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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Cornwall => Topic started by: DavidGreenall110 on Thursday 23 October 25 10:13 BST (UK)
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Hello everyone,
I'm trying to locate where the Police Station was in Mawgan-in-Pydar. My Great Grandfather Thomas Sambles was stationed there in the early 1910's/1920's prior to being moved to St Issey. My Nan was also born there in 1918.
Thanks
David
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Try contacting the local Police Museum:
https://www.dcpolicingmuseum.co.uk/contact-us
Tony
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Looking at the 1939 register, the police station (PC Reginald Darlington) is listed amongst the Council Houses.
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record/browse?id=tna%2fr39%2f6729%2f6729j%2f007
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AI reply
Details about John Henry Rundle:
Occupation: Police Constable.
Age in 1911: 38 years old.
Place of birth: St. Just-in-Penwith, Cornwall.
Residence in 1911: Rundle lived with his family at the Police Station in St. Mawgan.
John Henry Rundle's family in 1911:
Wife: Elizabeth A. Rundle (age 34).
Children:
Winifred J. Rundle (age 11)
Mabel E. Rundle (age 9)
John R. Rundle (age 7)
Marjorie Rundle (age 4)
Lillian Rundle (age 1)
Perhaps there is more information about John Henry Rundle's address in other sources?
There is a newspaper notice mentioning "PC Sambles" in 1919 in Mawgan. Have you searched his address in the 1921 Census?
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A Pol Sta (Police Station?) in Carloggas just to the south of St Mawgan on this early 1970s OS map, but there is no strong reason to believe this would be the same premises as 50-60 years earlier.
https://maps.nls.uk/view/189247046#zoom=6.1&lat=2649&lon=5639&layers=BT
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AI reply
Details about John Henry Rundle:
Occupation: Police Constable.
Age in 1911: 38 years old.
Place of birth: St. Just-in-Penwith, Cornwall.
Residence in 1911: Rundle lived with his family at the Police Station in St. Mawgan.
John Henry Rundle's family in 1911:
Wife: Elizabeth A. Rundle (age 34).
Children:
Winifred J. Rundle (age 11)
Mabel E. Rundle (age 9)
John R. Rundle (age 7)
Marjorie Rundle (age 4)
Lillian Rundle (age 1)
Can anyone find that 1911 census entry?
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AI reply
Details about John Henry Rundle:
Occupation: Police Constable.
Age in 1911: 38 years old.
Place of birth: St. Just-in-Penwith, Cornwall.
Residence in 1911: Rundle lived with his family at the Police Station in St. Mawgan.
John Henry Rundle's family in 1911:
Wife: Elizabeth A. Rundle (age 34).
Children:
Winifred J. Rundle (age 11)
Mabel E. Rundle (age 9)
John R. Rundle (age 7)
Marjorie Rundle (age 4)
Lillian Rundle (age 1)
Can anyone find that 1911 census entry?
I tried and failed. I searched for JHR and also for Winifred and Lilian. If it’s an AI hallucination it’s a very specific one.
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I agree >:(
I guess this is the OP's nan.
https://www.cornwall-opc-database.org/search-database/more-info/?t=baptisms&id=6559436
Maybe there was no actual police station in Mawgan-in-Pydar, just a council house where the police constable and his family lived?
Looking at the 1939 register, the police station (PC Reginald Darlington) is listed amongst the Council Houses.
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record/browse?id=tna%2fr39%2f6729%2f6729j%2f007
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Another AI contribution:
In early 20th‑century rural Cornwall, most small parishes did not have purpose‑built police stations but were part of a **county constabulary division** centred in larger towns like **St Columb Major or Newquay**. Within these divisions, individual officers were often **assigned to a parish “beat”** and required to **reside within that community**. Their rented cottages or police‑provided dwellings functioned as **“police houses”**—domestic homes doubling as local contact points for residents.[1][2]
Such constables lived with their families and were expected to be on duty at all times, patrolling on foot and managing local incidents. A married constable’s wife often handled inquiries if villagers came to their home while he was out on patrol.[2][3]
Given this widespread practice and the absence of an official police station in St Mawgan‑in‑Pydar, it is highly likely that **a constable based locally maintained the village’s police presence from his own residence**, operating under the supervision of the **St Columb Major (or possibly Newquay) division** of the Cornwall Constabulary.
Sources
[1] History text_070803 https://www.narpo-wilts.org.uk/files/Wiltshire-Police---The-Oldest---The-Best.pdf
[2] Policing the Village - Lacey Green & Loosley Row https://www.laceygreen.com/Sections/Policing.php
[3] The Oldest https://narpo-wilts.org.uk/files/History-Wilts-Const.pdf
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In the 1911 census, the only police constable in Mawgan-in-Pydar is John James Jenkin who lived with his family in Churchdown Hill, near the Falcon Inn according to the enumerator's listing.
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1921
Thomas Sambles 35.11 married, but no-one else in the household
Police Constable
Police Station, Mawgan
Apparent route:
Post Office
St Vincents?
St Annes Cottage
Churchtown
Churchtown
[Police station here]
Churchtown
Falcon Hotel
Churchtown
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1970s large scale map view showing St Vincent, St Ann Cottage and Falcon Inn
https://maps.nls.uk/view/188729808#zoom=6.0&lat=7455&lon=8871&layers=BT
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1921
Thomas Sambles 35.11 married, but no-one else in the household
Police Constable
Police Station, Mawgan
Apparent route:
Post Office
St Vincents?
St Annes Cottage
Churchtown
Churchtown
[Police station here]
Churchtown
Falcon Hotel
Churchtown
The other family members were living with his in-laws.
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Thanks everyone,
That explains a lot if he lived in the community.
David