Plymouth, Police Service | Watch and Ward in East Stonehouse

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The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History

WATCH AND WARD IN EAST STONEHOUSE

Although it is claimed that something called the Stonehouse District Police Force was formed in 1836 there seems to be no evidence to support the statement. [1]

That statement implies that it was formed as a result of the Municiapl Corproatioins Act of 1835, like the Devonport Borough Police Force, but Stonehouse was never made into a borough and thus had no legal right to run a policed force.

The truth lies in a report made by the Devon county police ciommittee at the Quarter Sessions on June 30th 1857. Referring to East Stonehouse it said: 'in this parish constables have hitherto been appointed under the act for lighting and watching and therefore until notice has been given by the Chief Constable that he is ready to undertake this charge, this parish is also exempt from police rate.' [2]

In other words, at the time of the formation of the Devon Constabulary the pariosh of east Stonehouse appointed parish constables and had done so under the authorisation of three local acts of parliament: the Plymouth and Stonehouse Bridge Roads Acts 1805 and 1821 and the Plymouth, Stonehouse Bridge and Plymouth Dock Roads Act 1822. (The Royal Assent of the last-named was May 15th 1822).

This is further supported by the fact that the 1851 census lists 62-years-old Mr Aaron Nathan as Superintendent of the Watch Force. He and his wife and two daughter lived in Fore Street, East Stonehouse, and on the night of the census they were apparently accompanied by six 'Watch Constables On Duty in the Open Air', all pensioners from the Royal Marines, and one prisoner, 24-years-old Mr Joseph Richards, a Private in the Royal Marines. [3]

The Watch Constables were [3]:

Mr William Nancarow, aged 51, of St Agnes, Cornwall;
Mr Charles Hadley, 43, of Franckley, Worcestershire;
Mr Patrick Kenedy (sic), 50, of Ireland;
Mr Thomas Bell, 40, of Whitcombe, Smoerset;
Mr David Carey, 46, of Alcombe, Somerset; and
Mr Walter Willcocks, 43, from Tamerton Folliott, Devon.

East Stonehouse had evidently been brought under the control of the Devon Constabulary by October 12th 1857, when the Quarters Sessions ordered that cells, living quarters for one sergeant, and a charge room must be provided in the parish, which was then a part of C Division. [2]

Sources:

[1] "About the Force", Devon & Cornwall Constabulary website, www.devon-cornwall.police.uk.

[2] Hutchings, Walter J, "Out of the Blue: History of the Devon Constabulary"

[3] 1851 Census, HO107/1880/150/2.