THE LIFE AND SAD DEATH OF ARTHUR PINCHEN

Arthur Pinchen was born in the Severalls, Milton Lilbourne on 29th October 1866, the second son of recently retired Corporal James Pinchen and his wife Louisa who went on to have a further four children.

In 1871, Arthur and his elder brother Joseph became founder pupils of Easton School as there was no school in Milton at that time. After five years, both boys left, but Arthur re-joined as a pupil of Milton School where he stayed until the age of thirteen. His father died that year and was described in the burial register by Henry Gale, the vicar of Milton, as ‘miles emeritus’ – a distinguished soldier.

Arthur began working as an agricultural labourer to help support his mother and siblings, but as he grew older, he wanted more from life. He was tall, fit and well able to defend himself in any kind of tricky situation.

The army was an option, but instead he joined the Wiltshire Constabulary which had been founded at the Bear Hotel, Devizes in 1839. Most rank-and-file police officers were recruited from the skilled and semi-skilled working classes.  Often they did not join with a career in mind, but to tide themselves over during periods of unemployment. Their principal job was the prevention of crime.

Arthur was happy that the pay was steady and did not depend on market forces.  He would be given accommodation with a rent allowance and a uniform - even free medical care was available. There were unofficial perks as well, like loaves of bread from local bakeries and a weekly penny for acting as an alarm call for workmen needing to get up early in the morning.

The general policy at that time was for policemen to work away from home and keep on the move to reduce the likelihood of favouritism to family, friends and cronies. Arthur’s postings were all over Wiltshire, some were in towns like Swindon and Bradford on Avon, and others in the more rural areas of Tollard Royal and Kilmington. In every posting he was given a beat to patrol, supervised by a sergeant who would periodically check to make sure he was where he was supposed to be.

In 1895 he married Sarah Jane Martin, an Essex girl six years his senior who had worked in Cambridge as a servant to the Master of Trinity College and later at Barton Court in Kintbury for Benjamin Winthrop, a retired magistrate.

Police officers were meant to appear as members of the respectable working class, even if their pay was much lower, and the wives of such men did not work. As the wife of a constable, Sarah’s role was to help her husband by running messages and giving general support, not to take employment on her own behalf - although a little light sewing was permitted. This policy was all well and good but reduced the opportunity of an additional income for the household which, for the Pinchens, soon included four children.

As with other officers at that time, Arthur’s contract with the constabulary ended on his fortieth birthday in 1906. His next employment was working as a carter with James Haines at Manor Farm, Easton Royal. The family moved to No 5, one of a pair of tied thatched cottages then aligned on the street and situated where two modern houses now stand facing the Clump. The four Pinchen children attended the village school.

To boost the family income, Arthur also worked as a labourer at the Central Flying School above Upavon. One fine day in June in 1913, he set off on his bicycle as usual, knowing that its only brake had a broken cable. Maybe he should have listened to the advice of a friend who had pointed out the dangers? Perhaps he did not remember the many times during his constabulary days when he had warned young lads not to ride bicycles with faulty brakes? Or maybe he was just in a hurry to get to work and told himself he would fix it tomorrow. Whatever the reason, he carried on with his journey well aware of the risk he was taking.

Whilst cycling back from the Flying School down the mile long hill into Upavon, Arthur approached at speed the sharp bend near the Chisenbury road turn-off.  His brake failed to work, he lost control and was thrown into the road where he was found unconscious shortly afterwards. Medical aid was summoned but despite their best efforts they could not save him.

An inquest was held and the coroner gave a verdict of Accidental Death. Arthur was buried in Easton cemetery in an unknown plot and with no headstone. He was 46 years old.

His widow Sarah Jane was left with four children aged eleven to seventeen – William, Cecile, Arthur and Sarah. The family was evicted from their tied cottage and moved to Pewsey. Soon afterwards William went off to work in London.  Arthur joined the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry and then transferred to the Wiltshire Regiment. Sarah emigrated to New Zealand. Cecile continued to live with her mother until she died in 1942.

Arthur Pinchen and family

No 5 - on the right hand side