Dunston Police Station, Ravensworth Road...
William Bourn’s “Annual’s of the Parish of Whickham” tells us that “on the 2nd October 1897″ "The police station at Dunston was opened, the building which is of brick cost about £1,500 and was opened by Mr. T. Hunter of Washington, Sergeant John Reynolds of Dunston was placed in charge of the station.
In 1891 Dunston was still one of the four constabularies of the parish of Whickham and was often referred to as Lowhand, the population was 3,325
and with Dunston’s many public houses, the Dun Cow, Cross Keys, Anchor, Keel, Rowers Arms, Skiff and Lord Collingwood, our newly placed police force must have found plenty work to keep them busy, its close proximity to the Dun Cow at the end of Ravensworth Road must have meant that chucking out time here went more quickly than at Dunston’s other hosteliers.
The many foreign sailors who visited Dunston must have added to Sgt. Reynold’ workload as they came ashore to wet their whistles, J. A. Davisdon writes “i can remember many groups of foreign sailor shopping on Ravensworth Road in the 1950′ and also singing foriegn ditties as they returned to their ships, arm in arm from the Keel and the Anchor Inns at night”.
With the opening of the new Police Station at Whickham the Dunston Station closed and the premises taken over by McKechnies Electricals who
moved from their original premises further down and on the opposite side of Ravensworth Road near the Top Picture Hall, In 1995 the building was enlarged and adapted to become Ravensworth Appartments.
William Bourn’s “Annual’s of the Parish of Whickham” tells us that “on the 2nd October 1897″ "The police station at Dunston was opened, the building which is of brick cost about £1,500 and was opened by Mr. T. Hunter of Washington, Sergeant John Reynolds of Dunston was placed in charge of the station.
In 1891 Dunston was still one of the four constabularies of the parish of Whickham and was often referred to as Lowhand, the population was 3,325
and with Dunston’s many public houses, the Dun Cow, Cross Keys, Anchor, Keel, Rowers Arms, Skiff and Lord Collingwood, our newly placed police force must have found plenty work to keep them busy, its close proximity to the Dun Cow at the end of Ravensworth Road must have meant that chucking out time here went more quickly than at Dunston’s other hosteliers.
The many foreign sailors who visited Dunston must have added to Sgt. Reynold’ workload as they came ashore to wet their whistles, J. A. Davisdon writes “i can remember many groups of foreign sailor shopping on Ravensworth Road in the 1950′ and also singing foriegn ditties as they returned to their ships, arm in arm from the Keel and the Anchor Inns at night”.
With the opening of the new Police Station at Whickham the Dunston Station closed and the premises taken over by McKechnies Electricals who
moved from their original premises further down and on the opposite side of Ravensworth Road near the Top Picture Hall, In 1995 the building was enlarged and adapted to become Ravensworth Appartments.
Shocking Suicide at Dunston, 1888.
From the Monthly Chronicle of North-Country Lore & Legend,
August 1888 –
July 7 – A shocking case of attempted murder, followed by the suicide of the perpetrator, occurred at Dunston, near Gateshead. About eight o’clock in the evening, Sergeant Green and Police-Constable Lindsay, the only two policemen in the place, were informed that John Swaddle, a waterman, had gone into the house of Thomas Dawson, and assaulted him with a poker. They went and turned Swaddle out, the latter making no disturbance about
the matter at the time.
An hour later, however, the officers came across Swaddle carrying a double-barrelled gun, which he immediately levelled at the sergeant and fired. Green reeled and fell, shot in the left side.
Lindsay rushed at Swaddle, who fired at him also, the result being that the constable fell to the ground. Swaddle, after a moment’s glance at his two victims, ran off, taking the gun with him, in the direction of the River Tyne. Green, meanwhile, assisted by the people of the village, his wounds being serious, was conveyed with all speed to his home. Lindsay had received a large number of pellets in his arm and back, but was not so dangerously
hurt as his superior. Swaddle, on reaching the riverside, threw his gun into a boat, and jumped into deep water.
He soon rose to the surface, and was seized by a man who was in the boat and dragged on shore. An unattached locomotive soon afterwards came steaming along the Redheugh Railway close by the river towards Gateshead. Swaddle jumped to his feet, sprang over the low wall at the side of the railway, and flung himself upon his face right in front of the advancing engine, which literally cut him in two. Swaddle, who was 41 years of age, left a
wife and a large family; and the jury, at the inquest on his body, returned a verdict of death by suicide.
Body Found...
Extract from the Sunderland Daily Echo
17th January 1900.
'Yesterday morning the dead body of a woman was found lying in the Tyne Gut, Dunston by Mr.Brown, Manager for Lucas Bros. The Police authorities were apprised of the discovery and the body was removed to the Dun Cow Inn, Dunston'.
Manslaughter 1929...
Henry McLean
Age: 38 (41 after sentence)
Sex: male
Crime: manslaughter
Date Of Sentence: 27 Nov 1929 (for 3 years)
End Of Full Sentence: 27 Nov 1932
Place: Haig Street, Dunston-on-Tyne.
Henry McLean was convicted of the manslaughter of Tom Clark at Durham. He hit him twice in the street on 15 September 1929 resulting in him dying two days later on 17 September 1929. They had been standing on the corner of Ravensworth Road and Haig Street outside Dunstow police station talking along with a couple of other men at about 10.40pm. Henry McLean and Tom Clark were in discussion together.
Two of the men said goodnight and left Henry McLean and Tom Clark standing there. A woman who was stood on her doorstep heard Tom Clark say to Henry McLean 'If you had as good a character in Dunston as I you would have a lot more friends.' There was more said but the woman didnt hear it.
She then heard Henry McLean say 'If the sergeant is your friend he is not mine'. A minor who was stood nearby heard Henry McLean say to Tom Clark 'Either you go in there or I am' pointing to Dunston police station which was on the corner.
They then walked a little further down Haig Street and Henry McLean hit Tom Clark whilst he had his hands in his pockets causing him to fall. He then said 'One for you'. Then as Tom Clark was getting up Henry McLean hit him again saying 'That's one for me'. The woman stood on her door about 6 yards away said 'The other man drew back as Tom Clark got up from the ground and drew his fist and hit Tom Clark in the face. It was a terrible blow.
The blow knocked Tom Clark backwards onto the ground. He struck his head on the wall and the footpath. Tom Clark lay there for a minute or two and then seemed to roll himself over and got up onto his feet and walked further up Haig Street away from Ravensworth Road.' She said Tom Clark seemed very dazed. Tom Clark was also bleeding heavily from the face and was wiping it with a hankerchief.
The minor who saw the attack said that Henry McLean and Tom Clark were just talking when suddenly Henry McLean hit Tom Clark. A number of other
witnesses said that the blow was a surprise and sudden. Another woman that saw the assault said 'I saw Tom Clark and Henry McLean. I have known Tom Clark over 20 years. He was quiet and sociable.
They were standing besides a window in Haig Street. They appeared to be talking friendly and then suddenly Henry McLean struck Tom Clark about the face with his fist. It was sudden, not so sever as the second one.' As Tom Clark was walking away Henry McLean shouted at him 'You have had plenty now you are running away you dirty bugger'. The miner then got hold of him and led him to the police station.
Tom Clark died two days later on 17 September 1929.
Henry McLean said 'He struck me in the face with his right hand. I put out my right hand to defend myself and catched the poor chap on the left side of his face. He fell down and got up quickly, and I thought he was going to strike me again. I struck him again, and he fell backwards on to the pavement, and I then went home.'
In cross examination in court Henry McLean was asked 'Are you not known everywhere as Conquer or McLean because no one has ever beaten you?'. Henry McLean said 'Everybody has a nickname in Dunston'.
Henry McLean was a Tyne ferryboatman
The Dunston Tragedy...
INQUEST ON THE BOY PIERCE.
21st June 1902 Newspaper article
Mr. Deputy-Coroner A. T. Shepherd held inquest at Dunston Police Station on Monday night on the body of Thomas Pierce (15), who committed suicide Sunday by hanging himself in the turnip house at Baldwin Flats Farm, Dunston, where he was employed as farm servant, after a murderous attack on girl named Emma Thompson, who was employed on the same farm. Daniel Pierce, the first witness called, said he was a gas stoker and lived at Jarrow. His son's name was Thomas, and his age last birthday was 15. The boy was a farm servant with Andrew Hopper, Baldwin Flats Farm, Dunston. Deceased had been with Mr. Hopper for a year. Witness saw him last on the day after the May Hirings. He was then quite well.
The lad spoke highly of his situation. Witness knew nothing of the farm. His son never said anything about it. He had, however, written about it and the injured girl, and had said that she was nice girl and was nice company for him. Witness had never seen the couple together. Coral Fulthorpe, 10 years of age, was next sworn. She said that she lived with her father at Seymour Street. On Sunday witness was at Mr. Hopper's farm. Mr. Hopper was her grandfather. At the farm she saw her grandparents and Emma Thompson. The latter was her half cousin. After tea four of the company left for chapel, leaving at the farm witness, Emma Thompson, "the bungy lad," and witness's baby sister.
Thomas took her little sister on his knee after the four left. Emma Thompson was at that time in the back kitchen washing up. After nursing her sister for about three minutes Thomas went outside and turned to the left. Witness and her little sister then went into the sitting room to play. Later she heard a noise of falling milk cans, and on going into the back kitchen witness saw Thomas striking Emma with a hammer. He was hitting her on the head. Witness heard Emma say, " What have I done to you, Tommy, for you to hit me like that?" and he replied, "Nothing." Witness ran to seek help, and seeing man crossing the fields she told him of the occurrence. The man came with witness. Thomas was standing outside the byre door when they returned, anl addressing the man he said, "Go in and see what is the matter with the girl."
Witness led the man into the house, and they found Emma lying at the foot of the stairs, near the sitting room door. When asked what was the matter with her. Emma replied that she did not know. The man helped her on to the sofa, on which she sat down. She was bleeding, her head being all cut. The man said he would for a doctor. Witness asked that would stay beside her. The man, however, left, and brought another boy for her protection against Thomas, and then brought Dr. Forster. The latter bound up Emma's wounds. Witness remained in the house until her grandparents' return. She never saw Tommy any more. The two had been friendly all the time. She had heard no cross words between Thomas and Emma. Witness was not at the farm every day, only on the Sundays.
Thomas did not "walk out" with Emma; they were not sweethearts. She had never seen any unfriendliness between them. Joseph Gardiner, jun., a gardener, of Whiekham, who was next called, said that he was the man the little girl met. At the time of the meeting he was passing through some fields on his way to Newcastle. The child said to him that " the bungy lad " had hit the servant girl with a hammer. On going to the farm young fellow who was standing there told him to go in and see the girl. Witness went in. and found that the girl was very much injured about the head. She was unconscious. Witness spoke of the assistance he gave her, and then said that came out intending to ask the young fellow he had seen to go for a doctor; but the young fellow was missing when looked for him. Witness brought doctor, who dressed the girl's wounds. Witness and another later on went out search for Pierce, and after looking in several places they found him hanging the neck in a place off the cow byre, called the turnip house. He was hanging by a rope from a rafter, and was a foot from the ground.
The youth was quite dead. The doctor saw the body. The police came while witness was there. Witness never saw the injured girl after the doctor had removed her upstairs. Emma never was conscious, and never spoke. About a quarter of an hour would elapse between seeing Pierce and finding his dead body. This concluded the evidence, and the Coroner asked Police-Sergeant Reynolds there was any information with regard the relations between the boy and the girl. The relationship, replied the Sergeant, was the ordinary one between a boy and a girl in a farmhouse. There was no suggestion of intimacy. nr y then returned a verdict to the effect that Pierce had committed suicide by hanging.
Devoted Family Man Guilty But Insane..
Article from the Yorkshire Post
3rd June 1955
After a 2 hour trial at Durham Assizes yesterday John Rogerson Mulroy (35) a jobbing builder of Victoria St., Dunston was found guilty but insane of the
murder of his wife Evelyn Gertrude Mulroy (33). He was ordered to be detained as a Broadmoor patient during the Queen's pleasure. Mr. Justice Cassels ordered other charges against Mulroy of murdering his three children aged between 5 and 2 to remain on the files.
Described by witnesses as a "gentle and devoted family man" Mulroy was stated by the Judge to have battered his wife and children to death with a
claw hammer at their home. Terrific violence had been used, and it was a tragic and dreadful case. After placing the bodies of his wife and children in beds Mulroy must have stayed with them in the house for some time afterward.
Mr. D.H. Robson Q.C. prosecuting, said Mulroy was seen walking towards his home on the night of March 26th looking sad and miserable. The
following Monday evening Mulroy's mother received a telephone message and went to Dunston. There she met her son who was crying. On reaching
his home, Mulroy told his mother "they are all dead" and had asked her not to get the police until the following day because he wanted to spend another night with them.
Counsel said Mulroy told police "I do not know how it happened, I do not know if it was a brainstorm....it seems like dreams. Durham Prison Medical Officer and Dr. J.P. Child physician superintendent at St. Nicholas Hospital, Gosforth both said they believed Mulroy was insane when he committed the offence and would not know what he was doing was wrong.
Ravensworth Road, Former Police Station Now Ravensworth Appartments.