HYDE CHESHIRE

Harry Rutherford's
Festival of Britain Mural




Tuesday 8 March 2011

Hyde Borough Police

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 Hyde Borough Police commenced their duties on April 1st, 1899.
The Police Station was then on Beeley Street. 


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J.V.A. Danby Hydes first Chief Constable


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Hyde Police Force 1935
William Smith Chief Constable

1947 became part of the Cheshire Constabulary, 


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1974 became part of the Greater Manchester Police Force


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I cannot mention Hyde Police without admitting to the times I spent as their guest for the night or even the odd weekend in the Old Police Station at the Town Hall. The cells were scary the first time I spent a night in them.  They were below ground and quite big considering, the bed was wooden.. very well made and sturdy.. well worn complete with a fixed wooden head rest. The walls were very high and the ceilings arched. .. There was a window at the opposite end to the door, this was at ground level and lead into the court yard.


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I remember being given a pint of tea in a tin enamelled mug.. breakfast dinner and tea was provided and bought in from Meschia's Cafe on Market Street... At that time Hyde's police patrolled the streets on foot... I think Hyde was blessed with some very good policemen.. many moved on to bigger forces and hoping for better jobs. 


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The Blue Lamp
This is now on Greenfield Street
There was one similar to this over the door of the police station


Some officers stayed, and served their time out in their own town and retired to the area... One such officer was Hyde's Desk Sergeant Tony 'D' he would be the one who would read out the charges and shake his head at me... he always had a word with me about 'letting myself down'. I still see him now buying his morning paper and always chat. I found a little bell in a charity shop... it was in the shape of a Policeman's Helmet...  I give it to him... told him to ring it when he wanted a brew at home and is wife would come running... I saw him a few days later and he told me it didn't work ha! and his wife was going to box my ears. Hyde had it's own Courts as well at one time... but that's for another post. 


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This was the main door...it was never shut back then... 24 - 7 opening
It is showing 1913 the date this building was built.


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Seems a long time since police cars parked here...

The Police cars I recall were Morris 100s... Ford Anglia's, Mini, and Vauxhall Viva's. Now and then there would appear a Ford Zephyr, and a Jaguar.  They also had the use of a  'proper' Austin Black Maria Police Van. Then later a Ford Transit took over that roll. 

I'm not sure when this station closed, it was old fashioned and most likely unfit for purpose but I never liked the one which replaced it that was on Onward Street behind the old post office. Alas I can't come up with a picture of this one, so will move over to show the 'New One' on Clarendon Road. 

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This one opens 6 days a week 9am - 5pm..
Sunday and Bank Holidays it is Closed  

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My thanks to Dave for helping with this post
Once again his pictures have come up trumps.

 Borough Of Hyde
Abstract Of Accounts
1914-15
Police Expenditure 
Salary Of Chief Constable  ..  ..  ..  ..     £300   0s    0d        
Net Pay of Police force (Authorised strength)  ..  .. .. .. ..     £3410  1s  1d
Special Constables  ..  ..  ..  ..     £364  3s  10d
Enlistment Allowances To Dependants  ..  ..  ..  ..     £125  15s  9d
Special  Duty and Travelling Expenses  ..  ..  ..  ..     £72  15s  5d     
Fees To Police Surgeon  ..  ..  ..  ..     £37  2s  6d
New Clothing  ..  ..  ..  ..    £193  9s  0d
Repairs to Clothing  ..  ..  ..  ..     £31s  111/2d
       Badges  ..  ..  ..  ..     £5  8s  3d
Clothing Allowances  ..  ..  ..  ..     £20  0s  0d
Boot Allowance  ..  ..  ..  ..     £52  2s  2d
Oil For Lanterns  ..  ..  ..  ..     £7  19s  6d
Horse and Cab Hire  ..  ..  ..  ..     £10  9s  5d
Rent Of Station  ..  ..  ..  ..     £71  11s  4d
Rent Allowance  ..  ..  ..  ..     £40  0s  0d
Coal  ..  ..  ..  ..     £20  3s  9d
Coke  ..  ..  ..  ..     £1  3s  6d
Firewood  ..  ..  ..  ..     £00  11s  3d
Electric Current  ..  ..  ..  ..     £20  3s  9d
Fitting up Lights  ..  ..  ..  ..     £1  0s  0d
Gas  ..  ..  ..  ..     £5  12s  9d
Mantles  ..  ..  ..  ..     £3  0s  11d
Water  ..  ..  ..  ..     £5  11s  9d
Repairs to Cycle  ..  ..  ..  ..     £1  5s  4d

I wonder how that would compare today.... £1 3s 6d... for coke is not to be sniffed at... how words change over time...  and what about the police having 'Fitting Up Lights'   I wonder who got fitted up... ;0) 

8 comments:

Hydonian said...

"£1 3s 6d... for coke is not to be sniffed at..."

I like the play on words here, Tom - intentional or not! ha ha!
Brilliant post ,too. Seems all rather sad to see the old Police Station "To Let"!

Tom said...

It was intentional... I think I'm looking through Rose Tinted Spectacles at the Old Police Station.... I was not always happy going into there. ad there were time it was a long weekend there, court Monday morning for either a slap on the wrist or a remand to Risley Remand Centre in Warrington... in the 1970 that place was the pit. It was a pleasure getting back to Hyde Police cells after a week in Risley. My very mis-spent youth coming out again Nancy... ha! what will folk think of me.. ;0)

Lizzy said...

It just wouldn't be you, I have very fond memories of those days!!

Tom said...

Ah! Elizabeth... what a star you are.. then again you always bought out the best in me... and yes even though I was going through some bad stuff at that time I can and do look back on it all with fondness, I have not regrets about my past and I have never tried to hide it... my past as made me into who I am now... ha! fat, bald, and with a bad heart.... ;0) ha! I have a post coming up about Gee Cross Motors... I was reminded that your dad drove for then at one time.

David Williams said...

...so if I'm going to commit a crime in Hyde at the moment, I should do so just after 5.00 on the Saturday evening of a bank holiday weekend in order to have a good head start on the police?

Anonymous said...

When the Old Police Station closed. Their was a guy whom i think worked for some sort of Tameside Trust, he use to rent the cells out to bands. The band i was in use to rehearse there, as did Bob Kemps Ambitions Beggars who went on the support James.
We use to explore the old nick when rehearsing too.. if i remember rightly we managed to get through into the Court part of the building... Im not sure but i remeber seeing the trap door for the hangings

Anonymous said...

Hi there, just to say I was very pleased to find you have a picture of my great Grandfather, John William Anyan Danby

Unknown said...

I notice you don’t seem to have a photograph, on his own of William Henry Smith, my great Grandfather. I can provide one to you and to the Manchester police museum as his is the only one they don’t have either.