Jill Guest's latest
research into Cradley Police Station and Constable Thomas Dyson.
Front View of the Police
Station
Colley Lane with the schools on the left & Police Station on the
right.
It
is
not known when the Police station opened, it is first mentioned in
Kelly’s Trades Directory 1884 listed as, County Police station High
Street, John Clare in charge.
The
1888
Kelly’s lists William Webb in charge.
The
1892
Kelly’s lists County Police station, Colley Lane Walter Clarke
officer in charge.
By
1904
Walter Clarke is the Sergeant in charge and four constables.
1901
census
Colley Lane Police Station.
Walter
Clark
Head married 40 Sergeant of Police born Britton Gloucs.
Louisa
Clarke
wife married 39 born Tetbury Gloucs.
Edward
Webb
boarder single 24 Police Constable born Tenbury Worcs.
George
Dyson
boarder single 23 Police Constable born Severn Stoke Worcs.
Charles
Clarke
son 18 single Furnace fitter born Oldbury Worcs.
Florence
Clarke
daughter 8 born Cradley Worcs.
William
J
Allen Head married 37 Police constable born Hanley Castle Worcs.
Louisa
Allen
wife married 37 born Hanley Castle Worcs.
William
C
Allen son 6 born Cradley Worcs.
The
Journal
of Police Constable 317 George Thomas Dyson was found in a drawer in
the Police Station when it was being used as a Community Centre. It
is dated from August 9th 1900 to 14th May
1903. Instructions for use are inside the front cover. It contains
mainly dates, hours of duty and places patrolled around Cradley and
the surrounding districts.
In
the front of the book are several documents, the one shown below
(bottom right) relates to the movement of pigs during an outbreak of
swine fever and is dated 15th October 1889 signed by Frank Oliver.
One pig is to be moved from Frank Oliver's Barn Farm, Two Gates,
Cradley to Frank Oliver's Oldnall Farm, Two Gates, Cradley. The form
is counter signed by sergeant Clarke.
The Maypole was a Public House in Maypole Hill
Netherend Cradley kept by the Leonard Family for several
generations.
From
Thursday
October 18th 1900 to Thursday 25th October
George is on leave at Severn Stoke where according to the census he
was born. All his leave in the journal is spent back home. In 1903
he gets married at Severn Stoke, and by the 1911 census he is a
Police Constable at Clows Top Bewdley with his wife Helen and son
Alfred Harold Dyson aged 6 years.
1911
Census
Police station Cradley has two families and two single police
constables living there.
William
Nobes
head 44 married 17 years Police Sargent Worc. County
Annie
Maria
Nobes wife 50
William
Arthur
Nobes son 16 single
Beatrice
Maud
Nobes daughter 11 school
Percy
George
Nobes son 8 school
Joseph
Ernest
Johnson head 37 married Police Constable
Elizabeth
Louise
Johnson wife 33
Harold
Ernest
Johnson sone 11 school
Ernest
Hayes
27 single Police Constable
Arthur
Joseph
Ashford 25 Police Constable.
A typical weeks patrols from the Journal
Friday
12th October 1900 Hours of duty, 9am-5pm &
8.30-12.30pm. Names of places visited, Stourbridge, Lutley &
Hagley Gate, Colley Gate & Overend.
Remarks,
To
Attend Petty sessions. Met PC304 Lutley 9pm, PC228
Hagley Gate 10pm,S337 PC231
Overend 12midnight.
Saturday
13th October 1900 Hours of duty,9am-1pm, 2pm-5pm &
10pm to 4am.Names of places visited, Station, Stourbridge, Two Gates
& Overend, Cradley Park & Colman Hill, Netherend &
Cradley Bridge. Remarks, Cleaning Station. Received Pay from Mr
Supt. Pugh £2.5s 9d
Met
S337, PC 231 Overend 12midnight. S337 PC 262 Cradley Park 1am
PC231 Colman Hill 2am.
Sunday
14th October 1900 Hours of duty 2.30pm -4.30pm &
9.45pm- 4.45am.Names of places visited Colley Gate & Oldnall,
Overend & Two Gates, Netherend & Cradley Bridge, Round of
Beef & Careless Green. Remarks, On Patrol Met PC122 Overend
11pm, S337 PC288 Netherend 12.30am.
Met PC262 Careless Green 4am.
Monday
15th October 1900 Hours of duty 6pm-8pm & 10pm
-4.30am. Names of places visited, Two Gates & Overend, Colley
Gate & Overend, Cradley Park & Two Gates, Fairview &
Careless Green. Remarks, On Patrol. Met S337
PC122 Overend 12 midnight, met S337
PC288 Cradley Park 1am PC122 Fairview 3am, met PC288 Careless Green
4am.
Tuesday
16th October 1900 Hours of duty 6pm-8pm & 10pm-
4.30am. Names of places visited, Two Gates & Oldnall, Colley
Gate & Overend, Cradley Park & Wassell Grove & Hagley
Gate. Remarks, On Patrol met S337
Colley Gate 11pm PC122 Overend 12 midnight S337
PC288 Cradley Park 1am, PC288 Wassell Grove 2-30am, PC202 Hagley
Gate 3-30am.
Wednesday
17th October 1900 Hours of duty 6pm-8pm &
8pm-2.30am.Names of places visited Colley Gate & Overend, High
Street & Maypole, Overend & Cradley Bridge. Remarks On
Patrol Met S337 PC231 High Street
11pm, Met Staffs PC Overend by crossing 1am.
Thursday
18th October 1900 Names
of places visited Severn Stoke On Leave.
Remained
at
Severn Stoke until Thursday 25th October returning at
9pm.
Please click the PDF button below to download a
list of cases bought forward by George Dyson PC 317.
The
last
entry in the journal is Thursday 14th May 1903. Entry on
back page November 10th 1902 Posted 12 Bills respecting
swine fever infected area.
Between
August
10th 1900 and May 14th 1903 PC
George Dyson PC317 brought forward 170 cases.
Of
those
16 were ladies, 11 charged with coal stealing, 4 with indecent
language and 1 drunk on the highway.
There
were
54 cases of Gambling
2
Riding bicycle on footpath
31
cases
drunk & disorderly
1
drunk on licenced premises and assault on Police officer
28
cases
indecent language
1
drunk on licenced premises
16
cases
of coal stealing mainly women
1
Drunk in charge
11
cases
wilful damage
1
Driving without a light
10
cases
drunk on highway
1
Riding a bicycle without a light
6
Breach of the peace
1
Horse straying
2
Driving without lights
1 stealing post
2
shooting with catapult
Nearly all of the
cases resulted in a fine some with costs and some including costs,
only one resulted in prison, that of Benjamin Barker who on 20th
March 1903 was given a two month
prison sentence for Wilful damage and was fined 10/- and costs for
being drunk on licenced premises.
The
largest
fine of 40 shillings including costs was given to John Henry Smith
for the crime of stealing post on 27th February 1903. The
smallest of 6d and costs was given to Sydney Taylor on January 4th
1901 for Wilful damage.
As PC 317 George Dyson’s
patrols took him to Wassell Grove, Hagley, Wollescote and Lye not
all the miscreants were from Cradley, they were all tried at
Stourbridge Petty Sessions on Fridays. PC Dyson also had to travel
to Stourbridge to collect his pay.
Saturday
mornings
were spent cleaning the Station. He was also responsible for posting
bills and serving summonses while on patrol.
On
Tuesday
9th October and Wednesday 10th October 1901 he
was on special duty at Stourbridge Town Hall.
Taken
from
the County Express January 1977, The Police Station in Colley Lane
was to be demolished and a new community centre built in its
place. The Police Station had closed some years earlier and had
been used as a community centre. It was demolished and a new
community centre built in its place.
Three keys were found still in the doors of the
cells of the police Station.
Written By Jill Guest 2022
