In 1855, the final year of Inspector George Smallbones’ time in Southam, one of the few cases of passing counterfeit coins in the division was brought before the Warwick Quarter Sessions, involving Richard Broome, aged twenty-five, and Robert Kent, aged thirty-five. Early in the morning the two men had visited the Harp Inn on the Banbury Road, (near to the current HS2 track). It was at just after seven a.m. on Friday August 17 when the two men entered the inn and asked for a pint of beer, paying Emma Dale, who served them, with what was taken for half a crown. The men took their change, finished the drink and left shortly afterwards.

The early drinkers were next seen at the Black Dog on Market Hill between eight and nine a.m. They were served by the landlady’s daughter Elizabeth Bloxham, again asking for a pint of beer before paying with a half crown, accepting their change and leaving with little delay. Elizabeth suspected that the coin was counterfeit and passed it to her mother, who in turn passed it on to Inspector Smallbones.

The men then met up with another man before moving along the Coventry Road to the Cuttle Inn at Long Itchington. For the third time in the morning, they ordered a pint of beer and paid with half a crown, before receiving 2s 3d in change and hastily continuing their journey. It was not long before the landlady Ester Green also suspected that the coin was counterfeit and asked one of her customers, George Fell, to go after the men.

George soon caught up with them and challenged them about the coin. Broome and Kent looked at the coin and agreed it seemed counterfeit, before throwing it on to the ground. They also agreed to repay the money given to them in change and the price of the beer. However, as George was leaving to return to the Cuttle, he saw Kent reach to pick up the coin and put it into his pocket.

All parties involved suspected that the coins were counterfeit and informed the police. Later in the day PC Thomas Bunton caught up with the suspected felons and returned them to Inspector Smallbones at Southam.

In their defence, the men pleaded their innocence, claiming they had recently been discharged from the army having spent eight years in a prison hulk at Portland, for desertion. They claimed to have been out of the country and were unfamiliar with English currency. They stated that they were given £2 3s 5d on their release and had visited the races at Reading where they believed they had been passed the coins themselves while drinking.

They were found guilty and sentenced to eighteen months in gaol with hard labour.

During his fourteen-year posting to Southam, Inspector Smallbones was involved in many and various cases of police work, eventually being promoted to Superintendent at Newbold Road, Rugby.

Dr Raffell’s new book, Southam: Law, Order and Policing – Part 1, including more details of Inspector Smallbones’ career, is now available from Southam Heritage Collection.

 

Southam Heritage Collection is located in the atrium of Tithe Place opposite the Library entrance.  Opening times Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings from 10 am to 12 noon. To find out more about Southam’s history, visit our website www.southamheritage.org  telephone 01926 613503 or email  southamheritage@hotmail.com  You can also follow us on Facebook.