The bye-laws issued in Southampton in 1949

Welfare of animals was clearly a major concern at the time.

Byelaw 10

For not muzzling a fierce and ferocious dog, a fine of 10 shillings.

Byelaw 10, Dog Muzzles.

Byelaw 11

For lighting a fire in the open air or firing off any gun, pistol or firearm, or throwing any missile in a public place, a fine of 5 shillings.

Byelaw 11, Firearms.

Byelaw 12

For any person who undresses himself on a beach in public view or exposes his person in a place of public resort, a fine of 5 pounds.

Byelaw 12, Undressing.

Byelaw 13

For any person who should kill any swine, calf, sheep or other cattle, or hang it up in any public place, a fine of 5 shillings.

Byelaw 14

For any hogsty, laystall (cowshed), necessary house (toilet), dung, carrion, blood, offal, soil, filth, ashes, cinders or rubbish, left in public streets and not removed in three days, a fine of 5 shillings per day.

Byelaw 14, Neccessary.

Byelaw 15

For any necessary house or boghouse emptied at any time between 5am and 12 midnight or any waste spilled in public streets, a fine of 5 shillings.

Byelaw 16

For any person sifting any ashes, dust or cinders into or out of a cart in public streets, a fine of 20 shillings.

byelaw 16, Sifting ashes.

Byelaw 17

For any person who should throw any ashes, dirt, dung, filth, garden rubbish, blood, offal or carrion in public streets, for the first offence 10 shillings, for the second offence 20 shillings.

byelaw 17, Dumping waste.

Byelaw 18

For any person who stands a wagon (etc.) any longer than necessary, and every person who leaves timber, bricks, stones, slates, hay, straw, wood faggots, coals, boards or tubs in public streets, a fine of 10 shillings.

Byelaw 19

For any person who lets off any firework in public streets, a fine of 5 shillings.

Byelaw 19, Fireworks.

Byelaw 20

For any person who uses dogs for pulling a cart, truck, sledge, barrow or uses them as beasts of burthen, for the first offence 10 shillings, for the second offence 20 shillings.

Byelaw 20, Dog welfare.

Byelaw 21

For any person who offers for sale any profane or indecent publication, or sings, writes, draws or carves any such obscene or indecent thing, or uses any such language in public streets, a fine of 40 shillings.

Byelaw 22

For any person knocking on doors without lawful excuse or tearing off a gate, post, etc., including shoe scrapers, a fine of 40 shillings.

Byelaw 23

For any person breaching the peace, or using threatening abusive or insulting words or behaviour, a fine of 10 shillings.

Byelaw 24

For any common prostitute or night walker loitering where an inhabitant might be annoyed, a fine of 20 shillings. (Vyse Lane may have got its name this way!)

Byelaw 24, Night walkers.

Byelaw 25

For any person who insufficiently covers, and at night lights, the open entrance to any cellar, coal hole, vault or office underground, a fine of 40 shillings.

Byelaw 26

For any person keeping places of amusement such as a booth, standing, caravan or wagon, open between 12 midnight and 6am, a fine of 20 shillings for the first hour, and 5 pounds for each succeeding hour.

byelaw 26, Booths.

Byelaw 27

For any person who plays football or pitch and toss, or flies kites in public streets, a fine of 20 shillings.

byelaw 27, Street games

Byelaw 28

For any person who shall wantonly or cruelly ill-treat, abuse or torture any animal, a fine of 40 shillings.

byelaw 28, Animal welfare.

George Wyatt was first appointed to the Southampton Borough police force in 1842.

He then lived in Millbank Street, Northam.

George was one of the first constables to be appointed after the force was established in 1836.

He is seen in the uniform of a Street Keeper appointed by the Improvement Commissioners of the borough.

He appears as such in the 1861 directory, then living (as the directory puts it) at St Denis Road, Bevois Hill (St Denys Road, Bevis Hill).

Reference: Cookes, Anne. 1972, The Southampton Police Force, 1836-1856.

Jack Wilson is a tour guide with SeeSouthampton.co.uk .