Policeman in Goodrich 1840s

[slewi4]

I have a John HARRISON in my family who was born circa 1813 in Hereford, married Harriet KING in 1831, and had 10 children. Four of those children were born in Goodrich, and their father's occupation was listed as policeman for the first three (1844, 1847 and 1848), but Shoemaker for the 4th in 1850. In the 1871 and 1881 Census he was a shoemaker and hairdresser.
I am sure that this is the same man, but the sudden change of occupation has me confused. Is  "policeman" what we know today as policeman, or could it be used to describe a nightwatchman or guard on a railway or similar. Where could I look to find more?
Thanks
Sandra

[Puffcat]

There is a book on the Herefordshire Constabulary by Vera Hadley which gives the early history. Certainly the local 'constable' in this area was multi talented in his occupations !

But this enquiry rings some bells, has someone looked into this before

[slewi4]

Thanks EBN,

I'll see if I can get my hands on a copy of the book.

I've also done a bit of googling and found that the HFHS Journal had an article on police ancestors in Jul 2000. I think that my local genealogical society has copies of the HFHS journals, so I'll be planning a visit there soon.

I also found this page http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/history/policing/police-archives-guide/west-mercia-constabulary.htm which looks promising (items 119 to 122) There might even be a personnel file.

I haven't asked about this before, and couldn't see any similar questions in the archived posts - perhaps it was on another forum. Anyway, if that person is still looking, I hope my finds will be useful to them.

Sandra

[Valda]

1841 census HO107 421/18 folio 4 page 4
New Street Ross Herefordshire
John Harrison 25 Police Officer
Harriet Harrison 25 
John Harrison 9 
Caroline Harrison 6 
Eliza A Harrison 4 
Mary A Harrison 1
all born Herefordshire 

1851 census HO107 2061 folio 863
166? House Great Francis Street Aston Warwickshire
John Harrison 36 Head Married Policeman St Owens Herefordshire
Harriett Harrison 36 Wife Married Family Laundress  Hanley Worcestershire
Frederick Harrison 19 Son ? St Owins Herefordshire
Eliza Ann Harrison 14 Daughter  ? St Owins Herefordshire
Mary Ann Harrison 11 Daughter ? Ross Herefordshire
Catharine Harrison 10 Daughter St Owins Herefordshire
Alice Harrison 9 Daughter Ross Herefordshire
Elizabeth Harrison 9 Daughter Ross Herefordshire
William Hy Harrison 7 Son Son Goodrich Herefordshire
Henry C Harrison 3  Son Goodrich Herefordshire

1861 census RG9 2732 folio 39
1 Edgemount 18 Paddington West Derby Lancashire
John Harrison 47 Head Married Shoemaker Hereford Herefordshire
Harriet Harrison 47 Wife Married Hanly Worcestershire
William H Harrison 17 Son Goodrich Herefordshire
Henry C Harrison 12 Son Goodrich Herefordshire
Elizabeth E Harrison 9 Daughter Goodrich Herefordshire
Clara A Harrison 8 Daughter Handsworth Staffordshire

Herefordshire County record office and Birmingham record office may be worth checking for John's service records in their respective police forces and why he left the service.

Regards

Valda

[slewi4]

Thanks Valda,

I hadn't seen the 1841 or 51 Census entries.

Catherine and Elizabeth in 1851 were a surprise to me. Its especially strange that Catherine was born in Hereford while the siblings either side were born in Ross, and that she isn't on the 1841 Census. I couldn't find a matching entry on IGI or FreeBMD. So my guess is that they were adopted - possibly from Harriets' family as John only had brothers.

Thanks again
Sandra

[Valda]

Sandra

St Owen parish registers have no coverage on the IGI past 1705.
Eliza Ann was aged 14 on the 1851 census (could be 15 in that year if her birthdate was after census night and her age is exact) so born no later than 1837 and possibly the second half of 1836. Civil registration began 1st July 1837, so her birth/baptism would be unlikely to be found on either the IGI or FreeBMD.
Catherine was aged 10 and therefore could have been born just after the census of 1841. You have only one census entry to go on, so it is possible her name, place of birth, age could all be in some way incorrectly written on this census.

I think just because you haven't yet found evidence of either girls' parentage it is still quite a jump to conclude they therefore must have been adopted. I would definitely want to check the St Owen's registers before I began to question either girls' parentage especially since John at the time was a police officer and therefore could be sent to different places by the service, and in the early days of registration not every birth was registered and not every birth that was registered made it onto the GRO index.

Regards

Valda

[Puffcat]

 There is a birth for Eliza Ann Harrison in March Qr 1838 in Hereford GRO ref Hereford 26, 147

[Puffcat]

 Birth for Mary Ann Harrison June Qr 1842 GRO ref Hereford 26 185

Copy certificates will be obtainable from Hreford Register Office Town Hall Hereford  HR1 2PJ

[Valda]

ELIZA ANN HARRISON
Christening:  08 JUN 1838   Saint Martin, Hereford, Hereford
Father:  JOHN HARRISON 
Mother:  HARRIETT 

There is a daughter called Mary Ann aged 1 and 11 on the 1841 and 1851 censuses besides Catherine.

Regards

Valda