Chester Chronicle – Friday 21 February 1800 CHESTER POLICE ACT. Attendance of the Inhabitants of the City is requested at the Exchange Assembly Room on Tuesday next, at eleven o'clock, to consider the Draft Act, as settled by Counsel, and to petition Parliament.  Exchange Assembly Room 18th Feb. 1800. Mr Mayor. Being unable to attend, on account of indisposition, the Meeting is Adjourned to be held here on Monday 24th inst at twelve o’clock.
 
Lancaster Gazette – 17 January 1807 On Wednesday morning, the 7th inst. one of the watchmen of Chester, named John Boulton, was found drowned in one of the locks of the Ellesmere Canal, at the Tower Wharf. It appears, that his lantern was found in the cabin of a flat boat, his hat and stick in the Graving-Dock adjoining, and his rattle swimming right over the spot where the body was hound; from these circumstances, two flatmen (now in custody) are suspected of throwing him into the lock. An inquisition was held on the body before the Coroner of that City, on Wednesday and Thursday, (13TH AND 14TH) and when a verdict was given of – wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.
 
Chester Chronicle – Friday 8 April 1808 On Friday night or early Saturday morning, the shop of Mr. Taylor, music-seller and jeweller, in Bridge-street, was broken open, and seven silver watches, a pair of silver tea-tongs, some silver tea spoons, gold ear rings, brooches etc. stolen there-out.—-The robber or robbers  had taken out a piece of the window shutter, by means of a gimlet, sufficient to admit an arm, and consequently took only what was within reach. No clue has yet been obtained to lead to a discovery. Several robberies having been committed lately, we seriously recommend to the Police of this city the necessity of doubling the watchmen, 18 being too few for this city, or to our fellow-citizens the adoption of a nightly patrole (sic) which we have no doubt would effectually prevent a repetition of such daring outrages.
 
Chester Chronicle – Friday 22 August 1817 City and County Prisoners. It is really melancholy to observe the progress which guilt makes in this city. Before the last three years, it was unusual to have more than five or six prisoners for trial at our Crownmote Court; unhappily, vice has increased to such a degree in Chester, as to vie in its catalogue of crime with the most populous places in the county. We will not be rash in attributing this disagreeable change to any particular cause; but must unequivocally declare, that no blame can be attached to our police—on the contrary, there are few places in the kingdom which possesses more the personal superintendance (sic) of its Chief Magistrate, and the active co-operation of the subordinate officers, than Chester
 
Chester Chronicle – Friday 28 November 1817 Wednesday.—Edward High, Watchman, was suspended from his employ, for receiving a shilling from the wife of a person against whom there was an information for drunkenness, and disturbing the streets.—
 
Assault on a Watchman, by a soldier.— Thomas Tilston, a watchman, charged Daniel Cavenagh, a soldier in the 85th regiment, with a violent assault. On Tuesday night about hall-past eleven o'clock, he was going on his round up Castle-street, when he heard a noise at the end of Potter's-Court, (the same disgraceful rendezvous above alluded to) he went to the spot, and found there the prisoner Cavenagh and a woman; the woman was very drunk, and he took her into custody. The prisoner requested Tilston to let her go, and on his refusal, immediately struck him a violent blow under the left eye, following it up by several others equally severe or other parts of the face. A long scuttle ensued in which the watchman brought the prisoner to the ground, but availed himself of the opportunity of seizing the watchman by his neck-handkerchief, and nearly choked him. After calling a long time in vain for assistance, at last Johnson, another watchman came up: in the interim the prisoner made his escape, but they followed him to a house kept by one Ithell, in Potter's-Court, and there they apprehended him. On taking him to the House of Correction, he said he knew Tilston, and when he got out would lie in wait for him.—At the bottom of Castle street, listen met the night piquet of the 85th regiment, and shewed one of them his face, then running with blood; when one them said, "D..n your eyes, serve you right”.— Johnson confirmed the testimony of Tilston.— The prisoner said he was servant to Captain Vandeleur, and was drunk; was sorry for what he had done. The watchmen were bound over in 50s each, to prosecute at the next Session in April. The prisoner said he had no one who would be bail for his appearance then; of course was fully committed to gaol, answer the indictment to preferred against him.
 
Chester Chronicle - Friday 7 January 1825 Chester Police Report. STREET AFFRAY— Bennett, a Watchman, charged Hubert Owens with assaulting, him near Mr. Hooley's Public-house, opposite the Theatre. He said he had been in the house to warn the defendant to leave it, when Owens followed him to the door, seized his stick, knocked him down, and then broke his rattle. Owens denied the statement; and produced two witnesses, who expressed a readiness to swear that the assault was altogether provoked by Bennett, and was entirely uncalled for; they saw him repeatedly strike Owens with the stick, in a most violent manner, and certainly Owens's head evinced ample testimony that some one had beat him pretty handsomely there. They further stated that they thought the Watchman must be either drunk or mad to act in such a manner. The Magistrates were of opinion that the charge against Bennett demanded the most serious enquiry; if it was true, he was a very unfit man to be on the Watch Bennett strongly denied the statement, and finally the affair was left over, to be investigated before the Commissioners of Police
 
Chester Chronicle - Friday 18 February 1825      STEALING LEAD. William Knight, from Botany Bay, in Chester, and a candidate for a place of the same name in New South Wales, was brought up in custody, charged with the heavy crime of stealing lead. The readers of our Police Report pretty well know, that this has been a growing evil for several years, and let us hope the detection of this offender will put a stop to the traffic That there are others, —we mean the purchasers,—more to blame than the thieves, is quite obvious, and we trust the eye of our active Police is upon them. The circumstances which led to the detection of this offender are these: about half-past eight o'clock on Friday night last, as Mr. Dawson, and Mr. John Hill, were on the look-out on the Canal bank, they observed on the north bank, between the Lead Works and Messrs. Frosts' Mill, a person, carrying a heavy load. Suspicion was excited, and they watched him; but, the burthen carrier was also on the alert, and throwing down his load, made off. He was pursued, and driven to desperation, he plunged into the Canal. Mr. Dawson resolutely followed him, and on the other side, he was seized and secured, and lodged in gaol. The lead weighs about 110lbs and is composed of spouting, but from whence taken is not yet discovered. It was concealed in a large and small bag, the latter of which Knight carried under his arm. Great praise is due to Mr Dawson for his activity on this as on previous occasions, and we congratulate the city on having an officer so competent to the superintendence of its Police.
 
Chester Chronicle - Friday 10 June 1825 WEDNESDAY.—Present, the Mayor, Ald. Francis & Massey. POLICE RATES. Thomas Dodd, formerly Conductor of the Watch, appeared to a summons obtained by Mr. Brown, Surveyor of Police, for not paying his rates. The case was formally stated, and Defendant was called upon for his plea. Dodd: "What's he bother me about the rates for? I never refused to pay him and he knows it. But the money is not due till June."---Mr. Brown: "He told me he would not pay till June, because the money was not due till the 1st of August. ---Dodd: "I tell you what, Gentlemen, Brown told me, says he, there's Mr. Bateman looks as blue as the D***l at me, if I don’t pay him."— Mr. Brown: "I said no such thing. — Dodd: Why I'll take my oath of it; and I tell you, Gentlemen. I want the money as bad as Mr. Bateman."—Ald. Francis: You are wrong, Dodd; the money was due from you on the last 1st of August, not on the next; besides, how is Mr. Bateman to pay the Watchmen & other things if he does not receive the money?" Dodd: "Pay fiddle-de-dee; why there's £2000 collected by the Commissioners."--The Mayor: "Did you ever hesitate to pay before?"--Dodd: "I never paid before so soon. Mr. Brown: "No, when he held a place in the Police he never objected." Dodd: "That's nothing to do with it. I’m one that's not ashamed of nothing. Why you told me Mr. Bateman wanted it for himself."--Mr. Brown: "And that you know is a most abominable falsehood." A warrant of distress was now in process of making out, when Dodd put down 6s being the amount of his rate. He was told there was the shilling for the summons, but this he refused to pay, till he was told, the money would not be received without it, and then down came the shilling and out walked Mr. Dodd.
 
Chester Chronicle - Friday 11 November 1825 CHESTER POLICE REPORT. MONDAY—Present, Ald.  Larden, H. Bowers, and Francis -  PAST FIVE O'CLOCK, AND A WET MORNING — Jos. Blake, a watchman, was reported for not appearing at roll call, before the Conductor of the Watch, at 5 o'clock in the morning. Blake stated that he had finished his round, and was as “sober as a judge," when a person whom he had been calling up, gave him a glass of brandy, which “got into his head," and quite settled him. This excuse would apparently have had some weight, but unfortunately two brother Charleys, Newton Frith and J Tilston, came forwards, stating, that when Blake came into the watch-house he was " like a mad-bull," stripping to fight, and proving himself a very great bore to the heavy-coated community, assembled at their quarters after the Feast of Lanterns.— Under these circumstances, the Magistrates thought it necessary that the complaint should be referred to the next Meeting of the Commissioners, which was ordered accordingly.
 
Chester Chronicle – Friday 18 Nov 1825 CHESTER POLICE REPORT MONDAY Present, Aldermen Francis, Williamson, Massey, and Morris Richard ROW IN THE ROW'S - Tilston and Johnson, two of the "good men and true" of the Corps of Dogberry, vulgo Watchmen, complained of two young men by name Morris & Bithell, for raising a disturbance in Eastgate-row— It was stated that there was a row in the street, and when Tilston approached the Children of Beliel, Morris came up to him, and "squared his fist in his face"; this insult was resented by Tilston flooring him, and the floorer soon afterwards, became the flooree. How they could conveniently explain what took place at this point of time did not precisely appear, and perhaps there might be some difficulty in ascertaining the precise matter of fact, inasmuch as both of the beligerents—the legal and illegal—declared they were "knocked down quite senseless”. The Magistrates appeared to think they had well described the state in which they became couchant, and the Mayor therefore ordered the parties to pay for the summonses, giving them at the same time a suitable reprimand for keeping late hours.
 
EXCESS OF DUTY —      Mr. Ellis, landlord of a respectable tavern, in Newgate-street, called the White Talbot, made a complaint against Mr. J. Barclay, under the following circumstances: Mr. E. stated that his family had before been annoyed by Mr. B’s gratuitous visits, and on Monday night last, as they were about going to bed, they were alarmed by a loud and important sort-of-a rap, tap, at the door, which induced complainant to ask who was there? and at the same time putting his head through the window, he beheld his old Monsieur Tonson-friend Mr. Barclay, who, he said, reeled round, and demanded admittance, stating that he was on his “rounds" and wished to see that all was "right and straight." [A Magistrate asked was Mr. B. a Constable? Certainly not.] Mr. Barclay then repeated his demands, and Mr. Ellis seeing another peace-officer at hand, in the shape of Sumpter, the watchman, put Mr. B. in charge, and he would have been sent to quod only for the interference of a gentleman who was passing by. The watchman said Mr. B made a great disturbance in the street—lt being stated that Mr. B. had promised to appear this day to answer to the charge, and had failed in so doing, the Mayor said he felt it his duty to issue a summons, and was almost fearful he had not done his duty, by not issuing that process in the first instance—he was determined to do his duty without favour or affection. A summons was accordingly issued for Saturday (to-morrow).