Hereford Times - Saturday 23 October 1852
Alarming Fire.—Early on Sunday morning, Mr. Barrett the Saracen's Head, Wyebridge, and his family, had a narrow escape from destruction by the means of fire. We are informed that about 3 a.m., Mrs. Barrett awoke with a burning sensation in her throat, and at first attributed it to having eaten something injurious on the previous night, but could not remember that she had done so. While cogitating the matter she became thoroughly awake, and then discovered that the room was full of smoke. She instantly rose, opened the bed-room door, and found that the lower part of the house was on fire. Mrs. Barrett then raised her husband, who had not been awakened by the smoke, and, having partially dressed herself, took their child, and made her escape from the house to that of a neighbour, arousing one or two other neighbours she went. While she was thus engaged, Mr. Barrett ran, barefooted, and with scarcely any clothes on, to the City Gaol, for the engines. The fire-bell speedily rang -the engines were immediately got out, and quickly on the spot—and the exertions of the firemen, aided by a number of respectable citizens chiefly from High Town, soon brought the fire under. It was afterwards found by a policeman that the fire had arisen in the ash-pit which goes down into the cellar, from (it is supposed) some hot cinders having fallen on some oak beams which run across nearly under the fire-place. Had not the fire been discovered early, as it providentially was, the total destruction of the beams would not have been a matter of very long time, and then the house would have probably fallen in, burying the inmates in the ruins, even if the fire should have extended further, which very improbable, the internal part of the house being old. Happily, the damage actually is done comparatively slight.
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Some background about Thomas and the Saracen's Head.
Hereford Journal - Wednesday 11 February 1852
The Saracen's Head.
Mr. Gough, member of the committee appointed to inspect and report on the state of these premises, stated that Mr. Stephens, Mr. Hatton, and himself had examined them, and their opinion, after being put in pretty good repair, they may be let at rent of 35l. a-year; but it would take something like a year's rent to put the house into repair. There were several things, such as fixtures and windows, valued at 10L or ]51., that belonged to the tenant, but which ought to be the property of the landlord.
Mr. Hatton, jun., said, the roof of the large room was a very dilapidated state, and he should like to take the opinion of the Town-Clerk or some other professional man as to whose duty it was to make the repairs. By the lease the tenant covenanted to leave the premises in tenantable state of repair, himself, his heirs, or assigns. The original lessee, Mr. Prothero; had left for some years, and the lease had been handed from one tenant to another, being now in the possession of Mr. Davies. He thought himself that not much less than 50l. would be sufficient for all the repairs. A very respectable tenant (Mr. Barrett) had just taken the Saracen's Head for the remainder of the lease ; but he was not willing to run the risk of entering upon the premises without security from the Council that they would continue him as tenant. It was desirable that the matter should be looked into more closely, and he suggested that some gentleman should move a postponement.
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Hereford Times - Saturday 10 April 1852
Publicans' Licenses.—On Monday last, at the Guildhall, the following licenses were transferred ; that of the City Arms Hotel, from the representatives of the late Mrs Mary Humphreys, to Mr. William Smyth ; that of the Kerry Arms, from Mr. William Smyth to Mr. John Hankins; that of the Punch Bowl, from Mr. John Hankins to Mr. William Smyth ; that of the Ship Inn in the Ross road, from Mr. Joseph Morgan to Mr. Samuel Chard ; that of the Saracen's Head, from Mr. William Davies to Mr. Thomas Barrett; that of the Royal George, Widemarsh-street, from Mr. William Barnes to Mr. Robert Witcombe ; and that of the Elephant and Castle, St. Peter's street,from Mr. Charles Watkins to Mr. Benjamin Browning. A license was granted by the Magistrates for the Bowling Green Inn, in Bewell-street. Some objections were made to the charges of the Magistrates' Clerk, by- Mr. Stephens, but Mr. Charles Owen explained to the Magistrates' satisfaction, and the Mayor remarked that Mr. Owen was always very particular in not exceeding the charges to which he was entitled by Act of Parliament. With respect to the notices required to be given by Act of Parliament to Overseers, &c, on the part of any person applying for the transfer of a license, it was stated that Mr. Smyth had served his own notice. Such services were excused on the present occasion ; but the Mayor stated that on all future occasions, it would be deemed indispensable that these notices should be served by the proper officer of the Court ; a fact we are requested to mention.
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The Saracen's Head. Mr. Hatton stated the proceedings which had been taken by the committee in reference to the state of the Saracen's Head, and their inability to come to any arrangement with Mr. Price or Mr. Hiles. The house is in such a dilapidated state that the present tenant, Mr. Barrett, is obliged to stuff rags and other things in the roof to keep out the wet, and to place pails and buckets to catch the water that runs through, notwithstanding this. Mr. Price or Mr. Hiles was the proper person to repair the house, according to the covenant of the lease to leave the house "in a tenantable state of repair." One half of the roof had been repaired, but the other half was left unrepaired. There was an excellent malthouse attached to the house, but from which the kiln and other appurtenances connected with the malting had been taken away, and applied to the party's own use. This he was in a position to prove in a court of justice. He could not consent to public property being sacrificed in this way without trying in a court of law to make parties do that which they had covenanted to do. The Town- Clerk had written to Mr. Price, who had put the matter in the hands of Mr. Gough, from whom a communication had been received stating that Mr. Price was from home, and requesting the matter to be deferred until Monday next. He thought the committee, after the failure of all their attempts, could do no less than ask the Council to instruct the Town-Clerk to take legal proceedings against the party whom he should consider to be liable, in order that the house might be put in proper repair. To restore the kiln and other things which had been taken away from the malthouse, would cost at least 30l.
Mr. Stephens concurred in Mr. Hatton's recommendation, adding that the rain now came in down to the lower floors, threatening to destroy the whole fabric.
In reply to Mr. Myer, Mr. Hatton said that Mr. Price (who it appears was the last holder of the lease, which was granted 40 years ago to Mr. Prothero), was so determined to get his money from the tenant, that threatened to put in an execution immediately upon the half-year's rent becoming due. In consequence of this, the tenant of the Council (Mr. Barrett) was obliged to pay for fixtures which were not fixtures at all. If the fulfilment of the terms of the lease were not enforced, they would sacrifice 60l. or 70l. altogether.
It was agreed, upon the proposition of Mr. Myer, seconded by Mr. Parry, that the Town Clerk be authorised to take legal proceedings against the party who is liable, to enforce the proper repairing of the house, according to the covenant of the lease, and the restoration of all fixtures which have been illegally abstracted ; this resolution not to prevent the committee from accepting any reasonable terms, if such should be offered by Mr. Price or his solicitor.
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Hereford Times - Saturday 11 December 1852
THE LATE CAPTURE OF THE LLANOVER BURGLARS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HEREFORD TIMES.
Sir, —Having seen in the columns of your paper of the 27th ult. two letters, hearing the signatures of “Samuel Hawkins,” P.C., of Saint Devereux, and "Walter Prosser," farmer, of Trelough, in the same parish, wherein they take upon themselves all the merit of the capture of the men, taken in this city on the 5th ult., for the late burglary at Llanover, I should esteem a particular favour, having been principally concerned in the capture of one of the burglars, if you will allow me a brief space to make a few remarks upon some of the passages contained in those letters, and to state to the public the real facts of the case regards the capture in which I was concerned. I should have written upon this subject last week, had it not happened that my time of late has been much occupied in the discharge of my duties as one of the Serjeants of the Herefordshire Militia, that I had not time to attend to it at an earlier period. It is not intention to follow Mr. Hawkins (with whom have the most to do) through the details of his letter respecting his suspicions of whom the parties were when he passed them near the parish church of St. Devereux, his complaint against his superior officer (P S. Paine, of the Abbeydore district for not doing as he desired him, &c, &c.; but I shall principally confine myself to writing what occurred relative to the prisoner that was captured near Wyebridge, and to what more immediately concerns myself.
The following are the true facts of the case :—Between six and seven o'clock the evening of the 5th November, P.C. Hawkins called house and requested me to go with him in search of a man, whom he said he was in pursuit of for passing bad money at Trelough, never mentioning to me that he had the least suspicion he was one the men engaged in the burglary at Llanover although in his letter he says he had such suspicion when he previously saw them near the church at St..Devereux. Hawkins told me that the man he was pursuit of was 5 ft. 4 in. in height, whereas the height of the one we captured afterwards proved to be 5 ft. 7 in. I went with Hawkins, as he requested, and he placed me and Mr. Prosser in one of the recesses on Wyebridge, in order that might identify the party if he should pass that way. During the time we were waiting there a great number of persons passed, and among the rest three men, of whom I took particular notice, and one of whom I immediately suspected was the man “wanted” by Hawkins. I immediately crossed from my place of concealment to the opposite side of the road, and after looking each of the men in the face, I called Mr. Prosser and asked him if one of them (the man suspected) was not the man that Hawkins wanted. Mr. Prosser assured me he was perfectly satisfied that neither of them was the man, they were all too tall. Notwithstanding Mr. Prosser's assurance to the contrary, I was pretty sure that the party I had noticed was the man Hawkins wanted, as he continued looking back, and pretended to call to another party behind him ; and at that moment Mr. Prosser turned into the Saracen's Head to take some refreshment. Hawkins then returned from the city, whither he had gone to give information, and asked me if I had seen anything of the man he had given me the description of. I told him that I had seen some men whom I suspected, but Mr. Prosser had assured me they were all taller than the man he was seeking for. Hawkins then invited me into the Saracen's Head to have glass of ale, but, from prudential motives, I declined his invitation, telling him that I would go in and have one when he came out, thinking that, if went in with him, the man might pass in the meantime, and that the capture might thus be prevented. During the time Hawkins remained in the Saracen's Head, the man previously particularly referred to (whose name proved to be Arnold) returned, when he appeared to be much confused. I then followed him into Wyebridge-street, and near the Black Lion met a boy named Wm. Mason, whom I requested to go to the Saracen's Head and tell Hawkins to follow me up Wyebridge-street. Hawkins shortly overtook me, and I told him I thought Arnold was the man he wanted, which I was led to believe from own observations of his conduct. Having heard that he would have to pass through some water on his road from St. Devereux to this city, Hawkins and I felt his trousers, and found they were wet. We brought our prisoner back to the end of the bridge near the Saracen's Head, when he endeavoured to make " a bolt" down the steps to the side of the river, but we prevented him from succeeding in his attempt. Whilst I was holding the prisoner by the right side of the collar, Hawkins having hold of him on the other side, he drew something from his right pocket, which l at first thought was case-knife. I immediately attempted to seise it, as I thought by the handle, but then found it was a pistol, the muzzle of which I endeavoured to avert in a direction not to injure any party, and in struggling for it the cap went off, but the contents the pistol .it being loaded with powder and ball, providentially did not explode. When the cap exploded. P.C. Hawkins cried out most manfully for assistance perhaps thinking he was shot—and Mr. Barrett, landlord of the Saracen's Head, came out and seized the ruffian behind. We then dragged him into the Saracen's Head, where I allowed Hawkins the honour of searching him, of which appeared very desirous. Mr. Barrett knew that I had been stationed on the bridge some time previous, on the “look out" for some party, but he knew not whom. We afterwards conducted the man to the station-house, when we were informed that P.C. Preece had captured another party. In his letter, Hawkins says: I immediately recognised him as one of the parties had seen at St. Devereux ; "whereas the fact was that Hawkins, on seeing him, said he was not one of the men, and requested he might set at liberty. Upon this I tapped Mr. Adams on the shoulder, and told him I was certain he was one of the men who passed over the bridge with the other prisoner, Arnold; I made a request that he might be detained, and he was detained accordingly. I was, sir, well satisfied with the fair and impartial account of the evidence which appeared in one of your previous numbers ; and had not P.C. Hawkins, with his eye on the reward, thought proper to sound on his trumpet the false notes of his own praise, I should not have troubled you with the present remarks, which I declare to be a fair and honest account regards the capture of the prisoner Arnold, but which is strangely at variance with the account supplied to you by Hawkins. Moreover, I would ask why did not Hawkins, if he thought the men were really the perpetrators of the burglary at Llanover, when he saw them at St. Devereux, tell me his suspicions, instead of telling me that he was only in pursuit of one man for passing a bad half crown? And what will all his brother police-officers think of Hawkins when I inform them that, on the Saturday after the capture he went to my house and endeavoured to gain possession from my wife of the pistol I had taken from Arnold, and which he knew I ought to produce in evidence? And ought not Hawkins to have told me that loaded fire-arms had been taken from the prisoner whom Paine had captured, that I might have been more on guard in apprehending another of the gang? I perfectly agree with Mr. Prosser when he says “let merit have its reward” but I do ask you, sir, I do ask the public, whether, after what I have stated, and which I solemnly declare to he the truth it, to .Mr. Samuel Hawkins belongs all the merit capturing Arnold, or whether he ought, as he would wish, to receive the whole of the reward ? What probably would have become of the prisoner Arnold, if had accepted Hawkins's invitation to accompany him drink ale, instead of having looked after the prisoner ? The probability is that he would entirely have escaped.
I am, sir, an unfortunate yuong man who has been in the service of my Queen and Country, from which I was discharged on account of ill health ; and therefore I think it hard that a brother officer in the police-force should endeavour, from selfish motives, to deprive me of just share of the praise and reward due for the capture of one of these daring burglars, and to make the world believe that all the merit belongs to himself.
THOMAS BENNETT,
Member the City Police, and late of her
Majesty's 30th Regt. of Foot.
Hereford, December 6th, 1852.
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Hereford Journal - Wednesday 30 March 1853
LOST.
A BLACK GREYHOUND DOG, about twelve months old, little ticked with white, not quickly discernible; answers to the name of " Tippo." Whoever will bring him to Mr. Barrett, of the Saracen's Head, shall be rewarded for their trouble. If Stolen, whoever will give information of the thief shall, on conviction, receive One Sovereign Reward.
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Hereford Journal - Wednesday 13 April 1853
Henry Smith, railway labourer, was charged with having broken "a jug and two glasses the Saracen's Head Inn, for which he refused to pay. Mr. Barrett, the landlord, did not appear to prosecute, and the defendant was then convicted of having been drunk and using obscene language.—Mr. Bennett told the defendant that the Bench, who had hitherto dealt most leniently with railway labourers, could not permit such conduct as he had been guilty of to go unpunished, particularly when it was committed on the Sabbath. He would now be fined in the small sum of 1s. and costs, or seven days imprisonment, but if he ever came there again he would be fined heavily.
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Hereford Times - Saturday 01 April 1854
City of Hereford.
To inn-keepers and others
Unreserved by Auction, on Friday and Saturday next, April 8th and 9th, 1854.
Mr WILLIAM BOTTRELL will SELL by AUCTION, on Friday and Saturday next, the 8th and 9th days of April, 1854, on the Premises, at the Saracen's Head Inn, Wye-bridge, the property of Thomas Barrett, who is leaving the Premises, the whole of the neat and modern HOUSEHOLD and EFFECTS, likewise the STOCK, in Spirits, Beer and Cider, Casks, Hogsheads, and Barrels, Brewing Utensils, Fixtures, Gas Fittings, &c.-Particulars in bills.
Sale each day punctually at 2 o'clock. [2951
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