Cambridgeshire

Police

History

Notes

Policing Fen Ditton in the 1840s and 50s

| Parish Constables | Fen Ditton Lighting and Watching Act Force | Arrival of the New Cambridgeshire Constabulary | Fen Ditton Penance |

Parish Constables

Fen Ditton. Population 1841: 537 1851: 555

Little trace has survived of the Parish Constables who, over the years, provided a basic policing function for the parish of Fen Ditton, near Cambridge. One or two householders would have been appointed every year to serve as parish Constables and would be "sworn in" by the local magistrates. Generally such a role would have been seen as unatractive and onerous, although Constables were spared from the more demanding parish posts of overseer or surveyor. Although unpaid, Constables could claim disbursements for certain tasks undertaken, such as serving a summons, executing a warrant or taking a prisoner to gaol. Annual appointment would have been made on the basis of some sort of householder rota, but occasionally a Constable might be willing to serve for longer, either on his own account or as a substitute for another householder, who would prefer to pay for a stand-in than serve personally. The annual appointment of parish officers was a normal part of village life and would not have been considered particularly newsworthy, but two Parish Constables who served for more than a year have been briefly mentioned in the local press, These were:

1) Edward Peachey (1806-1889), Fen Ditton Constable in March 1844 and April 1849. Edward was an agricultural labourer and in the 1841 census he and his wife, An, had seven children to feed. The small sums paid in constable's disbursements may have made a great difference to the family finances.

Cambridge General Advertiser, 6 March 1844 p3
arresting Daniel Bladen on warrant for theft

Cambridge Independent Press, 14 April 1849 p1
Appointment of officers for the year ahead at Petty Sessions

2) Henry Muggleton (1811-1887) served as Parish Constable, probably continually, from 1847 to 1858.Henry was a master carpenter and wheelright and so his motivation for serving may have been exemption from other more time consuming parish offices.

Cambridge Independent Press, 20 February 1847 p3
Constable Muggleton organising and publishing a reward notice for information about the death of a child.

Cambridge Independent Press, 14 April 1849 p1
Appointment of officers for the year ahead at Sessions

Cambridge Independent Press, 29 March 1851 p3
Appointments for the year ahead Constables Philip Cook (paid constable) and Henry Muggleton

Cambridge Chronicle, 12 April 1851 p6,
Thos Neale jun Baitsbite prosecuted by Henry Muggleton selling beer out of hrs Sun 30 March fined £2 plus costs,

Cambridge Chronicle 10 April 1858 p5
Henry Muggleton appointed Constable for year ahead

top of page

Parish Constables

Fen Ditton Lighting and Watching Act Police Force

The Arrival of the New Cambridgeshire Constabulary

The Fen Ditton Penance

This page was last modified: 18 November 2025, 13:17

contact us

This site is powered by Web Wiz Green Hosting. We have been using their services for many years and are more than happy to recommend them to you.