Yapton entries in police occurrence book

1903 - 1910 by Allen Misselbrook, Yapton & Ford local history

Retailers

Police Occurrence Book

This month I have turned again to our files and pulled out a copy of the Police Occurrence Book for the years 1903 to 1910. The local offences recorded 125 years ago bare no resemblance to those reported nationally today. With the advancement in technology, it is commonplace to hear and read about knife crimes, drugs, driving under the influence and speeding being committed nationwide. It was very different during the early part of the 20th century when reporting local crimes was generally the order of the day. There is also a marked difference in the number of police officers on duty and method of patrolling.

Cycles and Animals

One offence which occurs quite regularly is ‘riding a bicycle without lights’ which were recorded on eight occasions with the transgressor being fined anywhere between 2s 6d (12.5p) with 6s (30p) costs. Animals feature quite regularly in the list, with villagers being pulled up for ‘riding without reigns’, one person, Luke Collins, was charged with, ‘riding a horse and waggon without reigns’. Dog owners were not beyond the arm of the law. There were several instances recorded where owners were fined for keeping a dog without a licence. I do not know what law

Archibald Gibson had broken but he was fined 25s (£1.25) with 6s (30p) costs for not having a licence.

Retailers were not averse to breaking the law either, Charles Colbrook was twice reported for ‘unjust scales’ and fined £1 with 6s (30p) costs for each offence. Frederick Hotson was caught selling ‘new milk deficient in fat’ and Arthur Snelling was fined for ‘selling new milk deficient in non-fatty solids’ twice. He was fined £2 2s (£2.20) with 9s (45p) costs on the first occasion and £5 plus 6s (30p) costs for the second indiscression. Another, who I assume was a tradesman, offended by not having his name on his cart.

Machines

Another class of law breaking was starting to appear in the Summons Books. Walter Harrison found himself at odds with the law when he was caught riding his motor-cycle without ‘illuminating the index plate’, Archibald Gibson appeared again in the summons list for ‘using a motor car with false identification marks’ although this case was dismissed. George Sparks of Sparks Engineering ends this section by being pulled up for ‘driving traction engine with no offside light’. George and his wife Sarah were also taken to task for keeping an unlicenced motor car but had the case dismissed.

Children

My final batch of offences involve children. There were several instances where parents were fined for non-attendance at school of their children and one parent was fined 5s (25p) with 6s (30p) costs for not having their child vaccinated. In another incident, three (I assume) children were each fined 1s. (5p) for letting off fireworks on the highway. Lastly, one villager was booked for assault, and the most serious by far, one mother was given a three-month prison sentence for cruelty to children.

To contact Allen Misselbrook on a local history matter please email: allen@yaptonhistory.org.uk