Castlethorpe Parish Constables
Taken from the pages of Newport Pagnell Police Museum www.mkheritage.co.uk/nppm

The PARISH CONSTABLE, the Precursor of today's " SPECIAL "

A Parish Constable in Elizabethan / Jacobean times
It is impossible to pinpoint with any accuracy the commencement of the era of the Constable or Parish Constable. The word 'Constable' is of Norman origin, coming from the Latin 'Comes Stabuli' meaning Count of the Stables or Master of the Horse. Where the Anglo-Saxons used the term 'Tithingman' or 'Head Borough', the Normans would use the word 'Constable' and the names gradually became interchangeable. In the end the Tithingmen, who kept the peace, was called a Constable. He acted for his parish and a place was not regarded as a parish unless it had a Constable.
The Constables became the hands and eyes of the Justices. They supervised the watchmen, enquired into offences, served summonses, executed warrants, organised the 'Hue and Cry', took charge of prisoners and prosecuted them, in general, obeyed the orders of the Justices.

They were appointed to their office by the Courts Leet or Manorial Courts, but they were sworn in by the Justices and acted under their direction. Thus we find the Tithing and its freemen, bound by oath to maintain order, gradually disappearing and being replaced by the system of the Justice and the Parish Constable.

The Hue and Cry still existed as the method of pursuit of offenders and localities were still liable to be fined if they did not catch and prosecute their criminals. The Parish Constable was appointed by the parish and the records of his office and duties would be kept in the Parish Chest.

Like the 'Special' of today, the Parish Constable was unpaid, apart from small allowances, with his duties extraneous to his normal work. He was answerable to the Chief Constable of the Hundred. Failure to effect their duties resulted in their appearance before the Justices. Irregularities were obviously abounding and as a result regulations were drawn up by the Justices [Bucks. County] in January 1712/13 - for redressing and preventing the many civil practices and abuses "which have been committed by the Chief Constable, the petty constable and by their agents" in and about the relieving and passing of vagrants through the County.

A Nightwatchman
An insight into the various situations the Parish Constable encountered can be found in the transcribed Bucks. Sessions Records, held at Milton Keynes Reference Library. They include - reporting to the Sessional Court instances of refusing to keep watch; for refusing to execute a warrant; indictment for a pound breach and taking cattle distrained out of the common pound; instance of a conviction for swearing [52 oaths]; arranging the horses and carriages for soldiers baggage belonging to a troop of dragoons; the offence of erecting a building without four acres of land; failure to repair the highway; the keeper of the County gaol for allowing prisoners to escape; and for using scurrilous language and calling one a rogue.

Towards the end of the 17th century, the above records reveal an enormous number of persons reported to the sessional Court by the Parish Constable for failure to attend church. Here an absence of four weeks would result in a twenty pound fine and double pro-rata. An ordinary labourer could only earn eight pounds per annum, thus the houses of Correction - the Bridewells - would have been overflowing.

In 1872, the year that the Newport Pagnell police station came into being, an Act was passed indicating that the establishment of an efficient police in the counties of England & Wales has rendered the general appointment of Parish Constables unnecessary:

Castlethorpe Parish Constables
Year Date
Names
1915 Mar 15 Robert S. Bavington, William George Clarke & Farmer Amos. Pay per annum £1
1916 Mar 27 William Brown Ward, Albert Willett, Robert Waring, Joseph Walton. Pay per annum £1
1917 Mar 28 A. Willett, Thos. Carpenter, Wm. Worker, W. Young. Pay per annum £1
1918 Feb 12 Messrs Willett, Worker and Carpenter. Pay per annum £1
1919 Mar 25 Mr. A. Willett, Mr. T. Carpenter, Mr. W. Worker, Mr. J. Walton. Pay per annum £1
1920 Mar 22 T. Carpenter, W. Stones, E. Pittam
1920 Apr 20 Clerk make enquiries re the necessity of the appointment of Parish Constable
1921 Feb 25 W. Stones, E. Pittam, H. Ray, J. Gobbey. Pay per annum £1
1922 Feb 21 W. Stones, E. Pittam, H. Ray, J. Gobbey. Pay per annum £1
1923 Feb 26 W. Stones, E. Pittam, H. Ray, J. Gobbey. Pay per annum £1
1924 Mar 03 W. Stones, E. Pittam, H. Ray, J. Gobbey. Pay per annum £1
1925 Mar 02 W. Stones, E. Pittam, H. Ray, J. Gobbey. Pay per annum £1
1926 Mar 02 W. Stones, E. Pittam, H. Ray, J. Gobbey. Pay per annum £1
1927 Feb 28 W. Stones, E. Pittam, H. Ray, J. Gobbey. Pay per annum £1
1928 Jan 11 W. Stones, E. Pittam, H. Ray, J. Gobbey. Pay per annum £1
1929 Feb 07 The Chairman explained that a list of Four Men of the Parish, who were qualified and liable to serve as constables, must be submitted to His Majesty's Justices of the District, before the Twenty-fourth day of March next. Messrs W. Stones, B.W. Gobbey, A. Cook & W.H. Smith be submitted to act as Parochial Constables and that the chosen constables should receive the remuneration of One Pound per annum
1930 Feb 25 The same four names should be submitted to H.M. Justices to act as Special Constables as last year viz: William Stones, Benjamin Gobbey, William Herbert Smith, Arthur George Cook, and the chosen constables should receive the sum of One Pound for his year's service
1931 Feb 05 The four names to be submitted to H.M. Justices to act as Parish Constables should be Messrs. William Stones, Benjamin William Gobbey, William Herbert Smith, Arthur George Cook, and the selected constables to receive the sum of One Pound for his year's service
1932 Feb 22 Parish Constables should be William Stones, Benjamin William Gobbey, William Herbert Smith, Arthur George Cook, and the selected constables to be paid the sum of One Pound for his year's service
1932 Jun 07 A letter was read from Mr Glanville stating that the charge for expenses for the attendance of the Chairman at the Court in connection with the swearing in of the Parish Constable is paid by the Clerk to the Parish Council & included in such Parochial Accounts
1933 Feb 15 Parish Constables should be:- Messrs Benjamin William Gobbey, William Herbert Smith, Arthur George Cook and Robert Holt. The selected constables to be paid the sum of One Pound for his years service
1934 Jan 30 Parish Constables should be Messrs Benjamin William Gobbey, William Herbert Smith, Arthur George Cook and Robert Holt. The selected constables to be paid the sum of One Pound for his years
1936 Feb 28 Parish Constables should be Messrs Benjamin William Gobbey, Arthur George Cook, Robert Holt, William Herbert Smith. The selected Constables to be paid the sum of £1-0-0 for his years service
1937 Apr 09 The sole business of the meeting was to elect Parish Constables. It being proposed by Mr. White seconded Mr. Stones that the following be elected. Mr. Benjamin William Gobbey, Arthur George Cook, Robert Holt, Earnest Green.
1937 Aug 10 As very few villages elected Parish Constables the Council were of the opinion, that there was very little use or benefit of Castlethorpe doing so. It was decided that the clerk should write to the Clerk of the Peace and County Council, Aylesbury, asking for exemption of electing Parish Constables at the next County Sessions. This was readily agreed to. Accounts: £1.0.0 B. W. Gobbey. One yrs service as Parish Constable 37-38.
1938 Mar 15 Cancelling of Parish Constable. A letter was then read by the Chairman, excusing the election of a Parish Constable for the village.