Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1830/477
  • Title
    Information of William Whittamore, constable.
  • Date free text
    October 1830
  • Production date
    From: 1830 To: 1830
  • Scope and Content
    Was called out of bed by Elizabeth Toll to put a stop to a riot at Bennett's house (who had begun that day to sell ale under the new Act" [Beerhouse Act 1830]. About ten poles from Bennett's house, in a close, he found about a hundred people making a disturbance, and two men "stripped to the skin and fighting. There was a lantern and more lights, so that they might see to fight. I had my staff with me and I called out that there must be no more fighting there..... some of them cried out that they would not be stopped by any Constable .... Francis Ambridge struck me on the head and swore that the fight should not be stopped ... he swore at least ten times over that he would kill me and he struck me several times, then I struck him several times with my staff, on the head. It is a good-sized pocket staff. Joseph Pearce also struck me on the head - he was one of the men who was stripped and fighting.... The Mob got me down and kept me down for some time and beat me very much so that I did not expect to get up alive again. I called out "Murder" and I at last got up, and called for assistance, and Mr Burr and Mr Quimby and Joseph Dines assised me, then the fighting ceased. In about a quarter of an hour we went back to Bennett's house and I told him to give over drawing beer. Benjamin Titmus was the other Fighter."
  • Level of description
    item
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