General Chat

Sue, LOL Gossiping, not patrolling his beat properly I feel sorry for the poor bobby, what a lonely thankless job the man did, he was probably glad for the odd person to have a chat with, but not just the bobby's on the beat. Maggie Very smug LOL. I was at a Railway expedition the other week and was appalled at some of the fines there was these huge books from the 1800's - 1900's with all these offences commited by Railway staff and some of the stuff these poor guys were called in on was ridiculous, really not fair all the money as fines they took off them, knowing the poor bloke had a wife and probably too many kids to support??? Now after saying that there was some really strange things like engine arrived at destination with no carriages??? poor man's was fined and lost a weeks pay! as none of the passengers left the station where they boarded the train an hour before! Wonder what these people were on? drives a train for an hour doesn't even notice there is no carriages behind him? But some of the offences were ridiculous turned up for work not dressed properly,another a few minutes late (this was a porter) sent home loss of a days pay? Lucky we are not so fussy today, or where on earth would you find anyone to do anything LOL> Pat x

I had 3 great-uncles who joined the Met police around the 1890s-1900 era, and one great-uncle who joined the City of London police (I think because they had a slightly smaller height requirement than the Met). One of them became a sergeant, and he and two others served until retirement, whereapon one of them in traditional fashion ran a pub. One of them left the police after about a year saying he couldn't serve God and the devil at the same time! (He ended up in a lunatic asylum, poor chap, he went mad after the 2nd world war). From what my father recollected, their main duties were sorting out pub brawls etc., and the principal qualification required was muscle, of which they had plenty. They came from Norfolk and I found one of them on the census with another chap from the same small village. apparently it was policy to recruit from outside London as people from the countryside were considered healthier than those born inside. nell

Hi, I'm going to be very smug here :0) My GG grandfather joined the Metropolitan Police in 1851, and stayed a constable for 25 years. He even received a pension! (which was by selection). So he really was a PC Plod, and kept his nose clean. Mind you, his son had 9 children out of wedlock!!! And I haven't found out why his brother was in prison on the 1851 census!!! maggie

Hi Brenda, I don't think the Police were as professional as they should have been. In 1850s this man only earned 12/ pr week so some of his fines were quite hefty. I think the turn over rate for staff was quite high then. Don't you just love them?? LOL I'd love to find someone other than rogues and vagabonds!! Wanna swap families?? Sue xx

LOL Christine, I don't think he got the gist of his job do you. Prior to him resigning he got a widow woman pregnant with2 kids. Must have had something going for him. Can't for the life of me think what Sue xx

Hi Susan We Have three policemen in our family tree and like yours they all got promoted then demoted One even got promoted to sergeant in 1854 but in 1857 he was sentencd to 6 months imprisonment for embezzlement of the corporations money Another joined in 1868 and again he went up and down in rank. he was dismissed in 1872 for beng drunk in his statio n during the hours of his duty The third joined in 1891 until 1894 and again he went up and down in rank in 1893 he was fined one days pay 4/5d for being out of the police station until 1-30 am . I wonder why? he resigned a year later Bren

Oh dear Sue, he didn't win the jobsworth award then?.. am sure most familes have a bad penny somewhere!..

Here is a family member who served with Wakefield Police from 1849 to 1853. I was so proud of him as he came from a rather poor family...and I thought at least one of them had done well. There was I thinking he was a fine, upstanding member of the community, until this.... He was...... 1849 Appointed a supernumerary 26 Dec 1849 Appointed constable 26 Feb 1850 Reprimanded for being asleep when on duty 19 Nov 1850 Reprimanded for gossiping on duty 21 Jan 1851 Severly reprimanded for using insolent language to his superiors 25 Mar 1851 Fined 5/- and reprimanded for being the worse for liquor 3 Sept 1851 Fined 2/6d for not properly working his beat 14 Oct 1851 Fined 5/- for not properly working his beat 9 Mar 1852 Hearing of report against policeman - Postponed 16 Mar 1852 Fined 10/- for not properly working his beat AND being in a public house 18 Jan 1853 Cautioned against letting any persons go round his beat with him 19 Apr 1853 Suspended for 14 days for not propely working his beat correctly 26 July 1853 Applied for permission to resign - granted I bet the people of Wakefield slept safe in their beds knowing he was around xx