippenham Parish Constable Anthony Holcombe for setting fire to a bed (29.12.1851).

Slightly more interaction with Parish Constables (not all positive) took place after the establishment of the new County Force.

• William Allington, the Parish Constable from Isleham, brought a bastardy charge on behalf of one of his parishioners, (20.1.1852)
• James Allington, Parish Constable from Isleham, brought an assault charge, (6.4.1852)
• An un-named parish constable from Woodditton handed over a local labourer who had stabbed his brother (6.4.1852)
• Then on 12 July 1853 Parish Constable Francis Norman from Ashley was charged with assaulting Edward Jackson, a PC in the new county force. Fortunately the case was settled with a written apology by Norman.
• Charles Bailey, Parish Constable of Cheveley, was himself the victim of an assault by William Starling (2.8.1853)
• Finally there is a charge against Burwell Parish Constable, John Everett Faircliff. PC Carlow had arrested a local thief, Thomas Pavis, and handed the prisoner over to Faircliff for safekeeping. Pavis managed to break free from Faircliff and the Parish Constable was charged with neglect of duty in allowing the escape and was fined by the Justices. (27.3.1855)

Crimes of poverty or rural protest.

The charge book contains no information about the motivation of offenders. Unfortunately we do not know, for example, whether "cutting and injuring a quantity of wheat" was an act driven by hunger, or exertion of lost traditional rights of gleaning, or a crime of protest. Likewise for offences of damaging gates or live or dead fences, spoiling top wood, stealing small quantities of vegetables, spoiling grass and herbage, damaging underwood or damaging a tree. Further work listing and describing these rural crimes may prove useful.

Religious differences

There were a number of charges in March 1853 connected with attacks on a Mormon service in Soham. This was reported in the Cambridge Independent Press, 12 and 19 March 1853 p4

Why was a schoolmaster interrupting a church service by J.T.Bennet Rector of Cheveley JP ( 1 July 1854 no 100)?
Cambridge Chronicle and Journal - Saturday 25 March 1854 suggests that there was an ongoing dispute over admission criteria for boys entering the Cheveley Grammar School

A case involving a Member of Parliament and a solicitor

In Charge No 51 on 3 May 1853 Charles Mare Esq, MP, 11 Hyde Park Gardens, London was charged with assaulting James Button Esq., local solicitor, on 20th April 1853. What was this all about?