PC Thain's beat

[Bridewell]

Would be interesting to know how many bobbies would have been on duty at the station at any one time. Does anyone know?

Monty will have a better idea than me. The establishment of 'H' Division in 1888 was:

1 Superintendent (Thomas Arnold)

30 Inspectors

44 Sergeants

473 Constables

(Total 548)

In my time (late 20th century - & Nottinghamshire not London) we had a 5 shift rota and you would reckon on 20% being on duty at any one time (less a maximum of 25% of that percentage on leave). That would suggest around 75 - 95 (for the whole of 'H' Division). In earlier times a 4 shift rota was the norm with a morning, an afternoon and a night shift, with the 4th on Rest Day. I suspect also that the numbers in the late 19th century were geared more towards night patrols, and that the figure would therefore have been rather higher but, if Monty's view is significantly at variance with that, I would take his numbers as the best estimate ahead of mine.

[Monty]

Monty will have a better idea than me. The establishment of 'H' Division in 1888 was:

1 Superintendent (Thomas Arnold)

30 Inspectors

44 Sergeants

473 Constables

(Total 548)

In my time (late 20th century - & Nottinghamshire not London) we had a 5 shift rota and you would reckon on 20% being on duty at any one time (less a maximum of 25% of that percentage on leave). That would suggest around 75 - 95 (for the whole of 'H' Division). In earlier times a 4 shift rota was the norm with a morning, an afternoon and a night shift, with the 4th on Rest Day. I suspect also that the numbers in the late 19th century were geared more towards night patrols, and that the figure would therefore have been rather higher but, if Monty's view is significantly at variance with that, I would take his numbers as the best estimate ahead of mine.

.

Nope, I agree with that Colin.

I will say that Commercial St had accommodation for around 50/60 beds, likewise Leman Street. Mile End and Crowder St took in about 20 each.

Make of that what you wish.

Monty

[John G]

I assume this is an accurate account of the strength of the Metropolitan Police force in 1888: http://www.casebook.org/press_report.../18881008.html

[The Station Cat]

.

Nope, I agree with that Colin.

I will say that Commercial St had accommodation for around 50/60 beds, likewise Leman Street. Mile End and Crowder St took in about 20 each.

Make of that what you wish.

Monty

50/60 beds in Commerical & Leman Street!!! That's huge. Bethnal Green only had 14 and I'm not aware of any section houses. The rest of the bobbies (however many) that might have been must have lived locally. We have 5 bobbies covering 9 beats (at night), one on fixed point. So that gives us 6. There would have had to have been some in the station to look after prisoners and the general up keep of the station (of these they would have also been on reserve, in case of major incident). So it doesn't appear that Bethnal Green had the same resources as Commerical & Leman Street?