Philip JAMES 1832- Oldcroft (General)

by MPGriffiths , Saturday, March 04, 2023, 18:52 (632 days ago) @ CarrieBEE

I'll add this article, in case it's relevant...

South Wales Daily News - Tuesday 9 November 1886

SERIOUS POACHING AFFRAY IN DEAN FOREST

A KEEPER BADLY BEATEN

A serious poaching affray occurred in a wood upon the Lydney Park Estate, Dean Forest, about 5.30 on Sunday afternoon.
Quite recently Mr C Bathurst, of The Park, Sydney, has let the whole of his extensive shooting preserves to a Mr Dymock, who employed a gamekeeper named Richard JAMES to look after his interests.

The keeper heard shots being fired near one of the woods where he had been feeding pheasants and he proceeded alone in the direction of the place. Almost immediately he came across two men with double-barrelled guns whom he knew well to be confirmed poachers. He told them his suspicion, and said he must search them.

The first, a man named RICHARD BEARD, a labourer, of Oldcroft, showed no opposition, but, the other whose name was PHILIP JAMES, also a labourer, of OLDCROFT and who is is elderly man, refused to be interfered with.

The keeper persisted, whereupon JAMES knocked him down, and both men then beat and kicked him whilest he was on the ground. Then they had satisfied themselves they left him. The poor fellow crawled away to his home, and was placed in a trap and conveyed to the surgery at Blakeney.

Drs WEBB and IRWIN, who were in church, were at once called to see the wounded man, and found him suffering from severe cuts about the face, head and head, while was body was bruised all over. he is in a very weak state from loss of blood.