Police Station - Ironbridge
The Old Police Station and Court Room,
Waterloo Street, Ironbridge.
After being a Police Station and Court room this building closed two years after its hundredth birthday. It closed in 1964, and was empty for many years. It was used by local artisans and craft makers for a few years, then opened as a Police museum. The photographs below were taken when it was a museum. In 2009 the Old Police station is now a restaurant.
Samuel Nevett, builder of Ironbridge, was given permission to start the building of a “Police Lock Up” in 1862. In a letter to R.C.Blakeway dated 5th February 1862, he stated that the building committee had given him permission to start the building of “the Police Lock-up”. On the 24th July 1862, Samuel requested the first payment of £400, as “the building was in such a forward state”. The Shrewsbury Chronicle on the 21st November 1862 reported that the new Police Station in Ironbridge had opened. The final cost of the building was £1051.
These photographs of the plans of the Police Station and Court room were taken by kind permission of Shropshire Archives.
The Birching Room, showing the birching stool. Prisoners would by tied to the stool, to receive their punishment.
The birch.
The stairs that led from the Police Station up to The Court Room.
When this room was used as a Court, this was the Magistrates Bench. As well as being used as a Police museum special themed evenings for parties were also held. For example, ” A Titanic Evening”, St Georges Day”, “Old Time New Years Eve”, Murder Mysteries”. When this photograph was taken the Bench was being used as a bar, for these events.
The Dock, where prisoners stood.
Local folk lore states that Tommy Rogers a local character, and poacher, helped to build the police station, then was one of the first people to appear before Magistrates in the new court room above the police station.