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 Robert 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 surprising when
you consider than in 1867 the strength of the Bacup Police force consisted of 1 Sgt, and 2
policemen, their beat extending from Sharneyford to the Glen in Waterfoot. A year later in 1867
there was an increase in manpower with 3 extra policemen to cover Stacksteads, Irwell Springs,
and Edge side.
Long George one of Bacup’s most infamous parish constables was born in 1778, the 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 courthouse from the county for the sum of £2,000 plus a
ground rent of £22.00.11.0.per annum 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 on April 1890 in a room rented from the Atlas
works. At this period in Bacup’s history, the Police, Fire and Ambulance service all came under the
umbrella 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, on 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 recommended
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 lengths of fire hose
burst, the Chief Constable was granted permission 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 as the constables being provided with bicycles, a new horse ambulance in
1901, life-saving classes in 1905, and in 1909 and agreement made that any constables being
punished 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
Marshall 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.20 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 enlisted he was killed in action on the 21st March 198. Constable 19 Bayley enlisted on
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 received 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.