Home Office memo concerning Anderson's resignation, 1901

[Chris]

With the help of the reference provided by Simon Wood (HO 144/588/B5005) I was able to look at the file of documents relating to Anderson's pension today. Most of them concern an interminable dispute about whether he had a pension entitlement in respect of his office as "Registrar of Anthropometric Measurements". But the memo mentioning that the Home Secretary had asked him to send in his resignation is also there, and I am posting images of it below.

[Chris]

Anderson memo image 1:

[Chris]

Anderson memo image 2:

[Chris]

Anderson memo image 3:

[Chris]

Anderson memo image 4:

[Chris]

Anderson memo image 5:

[Chris]

Anderson memo image 6:

[Chris]

Anderson memo image 7:

[Phil Carter]

Hello Chris,

Many thanks for posting this memo. Your visit to the archives was very rewarding, I see. £1000 gratuity? Most interesting. Again, thank you.

best wishes

Phil

[Simon Wood]

Hi Chris,

A great big thank you for taking the trouble to chase down and photograph the Digby memo.

Regards,

Simon

[robhouse]

I am having a hard time reading this. Any chance someone can do better than me, and transcribe it?

RH

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Fingerprinting was introduced into the Metropolitan Police by Edward Henry just months after Robert Anderson's resignation in 1901. Prior to this anthropometric measurements [body weight, height, build, distinguishing features etc] were used for positive criminal identification.

Here's a 10th August 1889 Digby report which mentions Robert Anderson's role as "Registrar of Anthropometric Measurements", plus a few of his perks. It's from the "Civil Services and Revenue Departments Appropriation Accounts 1899—1900"—



Regards,

Simon

[Chris]

I am having a hard time reading this. Any chance someone can do better than me, and transcribe it?

You're not the only one. When I get a chance I'll post my attempt at a transcription. At the moment I think I can manage most of it, but the part that I find most difficult is the deleted line and a bit on the first page, which may be significant.

[Chris Scott]

Here is what I see in the memo:-)

Stamped: Home Office 23 May 1901
Numbered: B5005

Covering Sheet:
Date: 22.5.1901
H.O.: Resignation of Mr. Anderson, Assistant Commissioner of Metropolitan Police
Memo: setting forth circumstances of case and authorising the payment of a gratuity of £1000
Minutes: Wrote receiver: 23.5.01

B5005/8
Mr Ritchie.
About 3 months ago you requested Mr Anderson to send in his resignation as Assistant Commissioner of Metropolitan Police. You wanted to take this step in consequence of the necessity which in your opinion had arisen for alterations in the staff and organisation of the Metropolitan Police, which made it advisable for a new appointment to be made to the post held by Mr Anderson. You were particularly conscious that a fresh appointment should be made to the headship of the Criminal Investigation Department of a person who should serve for a considerable time under Sir Edward Bradford, and for this purpose you have arranged for an extension of the limit of Sir Edward Bradford's period of service which would otherwise have expired in the course of this summer. Mr Anderson has accepted and acted on your decision, but made strong representations as to the hardship and serious pecuniary loss which he could sustain, if he were not compensated to some extent for the loss of an office which he expected and had made arrangements to hold another five years in the ordinary course.
You recognized the force of these representations and after carefully considering all the circumstances of the case, and the services rendered by Mr Anderson to the good in many instances, decided that it would be fair and reasonable that Mr Anderson should receive from the Police Fund a sum of money with by way of compensation for his pecuniary loss and in recognition of his services and you fixed the amount at £1000.
A precedent for the payment of compensation under somewhat similar circumstances is to be found in Mr Asquith's decision in Mr Mills' case A56739.
Write to the Receiver that Mr Anderson having at the request of the SYS. for the purpose of facilitating changes in the staff and organisation of the Metropolitan Police which in the opinion of the SYS was required in the public interest, tendered his resignation to take effect on his attaining the age of 60, the SYS has taken into consideration the serious pecuniary loss which Mr A would sustain by retiring five years earlier than he had expected and intended. In view of these circumstances, and also having regard to the high state of efficiency maintained by the Criminal Investigation Department during Mr Anderson's headship of that Department, and also his long services in dealing with crime promoted by such organisations, the SYS feels justified in authorising and directing the Receiver to pay to Mr Anderson, on his retirement, out of the M.P. fund the sum of one thousand pounds.
K.E.D. May 22 1901

[Simon Wood]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the transcription. Your eyes are obviously better than mine. The only thing I would add is that "SYS" should read "S of S"—Secretary of State.

Regards,

Simon