Constable Alexander LAMOND (27)

26 May 1883
Kircaldy Burgh Police

PC Lamond died after he was seriously assaulted by three men whilst dealing with a disturbance in a house in High Street Kirkcaldy late at night.

Late in the evening of Friday 25^th May 1883, PC’s Lamond and Mays of Kirkcaldy Burgh Police were alerted to a disturbance within a ‘house of evil repute’ in High Street in the ‘Harbour head’ area of the town.

Upon their arrival they found a well-known local hawker by the name of John Doig in company with three others who had, by all accounts, recently arrived from Aberdeenshire. Three local women were also involved in the stramash.  

PC’s Lamond and Mays did their best to calm everyone down but they immediately became the focus of attention, sustaining a tirade of abuse. After about ten minutes, Lamond decided that enough was enough, and sent Mays out to summon assistance.

Quickly realising that they had the upper hand, the three hawkers attacked PC Lamond who was forced to draw his baton to protect himself. Determined they would not escape, he stood in the doorway and locked it to prevent anyone leaving.

There wasn’t much in the room, but they used a spar from a broken chair and an iron bar from the fireplace as weapons before managing to wrest the constable’s baton from him.

John Doig, who obviously knew Lamond, tried to intervene to stop them but was also attacked and injured.

PC Lamond was subjected to a sustained and vicious attack, which resulted in severe head injuries, before he was finally overpowered and forced to give up the key. His assailants were able to escape and Lamond staggered after them in pursuit, bloody and battered, collapsing into the arms of a bystander.

A number of people had gathered outside, attracted by the noise and PC Lamond’s calls for assistance, but were too afraid to enter the premises and assist the constable. They did however carry him the short distance to the Harbour Head Hotel and call for a doctor.

The whole incident was over very quickly and when PC Mays returned a short time later with other officers, PC Lamond was unconscious.

By 1am the entire Burgh force had been called out, and all measures were being taken to find the culprits. The three women and John Doig were initially arrested but it was soon established that Doig had attempted to help. The women were subsequently convicted of Breach of the Peace but they had taken no part in the attack.

The three culprits were found about an hour later, trying to make their way back to their lodgings.

PC Lamond never regained consciousness and died a short time later. His attackers appeared in front of Lord Craighill at Perth in July charged with murder but their pleas of Culpable Homicide were accepted. They were sentenced to penal servitude for 10 years.

PC Alexander Lamond was 28, single and a native of Deeside. He had only been a member of the Kirkcaldy Burgh force for a few months having previously served in Aberdeenshire.

His name is engraved on the Scottish Police Memorial and will never be forgotten.

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