The Old Police Station Wing Road Linslade
Former Police Station and Court Wing Road October 2008
The former police station in Wing Road was also the local local courthouse. Its moment of fame came in September 1963 when Ronald Biggs and other members of the Great Train Robbery gang were brought here by police to be remamnded in custody before trial at Aylesbury Assizes. The robbery itself occurred on the West Coast Main Line near Cheddington in Buckinghamshire. The buildings were sold and converted into flats in the 1980s.
Census returns and directories can help us piece together the occupants of the police station in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (the dates are not beginning and end dates of tenure, just the first and last known dates):
- 1861: William Sheppard, 31, inspector of police, born in Bradford [Hampshire] (the census also lists James McGraw, 43, cabinet maker, Scotland, "prisoner");
- 1864: William Shepherd, inspector of police [probably the same as above, simply a different spelling];
- 1871-1877: William Sapwell, 32, inspector of police, born in Newport Pagnell [Buckinghamshire]
- 1881: George Sutton, 44, inspector of police, born in Beaconsfield [Buckinghamshire] (the return also lists Charles Beesley, 29, police constable, born in Old Windsor [Berkshire] and John Beasley, 15, general labourer, born in Stewkley [Buckinghamshire] "prisoner");
- 1883: Inspector Charles Sutton;
- 1891: John Chaplin, 60, police inspector, born in Bow Brickhill [Buckinghamshire] (the return also lists John W.Barnes, 25, police constable, born in New Radnor);
- 1899-1907: Inspector Benjamin Bunker (51 in 1901. born in Chesham [Buckinghamshire]) and two constables (one of whom in 1901 was Frank Lowe, 22, born in Fingest [Buckinghamshire]);
- 1911: Inspector Henry Hobley and two constables;
- 1915-1920: Inspector William Walker and three constables.