Notable Events In Week Eighteen

Hertfordshire Police Historical Society

This Week In History

Tuesday 1st May 1860

Herts Guardian, Agricultural Journal, and General Advertiser
ST. ALBANS TOWN COUNCIL. On Saturday morning special meeting of the council was held. The business was to receive and determine upon a report of the watch committee to providing more cells, an engine-house, and residence for the police, and make such order or orders upon such report may be agreed upon. The Mayor said, the council had to consider the state of the cells used for the reception of prisoners in the borough. Colonel Cartwright, the government inspector, had reported them in an unfit state, and if he came down again and found the cells to be in their present state and made another report, they would not get the allowance from government of £130 a year unless there was something done. There were three cells, and the County required the use of one, and it they had new cells he thought they might get some remuneration from the county for the use that cell. The present cells were unfit for reception prisoners, they had been condemned by a coroner’s inquest, and it would be for the council to consider the best means to adopted. Mr. Hill, the architect, had been requested to send a plan with house, which he estimated £350, not including land. He regretted the outlay, but did not see how the council could get out of it. The Town Clerk read the report of the Watch Committee. It recommended the erection of new police cells with a residence for the superintendent of police on the vacant piece of ground near the police station, belonging to Mr. and Mrs Ablett, if the same can be procured on reasonable terms. Mr Debenham opposed the immediate adoption of the report and proposed that the matter be deterred until the next quarterly meeting. Mr. Barford seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.

Tuesday, 1st May 1860

Hertfordshire Express and General Advertiser
BEGGING AND GETTING DRUNK. John Smith, a tramp, was charged with getting drunk on Monday last, and in that state, begging of people and insulting them. PC Lucas said he had been told that the man had been begging in the Swan and insulting those who refused to give him anything. In what he heard he took him into custody and locked him up, where he had been all night. No one appeared against him to support the charge, so it was dismissed.

Tuesday 1sy May 1906

Watford Observer
John Woods, of Eaton Bray, was summonsed for riding asleep. He did not appear. Police constable Gillett said that at 6.50 on Saturday he saw a van coming from the direction of Watford. The driver was asleep, and the reins lying loose on the back of the horse, which was going at a fast trot. There are four previous convictions against defendant. Fined £1 inclusive.

2nd May 1969

(Watford Observer) ‘Derby’ rumpus
Police arrested nine youths at Wednesday’s Luton v Watford match. Charges range from assaulting a police officer to possessing an offensive weapon. On three occasions play was held up as fans encroached on the pitch. 18 fans were taken to hospital for treatment. St John Ambulance men estimate that almost 100 fans were treated for bruises, cuts and abrasions during the game.

May 1999

General Order No. 19/1999
SECURITY RISKS OF TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE UK
As a member of the Hertfordshire Constabulary you should be aware that you may be of interest to Foreign Intelligence Services when you travel outside the UK visiting politically sensitive countries. A guide for briefing staff who wish to visit particularly sensitive countries is held within Special Branch. Officers/staff seeking guidance should contact Special Branch at least 14 days prior to travelling.

1951

MOBILE POLICE-STATION IS TRIED OUT IN HERTFORDSHIRE
Police officers, equipped with portable radios, and Lassie, a police dog, set out on an imaginary manhunt from a trailer caravan which was being demonstrated as a mobile police station for use at the scene of large scale operations. The demonstration was given by the Hertfordshire Constabulary at Hatfield Park, Herts. The mobile police-station is equipped with a three- channel telephone switchboard, a two-way radio for speaking to patrols.