Toxteth Police Killer Transported

In 1844 a policeman was killed whilst on duty in Toxteth, with his killer being transported for life.

At 1am on Sunday 15th December 1844 Constable John Tegisson was returning home after his shift when he came across a man and woman arguing in Whitfield Street (now Byles Street) off Park Road. When  he told them to go inside 19 year old William Jones, a park ranger, refused and threatened to knock Tegisson down if he touched him. Tegisson called for assistance by knocking his stick on the floor and two colleagues Richard Fairclough and Thomas Price arrived on the scene.

The two other officers told Tegisson they would handle the situation and as he continued his walk home, he heard a stick knock again and returned to find both Price and Fairclough bleeding. Jones had attacked both officers with a poker but Fairclough came off far worse as Price's hat had cushioned his blow.

Fairclough was taken to a local surgeon's house by Tegisson, who then called for more assistance to apprehend Jones. As he was arrested he told the officers he would go quietly and didn't need to be poked about with sticks. At Dr Samuel Hodgson's house at 17 Park Road Fairclough was found to have had a fractured skull and suffered convulsions. He was taken to the Southern Hospital where he died on the Monday afternoon, with death being attributed to brain irritation caused by bone protruding into it. He left a pregnant wife and three children.

At the police court the following Thursday Jones's sister Mary told how he had come home in a terrible rage after drinking demanded supper before starting to smash things up in the house. She had gone into the street to call out for police as loud as she could as he hoped he could be taken to the Bridewell. Jones was remanded pending trial at the Assizes and showed a total carelessness during the proceedings, looking over to a friend and twitching his neckerchief as if to say 'this is a hanging job.'

The following April Jones was convicted of 'manslaughter of the most aggravated character' and sentenced to transportation for life.