William Vaughan

Died

:

23 December 1856

Age

:

25

Rank

:

Police Constable

Force

:

Birkenhead Borough Police

Cause

:

Homicide - Stabbed

Duty Status

:

On Duty

Roll of Honour Citation

Fatally stabbed while escorting a drunken man to the police station after arresting him for causing a disturbance in the street.

Between one and two o’clock in the morning of 23rd December 1856, PC Vaughan and another officer arrested two drunken men for causing a disturbance after being refused entry to a public house in Chester Street, Birkenhead. The officers were escorting the men to the nearby police station when, as they entered Bridge Street, one of the men attempted to escape and a scuffle broke out during which William was stabbed in the chest, with the blade piercing his heart.

PC Vaughan died in the police station about twenty minutes later.

He was survived by his elderly mother and his sister. It was reported that his father had been killed while serving with the Royal Irish Constabulary.