Policing in the 18th century England

Question 1

What were constables and the night watch involved in during 17th century policing throughout England?

Answer 1

Apprehending criminals

Question 2

What did not exist throughout policing in England during the 17th century?

Answer 2

In a paid professional police force

Question 3

What were citizens in England throughout 17th century policing responsible for?

Answer 3

Reporting and perusing criminals

Question 4

What could victims in England throughout 17th century policing use?

Answer 4

The services of a paid thief-taker

Question 5

Who was in charge of apprehending criminals in 18th century policing throughout England?

Answer 5

Individuals - who had the right to initiate a prosecution

Question 6

Throughout the early modern period policing was a task organised at the parish and communal level by who?

Answer 6

The night watch

Question 7

True or false householders took rotation on the night watch?

Answer 7

True

Question 8

What were the main tasks of the night watch? (3)

Answer 8

To patrol the streets of the parish, examine people acting suspiciously and arrest offenders, who were then brought to the watch-house

Question 9

Who were the night watch supervised by?

Answer 9

Constables - appointed by local householders

Question 10

What did a statute put forward by King III (1207-1272) maintain?

Answer 10

That every village and township appoint a constable or two

Question 11

What were the specific duties of the night watch?

Answer 11

To preserve the peace, arrest law-breakers and carry out orders of Justices of the Peace

Question 12

What did early histories of constables focus on?

Answer 12

The incompetence, ignorance and stupidity of such men

Question 13

What did warrants issued by the justices of the peace order?

Answer 13

• Constables to sweep the streets of prostitutes, vagrants, disorderly persons, gamblers etc
• Also, wanted reports on those engaged in excessive drinking, profane swearers, those who worked on Sundays and other nuisance offences

Question 14

In London, who was daytime watch duty carried out by?

Answer 14

Marshals and Beadles

Question 15

Who did city marshals work for?

Answer 15

Lord Mayor - carrying out the orders of city officials and supervision of the night watch

Question 16

Who did Beadles assist and what did they assist them in doing?

Answer 16

Constables - in organising and supervising the night watch, controlling crowds, prohibiting sales of goods on Sundays and dealing with vagrants

Question 17

When were thief-takers introduced?

Answer 17

-Act of 1692. Offered a reward of 40 Euros, plus the offenders horse, arms and money for the conviction of highway robbers

Question 18

Who were thief takers also hired by?

Answer 18

Individuals

Question 19

How many thief-takers were there in London in the 1690s?

Answer 19

30-40 - some were also constables and/or informers

Question 20

What was a key development of the watchmen in the 18th century?

Answer 20

They were now paid

Question 21

What happened by the end of the 17th century to the night watchmen?

Answer 21

Richer households were paying others i.e. deputies to take on their rotation

Question 22

What did Westminster parishes obtain in 1735?

Answer 22

Watch Acts

Question 23

When did the City of London obtain its own watch act?

Answer 23

1737

Question 24

What did the 1774 Westminster Watch act entail?

Answer 24

Minimum standards in terms of numbers of watchmen, their pay & basic duties

Question 25

What were the developments with paid constables throughout England in the 18th century

Answer 25

• Many householders paid a fine or hired a replacement or deputy
• Introduction of special or deputy constables
• After 1750 they were used to police crowds at demonstrations and at public punishments
• Constables worked on a reactive basis responding to victim complaints or warrants from the justices of the peace

Question 26

What happened as a result of thief taking in 18th century England?

Answer 26

• Thief takers required good knowledge of the criminal world, so they were often former or active criminals themselves
• Thief takers made money from collecting rewards and negotiating with criminals to return stolen goods for a fee

Question 27

What did many thief-takers become?

Answer 27

Thief makers

Question 28

What did thief-makers convince gullible men into?

Answer 28

Committing crimes

Question 29

What did Bow Street runners use so that people could find a magistrate at fixed hours?

Answer 29

Rotation offices

Question 30

When did the Bow street office open?

Answer 30

1739

Question 31

Who were the two brothers that took over the Bow Street office in 1748-1749?

Answer 31

Henry and John Fielding

Question 32

What did the Fielding brothers implement?

Answer 32

Systems to collect and disseminate information about criminals and organised foot and horse patrols to prevent crimes

Question 33

How did the Fielding brothers implement new systems?

Answer 33

-They placed adverts in newspapers and introduced an alphabetical register of all crimes and prosecutions

Question 34

What was the end result of policing i England, particularly London in the 18th century?

Answer 34

An existence of something close to a professional police force. However, it was not until 1829 that the Metropolitan police force were born