Melksham Times Past

A column about days gone by in Melksham by local historian Lisa Ellis

Battito di un Poliziotto

(Il Vello d’Oro is Italian for The Golden Fleece, the same “Fleece Inn” and located in Shaw on Folly Lane).

Oh those days when we had bobbies on patrol and they knew everyone in town.

I’m not sure I pine for the 19th century, other than being a fly on the wall but those were the days that defined community. Nowadays we rarely know our local police by name and complaints tend to be discussed on Facebook rather than directly dealt with.

Here is just one report of a drunken incident that happened at closing time outside the Fleece.

Quoting the Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette, Thursday 1 November 1866:

“Three rough determined-looking fellows, named Joseph Hudd (25), William Sheppard (48) and Joseph Collett, were charged with assaulting Joseph Austin* (62), landlord of the Fleece Inn, Folly Lane, on the 2nd of October.”

This was the second night of “Whitley Revel” and at 12 o’clock the landlord wished to close his house, but defendants refused to leave, and became very violent and abusive, and but for the timely arrival of the village policeman would not doubt have served him very badly; as it was, he escaped with a few slight blows.

“The two former defendants, with three others, named Thomas Sheppard (20), James Sheppard (18), and Job West (18), were then charged with assaulting the policeman at the same time and place. It appeared that after the party were out of the house, they continued in the road shouting and making a considerable disturbance, the policeman vainly endeavouring to get them away.

“While so doing various threats were made. –’We done for one ____ Bobby last year, and we’ll do for another this,’ said some; whilst others replied, ‘put the ____ in the ditch!’ and for some time the poor ‘Bobby’s’ position was anything but a pleasant one.

“Fortunately he knew many of them, and called them by name; and at last succeeded in making his escape with only a few slight blows and a severe hustling. Two witnesses were called by the policeman, one a woman named Keene, who gave her evidence in a very careful consistent manner, fully confirming the policeman’s statement.

“The Chairman said the whole of them had been guilty of most disgraceful conduct, and they should fine Collett 20s, and Wm Sheppard and Joseph Hudd 15s each, for the assault of Austin; Wm Sheppard and Joseph Hudd 15 s each, and the others 10s each, with costs, for assaulting the policeman.”

William Sheppard of Shaw Hill was the father of Thomas and James. Ages weren’t provided in the article; I added those. The policeman’s name was not given, but it could have been Thomas Hobbs who lived in Shaw.

*NB: In this article, the wrong name was given for Joseph Austin; it should be Robert Austin.

Pictured: Illustrated Police News, 2nd February 1867.