Tower and Town, August 2023 (view the full edition)Undercover Cop Victorian StyleThe Marlborough Times of 11th March 1899 printed a thank you message from Arthur Ernest White: "To the Burgesses of the Borough of Marlborough. Within six months White appeared again in the newspapers, but for different reasons. In the summer of 1899 the Chief Constable received information that illegal betting and gaming was going on at the King's Arms Inn at 37 Kingsbury Street. He passed it on to Superintendent John Stephens who ordered Captain Sterne to investigate. Sterne had the sense to realise that it would be useless to send in uniformed Marlborough policemen whom everyone would know. A policeman from elsewhere in the county would need to go undercover to establish exactly what was going on. A man of shrewdness, tact and discretion was needed.
Hale went into the bar where he stayed during the dinner hour from about one o'clock to half past two. He noted that during that time some forty or more people came into the house and made bets with the landlord. He returned in the evening to find White sitting down with three men playing cards for money. He visited again at the same times on Wednesday and Thursday, noting very extensive betting going on carried out in a professional manner with all bets being entered in a book. During the evenings of both days playing cards for money was also observed, although on these occasions White did not participate. On Friday Hale was informed by White that Mazeppa had won! As the odds were three to one he was handed three shillings. White was charged with illegal betting and gaming on licenced premises. The case came up at the Marlborough Borough Petty Sessions on Monday 21st August 1899. White pleaded guilty to both charges asking for his previous good character to be taken into consideration: "I am a young man, with a young wife, and young children; and I hope you will give me the opportunity of redeeming my character. I will give you every assurance that I will not only give up betting in the public-house, but give it up altogether." White was fined £50 (£5 for each charge of gaming and £35 for betting), the costs including the solicitor's fee of £3 3s, and his licence was endorsed. The endorsement did not last for long. White is listed in the 1901 census as a licensed victualler living at 37 Kingsbury Street. The word "Pub" was added. His wife Ellen was 34, his sons Arthur 6 and Willie 4. His sister-in-law Jinny Merritt aged 24 was a barmaid and May Keir aged 12 a house domestic.
There is a family connection with this story. George William Hale was married to Kate Butler, my wife's great grandmother. Nick Baxter |
PC George William Hale (photo left), married with three young children, was stationed at Great Cheverell. Aged just 23 he had shown promise and ability. Sterne considered Hale to be just the man for the job.
Hale came to Marlborough in plain clothes on Monday 24th July at the start of Goodwood Week. On Tuesday he met John Crow and asked him where he could place a bet on a horse. Crow took him to the King's Arms where Arthur Ernest White, Town Councillor, was the landlord. Hale gave Crow money to place bets with White on two horses, "Little Eva" and "Mazeppa", that were running at 2.45 pm that day for the Steward's Cup at Goodwood. White wrote, "One shilling on Little Eva and one shilling placed", and "one shilling on Mazeppa; one shilling placed". At the bottom of the slip he wrote "Pd" to confirm payment. White handed the slip to Crow who handed it to Hale.
In the 1911 census the King's Arms was run by James Best Elliott. Lucy's 1914 directory lists R C Hartwell as the landlord. I have found no reference to it after that so can only assume it ceased to be an inn soon after.