City Of London Police Group Photo 1887

[Monty]

Yes, the photo was taken to celebrate Queen Victorias 1887 Jubilee.

Each officer involved got a medal with their name on its edge. They had a puyrple ribbon and had a bar with the year on it.

They did the same in 1897 though those who had the 87 medal were issued with new ribbons and year bars as opposed to medals.

The Gentlemen on the front row are the CID dept based at Bishopsgate. I suspect Halse, Marriott and Outram are there with Baxter Hunt. However as Rob and I work from collar numbers, and CID wore plain clothes, its difficult to identify them.

I hope that clears up any issues.

Monty

[mariab]

Thank you so much Monty.

[Monty]

Astonishing how long a beard was still deemed acceptable in those days in the force, and interesting how common an exposed watch chain was, which appears to be partly due to the common habit of only fastening the top button of the jacket. An unusual custom compared with today.
Great picture, nice to put an occasional face to the names, thankyou Neil, and of course Stewart.

Regards, Jon

Jon,

Rob has made a huge contribution as always. He must not be forgotten here.

Monty

[The Grave Maurice]

Great photo, thanks all.

Is that the entire complement of men at Bishopsgate? It doesn't seem like a lot of guys to run that station, and there seems to be a higher proportion of sergeants to constables than I would have expected.

[Phil Carter]

Great photo, thanks all.

Is that the entire complement of men at Bishopsgate? It doesn't seem like a lot of guys to run that station, and there seems to be a higher proportion of sergeants to constables than I would have expected.

Hello GM,

According to Dickens's Dictionary of London 1888, the following totals are the totals of the entire City Police Force for Cripplegate, Snow Hill, Bridewell Place, Cloak Lane, Tower Street and Bishopsgate, combined:-

1 Commissioner
1 Chief Superintendent
1 Superintendent
14 Inspectors
92 Sergeants
781 constables

Total 890 policemen

At the City Police Office at 26, Old Jewry E.C. were:-

Commissioner ..........Col. Sir James Fraser
Chief Superintendent Major Henry Smith
Receiver .................J.W.Carlyon-Hughes
Chief Clerk...............John Whatley



kindly


Phil

[Monty]

Great photo, thanks all.

Is that the entire complement of men at Bishopsgate? It doesn't seem like a lot of guys to run that station, and there seems to be a higher proportion of sergeants to constables than I would have expected.

Hi Grave,

No, this is not the entire suppliment of men from Bishopsgate. Someone had to stay behind to keep the shop open as it were.

The station operated in two phases, day duty and night duty. Basically a shift pattern. Night duty had the most patrols however day duty was a little longer.

I suspect the men you see where just a select few whilst their colleagues covered and then, as they returned to duty, they had their photos taken.

Monty

[Rob Clack]

There are at least two other group photographs taken the same day. Unfortunately the only copies of them at present are pretty poor ones.





Rob

[Suzi]

Excellent pics Rob- trust the dog to take the front row *!
Hmm absence of a cat maybe-
Fascinating though- superb pics-

Always strikes me as ODD that there's no Abberline anywhere............ despite some serious digging!

Suz xx

[mariab]

Would the dog be a pet or perhaps a bloodhound, Rob?
I've already registered Suzy's complain for the absence of a cat.

Should Abberline have been there?

[Scott Nelson]

No Abberline wouldn't be there (he worked for the MET).

I'm interested if any of these views possibly show McWilliam.

[mariab]

Quote Scott Nelson:
No Abberline wouldn't be there (he worked for the MET).
That's what I thought. Was briefly puzzled over the alleged necessity of his presence in a City Police pic.

[Phil Carter]

Hello Rob,

I note that the man in the top photo with the dog is missing in the bottom photo..as the dog is with another in plain clothes. Otherwise the bottom row is alike.

Also the one policeman that stands out for me is the gentleman with two medals, in the 2nd row from top, 2nd from the right, bottom picture.


Thanks for providing them.


kindly


Phil

[GregBaron]

Please describe...

Hi everyone,

3 questions and/or observations.


Are not the gentlemen in the front row wearing Wideawake hats?

Could not any of these gentlemen fit a description of the ripper?

If we were to describe any of them, would our descriptions distinguish one from another? In muted lighting?


Greg

[Monty]

Would the dog be a pet or perhaps a bloodhound, Rob?
I've already registered Suzy's complain for the absence of a cat.

Should Abberline have been there?

Leman Street nick did have a cat.

The Bishopsgate dog was a pet I assume. There is a possibility of a name which Rob and I are working on.

As Scott says, Abberline wouldn't have been there. McWilliam I suspect yes and most likely one of the two plain clothed men sitting second row at either end in the 87 photo.

Greg,

No, no and no.

This isn't a suspect thread nor one for obscure theories.

Monty

[mariab]

Cute that they had a cat too, Suzy will appreciate this.

There is a possibility of a name which Rob and I are working on.

You can't possibly mean you're working on a name for the dog?!! Well, that's what I'd call thorough research. :-) I've heard that PC Hutt from the City Police, of whom you've discovered a photo (http://forum.casebook.org/showthread.phpt=3771&page=2) published a story in Lloyd's Weekly about a dog called Sweep who saved a woman from being assaulted, and a book or pamphlet called A horse's letter to ex-police Constable 365, John Pegg (who had obtained 1300 convictions for cruelty to horses).
The dog in the photo looks more like a cocker spaniel thing to me, unless it's a puppy bloodhound, which I don't think so.