Roll of Honor
Incident
At 7:00pm on Easter Monday, 3rd April 1899, things were getting too much for the landlord of The Chequers public house in Harwell. The majority of patrons had been drinking for most of the day and by this time were very noisy.
One of them was singing and passing around his hat begging for money, supported by his friend. The landlord ordered them to leave, but both refused, so he called for the Harwell village policeman, PC Hewett, who arrived with PC Charlton.
A struggle ensued and the two Constables managed to eject both drunks, with the help of the landlord.
Once outside one of the drunks called out “Now Bob, give it to the buggers! Knife them I will back you!” and a fight ensued with both Constables falling to the ground.
PC Charlton hit his head on a kerb and became unconscious. PC Hewitt managed to handcuff one of the men and the other ran off.
In the meantime, the unconscious PC John Charlton was taken to the Harwell Police House where a Doctor was summoned. There was little he could do and PC Charlton died the following day.
The man who made off was later arrested at a pub in Stoke Row and conveyed to join his accomplice at Wantage Police Station in Mill Street. Both men were charged with murder but at the Berkshire Summer Assizes, the Bill of Indictment for murder was rejected by the judge and the charge was reduced to manslaughter. Both men were found guilty and sentenced to 20 years’ hard labour.
PC Charlton had served in various places around Berkshire, including Maidenhead, Twyford and Abingdon. He moved to East Hendred in 1887, living with his wife and their four children at Queens Square in East Hendred.
There was a full police funeral with honours at East Hendred for PC Charlton.
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- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
127 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Constable Charlton served with the Berkshire Constabulary.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Constable John Joseph Charlton is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In ENG, 702 of 2,827 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 24.8% of this state's fallen. That is 29.4 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Berkshire Constabulary, 5 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 41.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Joseph Charlton's cause is highlighted.
How John Joseph Charlton Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Joseph Charlton is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Others Who Wore This Badge
11 officers from Berkshire Constabulary are honored on badge.nw.
