On 1 August 1870 there was an attempted burglary at a large villa on the corner of Seymour Grove and Manchester Road. The house still stands but has been enlarged into a public house - sometimes called The Grove, sometimes called The Seymour (depends on the whim and the refurbishment done by the brewery ). Two police officers, P.C. Beanland and P.C. Cock noticed a suspicious character and seperated to intercept the person. In doing so, P.C. Nicholas Cock suprised the man. In trying to arrest him he was fatally shot by a revolver bullet.

Two local brothers, John and William Habron, were arrested and charged with the killing. William was convicted for murder and sentenced to hang. Fortunately for him the Home Secretary commuted the sentence to life imprisonment.

Some years afterwards, Charlie Peace, an infamous burglar was caught whilst house breaking in London. After a conviction for murder in Sheffield he confessed that he was the killer of P.C. Cock. William Habron was pardoned and received five hundred pounds compensation.

After the old graveyard was closed the original gravestone was moved to the Lancashire police headquarters at Preston in 1956.

To read about the life and times of Charlie Peace, including an account of the murder of P.C. Nicholas Cock then get hold of a copy of 'A Book of Remarkable Criminals' by H.B. Irving. Out of copyright, and probably out of print but available in digital form thanks to the Project Gutenberg.

Etext extract from 'A Book of Remarkable Criminals' by H. B. Irving.
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