Crown Inn with adjoining shops. Postcard courtesy Carol Ewin
The Downham Market Gazette of Saturday 5th June 1909 reported on the ‘Trouble at Ellingham’.
It was reported that Great Ellingham labourer, John Hurrell, was brought before the Magistrates at East Harling charged with assaulting Police Constable Askew ‘while in the execution of his duty’.
The incident happened on the 30th May in the yard of the Crown Inn at Great Ellingham. Hurrell entered a plea of not guilty.
Circumstances of the Case
The Magistrates were given the circumstances of the case.
It transpires that Police Constable Askew had local drover Thomas Allen ‘in his custody’ in the yard at the Crown Inn. Allen had been caught stealing a fowl belonging to the Crown’s landlord, Walter Buckle. He had been caught taking the fowl from a shed.
Labourer John Hurrell came across Police Constable Askew with Thomas Allen in his custody. Hurrell whispered something to Allen. The constable asked Hurrell to leave. However instead of doing so, he (Hurrell) placed his arm under the officer’s chin, back-legged him, and threw him to the ground. He also tried to ‘throttle’ him. During the struggle, Hurrell smashed the the constable’s helmet. This was all refuted by Hurrell.
Remand
The Magistrates decided to remand John Hurrell in custody. Nevertheless, provided that Hurrell finds a surety of £5, he would be bound over in his own recognisance of the £5 until the next sitting of the court.
In the case of Thomas Allen and the alleged theft of the fowl, the Magistrates granted bail pending further enquiries.
John Hurrell & Thomas Allen
Whilst I have not been able to trace a John Hurrell, I found a 61 year old farm labourer Thomas Allen living in a three-roomed dwelling in Bow Street at the time of the 1911 census.
A single man, Thomas Allen was born in nearby Rockland. I believe he was a son of Shropham born James Allen and his wife Matilda nèe Brown.
Sources:
5 June 1909 Downham Market Gazette view via The British Newspaper Archive
1911 census RG14/11473/33
1861 census RG9/1238/100