by David Caplehorn
I have been doing some research on the Officers shown in the photograph of Southampton Docks Police taken in 1890. Most of my info has been obtained from the 1881 to 1911 Census Records and I am hopeful that the information I have found, correctly relates to the Officers in the photo.
Back Row.
Detective Fuller.
1891/1901 Census. Samuel Fuller. Police Constable. Born 1837 Berkshire. Died. 1907. Southampton.
Resident Bath Street. Southampton. Wife: Maria. Born 1839 Lincolnshire. / Children. Annie Born 1871 and Charles Born 1874. Southampton.
Middle Row Left to Right.
John S Foster.1881 census. Dock Policeman. Born 1839 Brockenhurst. Hampshire. Resident at Bellevue Street. Southampton.
Alfred Isaacs. 1891/1901/1911 Census. Dock Policeman. Born 1862 Hampshire.
Died Southampton 1944. Resident 1891 Nelson Road. Millbrook. Southampton.
Then 13 Queens Town Road. Shirley. Southampton. Wife: Louisa. Born 1862. Hampshire.
Children: May. Born 1844 Hampshire. / Tom. Born 1891 Hampshire.
Absalom Pugh. 1891 Census. Dock Policeman. Born 1849 Weymouth. Dorset. Resident Albert Street. Southampton. 1911 Census. Listed as a Police Sergeant. Died 1916. Southampton.
Wife: Emma. Born 1849 Somerset. / Children: Absalom Pugh. Born 1875 Southampton. Stevedore.
1901 Census. Police Constable. /Emma. Born 1876. Cargo Brander. / Henry. Born 1877/ Walter. Born 1880 / Ethel. Born 1885 and Bertie. Born 1889
Henry Batten 1881/1901 Census. Born 1846. Whiteparish. Hampshire. Police Constable.
Resident Fanshawe Street. Southampton. 1911. Resident Whiteparish. Police Pensioner. Died 1913.
Wife: Frances M. Born 1849 Fareham. Hampshire. / Children: Walter H. Born 1871. Ryde. Isle of White. / Kate. Born 1873 Southampton. / Harry. Born 1879 Southampton.
George Thomas Shearing 1891/1901 Census. Born 1841. Verwood. Dorset. Dock Policeman. Resident, Millbrook Road. Southampton. Wife: Betsy. Born 1845. Verwood. Dorset.
Children: Sidney. Born 1873. Wiltshire. / Margaret. Born 1875. Wiltshire. / George Thomas. Born 1884. Wiltshire. / Giles Richard. Born 1891. Wiltshire. / Harold S.R. Born 1894. Freemantle. Southampton.
Front Row. Left to Right.
Thomas Verge 1891 Census. Born 1845. Hampshire. Dock Policeman. Resident, Fir Grove Road. Freemantle. Southampton. Died 1909
Wife: Martha P. Born 1852. Hampshire. Tailoress / Children: Henry Thomas Verge. Born 1871.
John Samuel Coffin 1881 Census. Born 1841. Poole. Dorset. Policeman. Resident Albany Road. Millbrook. Southampton. Died 1909. Southampton. Wife: Sarah F. Born 1847 Romsey. Hampshire.
Children: John Samuel. Born 1868. Southampton. / Florence. Born 1869. Southampton. /
Henry W. Born 1871. Southampton. / William F. Born 1875. Southampton. / Frank. Born 1877. Southampton. / Lilly. Born 1880. Southampton.
Not wishing to impose on their good work, please see Viv Head’s and Steve Beamon’s articles relating to Superintendent Rowthorn’s History (see links below).
John Eldridge 1891 Census. Born 1848 Marchwood. Hampshire. Policeman. Resident, Castle Street. Southampton. Wife: Mary Ann. Born 1849. Hampshire. Children: Daniel. Born 1873. Hampshire. / Edwin. Born 1876. Hampshire. / Jessie. Born 1878.
In 1911 according to the Census. John Eldridge was a Police Pensioner, residing with his second wife, Elizabeth. Born 1858. Andover. Hampshire at King Johns Cottage. Marchwood. Hampshire.
William Longland. 1891/1901 Census. Born 1850 Hampshire. Docks Police Sergeant. Resident Rowlands Terrace. Itchen. Southampton. Died 1909. Southampton. Wife: Mary. Born 1845. Hampshire. / Children: Annie. Born 1873. Hampshire. / Nellie M. Born 1879 Hampshire.
Edwin J. Born 1883. Hampshire.
I have found two other Policemen listed as Docks Police Officers in the Hampshire Advertiser, who I think may also be in the photo, as they were serving in 1890.
John Whitcher 1891 /1901 Census. Born 1867 Lymington. Hampshire. Police Constable. Resident at Chantry Road. Southampton. And at Above bar Street in 1901. Wife: Mary. Born 1863. Southampton.
John Whitcher is listed as Dock Constable Whitcher, in a Hampshire Advertiser article dated 31/12/1891.
William Newman. 1881 /1891 Census. Hampshire Advertiser 22/01/1890. Born 1842 Hampshire. Dock Company Policeman. Resident at Southbrook Avenue. Shirley. Southampton.
Wife: Elizabeth. Born 1841. Hampshire. / Children: William. Born 1873. / Ethel. Born 1877. Hampshire.
David James Caplehorn
February, 2014
Also see:
Officers in charge of the police at Southampton Docks
Southampton Docks Police – Birth of a Division
Southampton Docks Police – Birth of a Division (part two)