X Thomas HARDERNDear Steve,Thank you for your nicely worded request forinformation concerning Thomas you would besurprised how many enquires we get from people whonever say please or thank you, but first I have topoint out a few things. Sadly we do not have aphotograph, but if you do we would appreciate ascanned copy for our records.The Cheshire Constabulary was formed in April1857; there are many thousands of records, theseare held by the Cheshire Record Office, Chester. Ias a retired Police officer and voluntary PoliceMuseum Researcher am slowly extracting theserecords. Cheshire Police Officer Enrolment Recordsare held under Reference CJP7 Volumes 1-5. Thesefive volumes are very large and in poor condition,run from 1857- 22 March 1913; the informationwhich you seek would therefore be recorded inVolumes 1 and 2. The information regarding hismarriage is retained in CJP24/2, 1847-1966.I say all this because I want to try and reassureyou that what I give you is as it appears in therespective volumes. However if you so wish, youcan of course have the records confirmed by theChester Records Office Archivist. But it would beremiss of me if I did not point out that whilstthis Museum works on a donation basis, (madepayable to the Museum of Policing in Cheshire).The Record Office however, will charge you aminimum of £27 per search per volume; thereforeyour total bill would be £54, so please be aware.If you also read the history of the CheshireConstabulary "To the Best of Our Skill andKnowledge" which is on the Museum Web Site, I feelcertain that a useful picture can be obtained oflife in the force at the time, my own opinion isthat discipline was severe and those who strayedoutside the rules were fined way above what theyearned or dismissed. Also the restrictions ontheir private life, an officer was not allowed todrink on or off duty even in his own home. It allcomes down to the fact that up until the 1960'severy Chief Constable of Cheshire was an exmilitary officer and they of course brought withthem the military codes of practice.I trust you will enjoy what follows and can I askyou when you get a moment would you send a quickmail so I can mark of your enquiry as completed.If you have any further questions please don'thesitate to contact me. Jim Talbot. Trustee andResearcher, Cheshire Museum of Policing.Collar Number/Rank. PC 91 Thomas HARDERN.Born. Circa 1841 Prestbury, Cheshire.Date of Entry. 08 June 1863.Date of Leaving. 08 November 1880.Final Date of Leaving. 08 November 1880.How Discharged. Dismissed.Initial Posting. HQ Reserve.Other Postings and Dates. 10 October 1863Northwich; 1872 Wirral; 1874 Eddisbury; 1879Northwich.Miscellaneous Information. Religion Protestant,Height 5' 8", Age 22 (on joining). Eyes Blue, HairLight, Complexion Pale, Build Proportional.Testimonials sent 09 November 1880.Promotion/Misconduct. August 1879 neglecting tovisit his men at night and general carelessness inthe manner of performing his duties, to revert to1st Class Constable and transferred to anotherDivision at his own expense. 23 September 1879Drunk on night duty, Fined 5/- and reprimanded.October 1879 Drunk on night duty at Sandbach,Dismissed (Re-instated) November 1880 Drunk andabsent from night duty, Dismissed.Pay July 1864 20/- per week. September 1865 21/-.June 1867 22/-. April 1869 23/4d. October 187124/6d. August 1872 Promoted Sgt at 25/2d per week.September 1872 27/5d per week. December 1872 29/2dper week. May 1874 30/4d per week. June 1875 31/6dper week. September 1875 32/8d per week. July 187832/8d per week. November 1879 24/6d per week.Deprived of Merit Badge (See letter, unknown,12/11/1875). Testimonials sent 09/11/1880.Awards/Good Conduct/Other information. September1863 Gallant capture of five Vagrants afterdetermined fight, Reward of 2/6d by ChiefConstable. October 1865 Apprehension of threenotorious Poachers and supporting persons, 40/-Reward from T. Plant Esq., divided between PCHardern, Sgt Leah and PC Newton. September 1869Capture of two Prisoners after a long chase,Reward of 5/- Chief Constable. September 1869Meritorious Service, 2d per day additional pay.Marriage Record.Officer. Thomas HARDERNOccupation. Police ConstableAge. 22 years.Condition. Bachelor.Place of residence at Marriage. Hoole, Chester.Cheshire.Date of Marriage. 15 September 1863.Place Married. Hoole Church, Plimstall, Cheshire.Fathers Name. Samuel HARDERN.Fathers Occupation. Silk Weaver, Cheshire.Spouse. Susan JONES.Occupation. Servant.Age. 21 years.Condition. Spinster.Place of residence. Hoole, Chester, Cheshire.Fathers Name. Robert JONES.Fathers Occupation. Tailor, Wales.Our Ref: JT50/2007Date: 17 October 2007Museum of Policing In Cheshirehttp://www.museumofpolicingincheshire.org.ukThomas HARDERNDear Carolyn,Thank you for your nicely worded request forinformation concerning Thomas you would besurprised how many enquires we get from people whonever say please or thank you, but first I have topoint out a few things. Sadly we do not have aphotograph, but if you do we would appreciate ascanned copy for our records. On the 3rd October2007, I received an enquiry concerning Thomas froma Mr. Steve Lightfootthis person? If not you are obviously connectedand he did supply information as to Thomas'schildren, which for legal reasons I cannot giveyou without his consent, so if you do not have theinformation concerning the children it may bebeneficial to you to contact Mr. Lightfoot. Thefollowing is exactly the same information that wassupplied to Mr. Lightfoot.The Cheshire Constabulary was formed in April1857; there are many thousands of records, theseare held by the Cheshire Record Office, Chester. Ias a retired Police officer and voluntary PoliceMuseum Researcher am slowly extracting theserecords. Cheshire Police Officer Enrolment Recordsare held under Reference CJP7 Volumes 1-5. Thesefive volumes are very large and in poor condition,run from 1857- 22 March 1913; the informationwhich you seek would therefore be recorded inVolumes 1 and 2. The information regarding hismarriage is retained in CJP24/2, 1847-1966.I say all this because I want to try and reassureyou that what I give you is as it appears in therespective volumes. However if you so wish, youcan of course have the records confirmed by theChester Records Office Archivist. But it would beremiss of me if I did not point out that whilstthis Museum works on a donation basis, (madepayable to the Museum of Policing in Cheshire).The Record Office however, will charge you aminimum of £27 per search per volume; thereforeyour total bill would be £54, so please be aware.If you also read the history of the CheshireConstabulary "To the Best of Our Skill andKnowledge" which is on the Museum Web Site, I feelcertain that a useful picture can be obtained oflife in the force at the time, my own opinion isthat discipline was severe and those who strayedoutside the rules were fined way above what theyearned or dismissed. Also the restrictions ontheir private life, an officer was not allowed todrink on or off duty even in his own home. It allcomes down to the fact that up until the 1960'severy Chief Constable of Cheshire was an exmilitary officer and they of course brought withthem the military codes of practice.I trust you will enjoy what follows and can I askyou when you get a moment would you send a quickmail so I can mark of your enquiry as completed.If you have any further questions please don'thesitate to contact me. Jim Talbot. Trustee andResearcher, Cheshire Museum of Policing.Collar Number/Rank. PC 91 Thomas HARDERN.Born. Circa 1841 Prestbury, Cheshire.Date of Entry. 08 June 1863.Date of Leaving. 08 November 1880.Final Date of Leaving. 08 November 1880.How Discharged. Dismissed.Initial Posting. HQ Reserve.Other Postings and Dates. 10 October 1863Northwich; 1872 Wirral; 1874 Eddisbury; 1879Northwich.Miscellaneous Information. Religion Protestant,Height 5' 8", Age 22 (on joining). Eyes Blue, HairLight, Complexion Pale, Build Proportional.Testimonials sent 09 November 1880.Promotion/Misconduct. August 1879 neglecting tovisit his men at night and general carelessness inthe manner of performing his duties, to revert to1st Class Constable and transferred to anotherDivision at his own expense. 23 September 1879Drunk on night duty, Fined 5/- and reprimanded.October 1879 Drunk on night duty at Sandbach,Dismissed (Re-instated) November 1880 Drunk andabsent from night duty, Dismissed.Pay July 1864 20/- per week. September 1865 21/-.June 1867 22/-. April 1869 23/4d. October 187124/6d. August 1872 Promoted Sgt at 25/2d per week.September 1872 27/5d per week. December 1872 29/2dper week. May 1874 30/4d per week. June 1875 31/6dper week. September 1875 32/8d per week. July 187832/8d per week. November 1879 24/6d per week.Deprived of Merit Badge (See letter, unknown,12/11/1875). Testimonials sent 09/11/1880.Awards/Good Conduct/Other information. September1863 Gallant capture of five Vagrants afterdetermined fight, Reward of 2/6d by ChiefConstable. October 1865 Apprehension of threenotorious Poachers and supporting persons, 40/-Reward from T. Plant Esq., divided between PCHardern, Sgt Leah and PC Newton. September 1869Capture of two Prisoners after a long chase,Reward of 5/- Chief Constable. September 1869Meritorious Service, 2d per day additional pay.Marriage Record.Officer. Thomas HARDERNOccupation. Police ConstableAge. 22 years.Condition. Bachelor.Place of residence at Marriage. Hoole, Chester.Cheshire.Date of Marriage. 15 September 1863.Place Married. Hoole Church, Plimstall, Cheshire.Fathers Name. Samuel HARDERN.Fathers Occupation. Silk Weaver, Cheshire.Spouse. Susan JONES.Occupation. Servant.Age. 21 years.Condition. Spinster.Place of residence. Hoole, Chester, Cheshire.Fathers Name. Robert JONES.Fathers Occupation. Tailor, Wales.The Curator, Museum of Policing in Cheshire,Warrington Police Station, Arpley Street,Warrington, Cheshire, WA1 1LQ