Page 32 - Garda Journal Winter 2019

GARDA HISTORY | Belfast Town Police
sustained a similar injury on duty and was given one month’s pay having been off for 15 weeks.
After March 1848 5% was deducted from the men’s wages to create a superannuation and relief fund. A portion of the fines imposed was also given over to this fund. In 1850 an officer who had served two years was discharged due to epilepsy with a gratuity of £10.00. £15.00 was the gratuity given to night constable Thomas Green after five years service. Pensions were hard to get because of the length of service required. The first pension in 1848 was paid to Patrick Mallon, aged 73 after 16 years service. The pension was 3/6 of £9.20 per annum, Discipline was complicated by the two tier control system but normally it was the police committee which dealt with cases.
The most common offences were drunkenness, sleeping on duty and being absent without leave or missing their off their beat. Drunkenness was a common disciplinary offence in all forces at the time. Sometimes the excuse of taking strong drink for medical purposes, for example to ward off cholera was accepted.
class of people. However, the permanent residents often provided a bigger risk in terms of crime and certain areas became notorious. One such area was Caddell’s Entry which lay between High Street and Rosemary Street. Here were located ‘shebeens’ and brothels, and those were the base from which other crimes were committed. Other areas mentioned as centres for prostitution were Gordon Street, Mitchell’s Entry, Millfield, Francis Street, Bluebell Entry, Millar’s Lane off Berry Street and Little Edward Street.
Juvenile crime was a problem because the young people often moved in mobs to steal goods, gentleman’s hats and to pick pockets. The Northern Whig of 1837 advocated a special reformatory for young offenders, claiming that it is a melancholy fact that youthful offenders of 5,6 or 7 years of age are so well drilled in the art of evasion, that it is almost impossible to ascertain their names, or the place where their parents or those who receive and dispose of their plunder, are to be found.
SECTARIAN DIVIDE & RIOTS ON THE STREETS
In terms of the religious divide the tension manifested itself in the traditional manner, riots. The penal laws, which although now not so severe were still in existence at the beginning of the 19th century. There was a liberal Presbyterian movement in Belfast led by Dr.Henry Montgomery of ‘Inst.’ The Orange Order was still a strong force and through its Brunswick Clubs petitioned Parliament to maintain “the constitution in its Protestant essentiality. This was in vain. The next year 1929 Westminster passed an Act for Catholic Emancipation. Three years later in 1832, following a Westminster election there was a major sectarian riot in Hercules Street, no Royal Avenue. Two elderly men and two boys were killed during the rioting. At the inquest allegations were made that the shots were fired by police and others stating that Catholics fired the shots. Rioting continued over the next fifty years. Even the peace of Christmas day was shattered in 1833. The Belfast Town Police were not trained to deal with major street disorder and were equipped with only a short baton. In times of major trouble the Irish Constabulary were drafted in to support the local police and cavalry from Victoria Barracks were also turned out.
Probably the most serious rioting occurred in 1857 and 1864. In 1857 the rioting arose from fire brand street preaching by Rev.Thomas Drew, Grand Chaplain of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland and by the Rev.Hugh Hanna, known as “Roaring Hanna.” Hanna was particularly anti-catholic and, in spite of appeals by the authorities, continued with his oratory.
The trouble started on 12th July, following a service at Christ Church which stood between Sandy Row and the Pound, an area which always figured in the Belfast riots. Ten days of rioting ensued, in spite of the Irish Constabulary and Hussars. On 23rd August, following the death of a young Catholic mill girl, allegedly shot from Sandy Row, a Catholic mob attacked a preacher at the Custom House steps. Stoning between both mobs followed. The mission preaching was cancelled. Enter ‘Roaring Hanna’, Minister of Berry Street Presbyterian Church, who declared he would preach ‘despite the Romish mobs or the magistrates.’ On Sunday 6th September at 4.00pm Hanna began to preach at the Duncrue Salt Works. The Catholics gathered at the Custom House expecting Hanna to be there, but on discovering where the meeting was taking place, they charged along Donegall Quay to Corporation Square, and attacked the Rev.Hanna and his supporters. It took several charges by the Hussars to
“Incivility to civilians was a noted case and the Police Committee, to make identification easier and thus
complaint easier, issued numerals which were painted on the tunic collar˝
Incivility to civilians was a noted case and the Police Committee, to make identification easier and thus complaint easier, issued numerals which were painted on the tunic collar. Constables were warned that refusing to give their name or hiding their numerals would lead to dismissal. Belfast was mainly an industrial town which, with the industrial revolution in 1800, began to expand. The population increased from 19,000 in 1801 to 121,000 in 1861. This increase brought with it tensions both in terms of the gulf which existed between the poor and the wealthy merchant and industrialists and in terms of the religious divide. The fact that Belfast was a major port meant that seamen from throughout the world added colour and, of course, spice and vice. Crime in Belfast increased with the town’s expansion. Vagrants were associated by the Police Committee with crime and a continual campaign was mounted to arrest this
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