Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1880 & 89

Allen Douglas (1844 - 1885)


 Allen Douglas was a Police Constable with Salford Borough Police Force for 14 years (between 1870 and 1885) and died at the early age of 41 years, from bronchitis. However there is some confusion about the spelling of his forename Allen or Allan.


There is no definite information about his early life, but it is tempting to say he was the Allan Douglas from Wigtownshire, Scotland, who joined the 4th Dragoon Guards Regiment on 15th April 1865 and was pensioned off in 1870 (as recorded in the Royal Hospital, Chelsea registers), when Great Britain was at peace.


The 1871 census records an Allen Douglas aged 29, born 1842 in Scotland and his wife Mary aged 21, born 1850 in Denbighshire, Wales who lodged at Martha, Salford. And the 1881 census shows an Allan Douglas who lived at 245 Oldfield Road, Salford. He was aged 43, born 1838 in Wigton, Cumberland and his occupation was Police Constable. His wife Mary was aged 29, born 1852 in Wales. (But I must say that these records may not be the Allen Douglas who died in 1885).


The Manchester Courier of 28th February 1885, however, does record the death of Allan Douglas. "On Wednesday afternoon (25th February 1885), about 140 members of the Salford Police force attended the funeral of Allan Douglas, who for nearly 15 years had been a member of the force and had gained a 2nd class Merit Badge. The Chief Constable (*Mr W L Marshall) and Superintendents Lythgoe and Donohoe were among those in attendance. Douglas, who was 44 years old, had been for a long time subject to bronchitis, and three weeks ago he had to go off duty, because of an attack, which proved fatal. The interment took place at the Salford Cemetery, the Rev R Roberts officiating, and at the grave, the members of the police band sang the hymn "When our heads are bowed in woe."


The Salford Reporter on 28th February 1885 records, "Police Funeral at Salford. On Wednesday the remains of Allen Douglas, who has been a member of the Salford Borough Police Force for a period of 14 years, were interred at the borough cemetery. The funeral was attended by the Chief Constable (Mr W.L.Marshall), Chief Super-intendent Lythgoe, Detective Superintendent Donohoe, and nearly the whole of the Inspectors, Sergeants and Constables at present on night duty, numbering altogether about 140. The police band played the "Dead March" on the way to the cemetery."


Allen Douglas was buried in plot 33, grave 227 in the Dissenter portion of Weaste Cemetery. His wife Mary is not in the grave although four other people are: Charlotte Thomas 1896, Samuel Thomas 1899, Robert Griffiths 1909 and Sinah Griffiths 1914.


*William Lance Marshall was Chief Constable of Salford Police from 1880 to 1889. He was born in Manchester in November 1834 and joined Salford Police in 1858. During the period when William was Chief Constable, he and his wife Sarah lived at 97 Camp Street, Broughton. When William was aged 55 he retired due to ill health. He and Sarah moved to Blackpool in 1891. After 11 years of retirement, William died on 28th December 1902, aged 68. His remains were interred at Weaste Cemetery.