John Harvey

Died

:

4 January 1894

Age

:

36

Rank

:

Sergeant

Force

:

Essex Constabulary

Cause

:

Drowned

Duty Status

:

On Duty

Roll of Honour Citation

Found drowned after having apparently fallen head-first down a well while on night duty.

Sergeant Harvey had told his wife he’d be home for their evening meal but he did not return at all that night. He was last seen about 7:30pm, after meeting one of his Constables at Lamb Corner, Dedham.

About 8:00am the following morning, near  the ‘Live and Let Live’ Beer House in Dedham, John’s body was found head-first down a well. The officer’s watch had stopped at 8:21 and it was determined that he had tripped on the low brick wall around the well the previous evening as there was no disturbance in the snow that had fallen overnight.

Sergeant Harvey joined the force on 30th November 1885, having previously served with the West Riding of Yorkshire Constabulary.

He had been stationed at Ardleigh after transferring there on 4th January 1886, exactly eight years before his death. For several years he served as an Acting Sergeant and was promoted to Sergeant on 1st October 1891, being regarded by his superiors as one of the best men in the division.

John left a widow, who was pregnant at the time, and three young children.