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Parish Constable

In April 1895 Mr D Feasey, who was also Clerk, was appointed Parish Constable at a salary of £1.00.0 per annum. However by April 1901 it is minuted "That this Parish Council at their annual meeting strongly object to the appointment of a parish constable for their parish considering it an unnecessary expense".

The parish constable was equipped with a staff and handcuffs. The appointment was in addition to the police provided by the Buckinghamshire Constabulary who had a police constable (or village bobby) resident for many years in a house in Crofts End . In 1912 the County required the Parish to provide the constable with new handcuffs, staff and armlet and these were handed over in September 1912 with the old ones going into the school museum.

By September 1914 Mr Arthur Petts (Market Gardner) had become the constable, still at the salary of £1.00.0 p.a, which sum was continued to be paid until 1916. The salary was increased to £1.1.0 in 1919 and he and the salary continued until 1924. In February 1925 Arthur Petts was still the constable but his trade was then termed as "labourer". He continued in office until February 1927 when his place was taken by James W Mainwaring.

The system of the Parish Constable changed in February 1929 when the Clerk received a letter from the Clerk to the Justices requiring a list of men liable and eligible to serve as Parish Constables for the ensuing year. The following men were listed and the Council charged 5/6d for the privilege of giving the information!


	Charles Slater		High Street
	John Line		Church End
	Charles Joseph Haynes	Council Houses
	Lemuel Moore		Ivy Cottage
	H.B.Kitchen		School House
	Dudley Gardner		Water Lane

The Council agreed to pay a nominal 5/- per annum to be person appointed.

This exercise was carried out also from 1930 to 1933 with Messrs Kitchen and Gardner being removed from the list in the first year.

In April 1933 local parishes were becoming troubled by this apparently un-necessary task for it was recorded the Council had heard from Gerrards Cross Parish Council who urged them to send the following resolution to the Standing Joint Committee of Buckinghamshire County Council. "That in the opinion of the Council the appointment of Parish Constables in the Parish of Sherington, involving unnecessary trouble and some expense, no longer serves any useful purpose and the Council request the Standing Joint Committee of the Buckinghamshire County Council to make a recommendation to the Court of Quarter Sessions for an Order abolishing the appointment of Parish Constables in this Parish".

In October 1933 this request was granted and policing of the parish was then the total responsibility of Buckinghamshire Constabulary.


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Latest Revision: 31 December 2006