About this Event
From a Cheshire village to the Lancashire Constabulary, follow the remarkable story of William Salthouse — a Victorian policeman whose encounter with a gang of burglars changed the course of his life.
William Salthouse was born near Nether Alderley in 1845, attended the village school and began his working life as a gardener. But in his early twenties he exchanged rural Cheshire for a very different life when he joined the Lancashire Constabulary.
In June 1870, while serving as a young police constable, William came upon a burglary in progress. The violent encounter that followed made headline news, brought him public recognition — and had consequences that would shape the rest of his working life.
Using family history research, contemporary records and the places William knew, Hilary traces her great-grandfather's journey from Nether Alderley to Victorian policing, and discovers what happened after the headlines faded.
Date: 7 October 2026
Day: Wednesday, 10.30am
Venue: Manchester Central Library
Speaker: Hilary Hartigan
Cost: members - free of charge
Cost: non-members - £5
Event venue & nearby stays
Manchester Central LIbrary, St Peter's Square, Manchester, United Kingdom
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