The Bacup and Rawtenstall petty sessional
division consisted of the townships and places of
Dunnockshaw, Newchurch, Deadwen Clough,
Bacup and Wolfenden, Cowpe, Lenches, New
Hall Hey, Hall Carr, Lower Booths and Higher
Booths. One of the very first Police Constables
appointed in Bacup was Nelson Howorth
otherwise known as " Old Nelson” when he died
on March 12th 1865 he was the oldest member of
the force in the Rossendale division.Nelson was joined by P.C. Martin who with several
others was brought to Bacup when the railway was being constructed from Waterfoot to
Bacup, to deal with the navvies working on the railway. The police in those days prayed
for dry weather, as when it rained this meant more time in the various drinking
establishments for the navvies which in turn led to more brawls and fights.In early
January 1856 Mr Lawrence Heyworth put forward a motion during the county sessions
which was agreed to, that the “Magistrates of the Higher Division of the Hundred of
Blackburn be authorised to sell the present police station house situated on Todmorden
Road, and they find and buy a suitable piece of land in order to build a new police
station house a sum of £700.00 was granted for the purpose”. On the 29th July 1857
the Bacup Court House was opened, the first petty session there being held on that day.
Four years later in April 1861 Mr R obert Munn, of Heath Hill House, Stacksteads
proposed that petty sessional be formed into a police division to be called “The Bacup
and Rawtenstall Police Division” and that the number of constables for such police
division be one superintendent, three sergeants and twelve constables. A further
£800.00 was granted in June 1861 towards alterations needed as a result of the
formation of the Bacup and Rossendale Police Division being formed.Bacup like many
other towns and cities had a lot of public houses and drinking dens which was probably
one of the major causes of crime and disorder in Bacup.
A policeman's lot was not a happy one it seems either as a parish constable or as a member of
the newly established force as the Policemans poem opposite shows. Which is hardly suprising
when you consider than in 1867 the strenght of the Bacup Police force consisted of 1 Sgt, and 2
policemen, thier beat extending from Sharneyford to the Glen in Waterfoot. A year later in 1867
there was an increase in man power with 3 extra police men to cover Stacksteads, Irwell Springs,
and Edgeside.
Long George one of Bacup’s most infamouse parish constables was born in 1778, his name
representative of his height which was it is said 6ft 4. He wore breeches and a swallow-tailed
coat, with brass buttons a skull cap, which he replaced on special occasions with a felt hat.
A blue apron hung from his loins, and on his feet a pair of shoes slightly less than 18ins in length.
A Sgt in the militia, he was a money lender dealing in small sums, saving his own money with
nothing wasted. Apparently one could make the mistake when he was seen in the street that
George was a parish relief case, rather than the actual man of wealth that he was, because whilst
he always complained of poverty when he died aged 94 in 1872 he left the sum on £5,000.00
The Bacup Watch Committee was formed in July 1887, its first Chairman was Councillor
Shuttleworth he was appointed on the 9th July 1887. The newly appointed Watch Committee,
appointed Inspector Cumming of Barrow in Furness the Chief Constable of the Borough. He in
turn appointed one inspector, two sergeants, and seventeen constables. On the 6th August 1887,
the committee decided to purchase the court house from the county for the sum of £2,000 plus a
ground rent of £22.00.11.0.per anum this was completed the following year.
Members of the Bacup Borough Police Force were granted, 1days leave in the months, of
October, November and December,January, February and March, with a further 8 consecutive
days in the summer months a total of 14 days per year.
A police mortuary was provided at the Court House, in July of 1889 at a cost of £23.00 with a
weights and measures office opening a year later in April 1890 in a room rented from the Atlas
works. At this period in Bacups history the Police, Fire and Ambulance service all came under the
umberella of the Watch Committee. In June 1890 a complete ambulance carriage was purchased
for the sum of £19.10.0. John Harland was appointed Chief Constable, in July 1891, followed by
Sergeant Metcalfe of Accrington who was made Inspector in May 1892. In September 1892, the
Chief Constable having concerns on the poor state of the boroughs fire appliances, reccomended
the buying of a manual fire engine, the meeting was adjourned with orders that Mr Harland
should obtain prices. Following a disastrous fire at Beaulah Chapel in which 5 of the 6 lenghts of
fire hose burst, the Chief Constable was granted persmission to purchase a hose cart, 180 yards
of hose, and 1 standpipe the total cost being £ 38.00.
On the 21st December 1894 Inspector Metcalfe resigned with Sergeant Downing being promoted
to the rank of Inspector. Over the years various changes took place within the Bacup Borough
Police Force, such has the constables being provided with bycicles, a new horse ambulance in
1901, life saving classes in 1905, and in 1909 and agreement made that any constables being
punnished for breaches of discipline forfeited 3 days leave in addition to fines. In August 1914
Chief Constable Harland retired, his place being taken by James Niven Campbell, of Clitheroe.
1914 saw many changes to the main police station and outstations, with connection by telephone
being made from all outstations, electric lighting was installed and a new Leyland Fire engine was
ordered.
Felix" P.C.25
Martin, one
of Bacup's
most
respected
Police Officers
Felix earned his
nickname from local
people who would watch him
whilst he did point duty in Bacup
Centre. One of his most interesting
cases involved a robbery taking place
at a local quarry in the middle of the
night; in blowing the safe the thieves
accidentally knocked the telephone
from standing on the desk and a live
connection was established between
the quarry and the local GPO. The
intern contacted the police station and
when the thieves emerged from the
quarry office they were confronted by
members of the local constabulary.P.C
Martin retired at the end of the 1940's
with the rank of senior Inspector. *with
kind thanks for the photograph and
information to his son Clive*
Second World War
Described as one of the most trying times for the British Police Force the situation as everywhere
was tense. Bacup police station was undergoing structural changes in able to strengthen it against
Ariel attack. Policemen on the beat had to discard their familiar helmets and wear the tin hats as
well as carrying a parcel of protective clothing.
Local painters had to be employed at painting the kerbstones with white paint in order that they may
be seen during a blackout by local pedestrians. With the Blackouts came new ancillary roles for the
local police with the enforcement of blackout restrictions. By December three of the regular faces
had been recalled to H.M Forces, .P.C James Kelso P.C 20 Norman Scott, and P.C.23 Henry
Marsh all ex Guardsmen. In June 1940 a new Wolsey police car was purchased to replace the
Minx.
On the 28th April 1941 P.C Norman Scott was taken prisoner of war by the Germans and remained
in captivity for over four years. He had been posted as missing on the day he had been taken
prisoner but it was not until three months later that news learned of him being a prisoner of war.
August 1941 saw the Women's Auxiliary Police Corps recruited for administrative duties up until this
time no woman had served on the Police Force for whole time. This is to be remembered as a year
that started with a small trickle and ended with a steady flow of men joining H.M. Forces—Clerk
Cadet Frank Mitchell to the Army on the 23rd April; P.C. 9 Frederick A. Oxford to the Army on the
20th August; P.C. 26 Leonard Halliwell to the Navy on the 20th October; P.C.22 John M. Matthews
to the Army on the 5th November. On the 22nd February, 1943 P.C.25 George Wilkin left the force
to join the Royal Air Force. The 14th August brought the introduction of Very High Frequency
Wireless (speech) both at Headquarters and in the motor patrol car; a receiving and transmitting
unit being installed in both cases. From September 1945 to December, that steady flow of man-
power which in 1942-1943 had helped to swell the nations reservoir, was trickling back. P.C.22 John
Matthews returned to the force on the 10th September; P.C.25 George Wilkin on the 15th
September; P.C.26 Leonard Halliwell on the 8th October; P.C.9 Frederick Oxford on the 13th
October; P.C.23 (now P.S.4) Henry Marsh on the 12th
November, and P.C.2o Norman Scott on the 26th
November.
On April 1st 1947 Bacup Borough Police was
merged into the County Police Force along with
other police forces such as Accrington, Ashton-
Under-Lyne, Clitheroe etc and as such became
known as the Lancashire Constabulary.
The Great War
At the outbreak of the Great War in August 1914, PC’s Coates,
Willis and Gribble, reservists were called to the colours. he
various regulations and restrictions during the war placed a great
deal of extra work on the local police. In March 1915 Constable
26 Withers joined the army he was later killed in action. The
following month April 1915 Constable 10 Hunt enlisted, following
him in January 1916 was Constable 25 A Thomlinson. On the 12th
February, 1916 Constable 23 D Ferguson enlistd he was killed in
action on the 21st March 198. Constable 19 Bayley enlisted in
May 1917, the following year April 1918 Constable 16 Walsh joined
the army. Sadly in September of the same year Constables, Coates
and Thomlinson resigned from the Bacup Borough Police force, due to injuries recieved whilst at the
front. Constables, Gribble, Hunt, Walsh and Bayley were demobilised in January 1919. Constable
Willis was demobilised the following month at which time he re-joined the force and Sergeant Ernest
Sturt was appointed Inspector.
A policeman's lot was not a happy one it seems either as a parish constable or as a member of
the newly established force as the Policemans poem opposite shows. Which is hardly suprising
when you consider than in 1867 the strenght of the Bacup Police force consisted of 1 Sgt, and 2
policemen, thier beat extending from Sharneyford to the Glen in Waterfoot. A year later in 1867
there was an increase in man power with 3 extra police men to cover Stacksteads, Irwell Springs,
and Edgeside.
Long George one of Bacup’s most infamouse parish constables was born in 1778, his name
representative of his height which was it is said 6ft 4. He wore breeches and a swallow-tailed
coat, with brass buttons a skull cap, which he replaced on special occasions with a felt hat.
A blue apron hung from his loins, and on his feet a pair of shoes slightly less than 18ins in length.
A Sgt in the militia, he was a money lender dealing in small sums, saving his own money with
nothing wasted. Apparently one could make the mistake when he was seen in the street that
George was a parish relief case, rather than the actual man of wealth that he was, because whilst
he always complained of poverty when he died aged 94 in 1872 he left the sum on £5,000.00
The Bacup Watch Committee was formed in July 1887, its first Chairman was Councillor
Shuttleworth he was appointed on the 9th July 1887. The newly appointed Watch Committee,
appointed Inspector Cumming of Barrow in Furness the Chief Constable of the Borough. He in
turn appointed one inspector, two sergeants, and seventeen constables. On the 6th August 1887,
the committee decided to purchase the court house from the county for the sum of £2,000 plus a
ground rent of £22.00.11.0.per anum this was completed the following year.
Members of the Bacup Borough Police Force were granted, 1days leave in the months, of
October, November and December,January, February and March, with a further 8 consecutive
days in the summer months a total of 14 days per year.
A police mortuary was provided at the Court House, in July of 1889 at a cost of £23.00 with a
weights and measures office opening a year later in April 1890 in a room rented from the Atlas
works. At this period in Bacups history the Police, Fire and Ambulance service all came under the
umberella of the Watch Committee. In June 1890 a complete ambulance carriage was purchased
for the sum of £19.10.0. John Harland was appointed Chief Constable, in July 1891, followed by
Sergeant Metcalfe of Accrington who was made Inspector in May 1892. In September 1892, the
Chief Constable having concerns on the poor state of the boroughs fire appliances, reccomended
the buying of a manual fire engine, the meeting was adjourned with orders that Mr Harland
should obtain prices. Following a disastrous fire at Beaulah Chapel in which 5 of the 6 lenghts of
fire hose burst, the Chief Constable was granted persmission to purchase a hose cart, 180 yards
of hose, and 1 standpipe the total cost being £ 38.00.
On the 21st December 1894 Inspector Metcalfe resigned with Sergeant Downing being promoted
to the rank of Inspector. Over the years various changes took place within the Bacup Borough
Police Force, such has the constables being provided with bycicles, a new horse ambulance in
1901, life saving classes in 1905, and in 1909 and agreement made that any constables being
punnished for breaches of discipline forfeited 3 days leave in addition to fines. In August 1914
Chief Constable Harland retired, his place being taken by James Niven Campbell, of Clitheroe.
1914 saw many changes to the main police station and outstations, with connection by telephone
being made from all outstations, electric lighting was installed and a new Leyland Fire engine was
ordered.
The Great War
At the outbreak of the Great War in August 1914, PC’s Coates,
Willis and Gribble, reservists were called to the colours. he
various regulations and restrictions during the war placed a great
deal of extra work on the local police. In March 1915 Constable
26 Withers joined the army he was later killed in action. The
following month April 1915 Constable 10 Hunt enlisted, following
him in January 1916 was Constable 25 A Thomlinson. On the 12th
February, 1916 Constable 23 D Ferguson enlistd he was killed in
action on the 21st March 198. Constable 19 Bayley enlisted in
May 1917, the following year April 1918 Constable 16 Walsh joined
the army. Sadly in September of the same year Constables, Coates
and Thomlinson resigned from the Bacup Borough Police force, due to injuries recieved whilst at the
front. Constables, Gribble, Hunt, Walsh and Bayley were demobilised in January 1919. Constable
Willis was demobilised the following month at which time he re-joined the force and Sergeant Ernest
Sturt was appointed Inspector.
