[Appendix C(61) 1792 Report of Commissioners of Inquiry]

N° 61

The EXAMINATION of Mr. THOMAS WHITTAM, Chief Constable of the Town and District of Douglas, in the Isle of Man, taken the 3d of October 1791 .

THIS Examinant saith, That he has been Chief Constable of the town and district of Douglas, and Gaoler of the Fort or Prison there, between three and four years, under a commission from the Governor : That he takes an oath of office, and hath a salary of five pounds sterling per annum. The duties of his office are, to serve the first process from the court of Chancery ; to arrest debtors ; and to serve process in case of contempt for non-appearance in the Court of Chancery, the Deemsters, the Vicars General, and High Bailiffs Courts. He is a peace officer, and to be called upon in all cases of breach of peace. Upon receipt of before-mentioned processes, he is to take up the persons against whom they are issued, and conduct them to the respective courts from whence the process issues, except in the case of the first process from the Court of Chancery, where bail is allowed, and for this duty he is entitled to a fee of one shilling Manks, and an additional fee of four pence Manks for every parish, after the third, through which he conducts his prisoner to the court from which process issues. The district of Douglas comprehends four parishes ; namely, Concon, Lonnan, Marrowan, and Bradddan. It is also his duty, within his district, to issue out the Governor’s passes, or licences, persons to quit this island, and he receives two pence Manks upon the delivery of each pass. The island is divided into four districts ; namely, Douglas, Castletown, Peel, and Ramsay; each of these districts has a Chief Constable, whose office, duties, salary, and fees, are the same as are herein before described, except the salary at Castetown.

That the prison at Douglas is for the confinement of persons guilty of felony, or breach of the peace, and was formerly made use of for that purpose ; but is at present in a very ruinous condition, and insufficient for the purpose of confining offenders, without having a guard set over them.

THOMAS WHITTAM. 

Jn^o Spranger.
W^m Osgoode.
Will^m Roe.
David Reid.