General Chat

Just watch "My Fair Lady" Wotsisface is moping around outside Professor Higgins' home and the copper says "Move along now" and he does. Today even a 10 year old would just give him a mouthful of abuse.

If only my grandfather Benjamin Newton were still alive (1880 - 1980) he could tell you all about it! .. and some more. He served in the Met from 1908 for 25 years. Joy

Daniel Firstly, in the beginnings of the police force there was very strong opposition to them and not much idea about rights and cautioning folk. I have a book called Criminal Islington which says that in 18(can't remember date exactly, but around the 1850s) some people were demonstrating in clerkenwell and the police used heavyhanded tactics to break it up - a policeman was fatally stabbed and after his death there was an inquest held in the pub where he'd collapsed. The jury returned a verdict of justifiable homicide despite the coroner's direction. For years afterwards the day was celebrated. My husband also has an old policeman's truncheon - it is an extremely offensive weapon and I wouldn't fancy being on the receiving end. I don't think the answer is arresting more people, its getting people to behave decently, which is much harder. Interestingly I am reading a history of London which says that before the establishment of a police force, when places were dependent on village constables, many places in London were run by mobs. No change there then. nell

dan can you get the police in now to sort out the fightingxxxxx):

Years of do-gooding have taken their toll. I,m what was called an old time copper. There have been so many restrictive measures - each taken on it,s own a good thing - that collectively they have led us to where we are now. Just one simple example. We used to lock drunks up and take them to court next morning. A quick guilty plea and it was finished with. Now, they have to see a solicitor; the man is bailed to another date causing a mountain of paper work instead of a single sheet, which just helps to clog up the judicial system. Multiply things like that by fifty and ......

Yes, Dan, as others have said, it was down to a culture of respect that ran through society. It went hand-in-hand with the 'Helfire and Damnation' preaching that went on in those days, as well as the 'know your place' rules of society. Someone's social 'class' played a large part in how they were seen and how they were treated by others in the past. These days, we're all supposed to be equals, yet it is claimed that 'some are more equal than others' and receive preferential treatment. CB >|<

or guns/knives and drugs brenda

Daniel One of the reasons my Dad left the police force in the sixties was the escalating lack of respect and support. Even worse today. Daisy

One word Daniel - respect.

How come it seems easier for the police to arrest someone in the past? From all these old newspapers I've been having to look through, it seems that once an officer spotted an offended, all he had to do was go and arrest him. They had no special technology, just a trunchon, handcuffs and a trusty whistle.