The Runaway Upchurch Postmaster

Well liked and respected in the village, Harry Legge had served as sub postmaster, churchwarden and secretary of both Upchurch Cricket Club and Lower Halstow Working Men’s Club. He owned his own house and had a wife and two children. He appeared to be a contented and established figure in the village. On March 25^th, 1924 he suddenly disappeared.

Harry Legge’s worried family knew nothing of his whereabouts and the post office authorities had to be called in. After inspecting the accounts they found that £336 had disappeared. With the post office suspended until further notice, Harry’s shop (now Terry’s) was closed down and the police were called in to investigate.

The 49 year old sub postmaster who had held the position since 1916 was eventually traced after an extensive nationwide search then arrested at ‘The George Hotel’ in Hull on March 28th where he had registered his name as Fred Carlton. A waitress pointed him out to the police as he attempted to leave upon their arrival. After a scuffle the police seized a loaded pistol from him with nine cartridges and £164. When questioned he admitted that he had made out money orders, posted them to various towns and then followed these up with the duplicates and collected the money. He also admitted that he was on his way to Boston in Lincolnshire to leave the country by boat with his money.

Memories of Upchurch.

After charged with being in possession of a loaded pistol without a certificate Harry Legge was discharged then immediately re-arrested by Detective-Sergeant Burgess from Sittingbourne and transported back to Kent where he appeared at Sittingbourne Petty Sessions. He was then charged with intent to defraud and referred to the Kent Assizes. During the court case it emerged that he had lived in Argentina before arriving in Upchurch and this is where he obtained his pistol.

After serving three months in custody Legge appeared at Kent Assizes in Maidstone where he pleaded guilty to the charges of fraud against him but pleaded for compassion because he claimed he had financial problems and said his creditors had pressurized him. Therefore, he argued that he had carried out his crime as an act of desperation. This made little difference as he was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment with hard labour in Manchester prison on the basis that an example had to be made of him to other post office employees. In the meantime, his house in Upchurch was sold and his family dispersed.

Harry Legge’s case caused a sensation in Upchurch and his crime shocked his family and stunned the inhabitants of the village who could not believe that such a respected and well liked person could have carried out such a crime. Whether his actions were out of desperation or sheer temptation is debatable but his unusual story hit the local newspaper headlines for several weeks at the time.

David Wood, who was born and raised in Upchurch and is able to write from personal experience about many people and aspects of the village and of changes that have taken place over the years making ‘Memories of Upchurch’ a very readable book and a detailed historical study of the village.

David's book ‘Memories of Upchurch’ is available direct from David on:  david3702001@yahoo.co.uk  price £12 + p+p £2.


David Wood

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