James Pluckrose : an Assault in Bermondsey

Source: The Times of November 27 1875.

At SOUTHWARK, JAMES PLUCKROSE, 25, and RICHARD JEFFRIES, 21, convicted thieves, were charged on remand with assaulting Patrick Mack, labourer, and Alfred Simmonds, builder, in the Jamaica-road, Bermondsey; also with assaulting Constables 219 and 215 M. It appeared from the evidence of Patrick Mack that he was assisting in the building of a baker's shop in the Jamaica-road, Bermondsey in Tuesday afternoon, the 23d. As he was standing at the foot of the ladder, Pluckrose came behind him and pulled him backwards. Being asked what he meant by it, the prisoner deliberately knocked him down and kicked him. Witness got away and went on with his work, when Pluckrose again knocked him down. A constable came up and asked him his name and address, to enable the witness to summon him, and a mob collected. Police-constable 219 M said that as he asked Pluckrose for his name and address he struck him and threw him down. Witness seized hold of him and called on the tradesmen in the neighbourhood to assist him, but none of them would. A crowd surrounded him, and the prisoner Jeffries tried to rescue his companion. He again called on the shopkeepers to help him, but they declined, and witness was nearly overpowered. His helmet was knocked off and his staff taken away from him. Mr Benson here observed that the sooner those tradesmen were charged with refusing to assist the police the better it would be for the peace of Bermondsey. Witness continued that someone went to the station-house and brought other constables, when the prisoners were secured. Alfred Simmonds, builder, Fort-road, Bermondsey, said that Mack was in his employ, and on the afternoon in question witness saw him knocked down by the prisoner Pluckrose. He got to the spot as soon as he could, and saw the constable knocked about. He appealed to the shopkeepers to assist him in the Queen's name, but they took no notice of him. Witness, however, went to his assistance, and Jeffries attacked him in a brutal manner, but was ultimately overpowered and secured by 252 M and other constables. Evidence having been given that both prisoners had been previously convicted of felony and assaults on the police, Mr Benson sentenced each of them to three months' hard labour.

This is almost certainly James John Pluckrose [PL1409 : Tree1006] who was born in Brighton on 11th March 1852, the third son of Thomas Jesse Pluckrose and Mary Ann Peart. He was sent to Bedford Gaol for 12 months in 1869, having been convicted for theft. He also appeared at the Old Bailey in 1911 on a charge of murdering his wife.

| Search & Site Map | Contact me: | ©2007 Derrick Porter