DAVID WHITE

Born at Tinhead, Wiltshire, David was the third child of Harry and Harriet White and was Christened in the nearby church of St Mary St Katherine and All Saints Edington, on the 10th July 1836 .

Like many children he helped out on the land, and in the 1851 Census, is recorded as a “14 year old agricultural labourer”. David worked the land until 1854 when he travelled northwards to join Bristol City Police. After only a brief period of service, he enlisted in the Land Transport Corps at Horfield Barracks, Bristol . Newly created to support the Army in the Crimean War, the Corps did much to alleviate the suffering of soldiers following the disastrous winter of 1854/55 when some 35% died of malnutrition. Following the declaration of peace, Corporal David White was discharged on the 11th August 1856 and, after eighteen months service, returned home to Tinhead and an agricultural life.

Not for long though, as David seems to have acquired a sense of authority during his time in the police and Land Transport Corps. On the 28th October 1857, David joined Wiltshire Constabulary having confirmed his ability to “read, write and keep accounts”. After rudimentary instruction Third Class Police Constable No. 157, David White, was sent to the village of East Harnham, on the outskirts of Salisbury. Despite long and arduous shift patterns, David managed to woo and marry widow Mary Rosetta Singleton at St. James Parish Church, Trowbridge on the 6th December 1859 . He also took into his charge a stepson Jepthah from Mary's first marriage. Tours of duty took the Family to the north of Salisbury and to Fovant where their daughter Flora Amanda was Christened on the 17 th April 1864.

David stayed with Wiltshire Constabulary until the 31st August 1865, and then returned home to Tinhead with his Family. For three years he worked on the farm of a distant relative until his appointment to Oxfordshire Constabulary on the 24 August 1868 at the age of thirty-one. But why did he need to travel so far? Tinhead to Oxford is some seventy miles and his first appointment at A Divisional Headquarters in Watlington, a further twelve miles on.

Joining Oxfordshire Constabulary was to be a major turning point in not only David's life, but for future members of the White Family. His Police Service Record charts the ups and downs of his life and records his promotions to First Class Constable and then demotion to Second Class and then Third Class only to climb in seniority once again. And all for being drunk on duty. Drunkenness was common within the police and one can quite understand that during a particularly boring or cold “night duty”, ample reason could be found to inspect the interior of an inn or beerhouse, with obvious results.

The 1871 Census found David and Mary at Queens Anne Lane, Dorchester-on-Thames, with new son Walter Ralph Sinclair, stepson Jepthah, but sadly no Flora, who had died of Scarlet Fever in the previous year. 1872 saw David transfer to C Division, that covered Bampton, Chadlington, Chipping Norton, Witney, Oxford and the area south of Banbury. Three children were born during this posting. Gertrude Lynda Amanda (always known as Lynda) on the 26th May 1872, at Eynsham, Florence Lavinia Olivia on the 16th April 1874, also at Eynsham and finally, following a move to New Headington, Harry on the 10th September 1876.

A nine month tour of duty in A Division, preceded a move to B Division at Deddington on the 13th November 1877 and a stable life that was to endure for some nine years. The 1881 Census records David, Mary, Walter, Lynda, Florence and Harry living in Cropredy a small village close to the Warwickshire border. Jepthah is not with them and no trace of him has been found after the 1871 Census. The small police house was initially, difficult to locate. However its position was eventually established as the property on the corner of Red Lion Street and The Jitty, an alley used by bargemen that led to overnight stabling for the barge horses. Two doors away from the Red Lion pub the police house was close to the lock system of the Oxford canal and one can quite imagine that much of David's time was spent dealing with drunken bargees delivering and collecting coal, corn and bricks. The house is unique in the village as being the only property with bars and locks on the OUTSIDE of the window.

Further transfers to other Divisions took place from 1886 until David's final posting to Apsley Cottage, Woodstock Road , Summerton on the out skirts of Oxford City. David's final promotion to First Class Constable came on the 13th October 1891. So, despite his alcoholic lapses, David survived just over twenty three years of service with Oxfordshire Constabulary and must have been one of the longest serving officers. Retirement came on the 13th January 1892. At the age of fifty five and having spent some thirty five years with various police authorities David received a pension of £34 – 14 shillings (£34.70p) just one pound for each year of service.

Needing to vacate the police house David and Mary moved to Old Marston. Their two room cottage had a doorway height of just five feet and we can speculate how many times David, at a height of six feet cracked his head. The cottage was cosy for the two of them as all the children had left home. Lynda and Florence lived locally but both Walter and Harry had travelled to London and joined the Metropolitan Police! In the winter of 1909, Mary died in their Marston cottage. David moved in with daughter Lynda and her husband Arthur Ward. On the 3rd July 1917 , in the presence of his daughter, the man who was born in the year before Victoria became Queen, saw the Crimean War, Boer War and the Great War of 1914-1918 passed quietly into the arms of his Maker.

Note. The police house in Cropredy subsequently became the Co-Operative Stores and is now a private house.