The Second Policeman
The 28th March 1868 edition of the Bolton Chronicle had an article about a group of notables from Halliwell trying to get a second police constable for Halliwell:-
On Thursday, a deputation from the township of Halliwell, consisting of the Rev. Arthur Packer, incumbent of St Paul’s, Mr Charles Taylor, and Mr John Nuttall, waited upon the magistrates at the County Sessions Room, to request their worships to apply at the next general sessions of the peace for an additional police-constable for the township of Halliwell.
Mr Langshaw, magistrates’ clerk, read the following memorial which had been received on the subject:-
The memorial of the Local Government Board for the district and township of Halliwell, in the Division of Bolton and County of Lancaster, sheweth, that the township of Halliwell comprises an area of 2579 statute acres, and contains a population of upwards of 6500 persons, and upwards of 1300 inhabited houses, and several large cotton mills and extensive bleachworks and weaving sheds, six licensed public-houses and 16 beerhouses. That one part of the said township (Brownlow-fold) contains a large number of cottages and dwellings, is of town-like appearance, and is in close proximity to the Borough of Bolton. … That there is only one police officer stationed in the township, and your memorialists affirm that it is impossible that he can adequately preserve order amongst so large and mixed a population. That dog racing, gambling, and other highly objectionable and demoralising practices and unlawful games, are frequently carried on in the public streets and places in various parts of the township. That there is an increase in the number of vagrants and disreputable characters lodging in and passing through the township, and several robberies have lately been effected in the district. That in the locality of the brick ground, near and adjoining the new road, which is the principle thoroughfare in the township, and at Brownlow fold, there is a large number of settled Irish, and a low, drunken, and disorderly class of people. … That it is the unanimous opinion of the Local Government Board, and also of the clergy and other influential inhabitants residing in and owning property within the district, that for the due preservation of the peace, and also for the protection of persons and property of the inhabitants that one additional constable should be appointed and stationed in the neighbourhood of Brownlow-fold. … Dated this 6th day of February 1868.
The Rev. Arthur Parker said that … it was stated in the memorial that there were about 1300 inhabited houses in the township; but accurate account had been taken, and it was found there were 1565 inhabited houses. Supposing there were five inhabitants in each house (the number, he believed, usually estimated), the population would number about 8000. Some 15 years ago, Halliwell had only a population of about 4000, and yet it had then one policeman. … Some 13 new mills had been built during the same period, and a bleachworks, besides the large bleachworks of Mr Ainsworth. Considering the area which the policeman had to traverse, it was a physical impossibility for him to discharge the duties required of an officer in protecting the parish. … Mr John Nuttall said he quite agreed with the remarks made by Mr Packer. … It was impossible for an officer to go round the district in less than two hours and a half. The officer, moreover, was watched, and whilst he was in another locality, all kinds of depredation could be committed. … Mr Dawson (clerk to the Local Board of Halliwell, who had accompanied the deputation) said that according to the Government standard one policeman was required for every thousand of population. In the borough of Bolton there were about 70 policemen to 70,000 inhabitants. On the scale at which Halliwell was at present supplied, there would only be needed about 10 officers for the whole borough.
It has not been possible as yet to determine if a second policeman was granted to the township of Bolton.