He was supported by the Riot Act of 1715 which, when he was faced by 12 or more persons whom he considered to be gathered riotously or unlawfully, allowed him to read a certain section of the Act forcing them to disperse within an hour or be considered felons. Escaped prisoners, riots and unlawful assemblies.Securing prisoners and transporting them to quarter sessions or assizes.Vagabonds and intruders who had no right of settlement in the parish, and whipping vagrants.If the latter succeeded in crossing the parish boundary the responsibility for his capture devolved upon the next parish. They raised the hue and cry which was a parish responsibility whereby victims of, and witnesses to, crimes had to shout an alarm, and all who heard this were required to pursue the felon. The night patrol was the watch, and the daytime was the ward, a rotating duty for all male citizens. Watch and Ward, the mediaeval and early modern system of patrolling of towns for security.Osyth, Essex (HO107/338) shows three people confined in the parish cage for the night! In Bexleyheath, Kent on census night in 1851 the four Simpson children, ages 13 to 5, were left to fend for themselves, as a side note reveals that the father and mother were prisoners on the 30th in the police cells at the Station, Bexleyheath. The village stocks, pillory and cage or lock-up.The constable had a wide variety of responsibilities (Church, Hey, Fitzhugh):

Memorandum that the persons undermentioned were sworn to serve the Office Headborough for the ensuing year.Īppointment of Constables at Berkshire Quarter Sessions 1794-1813ġ794 14 Jan Thomas Toms of Swallowfield yeoman is appointed one of the Chief Constables of the Hundred of Charlton in the room of Thomas Sharp.ġ795 13 Jan John Elisha of Shinfield farmer is appointed one of the Chief Constables of the Hundred of Charlton in the room of Thomas Tomsġ809 11 Apr Edward Toms of the townholding of Wantage gardener is appointed Petty Constable of the townholding aforesaid in the room of William Talmage.ġ813 5 Oct Robert Darling of Wantage butcher is appointed Petty Constable of the townholding of Wantage in the room of Edward Tombs.ĭuties of Constables George-in-The East, MDDX FHL film 1,786,554 Constables expenditures were paid for out of a separate constables rate or from the poor rate from 1778.įrom 1842 paid constables were appointed by the JPs, and county police forces were established from 1839, gradually replacing the parish constables.Īppointment of Headboroughs Vestry Minutes, St. A constable was unpaid, (but did get expenses re-imbursed), and had to be an able-bodied male resident aged 25-55 who was required to serve when called unless he could pay for a substitute, or belonged to one of the exempted occupations (Arnold-Baker). In 1381 Justices of the Peace were established to whom he then reported, but for certain duties he was responsible to the Head or Chief Constable of the county division known as a hundred or wapentake.Īs manors decayed during the 17th and 18th centuries, the parish vestry took over appointing the constable, but the head constable would be appointed by the quarter sessions, and was paid £5 per quarter. In some boroughs the constable was known as the dozener, a term derived from the head of the dozen or jury. He was also known as a Petty Constable or Bylawman, and in some places was synonymous with the Headborough, Thirdborough or Tithingman. Appointments of Parish Constables Īnciently the parish constable was the man who preserved the peace and was appointed annually and regulated by the manorial court.

Hue and cry from constable