Female Detectives

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Can anybody throw any light on this 1891 interview with a female detective?



Regards,

Simon

[Phil Carter]

Hello Simon,

This is very interesting...I wonder, can you tell us any more ?

best wishes

Phil

[Tom_Wescott]

Yes. In the 1930's or 1940's there was a write-up on one inparticular. I also read of female cops being used to debunk false mediums. And I believe the Vigilance Committee also employed some...no doubt Le Grand's women.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Simon Wood]

Hi Phil,

Yes, there is some more, and it's quite fascinating.

I'll post it as soon as possible.

regards.

Simon

[SimonLMoore]

Sorry to open up an ancient thread but I am extremely interested to hear any more details on this, were these Home Office police women paid and employed purely as observers or did they have limited powers of arrest? Very very interesting indeed.

[Simon Wood]

Hi Simon L Moore,

Thanks for reopening this thread.

Here's the second part of the article, from the Bruce Herald [NZ], 16th January 1891.



Regards,

Simon

[Monty]

Police Matrons Simon,

Employed by the police and courts to look after female and child prisoners.

The ticket of leave women, would be monitors by female clerks at Scotland Yard. They had no powers, but had to monitor those on license.

Monty

[SimonLMoore]

Thanks Monty! So a somewhat hyperbolic use of the term 'police' by the person writing the article, very interesting. Presumably this system had been in place a few years before the article was written in 1891?

And thanks Simon, very interesting indeed to read on.

[Monty]

Yes Simon,

Kinda misleading terms used in the article.

I think I put 1870s in my book on the subject, I shall have to read it now.

Monty

[Bridewell]

Police matrons were still used in the late 1970's in Nottinghamshire, perhaps even into the early 1980's. By that time there were a good number of female police officers (though not as many as there are now). The employment of matrons to supervise female detainees allowed the female cops to remain out on patrol.

[GUT]

Police matrons were still used in the late 1970's in Nottinghamshire, perhaps even into the early 1980's. By that time there were a good number of female police officers (though not as many as there are now). The employment of matrons to supervise female detainees allowed the female cops to remain out on patrol.

I will go a step further in regional areas in Australia (not sure about England because you don't have the distance issues) they still are.

Often it is the wife of the officer in a small one policeman town, when the nearest female office may be an hour or more away.