Totley Police Station, 331 Baslow Road

The old Totley Police Station stands at number 331 Baslow Road in the row of properties known as Grange Terrace. The top building, the old Post Office, at number 337, carries the datestone of 1882 and the lower terrace, from 313 to 329, a plaque bearing the initials of Thomas Earnshaw (the owner of Totley Grange) and the date 1889. We think that number 331 was built around 1882 as the keystones and continuous banding above the doorway and windows are similar to number 337 and it would appear that the two buildings bookended a much older, lower structure, now designated numbers 333-335. This used to be a farmhouse and is said to have been built around 1773 and the Police House was actually built in the farm's courtyard. It is unlikely to have been purpose built as the lock-up cells appear to have been added in 1890. Before the new Police Station was built, a Constable was stationed at Lemont Road, Henry Topley being there from around 1881 until 1886.

Police Constable Burford was probably the first policeman at number 331 as he was stationed at Totley Police Station from 1886 to 1890. John Burford was born in 1858 in Whiteladies Aston, Worcestershire. When John married Martha Heath at Norbury, Derbyshire on 29 August 1876, he gave his occupation as police officer. A first child Mary was born when they were living at nearby Roston. By 1878 John had been had moved to Parwich where three more children were born, Deliah Harriett, John William and Ellinor Maria. A fifth child, Adelaide Hannah, was born in 1885 when he was stationed at Grassmoor. 

When he arrived in Totley John would have had at least ten years experience which was just as well because this period was perhaps the most difficult for policing. The construction of the Totley Tunnel had brought many navvies into the district and crime increased with this huge rise in the population. He was involved in many, often violent, incidents which won him praise from the townsfolk. A son, James Alfred Heath Burford was born in Totley, presumably at the Police Station, in spring 1888 and baptised at Dore Christ Church on 10 April. 

In 1889, frequent disturbances amongst the navvies - there were rarely any issues between the navvies and the townsfolk - required additional police resources and Constable Smith was transferred from Ashbourne to be responsible for policing the operations on the Dore and Chinley Railway. Constables Walker and Maltby were transferred from Chesterfield to be based at Totley. 

        Police Constable, later Detective Inspector, John Burford (1858-1913)

On the night of 17 January 1890 a burglar was spotted in bushes in the garden of George Slater at Wood Lea, Dore Road and was tackled by Constable Burford who received two crashing blows to the head after his helmet had been knocked off. Despite being stunned, he fought vigorously and Mr. Slater, hearing the commotion, threw open the window, at which the burglar pulled out a gun and fired two shots at John. Fortunately both the bullets narrowly missed their target but he became faint from the loss of blood and his assailant escaped. John Burford was off work afterwards with his injuries. The time was approaching for him to leave Totley. A group of prominent citizens petitioned the Chief Constable of Derbyshire for his retention but it was to no avail; he was transferred to Quarndon, near Derby as soon as he was fit to return to work. As a mark of their appreciation, Dore and Totley residents presented him with a testimonial comprising an illuminated address, silver watch and chain and a "purse of gold".

An intriguing advertisement appeared in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph on three successive days during June 1890. It read: WANTED, LABOURERS (used to Excavating) at New Police Station, Totley. - C. Grayson, Builder. We believe that the purpose was to excavate two lock-up cells that were built just below ground floor level and had an iron grill and door. 

In the 1891 Census there was a Police Constable William Jones, aged 26, from Powick, Worcestershire living at what was described as the County Police Office, Totley. William was with his wife Charlotte Badham, aged 30, from Shrawley, Worcestershire and their son William Spencer, aged 3, born in Brampton, Derbyshire and daughter Amelia Ann, aged 1, born in Old Normanton. There were police stations in Brampton and Normanton and like Constable Burford, Constable Jones would have been moved between stations every few years. A third child, Sydney James Jones, was born in Totley in 1893. The Jones Family left Totley in September 1896 when William was transferred to Chunal Police Station, near Glossop.

Constable Jones was replaced by Constable Miles from Heage Police Station, near Ambergate. Charles Miles was born in St. Cross, South Elmham, Suffolk in 1861. His younger brother Robert was also in the Derbyshire Constabulary. Charles married Mary Rodgers at the Parish Church, Milford near Belper on 24 September 1890. They came to Totley with three children: Samuel John born in Milford in 1891, Isabel Sarah born in Heage in 1893 and Alfred born in Heage in 1896. Another daughter Emily had been born in 1894 but she died aged just 14 months. From newspaper reports we know that Constable Miles was still in Totley in April 1898 but was transferred to North Wingfield, near Chesterfield shortly afterwards. 

He was succeeded by Constable Hallam from Shardlow Police Station. John William Hallam was born in Sandiacre, Derbyshire in 1853. He arrived in Totley with his second wife, Elizabeth Kirby. They had married at Ashover Parish Church on 5 February 1896. Their first child, Elizabeth, had died in infancy. Another daughter, Eleanor Mary, was born in Totley in the summer of 1898 and baptised at Dore Christ Church on 2 October. Their third child, Elsie, was also baptised at Dore on 15 December 1901. 

The next occupant of the Police House was Sergeant Cutts. Francis Cutts was born in Danesmoor, North Wingfield, Derbyshire in 1873. He married Edith Barnes in 1896 at Derby Register Office. Although born in Castrop-Rauxel, Germany Edith was a British national. They had one son, Leslie, who was born in Whittington, Derbyshire in 1897. In October 1907 Sergeant Cutts was sued at Sheffield County Court for unlawful arrest and false imprisonment by Thomas Marshall, a labourer from Sheffield. Sergeant Cutts, accompanied by two police constables from Dore, had watched the man loitering in the hayloft behind Thornfield House in Totley Brook Road and believed him to be responsible for, or connected with, a spate of burglaries in the area. The householder, Charles Haywood Hoyland, had no complaint to make and fully encouraged Mr. Marshall to pursue his claim in court. After due deliberation His Honour Judge Benson decided he must support Sergeant Cutts' version of events. Sergeant Cutts was transferred to Halfway Police Station in August 1908.

    Grange Terrace, Totley, circa 1915



His successor at Totley Police Station was Sergeant Burchby. Arthur Burchby was born in Letwell, near Maltby in 1870. He married Mary Alice Lumby at St. John the Evangelist, Carlton in Lindrick, Nottinghamshire on 7 December 1898. They had two children, Marjorie Alice born in 1890 in Radbourne and George Rollitt born in 1905 in Spondon, both on the outskirts of Derby. Sergeant Burchby was still at Totley Police Station in the 1911 Census. On 13 February 1913 it was announced that he had been promoted to Inspector but would remain at Totley for the time being. 

On 20 October 1913 it was reported that Sergeant Hall would transfer to Totley from Stoney Middleton. Frederick Hall was born in Billingborough, Lincolnshire in 1875. He had married Jane Oliver on 4 August 1902 at Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire. They arrived in Totley with five children born in Burbage, Derbyshire: Ernest in 1903, Leonard in 1904, Arthur Henry in 1906, Mabel in 1908 and Nellie in 1911. Their sixth child, Stanley, had been born in Stoney Middleton earlier in 1913. The Halls stayed at Totley Police Station until about 1923 and had three more children in Totley, all girls: Elsie in 1914, Ethel in 1916 and finally Florence in 1917. 

The next and we think last incumbent at the Police Station was Sergeant Wood. George Thomas Wood was born on 30 July 1889 in Dunton Bassett, Leicestershire. He joined the Derbyshire Constabulary in May 1911 and was stationed at Matlock Bath before being transferred to the Acting Chief Constable's Office in Chesterfield in October 1914. He joined the army in May the following year as a Private in the North Staffordshire Regiment and rose to the rank of Quartermaster Sergeant before receiving his commission on 27 June 1917 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Leicestershire Regiment. Like so many, his military service record has not survived but we know that he saw a good deal of action with the enemy. 

After the war George returned to his civilian occupation and was stationed at Bakewell. It was there at the Mill Street Congregational Chapel that he married Harriet Ann Newton on 16 June 1920. On 1 August 1921 he was promoted to Sergeant and stationed at Chesterfield. He was transferred to Totley Police Station in late 1922 or early 1923 and remained there for there for the next ten years. During their time in Totley, George and Harriet had two daughters, Mona born on 12 January 1926 and Betty on 7 August 1930. 

By 1933 the complement at Totley police station had risen to one Police Sergeant and four Police Constables, two of whom Constables Bagshaw and Brindley lived in houses in lower Grange Terrace. Constables William Paskin and Sydney Andrew made up the quartet. Sergeant Wood was now responsible not just for the police station at Totley but also for those at Holmesfield and Dore. It was a common sight to see him on his motor cycle and sidecar driving between the three villages. He left it to his Constables to walk the beat, Paskin around the old village and Andrews around the Laverdene and New Totley estates. Both men were popular and highly regarded; the beat policeman was still a respected figure in the community.

There was hardly any serious crime in Totley but enough petty theft, illegal drinking and gambling, assaults and traffic accidents to keep the men busy, especially being located adjacent to the Cross Scythes and Fleur de Lys pubs which attracted many visitors from the city at weekends. Perhaps the most serious crime was poaching. The policemen knew to distinguish between those who poached for the family pot and those who poached to make a living and who could be armed and dangerous when approached. The police station closed in 1934 when Totley was absorbed, against the will of the parish council, into Sheffield and Yorkshire.

The first family to move into the newly privatised number 331 were the Wortleys. John William Wortley was born in Sheffield in 1888. He had married Mary Ann Burgess at Dore Christ Church on 27 January 1912. They had moved to Grange Terrace from Chapel Walk together with their three children all of whom were born in Totley: Clifford Stanley (known as Stanley) in 1912, Leslie in 1914, and Winifred in 1916. They were all still at number 331 in 1936 but Stanley left the following year when he got married. In the National Register compiled on 29 September 1939, John Willie, Mary Ann, Leslie and Winnie were still at the old Police House. John Willie was working as a labourer for the city Cleansing Department, Leslie was a plumber and Winnie a paid domestic help. In a letter to the Totley Independent in September 2009, Joseph W. Abson said he remembered Mrs. Wortley showing children the cells accompanied by cautionary words that they could end up there if they misbehaved. The Wortley family were still at number 331 at the time of John Willie's death in 1943. He was buried at Dore Christ Church on 9 October.

Mr. Abson said that after the Wortleys left number 331, the next occupant was a gentleman called Percy Crossland. Under the floor of one of the cells was a well supplied by springs situated in what were the farm fields behind the Fleur de Lys, now the Stocks Green Estate. Mr. Crossland had a small generator to work a pump to drain the water when the well overflowed and flooded the cells.

June 2020