On June 24th, 1833, John Pickard, a publican of Wistow, approached the police to ask them to help him clear his yard of people fighting.
At about 10.30 Edward Foreman, a constable, assisted by Thomas Samworth, a butcher of Peterborough, went with Pickard to the yard and, according to Foreman’s court deposition, saw “two or three hundred men assembled” who were told to clear the yard.
Foreman took hold of one John Page, a labourer of Wistow, and had started to escort him from the yard when Isaac How, of Warboys, attempted to free Page. Foreman struck How with his staff, and was then knocked down by How and assaulted by several persons unknown. On taking Page into custody, Foreman was then assaulted by William Taylor, a labourer of Warboys.
In a court deposition Mary Foreman, wife of the constable, said that she went along to Wistow to “see after” her husband because she had heard that he would “get murdered”, and witnessed the assaults on him by How and others.
In his court deposition Thomas Samworth confirmed that he had accompanied Edward Foreman to Wistow “to suppress a riot” and had seen John Behavey and Richard Buddle adjusting their clothes as if they had been fighting and saw John Page and Samuel Buddle fighting together. It was at this point that Foreman attempted to apprehend Page. Subsequently, Samworth was knocked down by Samuel King and other persons unknown.
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John Dransfield
Heritage Day 2009
Fantastic! My name is Nicholas Edward Foreman descended from the Foreman’s of Wistow. This is a great bit of family history. Thanks very much
This is most interesting to me as John Pickard was my 3 times great grandfather—his son John was my 2 times great grandfather my mother’s maiden name being Pickard.
The two John’s are also mentioned in the memoirs of John Meadows on your site where they appear under the name of Piggott.
The second John moved to Waterbeach, Cambs just before 1856 whre he married Mary Simkin. He died when he fell from a haystack at the age of 79—still working ! One of their many children was Ben and one of his two sons was Bertie my grandfather
Apart from a spell in Bluntisham in the 18th Century, the Pickard family goes back into the Parish records to the commencement in 1612 and before this the name is recorded in the Ramsey Court Rolls which commence in the 13th Century.
I was born in Cambridge but now live in Buckinghamshire.
Nigel Pledger
John Pickard b1828 was my great grandfather, married to Mary Simkin. I would love to get in touch with Nigel as he could probably help with my family tree.
Would it be possible to be put in touch with Nigel as the John Pickard who married Mary Simkin was my Great Grandfather. I am trying to find out as much as I can as my father died in 1976 & lost all touch with his family.
Thank you
Geoff Pickard