Group    From 29/9/1829 

Metropolitan Police

Categories: Emergency Services

Founded in 1829 by Robert Peel under the Metropolitan Police Act 1829 and on 26 September of that year, over 1,000 men were sworn in in the grounds of the Foundling Hospital. (From Sarah Wise's book, The Italian Boy).

The next year local divisions, one for each borough and each with its own station, were established. These were known by letters of the alphabet. e.g. M division was for Southwark.

The Met did not police the City, so, predictably, territorial disputes materialised: the old-style force policing the City moving vagrants over the border and the Met doing the same in reverse. Temple Bar was a location where this activity became a spectator sport (from Sarah Wise's book). Sad and laughable as this now seems, in essence, the practice has not gone away: the buskers at King's Cross knowing the precise line where the BT police patch meets that of the Met, and what the differing busker policies are; each Council being aware that whenever they launch a campaign to clean up drug-dealing, it causes increased drug-related activity in neighbouring boroughs.

Wikipedia states the Met is "the first modern and professional police force in the world" though the establishment of the Marine Police preceded the land-based force by over 30 years, and Commissioners of Police for Scotland were appointed in 1714. It's all in the definition.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Metropolitan Police

Commemorated ati

First Peelers training school

The bronze panel depicts an everyday scene in London at that time - that of a...

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Metropolitan Police - Eternal flame

{On the glass in front of the flame:} This eternal flame commemorates those w...

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National Police Memorial

Unveiled by the Queen.

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PC Patrick Dunne - SW8

{On the top, diamond, plaque:} This tree is dedicated to PC Patrick Dunne who...

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Police at Scotland Yard

Site of Scotland Yard, first headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, 1829 - ...

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Show all 9

This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Metropolitan Police

Creations i

James Braidwood

What a great plaque. The inscription is inside a laurel wreath, in front of a...

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Jonathon “JJ” McPhillips

Murder £20,000 reward At about 12:40am on Saturday 25th February 2017, 28 yea...

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PC Gary Toms

Here fell PC Gary Toms, 11 April 2009.

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PC Nina Mackay

Here fell PC Nina Mackay, 24th October 1997. Metropolitan Police

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Other Subjects

Cyril John Hawthorn

Cyril John Hawthorn

Member of the ARP/Civil Defence Services - stretcher bearer. Andrew Behan has kindly provided this research: Cyril John Hawthorn was born 23 April 1909, the third of the four sons of Elwin Hawthor...

Person, Emergency Services

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
DC Jim Morrison

DC Jim Morrison

Detective Constable with the Metropolitan Police. Fatally stabbed when, although off duty, he attempted to arrest a bag thief and died, aged 26, on 13 December 1991. Posthumously awarded the Queen'...

Person, Emergency Services, Tragedy, Scotland

1 memorial
Reuben Norman

Reuben Norman

Member of the ARP/Civil Defence Services - auxiliary ambulance driver. Andrew Behan has kindly provided this research: Reuben Norman was born in 1920. He married his wife, Frances, and they had on...

Person, Emergency Services

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
A. Lapierre

A. Lapierre

Canadian firefighter, a section leader from Montreal. Died in a road accident in Bristol. Andrew Behan has kindly provided this research: Section Leader Alfred Lapierre was born on 19 January 1893...

Person, Emergency Services, Canada

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
Auxiliary Fireman Sidney Alfred Holder

Auxiliary Fireman Sidney Alfred Holder

Crushed under a collapsing wall in Shoe Lane or St Bride Street while fighting a fire in the Blitz. Our picture, 'House Collapsing on Two Firemen, Shoe Lane' is a painting by Leonard Rosoman who, a...

Person, Emergency Services

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial