There is a lot of history about the police station, court and cells at Caernarfon. Does anyone have any details of big cases in the Caernarfon court and stories about the cells at the old plice station in Pendeitch?
This would be very interesting and I for one can remember the station open in town. It was a great loss to the town when it was moved to Maesincla and I don't see how practical that is to visitors who forever ask me where the station is.

Stephen.

Thank you for your query re the Old Police Station in Pendeitch and the cells. The Police Station was built in 1853 followed 10 years later by the rebuilding of the County Hall.

You will be pleased to know that particulars about the latter is in the book "Caernarfon 2000, Features in the Royal Town" which although not for sale is available at the Archives and at the Library.

I can also recommend you beg, buy borrow or whatever a recent book by Margaret Hughes, published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch "LAW and ORDER at CAERNARFON" £6.95, which will give you an insight into the period up to Caernarfon Jail being closed in 1922.
There is also a short bilingual history written by myself of the executions that took place in Caernarfon Jail in 1853, 1898 and 1910. The title is The Black Cap and Flag and this can also be obtained at the Library or inspected at the Archives.

Regarding the period from 1922 onwards, I am afraid I can not help you. What I do remember, however, is being home on leave from the Air Force at the latter end of the 1940's and attending daily a murder trial ofa young 19 year old, agricultural labourer from Anglesey who was found guilty of killing his Land Army, pregnant girl friend by shooting her twice with a shot gun. He was spared the death sentence in view of his youth and the Jury's recommendation to Mercy.

If you do have time to spare, a visit to the Archives in Victoria Dock is highly recommended and you could read up on other cases in old newspapers.

Regards,

T. Meirion Hughes