History of Kilburn and West Hampstead

A hundred years ago, on 14 July 1915 around 10am, Hampstead police received a warrant for the arrest of Captain Richard Gorges. The duty of executing the warrant was given to Detective Sergeant Arthur Askew who took along Detective Constable Alfred Young as backup. Gorges was living at 1 Mount Vernon, renting two rooms from Henry and Elizabeth Caraher. Gorges was out when the policemen arrived and they decided to search his room. Askew felt Young was apprehensive, having been told by local resident Charles Thoroughgood that Gorges intended shooting dead the first officer who laid hands on him. On searching Gorges’ room, the policemen found good evidence for this threat when they unearthed and confiscated a service revolver and 197 cartridges. Elizabeth Caraher was concerned and asked what she should tell Gorges when he came home. ‘ Nothing ,’ said Young, ‘ say you know nothing about it. ’ Number 1 Mount Vernon today Alfred Young Alfred Young was a West Country man. Born in...