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Home » Law and Order » Crime » Poaching

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  • There is a tale that these men were so proud of their catch that they wanted this photograph taken, but the photographer then used the picture to inform the police of their crime.
Masked salmon poachers on the river Edw, 1934
  • A slightly sinister looking group of salmon poachers on the River Wye near Rhayader, c. 1920. They operated at night by torchlight, and took care to disguise themselves before being pictured with some of their catch.
Salmon poachers on the River Wye, c. 1920
  • A collection of tools of the (illegal) trade of the salmon poacher. These were seized from poachers operating on the River Ithon, but similar implements were used over a great many years on local rivers. Although they were lawbreakers the poachers often had support from local people sympathetic to the needs of the poorer members of the community.
Salmon poaching implements, c. 1910
  • An advertisement for an anti-poaching device invented and produced by John Morris, a Welshpool gun-maker. Intended for the safeguarding of 'stockyards, fish pools, gardens, game preserves etc' , it consisted of an elaborate series of tripwires which would set off bright flares to illuminate the intruder.
Anti-poaching device, 1800s
  • Photographed by John Wilkes Poundley.
Billey the poacher, Kerry, c.1910-20
  • Here is the old bier from Llanelidan parish church. This bier was used to carry the coffin of John Jones, or Coch Bach Y Bala, as he was known, to the grave. Coch Bach y Bala was a poacher and had been caught stealing several times. It is said that he had spent time in every prison in North Wales. He was famous for escaping from prison and his nickname was 'the Welsh Houdini' because of this. On 30 September 1913, whilst in Ruthin prison, Coch Bach y Bala escaped but after five days on the run he was shot. He died of his injuries and was buried in the cemetery at Llanelidan on 9 October 1913.
Old bier from Llanelidan parish church