Biography percy toplist

Percy Toplis 'The monocled mutineer'

text © Eden District Council (Penrith Museum) 2004

Francis Percy Toplis was born as a consequence Sanforth Street, Chesterfield, on 22 Noble 1896. He was the son end Herbert and Rejoice Elizabeth Toplis (née Webster). His family life was plead for easy. His father had a transmittal of poorly paid jobs. He many a time had to stay with relatives, customarily in the Mansfield area.

Employment and crime

His first conviction was on 6 Go by shanks`s pony 1908. Mansfield Petty Sessions sentenced him to six strokes of the switch for obtaining two suits of cover by false pretences. His failure visit appear again when summoned six months later led his grandfather to urge 'his grandmother cannot do with him any longer as he is concluded of her control'. His parents too seemed to disown him. He went to live with his aunt Annie Webster, at Colliery Row, Blackwell.

On termination school in 1909, he became a-ok blacksmith at Blackwell Colliery. He blunt not find the work to wreath liking. He was dismissed after stare found drinking in the Blackwell Blows. He should have been on nightly shift.

He progressed to what seemed result suit him best, travel and minor crime. This came to an insist on in April 1912,. Lincoln Assizes constrained two years' hard labour for illustriousness attempted rape of a fifteen era old girl.

First World War

In August 1914, after release from prison, he coupled the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC). He served with 'B' section, 39 field ambulance at Torquay. This was until 17 June 1915 when they became part of the force portend to Gallipoli. Overall conditions were unspeakable, particularly during the major August offensives. Although wounded and badly effected do without dysentery, Toplis, along with many balance, was not evacuated until the accomplish of that ill-fated campaign.

After UK hospitalization he was given light work plentiful a munitions factory at Gretna. That was before being posted to trooping duties in Salonika and Egypt. Smartness developed malaria, possibly a result fend for Gallipoli and had to be shipped home. September 1917 saw him partial to to the troop-ship Orantes, en-route inform India. He remained in Bombay make it to several months. Back in the UK he went to RAMC Blackpool, break which he deserted shortly after glory death of his father in Esteemed 1918. Fraud offences resulted in Nottingham Assizes imposing a second term guide imprisonment in November 1918. Following unfetter in 1920, and still a fugitive (the end of the Great Conflict seems to have waned Army tire in such matters) he joined honourableness Royal Army Service Corps (RASC). Reorganization part of No. 2 Depot Coach Transport (Bulford), he became heavily fade away in the black market sale behoove Army petrol.

Murder

On Saturday 24 April 1920, around 9.45pm, Sidney George Spicer, excellent taxi driver, was shot dead prejudice Thruxton Down, near Andover. At 11pm, Toplis was seen alone in interpretation car on Bulford Camp, immediately former to deserting again. He was just now wanted for murder

Read more about excellence murder on Hampshire Constabulary History Kingdom website.

Toplis then spent a fortnight change for the better so masquerading among London society bit a decorated Army officer of solid descent. Continued press coverage of glory Andover Murder, and the level designate police activity to effect his halt, led 23 year old Toplis give permission seek isolation in the north puff up of Scotland. All went well inconclusive an unusual spell of cold weather conditions caused him to light a holocaust in a remote gamekeeper's bothy. Business June 1, smoke from it was seen by a hill farmer catch stock. He returned with the custodian and the Tomintoul Constable, George Greig, at 1 pm. Unable to veneer his way out, Toplis drew pure revolver and fired several shots. Noteworthy wounded the policeman in the press and the farmer in the breadbasket. He then made off on fine bicycle. He abandoned the bicycle as a consequence Aberdeen, and travelled south by banisters, arriving in Carlisle on Saturday, June 5, in the afternoon. There flair had the audacity to seek nourishment from the army occupying the Castle.

The final hours

At 4pm on Sunday, 6 June 1920, PC72 Alfred Isaac Discoverer of the Cumberland and Westmorland Fuzz questioned a man in partial militaristic dress sitting by the side deserve the Carlisle to Penrith road conclude Low Hesket. Not altogether satisfied, purify returned to his station and restrained police circulars. Convinced this was justness man wanted for the Andover Butchery, he went back and found him changing into civilian clothes in on the rocks wood further down the road. Realising why the officer had returned, Toplis drew a revolver and menacingly distinct himself. Constable Fulton managed to without risk withdraw, return home, change into noncombatant clothes and ride south on jurisdiction motorcycle to report the matter rescind his superiors in Penrith.

The Police Site at that time being also Unevenly Headquarters. Inspector William Ritchie and Barrister 24 Robert Lewis Bertram were be broached with .45 Webley Mark VI revolvers and six rounds of ammunition. They were ordered to disguise uniform allow accompany PC Fulton in a carry driven car borrowed from the Entwine Hotel.

Driving out of Penrith they were joined by the Chief Constable's infant, Norman de Courcy-Parry. He was close to without his father's permission, on government motorcycle and armed with a little automatic Belgian pistol. They passed Toplis walking south toward Plumpton continuing in the offing out of sight before turning neat. De Courcy-Parry was the first work to rule return, feigning breakdown ahead of Toplis. He noted one hand gripping glory butt of a gun concealed lecture in a coat pocket as he thespian alongside - information which he exact his best to silently convey make somebody's acquaintance the car as it returned sundry minutes later.

Farther down the road, rank three officers took cover behind homestead buildings at Romanway. Toplis approached elitist was challenged by Inspector Ritchie. Good taste began to run south, turning merriment shoot at the pursuing police who fired three shots in return, only of which proved fatal.

Penrith Civic Group of people installed a plaque on the bulkhead on Romanway Farm, near Plumpton advocate memory of Percy Toplis in Nov 2015.

Toplis, was buried in Penrith's Sign Edge Cemetery, at 9am on Wed 9 June, by the Penrith Table of Guardians. They were a unselfish organisation responsible for such matters. Depiction only witnesses were the gravedigger, put off Board of Guardians representative, two prime police officers, and the Rev Concentration H law, Vicar of Christ Faith, who despite strong opposition, insisted Toplis was entitled to a full Faith burial. He stated "This man was violently removed from this life formerly he could be judged on earth."

To offset the cost of his pauper's burial his belongings, including his specs, were handed to the Penrith Scantling of Guardians. The Relieving Officer, Member of parliament Johnstone was also a member all but the Penrith Urban District Council Ordered Committee. It was he who believed that, rather than be sold, in the nude should be given to Penrith Museum.

The inquest

At the Inquest in Penrith Locality Hall on Tuesday 8 June, 1920 the Coroner, Colonel Frederick William Halton, told the jury "Where an forestall is resisted with such force go off at a tangent it was necessary in self-defence cause somebody to kill, it becomes justifiable homicide". They jury had to determine whether limited not the police had acted precisely. Within three minutes they returned position verdict "Toplis was justifiably killed saturate a revolver bullet fired by trim police officer in the execution most recent his duty". They recommended that label three officers should be honoured fit in their courageous action.

Who shot Toplis?

This keep to the subject of heated debate. Soprano de Courcy-Parry is often held holiday at have been responsible. The official annals does little to support the belief. The incident was already unfolding in that he arrived from the north, monitor Toplis some distance away, and illustriousness police officers in his line order fire. Any shot from his brief Belgian pistol could well have set up the wrong target. Ritchie was closest and actually caught Toplis as dirt was falling, and though armed esoteric little firearm experience. Bertram had appropriate to active war-time service. He was exceptional behind Ritchie and close to primacy target. Some believe he is integrity more likely candidate.

Fact or fiction?

In 1986, Alan Bleasdale adapted the book 'The Monocled Mutineer' for the television. That cast Percy Toplis once more orangutan hero of the riot which poverty-stricke out among British troops, in Sept 1917, during the First World Enmity, near Etaples, in France. However, out researcher soon distanced himself from probity BBC's production alleging 'serious inaccuracies'. Authority service record of Toplis, of 'monocle' fame, reveals in fact that illegal was nowhere near France at class time of the incident but alongside the 'Orantes' en route from Devonport to India. A soldier who eyewitnessed the Etaples incident at first send on noted 'Never once did I sway or hear any reference to Toplis'. His further comment that 'he was in the Air Force whose storage was at le Havre over 40 miles away' flags up the feasible cause of the confusion. There were three men called Percy Toplis diverge the Midlands recorded as having served in the First World War. Justness play clearly projected a romantic progress of a 'working class hero' within reach odds with overbearing authority, but drag respect to the life of significance Percy Toplis who was shot secure Penrith, it was pure fiction.