Case Studies

Grave honoured

by Mark Rowe

In Suffolk, police officers in the Halesworth area have gathered to honour a polcieman killed in the line of duty 150 years ago. Ebenezer Tye died on 25 November 1862, aged 24, as he tried to stop a burglary in Chediston Street in Halesworth. His killer, John Ducker, was the last person to be publicly hanged in Suffolk.

Officers who serve the Halesworth and Southwold area recently gathered at PC Tye’s grave in the town cemetery to pay tribute to him and to recreate an old photograph of his colleagues, in the uniform of the time, at his graveside.

And to give local people the chance to learn more, and pay their own respects, an exhibition has been organised by Halesworth and District Museum with Suffolk Police Museum. The Halesworth museum is breaking with its usual tradition of limited winter opening to stage, with the Suffolk Police Museum, a small exhibition on policing in Victorian Halesworth. This will feature some of the material associated with the crime, including case papers, as well as other items including the uniform of officers at the time.

The display will run from Tuesday, November 27 to December 15 and will be open from 10am to 12.30pm, from Tuesday to Saturday. Admission is free.

Early on the morning of 25 November 1862 PC Tye was in Chediston Street to keep an eye on local burglar John Ducker who was suspected of involvement in raids on local properties.

When Ducker appeared he was carrying a suspicious-looking bundle and Tye went to question him. There were shouts and a scuffle broke out and there was then a chase towards the reed beds down beside the river at the back of Chediston Street.

Later that morning, when the alarm had been raised after Tye failed to return to the police station, a search was made. His body was found in the river. He had been beaten with a cudgel.

Ducker was subsequently caught, charged, was tried for murder and was sentenced to death. He was hanged in Ipswich in 1863 and confessed to the crime on the gallows. Over 5,000 people attended the public hanging. Tye was buried in Halesworth cemetery.

PC Chris Sadler, of Southwold and Halesworth Safer Neighbourhood Team, said he wanted to mark the 150th anniversary of this brave officer’s death.

“This case shows policing has always been a dangerous profession and that officers put their lives on the line even in comparatively rural areas to protect local communities and catch criminals.

“We also think that, while many things have changed, the basics of policing – fighting crime, keeping the roads safe and the problems of young men drinking a bit too much on a Friday night – will have been largely the same 150 years ago as it is today.

“My initial idea was just to recreate the photograph to pay some tribute to him but I spoke to Halesworth Museum about the idea and they offered to put on a display to commemorate the anniversary.

“Some exhibits are being transferred from our museum at police headquarters and, thanks to their support, a number of items about policing will now be on view from the end of the month.”

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