The Death of Constable Thomas Nicholson of Ambleside, 1845

The Death of Constable Thomas Nicholson of Ambleside, 1845

Thomas Nicholson was a saddler and auctioneer of Ambleside. He was baptised in 1813 in the county of Westmorland, although his age varies slightly, dependant on which documents are viewed. He was the son of Joseph Nicholson and Agnes Nicholson (nee Coward). Joseph was Ambleside's first postmaster and Agnes was a bookseller. The post office was on  Agnes was appointed Postmistress in 1839, and in 1841, Agnes is recorded as a widow in the census, so most likely Joseph died in 1839. Their eldest daughter Hannah, took over as the bookseller. 

Little is known of Thomas's early life, although on Thursday 3rd December 1835 he married a 21 year old Dorothy Fleming of Spring Cottage, Rydal, at that village. They would go on the have four children together. Agnes was baptised in 1836, Joseph was baptised on 10th June 1838, Dorothy was born in the last quarter of 1840, and Elizabeth who was born in the 2nd quarter of 1843.

The first advertised auction sale that is known to have been run by Thomas was to take place at the house of Mr. Stalker at the Salutation Hotel, Ambleside, on Wednesday and Thursday, 18th and 19th April 1838. It was the effects and furnishings of a lady who was leaving the area. He continued to advertise auctions of premises and their contents, usually sold at venues in local inns and hotels, throughout his life. Although the date of his appointment as the Ambleside constable is unclear, he first appeared in the Westmorland Gazette as a constable in a case where the shop of a Mr. Davidson had been burgled in Ravenglass, near Whitehaven on the night of 19th May 1843. Silver watches, cutlery and other articles had been carried off and suspicion fell on two men who had purchased trifling goods the day before. Mr. Davidson was a member of a 'Prosecution Association' who secured the services of a Mr. Wilson (one would assume the Parish Constable). He pursued the men to Ambleside and obtained the assistance of Constable Thomas Nicholson. Following contact with the head of Kendal Police, Mr. Frederick Grossmith, a search of the town which proved to be fruitless, and both men returned to The Duke William Inn, Staveley, for refreshments.

The former Duke William Inn, Staveley.

Once there they were told that two males carrying bundles were recently seen on the Underbarrow road. With a quickly gathered posse, they came up to both men near The Punch Bowl, Underbarrow. One managed to escape and it was said that the drunken state of the constables had led to some confusion. That said, both had earlier finished their pursuit and had only come across the information, after the hunt at Kendal was concluded, so there was some excuse for their condition. Mr. Wilson had gathered the property and Nicholson with others escorted their prisoner to Staveley, but continued drinking, now it the company of their detained man. In the drunken confusion of his captors he himself escaped, never to be found again, despite the assistance of Mr. Grossmith, who was called out. The papers were indignant, quoting other recent escapes from other constables, questioning whether the authorities ever considered supplying 'proper instruments of security' to the constables of the area.

On 7th March 1844 Thomas gave evidence, at the Salutation Hotel to a Commission which was under the hand and seal of the Bishop of Chester. The Reverend William Sewell was accused of 'drunkenness, intemperance, intoxication, scandal, and other scandal and evil report'. The case centred upon the conduct of the reverend after a meeting regarding the affairs of the town, at The Salutation on 23rd December 1843. He was then reported as being intoxicated and arguing with others about a scandal of ill-using his wife and children, who then were no longer living with him and lived now in Bowness. Other witnesses gave evidence, one who had been present after the meeting concluded was Thomas Nicholson. He stated he had been in the Reverend's company and saw him drink only a gin and two glasses of wine, refusing other drink. Most witnesses said that the reverend was a sober man by temperment and had been so that night. The conclusion of the Commission was that the reverend had been sober that night, but it was sufficient to admonish him over his previous conduct in his public and private life; the matter was then dropped.

Through the rest of 1844 and 1845 Thomas appeared at court with a number of minor cases of driving more than the statutory two horses and carts on the turnpike road to Grasmere. There was another case of someone not having his name on the side of his cart, contrary to the law, other cases were of people being drunk and disorderly in Ambleside, witnessed by Constable Nicholson and Mr. Grossmith, and another of a 'potter' riding his cart without reins.

The most notable and tragic case he was involved with was at the Ulverston Magistrates Office on Thursday 30th January 1845, where Inspector Davidson preferred a charge against the Hawkrigg family of Skelwith Bridge for concealing the child delivered to Mary Hawkrigg. Constable Winter had attended Skelwith Bridge on hearing such reports and took the family into custody. Mary then led him, the inspector, and constable Nicholson of Ambleside, to the place where the child had been interred in a wood near their house. She said it was living when born but died the following day, about six weeks previous. The body of the child was found wrapped in a cloth and 18 inches under the ground. An inquest had been held at Hawkshead and following the result, the magistrates dismissed the proceedings against all the Hawkrigg family.

The next incident was a further tragic one, although not one where Thomas was on duty, but it would lead to his untimely death; with the circumstances being given to the coroner's inquest held at The Royal Oak, Ambleside, on Thursday 18th September 1845. On Tuesday 16th, William Atkinson a bobbin-maker, and John Workman, a husbandman of Elterwater, were making their way in Mr. Atkinson's gig to the Keswick wrestling when he was overtaken  by Thomas riding a horse, just past the toll bar at Grasmere. Thomas stopped, said he was tired and he and Workman swapped positions. The latter found that the horse rode well. They parted from Thomas at Keswick and at 7:30pm were making their way back to Ambleside, with others. Just past the toll bar outside Keswick they were again passed by Thomas who was galloping horse and he appeared intoxicated. He spoke as he passed, but was soon out of sight. Mr. Atkinson's view was that the horse would have acted quietly on its own, had it been allowed to, and it had no vice about it. Four miles outside of Keswick near the other side of 'Noddle Fell' in the Vale of St. John, they found Thomas lying in the road with the horse about three hundred yards away. (*Author - I assume Low or High Rigg, with Naddle Beck below; there are other known references for 'Naddle Fell') He was bleeding from the nose and couldn't stand on his own. He was placed in their gig and they made their way to Wythburn for 8pm where they had refreshments. Thomas had roused in the gig and said he wanted to be at home. They told the inquest that Thomas got out of the gig at Wythburn, but did not speak or have anything to drink. John Love was a tailor at Ambleside and was at Wythburn when the gig had arrived. Having heard of Thomas's plight had gone out to assist him into the premises and found him fallen out of the gig, with his thigh tangled in the reins and his head dangling to the ground.

They later arrived at Ambleside around 10pm and he was taken to his home. All believe Thomas was just drunk. He asked for his hat which had fallen behind the gig horses hind legs. William Fell, the surgeon, was called and on examination found blood also coming from Thomas's ear. He then felt a severe and extensive bruise on the top of his head and diagnosed a skull fracture. Thomas died at 12 noon on the Wednesday.

So passed Ambleside's constable, albeit not a death on duty, so would never feature in the National Police Roll of Honour. The death was still the passing of an Ambleside notable. 

Crime however never ends and Ambleside still needed a constable. At the end of the Petty Sessions of 8th October, John Longmire was sworn in as the replacement officer for the late Constable Nicholson.

Dorothy remarried a tailor called William Coward, at least 7 years her junior, in 1847. They went on to have four children together, before she died in the first quarter of 1854, aged 38, which was the same quarter as her last child, so likely died in or associated with the birth. William Coward died in 1856, so all the children were orphaned. Some remained with family and others were displaced as far afield as boarding schools in Cheltenham. Agnes, the first born of Thomas and Dorothy, was educated at Casterton servants school, near Sedbergh. This had recently opened in 1838 and was for 100 poor girls who were clothed, lodged, and educated for either  employment in service, or the teaching profession. 

 Thomas's mother Agnes died on 29th March 1862, still at Ambleside Post Office. She was 83 years old and in her earlier years William and Dorothy Wordsworth knew her and Joseph well. Dorothy wrote that she and William used to attend the Post Office late at night. Joseph and Agnes would get up from their beds and allow them to sit in the parlour and alter letters they had earlier posted, before they were sent off in the morning. One would assume it was William, concerned the poem was still not to his liking, and altering again before it was finally posted.

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