HAMPTON, AROUND AND ABOUT
Things you may not know, or didn’t know you knew!
No 3 HAMPTON PETTY SESSIONS 1
An occasional look at reports from the Petty Sessions – this time, illegal activities in Bushy Park.
Two from March 1892, in the Illustrated Police News & Surrey Comet
Poaching in Bushy Park; Thomas Burberry was passing through the park when he saw Richard Heywood, Samuel Peploe and a number of other men in the Round Cover, where there was a quantity of Game. Burberry and Mr Holliday, Head-Keeper then found the men hiding in the Canal Cover. Heywood and his associates ran off and climbed the park wall and dropped down the other side, Heywood threatening to knock Burberry’s brains out if they followed them. A week or so later Heywood and Peploe were spotted again, this time by another witness, around a rabbit warren, there was also evidence lying around of a stick with ‘rabbit fluff’ on it.
Heywood and Peploe were later apprehended and following the corroborative statements of Mr Holliday, who confirmed in his statement to the Magistrate that there had been, of late, a lot of poaching in the park. Both defendants were found guilty of poaching. Heywood was fined £1, Peploe 10s, plus costs, non-payment of the fines would lead to 14 days imprisonment.
Deer Worrying; Mr R H Shaw was accused of allowing his dog to ‘worry’ a deer (value £1 5s), he was also summoned for giving one of the park keepers a false address. Mr Bathurst saw Mr Shaw’s greyhound chasing a deer. He and his son drove the dog off once but it made three further attempts. When Shaw got his dog under control, he ran away but was chased down by one of the keepers. Shaw gave his name and address as ‘Williams, Clarence Lodge, Feltham’. In court Shaw was found guilty, fined £1 for the offence, £1 for giving a false address, 12s for the costs of the court, £1 5s, damages and 2s 6d, costs of witness. The money was ordered to be paid by 4pm that day.
On the same day that Shaw has committed his offence, a Mrs Pugh was also charged with allowing her dog to chase down a Fawn. Mr Bathurst saw the dog chasing a fawn at the ‘leg of mutton pond’. The fawn ran on to the ice, pursued by the dog, and the ice gave way. A boy was sent into the water to rescue the fawn (he was already wet as he had earlier also fallen through the ice – so that’s alright, then). Unfortunately, the deer later died.
The Bench strongly urged the necessity of keeping dogs under control in the park and imposed a fine of £1, 15s damages and court costs.
The Old Historian
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