Another way of upholding law and order or keeping the peace in the area was dealt with by so called ‘Watchmen’ ‘Peace Officers’ or ‘Parish Constables’. The Parish Constable was chosen each year from the local inhabitants often at a vestry meeting, and the only qualification he needed was to be a householder in the parish. He had no choice in the matter, if he was elected as Parish Constable then he could not refuse but worse still he was unpaid and of course he received no training, and wore no uniform. The appointment which was sometimes unpopular was only part-time and it wasn't unheard of that if he was unable or didn't want to do the job and could afford it he could pay someone else to carry out his duties which were many – in earlier times he was in charge of the parish armour, (if there was any) he had to light the beacons; he had to collect certain rates, he was in charge of the pillory, the whipping post, and the stocks, he was responsible for raising "hue and cry" and of course most importantly he had to uphold law and order, which sometimes could be very dangerous. He had to be sworn in before the Magistrates. If he refused to be sworn in then he would be punished and dealt with accordingly. As the villages or towns began to expand the need of more than one constable became necessary, occasionally the constables may have received a fee from the parish funds.
In 1834 John Anderson was the Parish Constable. On the 1841 Census, John Anderson was listed as being a Farmer in Fore-Thorpe Cleethorpes, he lived there with his wife and four children. Two of his children Thomas, and Cordan were also to become Parish Constables.
1841 Census - Living at Fore-Thorpe, John Bradshaw, aged 41 was listed as being a Police Officer.
Private Poster from July 1832
In 1845/6 the Parish Constables for Cleethorpes were Thomas Anderson; Thomas Willerton; Corden Anderson and William Nicholson White. (Appointed for the Division of Bradley Haverstoe ).
Thomas Anderson born at Tetney in 1811 was a farmer of 17 Acres at High Thorpe Cleethorpes, he lived there with his wife and five children. He died in 1853 and was buried in Cleethorpes Cemetery .
Thomas Willerton was born at Covenham in 1809 and according to the 1841 census he was living at Far Thorpe, Cleethorpes with his wife, and listed as being a farmer. He died in 1886 and was also buried in Cleethorpes Cemetery.
Cordan Anderson born at Tetney in 1815 he was also a farmer of 6 acres at High Thorpe Cleethorpes. Cordan died in 1899 and was buried in Cleethorpes Cemetery.
William Nicholson White born in 1822 to a wealthy farming family and in 1841 was a single man farming at Thrunscoe. Whites Road and Nicholson Street in Cleethorpes were named after the family when houses were built on their land in the late 1800's. He died young in 1849 and was buried in St. Mary’s Clee Churchyard.
On 9th March 1846/47 at a Vestry Meeting Robert Stainton; Richard Lill; C. Loft; J. Lidgard; and Richard Garniss were appointed Constables for the ensuing year.
Robert Stainton born c. 1816 at Market Weighton, Yorkshire and lived at Fore Thorpe (Low Thorpe) Cleethorpes with his wife and children, he was a boot and shoe maker by trade. He died in 1866 and was buried in St. Mary’s Clee Churchyard.
Richard Lill.
Charles Loft was born 1816 at Saltfleet. He was a single man a Miller living with his brother and his family in Low Thorpe. By 1871 he had moved to Horncastle.
James Lidgard was born in Cleethorpes in 1810 he was a wheelwright and lived at Low Thorp with his wife and children. He died in 1884.
Richard Garniss was born at Grimsby in 1807, he lived at Low Thorp with his wife where he was a farmer of 34 acres. He died in 1881.
At a Vestry Meeting on 8th March 1847/48 Robert Stainton; John Dabb; Samuel Lidgard; Richard Garniss; Charles Loft and Robert Osbourne were appointed Constables.
Robert Stainton (See Above).
Richard Garness (See Above).
Charles Loft (See Above).
John Dabb was born at Grimsby in 1810 in 1851 he was living at High Thorpe with his wife and children. He was a cordwainer (a shoemaker) employing two boys.
Samuel Lidgard was born in Cleethorpes 1818, in 1851 he was living in Low Thorpe with his wife and children. He was a wheelwright. He died in January 1880 and was buried in Cleethorpes Cemetery.
Robert Osbourne.
1850 - At the annual Vestry Meeting the following were appointed constables for the ensuing year: Robert Stainton; S. Lidgard; Thomas Willerton; John Rowston.
Robert Stainton (See Above), Samuel Lidgard (See Above)
Thomas Willerton was born at Covenham 1809, he was a Yeoman (A farmer who farmed his own land), he died in 1886 and was buried in Cleethorpes Cemetery.
John Rowston.
1853 - at the Vestry Meeting the following were appointed constables for the ensuing year: Richard Garniss; Charles Loft; B. Briskham; Thomas Saunby.
Richard Garniss (See Above), Charles Loft (See Above).
Benjamin Briskham was born in 1816 at Howden Dyke Yorkshire. In 1851 he was living in High Thorpe with his wife and daughters, he was a grocer.
Thomas Saunby was born in 1813 in Grimsby, he was a fish dealer and lived in Saunby Villa with his wife and family. He died in 1885.
The Lincolnshire Constabulary was established in 1856 and they became wholly responsible for the policing of Cleethorpes, but according to accounts in the newspaper Parish Constables were being appointed as late as 1870 for Cleethorpes. This may have been because there was a lack of applicants for the job of a County Constable.
In 1870 The Parish constables for Cleethorpes appointed at the County Magistrates for the Division of Bradley Haverstoe were :
George Coulbeck was born in Cleethorpes c. 1835, in 1871 he was living at 4 Humber Terrace with his wife and children. He was a fisherman.
Isaac East was born in Grimoldby, Lincolnshire in 1825. In 1871 he was living in Itterby Road with his wife. He worked as an agricultural labourer.
A 19th Century Parish Constable
John Conyard was born in Bolingbroke, Lincs in 1833. In 1871 he was living at No.4 Brickyard House, Grimsby Road Cleethorpes with his wife and children. Until 1893 he was a member of the Cleethorpes Local Board. He was a Brick and Tile maker. He died in 1904 and was buried in Cleethorpes Cemetery.
Joseph Mumby was born in Scartho in 1842. In 1871 he was living in Suggitts Road with his wife and daughters. He was a bricklayer's labourer. He died in January 1922 and was buried in Cleethorpes Cemetery.
James Fox was born in Ingham Lincolnshire in 1842. In 1871 he was living with his wife and children at Sea View Lane and worked as a painter and paper hanger. He died in 1899 and was buried in Cleethorpes Cemetery.
Although appointed Parish Constables not all of them were upholders of the law - In 1851 Benjamin Briskham a constable at Cleethorpes was summoned for neglect of duty, he was reprimanded, and then in 1864 he was fined 1s and costs for having unjust measures. Benjamin continued to take an active part in the running of Cleethorpes. At a Vestry Meeting in 1864 he was elected as one of the overseers of the poor; he was appointed as one of the pinders. He was also a member of the "Nuisance Removal Committee" which had eight members. Immediately their attention was drawn to the filthy state of the Cliff, to the Beaconthorpe drain and other drains, to pigsties, open traps, back stews and cesspools, accumulations of an objectional character such as rotten fish, night soil, manure heaps etc.
In 1865 John Conyard (Parish Constable in 1870), a brickmaker was charged with stocking the highway, he was fined 1s and 7s 6d, and in 1868 he was again charged with stocking the highway and was similarly fined. Later in 1872 a case against him for assault was adjourned. In 1877 a case was brought at Skegness against John Conyard a brickmaker for being drunk and disorderly on 27th August 1877 he was fined 5s and 9s 6d costs. In August 1882 John Conyard of Cleethorpes for being drunk and disorderly was fined 10s and 10s 6d costs.
In 1866 Richard Garniss a farmer of Cleethorpes who had been appointed a Parish Constable several times was charged with removing a quantity of sheep without a licence. He pleaded ignorance but was ordered to pay costs. He was also charged with furious driving in Victoria Street North, Grimsby on the 6th March 1876. He and five others were in a trap which knocked down a little boy and severely hurt his foot. None of the party looked back to see the mischief they had caused but continued driving ahead, Defendant said he was driving at his ordinary pace and having a good mare she went nice and sharp. The little boy would not have been knocked down had he kept still. He was Fined 20s with costs.
Cleethorpes 1834
