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A Policing Experiment in Haddenham, Isle of Ely, 1838-1842

| Policing Haddenham | Haddenham Lock-up | Duties and Powers of Constables | Constable Anable's Cases | Biography Capt F B Hampton | Lighting and Watching Act 1833 |

A Policing Experiment in Haddenham, Isle of Ely, 1838-1842

(Population 1831: 1929, 1841: 2103, 1851: 2118)

Anyone writing a historical account of policing in one of the towns or villages in the Isle of Ely might expect to start with the year 1841. In April of that year the Magistrates of the Isle agreed to adopt the Police Act of 1839 and establish a paid professional County-wide Isle of Ely Constabulary. The 1839 Act was permissive, not mandatory, and was taken up by the magistrates in different counties at different times, although just over half of the counties in England and Wales never adopted the Act and only formed new police forces when the 1856 County and Borough Police Act left them with no option but to do so.

In the years before 1841 communities in the Isle of Ely would have depended mainly on Parish Constables for rudimentary policing functions. Parish Constables would have been householders nominated by the local vestry on some sort of rota to serve, usually for an annual term. Those nominated as Parish Constables took an oath before local Magistrates to "well and truly serve" and "keep the peace". The powers and duties of Constables were complex. This link will take you to an 1839 letter from the Secretary of State setting out those duties and responsibilities.

The time demands on parish constables would have been variable and, although the office usually did not demand full time attention, in many cases the appointment would have been considered to be unwelcome and burdensome. The size of a parish would broadly dictate whether more than one parish constable would be appointed. Parish Constables were generally not provided with any uniform, beyond a staff of office. The post was generally unpaid, although disbursements could be claimed for carrying out certain duties, such as conveying a prisoner to gaol. Parish Constables would work partly under the direction of the County High Constables, for example on tasks such as collecting the county rate and preparing jury and militia lists. Other work, such as serving summonses or executing warrants, would come to them from the local Magistrates. A Constable would also be expected to help a victim of a crime to bring an offender before a magistrate, however the effort and skills applied to assisting victims would be somewhat variable.

Entries in a Cambridge tradesman's ledger suggest that a different policing arrangement was put in place at Haddenham during the few years preceding 1841. A ledger kept by Smart, the Cambridge Tailor, (the ledger is an exhibit in the Museum of Cambridge), records the purchase of police uniform items by the parish, to the order of Rev. Samuel Banks. According to page 154 of the ledger, on 25 May 1839, this consisted of: "A suit of police uniform, hat, stock, greatcoat and cape, total cost £7", which was paid on 8 Feb 1840. Then on 13 June 1840 "a super-fine hat" was ordered, costing 15/-, on 4 July 1840 a "blue super milled inspector's coat and trousers, silver worked collar and pair of winter trousers", total £5.3.0. Finally on 11 March 1841 "a superfine hat" 15/0, payment of £5.18.0. made on 25 September 1841.

This raises two obvious questions. What new form of policing was introduced and why did the parish introduce these new arrangements?

The most likely new arrangement was that the parish adopted the watching provisions of the Lighting and Watching Act of 1833. A public vestry meeting would have been called to agree a resolution to adopt this legislation, under which Inspectors would be appointed and would meet monthly and a rate would be set to fund operations. Employees would be hired and tasked with full time watching / policing under the close supervision of the Inspectors. Watchmen were appointed as Constables under the Act. The local vicar may well have chaired the requisite vestry meeting then, becoming one of the Inspectors, tasked by his fellow Inspectors with sorting out a uniform and any necessary equipment for their appointed officer/s. There are further clues below which confirm the operation of a Haddenham Lighting and Watching Act police force. This link will take you to more details of the 1833 legislation. (opens in a new window)

The date of purchase from the tailor of a complete police uniform probably marked the appointment of the first Haddenham Lighting and Watching Act officer. Later purchases may have been to replace worn clothing or possibly to equip a second officer. This suggests that the Vestry meeting to discuss implementing the Lighting and Watching Act was called in late 1838 or early 1839. No contemporary local press reports have been found between 1837 and 1842 which mention establishing a local Haddenham force, raising a watching rate or appointing one or more officers. Such activities may not have been considered particularly newsworthy, or perhaps the Cambridge based newspapers were not well served by correspondents in the Haddenham Area. However, a letter to the Editor of the Cambridge Chronicle in 1841 neatly described policing before the introduction of the new Isle of Ely Constabulary as: "one policemen, under the control of the principal rate payers, had sufficed at the expense of just one guinea per week and provision of a uniform." (Cambridge Chronicle 11 December 1841 p3)

Why then, around 1838, did the vestry decide that the Parish Constable arrangements no longer met their needs? Fear of rising levels of crime would be one possibility, but nothing has been found in the local press to suggest a surge in such offences in or close to Haddenham. Perhaps, seeing that other nearby parishes were adopting the 1833 Act, some of those proposing this for Haddenham were simply acting out of self interests. A few years later, reflecting on the costs, effectiveness and fairness of local Lighting and Watching Act forces, the then Chief Constable of the Isle Constabulary, Captain Frederick Blagg Hampton, said "generally, under earlier systems, the property of the Lighting and Watching Act Inspectors received disproportionately more attention by police compared with that of other rate-payers". (Cambridge Chronicle 9 November 1844 P3) Another advantage offered by the Lighting and Watching Act was that in the event of a householder becoming a victim of crime, the Inspectors, rather than the victim, might shoulder the costs and risks of a court case.

A more likely factor leading to the introduction of the 1833 Act may have been concern over disorder, drunkenness and anti-social behaviour on the streets. An anonymous local police officer from the Isle of Ely Constabulary described the Isle villages before the introduction of the new police in the following terms:

"every respectable inhabitant of the Isle of Ely can bear witness to the disgraceful state of the streets and thoroughfares during the Sabbath before the introduction of the police. In many places, great thoroughfares, impassable to decent females. The churches surrounded by men with hands in pockets, joking and jeering every person entering the house of God, even, occasionally proceeding to throw a potato, or knock a female's bonnet over her eyes. The [new] police have (I am sure to the comfort of the well conducted) put an end to this conduct; any person may now walk the streets free from insult". (Cambridge Independent Press, 14 May 1842 p3).

The Rev Samuel Banks of Haddenham was well regarded for his charity, innovation and his commitment to his parishioners. He had founded a school for around a hundred infants, allowing young mothers to earn something in the field and had started a school of industry for females. (Cambridge Independent Press 7 August 1841 p 2).It is not difficult to imagine such a man setting in motion improved policing in response to the various insults and indignities suffered by those attending his services. An examination of the cases brought before the court by the appointed watchman / Constable confirms a strong focus on tackling these minor public order nuisances.

The identity of the Haddenham Lighting and Watching Act police officer can be found in the Cambridgeshire Archives among the papers of the Ely and South Witchford petty sessions. His identity is further confirmed by the 1841 census return. The officer was Henry Anable, variously described as Haddenham watchman, policeman and constable. Henry previously served in the Cambridge Borough Police (P.C.18) from February 1836, where he was well regarded and on 3 April 1838 was made Acting Sergeant. The last of Henry's cases in Cambridge was the prosecution on 13 April 1839 of William Vials, who had assaulting him in the execution of his duty.(Huntingdon Bedford and Peterborough Gazette, 20 April 1839)

The 1841 Census lists, in Main Street, Haddenham, Henry Anable, age 30, born around 1811 in Cambridgeshire, occupation: Police Officer. He was living with his wife, Elizabeth, b.1816 Cambs and their four children; Eliza b.1828, William b.1835, Mary b 1838 and Alice b.1841. The census was taken on 6 June 1841, which was before any officers had been appointed to the new Isle of Ely Constabulary.

On 17 April 1841 the Cambridge Independent Press carried the news that Justices had decided to adopt the Rural Policing Act of 1839 for the Isle of Ely. The Editor was not against this in principle, but could see no great necessity for improvements in policing to justify increased costs for the rate-payers. He remarked,

"The police of the towns and great villages of the Isle is excellently conducted by intelligent respectable inhabitants, as permanent officers placed at the head of the constables; and in the smaller villages we hear or know of no complaint. Many of them will of necessity now be deprived of any police officer and will in some respects be worse off under the new system."

These thoughts were to be reflected in a number of letters to the press over the next few years from disgruntled householders.

In July 1841 at an adjourned Quarter Session meeting the justices selected Captain Frederick Blagg Hampton as the Chief Constable of the new Isle Constabulary (Cambridge Independent Press, 17 July 1841 p3). Later the same month at an adjourned Quarter sessions held at Chatteris, it was decided on the suggestion of Captain Hampton, that the force should consist of the following officers, viz: three superintendents, at £110. per annum, including the finding and keeping of their own horses; five sergeants at 23 shillings per week; four first class constables at 21s per week; twenty four second class constables at 18s. per week, one first class constable, acting as clerk to the chief constable, to receive additional salary of 8s. per week; the total strength of the force to be 36. (Cambridge Independent Press - Saturday 31 July 1841 p3 )

With the arrival of the new rural police the Lighting and Watching Act force ceased to operate. Henry Anable went on to join the new Isle of Ely Constabulary as a second class Constable and was posted to the Ely Division. There are four further references to him as an Ely officer in the Petty Sessions Records: Ely and South Witchford Division between 3 December 1841 and 21 January 1842 (PS/E/AP/1841/40 3 Dec 1841, PS/E/AP/1841/48 27 Dec 1841, PS/E/AP/1842/11 11 July 1842 and PS/E/AS58/2 21 January 1842).

Henry Anable died in service aged 34 Years, the cause of death was Erysipelas. He died in Elm, Walsoken in the Wisbech Union (Date of Death in the Isle of Ely Index Book is 03/02/1843). There is a record of the burial of Henry Anable at Elm on 9 February 1843. In 1843 the Parish of Elm sought costs for the removal of Mary Anable, pauper, to the village of Caxton, the place of her late husband's settlement. She was later settled at Bourn. The case was reported in the Cambridge Chronicle 21 October 1843. (Either this was Henry's third wife, or the Cambridge Chronicle entry wrongly records his wife's christian name).

By 1844 criticism of the new police had mounted. Concerns were the high cost against in many cases a reduction in police presence. It was also alleged that the new police were concentrating too much on easily detected minor offences and had not brought about any improvements in solving more serious crimes. Memorials to the Magistrates were sent to the Quarter Session by almost 20 parishes in the Isle imploring the Justices to disband the Isle Constabulary and recommending the introduction of Superintending Constables under the Parish Constables Act of 1842. The Justices chose to ignore the memorialist (Cambridge Chronicle 13 Jan 1844 p3).

Unlike some villages in the Isle, Haddenham does not appear to have suffered greatly with the introduction of the Isle Constabulary. Captain Hampton chose to post two Constables there. Information supplied by Captain Hampton suggested that by 1844 the policing of Haddenham was less expensive that previous arrangements, more effective at preventing and detecting crime and better disciplined. One officer employed under the Lighting and Watching Act cost approximately £80 per annum, compared with the then current cost to the rate payers of £119 for the two officers stationed there. (Cambridge Chronicle 9 November 1844 P3)

Haddenham Lock-up

Prior to the introduction of the new rural police, the parish of Haddenham had a lock-up, probably with more than one cell. Captain Hampton, Chief Constable of the new Isle of Ely Constabulary, in his first report to the Justices said;

"At Haddenham the cells are in good condition; the constable stationed there rents a house attached to the same from the trustees of the Poors' Land. The cells stand upon the same land; the trustees require a small rental for their use".

The rental was later fixed at £2 per annum.(Cambridge Independent Press 29 January 1842 p.1)

Looking Forward

It is hoped that in time more information may eventually come to light enabling a better understanding of the tiny Haddenham police force, its focus and effectiveness.

We are most grateful to Ken Mason www.cambspolicehistory.co.uk/ for information on the career of PC Henry Anable

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This page was last modified: 06 November 2025, 11:53

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