The Heritage Team at South Somerset District Council (SSDC) have put a display in the Town House in Yeovil, which details Crime and Punishment in the town.
The display details the history of policing in the town from Anglo-Saxon times to the present day.
It includes some cases such as William Jenner, who was sentenced at Yeovil, being a male under the age of 14 years to be privately whipped with six strokes of a birch rod for stealing a cash box and money from his employers Messrs Ewens, Johnson & Co.
The Town House was Yeovil’s first official police station and was built in 1847 and the display includes manacles and cuffs that were used there.
Councillor Nick Weeks, Portfolio Holder for Heritage said, “It’s great that a collection from the Community Heritage Access Centre (CHAC) can be placed somewhere where the items have relevance, such as the Town House.
“Visit the Town House and view the display for yourself – understand how crime and punishment was given many years year and has changed over the years. Our thanks must go to Yeovil Town Council for allowing the display to the housed at the Town House”.
The Crime and Punishment display will be located at the Town House in Yeovil until February 2017. The building is open between8.30am – 4.00pm Monday to Friday and can be accessed by the public anytime between these hours.
To view the historical collection at CHAC, please call (01935) 462855 and leave a message or email [email protected].
To keep up to date with the Heritage Service visit www.southsomersetheritage.org.uk.
