Edward Le Quesne: Our Policemen

Edward Le Quesne (1882-1957) was elected a Deputy for St Helier No 2 district in 1925 and held the seat until he stood successfully for the new office of Senator in 1948. This is an extract from a journal he wrote entitled “50 Years of Memories”, written sometime around 1949.

Our Policemen

The paid police in the early years of this century were mostly men of middle-age, one or two of them had beards and appeared to us boys as very old men. There was one sergeant I well remember, who was also the caretaker of the Savings Bank, and, living almost opposite to my home in New Street, he was the terror of my life, as he was to all the boys attending New Street School.

One of the policemen was a huge man named Macfarlane, nicknamed “Mac-Fat”. When on “the Beat”, his wife used to arrange with him to be at a certain place at a certain time, and seeing her good man in the distance, used to attract his attention by calling “Cuckoo Georgie. I’ve got your coffee”. This became known to the “ boys of the village ’.’, and Georgie’s life was made almost unbearable by continuously hearing from around the corner “ Cuckoo Georgie ”. The poor old chap was so fat he couldn’t run, but woe to the boy that he recognised as one of his tormentors if by chance he managed to find him unawares.

There was no Fire Brigade at that time, but an antiquated man-handled fire-engine was kept at the Town Hall, and when a fire occurred this was taken to the scene of the outbreak by horses supplied by a local carter. Arriving, it was under the orders of a Centenier or failing him of the senior honorary police officer present.

The fire engine was manned by a gang of men recruited on the spot who received 2/- per head for their work. Four or six men were at the pump-handles on either side of the engine, and inasmuch as no hydrants then existed, water was provided from the brooks, which were then as they still are in many cases, both sewer and water courses. I remember one occasion at a fire at the Town Mills, when a strike took place, the men engaged on the pump striking for 2/6 instead of the 2/- normally paid. Whilst the strike went on so did the fire and eventually the Mill was completely gutted. 

A humorous incident connected with the police that .I well recollect, my uncle and father both being Centeniers at the time, occurred at what was then known as the Irish Yard in Dorset Street. A death had occurred in one of the cottages in the Yard. It was decided to hold a “ Wake ”, the corpse was laid in a coffin and placed upright against the wall.

Friends were called in. and plentifully supplied with liquid refreshment in order to drown their sorrow, and to wish the dear departed “ bon voyage ”. Eventually, as often happens when a number of the “ Boys ” meet for a “ jollification ”, fighting commenced and the police were summoned.

Knowing with whom they had to deal, several policemen and one or two members of the honorary police proceeded to the “ Yard ” in the Police-van. One after another the Irishmen were bundled into the van, and seeing one who appeared more drunk than the others lying across the table, he was also picked up and loaded into the van.

Imagine the consternation when the police became aware that the drunken Irishman was actually the corpse who had fallen out of the coffin on to the table!