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Appendix D, County of Huntingdon. Rules and Regulations for the Guidance of the Superintending Constables
Appointed to the four Petty Sessional Divisions within the said County, 1852

Settled and approved by the Court at the Midsummer Quarter Sessions, held by adjournment on the 6th day of August 1852, Pursuant to the Statutes of 5 and 6 Vic c.109 and 18 Vic c.20.

(Hunts Archives HCP/1/36/51)

General Duties

1. The Superintending Constable of each Petty Sessional Division shall be Superintendent of all the Parochial Constables, appointed by the Justices at the Special or other Sessions, held for the Division for which he acts.

2. He shall reside at such place as shall be directed by the Petty Sessional Bench of his Division; and he shall consider himself as specially under the direction of that Bench; and shall attend all the Petty and Special Sessions held for his Division, unless when otherwise employed on duty; and between the meetings of the Petty Sessions he shall attend to all orders given him by any Justices acting for his Division.

3. He shall not absent himself from his District without the sanction in writing of one Magistrate acting therein, except on duty, or in cases of emergency, which he shall report to the next Petty Sessions.

4. He shall not obey any orders or directions but such as are given him by the Justices or by the Sheriff of the County.

5. He shall not serve any summons, orders, or precepts, or execute any warrants, except such as he shall be specially directed by the Justice granting the same to serve or execute.

6. He shall communicate from time to time with the Constables of the several Parishes within his Division and shall ascertain in what manner they perform their duties, and shall at all times afford them his cordial aid, cooperation, and advice.

7. He shall keep himself in frequent communication with the other Superintending Constables, and shall cooperate with them, and with all other Peace Officers throughout the County.

8. He shall frequently visit, and never less than once in every month, every Parish in his District and enter in his Journal the time of such visits; and on each occasion shall communicate with one at least of the Parish Constables and inform himself, from him or otherwise, of the proceedings of all idle, disorderly, or suspected persons, and enter any such information in his Journal.

9. He shall visit from time to time all the Public Houses and Beer Shops within his District and see that good order is kept therein and that such houses are duly closed on such days and at such hours as are appointed by law; and shall point out and call the attention of the Parochial Constables to their duties connected therewith, and shall report to the Justices the mode in which such duties are performed.

10. He will leave to the Parochial Constables the performance of their ordinary duties, such as the service of Summonses and execution of Warrants &c, but whenever information shall reach him that any serious offence has been committed within his division, he shall, with as little delay as possible, proceed to the spot, and make an investigation into the circumstances attending the same, and take all requisite steps for the discovery and apprehension of the offender or offenders.

11. He shall especially report to the Petty Sessions any offences which shall come to his knowledge, such as cruelty to animals, obstruction to the highways, drivers riding in carts without reins, drunkenness, &c.

12. He shall keep a Journal according to a form to be provided for his use; such Journal to be inspected by Magistrates only, and to be submitted by him to the weekly inspection of the Petty Sessions for his Division; and also, to be laid quarterly before the Court of Quarter Sessions.

13. He shall assist in keeping order at the Quarter Sessions, when not employed otherwise on duty, and when ordered to do so.

14. He shall be entitled to hold his office until dismissed by the Court of Quarter Sessions, but he may be suspended by order of the Magistrates in Petty Sessions for his Division.

15. He shall, in case of resigning his office, give to the Clerk of the Peace one calendar month's notice of his intention so to do.

16. He must give his entire Services to the County, and must not be directly or indirectly engaged in any business or trade; he must provide himself and wear on all proper occasions a plain uniform coat: he shall not be entitled (except as hereafter mentioned, and except on any order of the Court of Assizes or Sessions) to receive for his own use any fee or allowance for anything done by him as Superintending Constable, but shall pay over any sums so received, quarterly, to the Treasurer of the County towards payment of his Salary. But in addition to his Salary he will be allowed.

1st. - For Outgoings when in charge of Prisoners, for four hours or more, previous to, and during the time of conveyance to Gaol, not exceeding per diem - 2s 6d

2nd. - For Maintenance of a Prisoner for every six hours, between 6am and 6pm - 0s 6d

3rd. - The Railway Fare actually paid, when directed to convey Prisoners by Railway, and when necessary to hire any extra conveyance, - the amount actually paid

4th. - For attending as Witness at Assizes or Sessions, without regard to the number of cases, or for attending to keep order at Sessions, (the same to include every expence), - 7s 6d per day and night, - 5s 0d per day only.

5th. - For actual disbursements on account of Postage, Stationery, Tolls, or any extra expence for lodging or travelling, when in execution of his duty, out of his Division; the account of such disbursements and extra expences to be laid before the Petty Sessions of his Division, and when signed by the Justices at such Petty Sessions, to be laid before the Quarter Sessions for examination and payment, and such account also to include the amount of any sums received by him, and to be paid over to the Treasurer of the County.

17. Each Superintending Constable will be required to provide and keep at his own cost an efficient horse for the service of the County, and to maintain and keep in repair the cart and harness found by the County; the Tax on the horse will be paid by the County, and he will from time to time use his cart for the conveyance of Prisoners in his custody, or committed to Gaol, or for any other public purpose ordered by any Magistrate, but not otherwise.

HUNTINGDONSHIRE:- At the Midsummer Quarter Sessions, held by adjournment, at the Court-Hall, Huntingdon, the Sixth day of August, 1852, these Rules and Regulations were settled and approved by the Court.

GREENE Clerk of the Peace

THE HURSTINGSTONE DIVISION.

Bury. Broughton. Bluntisham. Colne. Earith. Fenstanton. Hemingford Abbotts. Hemingford Grey. Hilton. Houghton. Holywell with Needingworth. Oldhurst. Pidley and Fenton. Ramsey. Raveley, Great. Raveley, Little. Ripton, Abbott's. Ripton Regis with Sapley. Saint Ives. Somersham. Upwood. Warboys. Wistow. Witton. Woodhurst.

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