"8.00pm cannot keep."

Posted: 1st August 1908

History:

On September 30th 1869, John Chambers was remanded for stealing a coat worth 15 shillings belonging to William Dowsett of Warley. He offered to sell the coat to labourer, James Clark for 4 shillings while down the Blucher's Head yard and was arrested by P.C. Dennis during the conversation. Chambers pleaded guilty and was sentence by the bench to six weeks' imprisonment with hard labour.

In 1885, Ephraim Bateman and Alfred Roach, were charged with stealing 500 lbs. of coal, the property of Mr. James Heavens, landlord of the Blucher's Head. Working as carmen for a local coal merchant the two young labourers delivered the coal which later went missing. P.C. Alliston saw coal covered by a sack in a yard at Ardleigh Green and learned from resident Mrs. Clark that her husband had bought it from Bateman for 5 shillings. Bateman claimed "they had not sold any coal to anybody", while Roach remained quiet. The prisoners were remanded and fined £10 each.

In the year 1905, Alfred Rich, a Market Place cattle dealer allowed his sheep to stray onto Blucher's Head property. Landlord Arthur Rich impounded the animals and demanded a fee for their return. The fee was paid under protest, but led to the landlord being sued for damages for illegal detention of the animals. After hearing from both sides, the magistrate gave judgement to the landlord with costs. Whether Alfred and Arthur Rich were related is unknown.

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