'H' Division Fixed Points 1888

[Bridewell]

Apologies if these have been apologised before, but I haven't seen them:

"The under-mentioned places are appointed as fixed points where a police constable is to be permanently stationed from 9pm to 1am. In the event of any person springing a rattle, or persistently ringing a bell in the street or in an area, the police will at once proceed to the spot and render assistance.

H or Whitechapel Division

Ben Jonson-rd and White Horse-st, Stepney, junction of
Brick-la and Bethnal-green-rd, junction of
Christian-st and Commercial-rd, end of
Church-st, Wapping
Columbia-rd, Bethnal Gn, corner of Hassard-st
Commercial-rd-east, corner of Bromehead-st
Commercial-st, Spitalfields, corner of Thrawl-st
Flower and Dean-st and Brick-la, Spitalfields, end of
George-yd, Hight-st, Whitechapel, end of
G.E. Ry., High-st, Shoreditch, front of
Great Garden-st and Whitechapel-rd, opposite end of
Hanbury-st, cor of Deal-st, Mile End New Town
Hare-alley, High-st, Shoreditch, end of
Hermitage-br, Wapping
Leman-st, Commercial-st and Hight-st, Whitechapel, junc of
New Gravel-la-br, London Docks *
Old Gravel-la-br, London Docks *
Ship-alley & St George's-st-east, south end of
Shoreditch Church
Spencer-st and Watney-st, St. Georges East, corner of
Spitalfields Church
Stepney ry-stn, Commercial-rd-ea
Upper East Smithfield, principal entrance London Docks
Warner-pl and Hackney-rd, cor of
Wells-st, Whitechapel, opposite Sailors' Home,
Whitechapel Church
White Horse-la and Mile End-rd, junction of

*A constable is stationed at each of these points from 3pm to 7am."

Regards, Bridewell.

[Bridewell]

So Stride was the only one of MacNaghten's 'five and five only' victims to be killed (just) before the fixed point men were stood down.

Regards, Bridewell.

[Wickerman]

Apologies if these have been apologised before, but I haven't seen them:

"The under-mentioned places are appointed as fixed points where a police constable is to be permanently stationed from 9pm to 1am. In the event of any person springing a rattle, or persistently ringing a bell in the street or in an area, the police will at once proceed to the spot and render assistance.

We read elsewhere that when on point duty the constable is not allowed to leave for any reason.


...

[Jason]

so a policeman was stationed on Hanbury street ?

[Monty]

so a policeman was stationed on Hanbury street ?

I believe Holland, upon the discovery of Chapman, informed this fixed point PC who pointed him towards Commercial Street station. I think Holland complained of this at the inquest.

Monty

[Bridewell]

George Yard

I thought "George-yd, High-st, Whitechapel, end of" was quite interesting as, according to Many Ann Connelly Martha Tabram went up George Yard with her soldier at 11.45pm. Do we know if she did so from the High Street end or from Wentworth Street?

Regards, Bridewell.

[PC Roadnight]

The attendance at a fixed point was subject to the PCs decision as to the seriousness of any demand made upon him to leave it. It may be that a report of a body in the street was not, in the PCs estimation, sufficient reason to abandon the point. After all it wasn't going anywhere.

Fixed points were also manned subject to the strength of a relief parading. If there were insufficient officers available then Patrols (as opposed to beats)followed by Fixed Points if necessary would be abandoned for that shift.

[Steve S]

If fixed points were manned til 0100.......How was there one after 0500 in the Hanbury St case....?

[Bridewell]

Good Point

If fixed points were manned til 0100.......How was there one after 0500 in the Hanbury St case....?

Hi Steve,

My source was/is Dickens's Dictionary of London 1888 which gives the fixed point times as 9pm to 1am. I'm wondering if the times were extended through the night during the Autumn of Terror. Having said that, Pc Roadnight's point is well made. I recall reading that, if a fixed point officer had to leave his post for any reason, he was replaced, until his return, by the first police officer to arrive at the point and find it unmanned. I'll try and locate where I read that.

Regards, Bridewell.

[Roy Corduroy]

Thank you for posting this up, Bridewell.

In the Chapman case, the police officer who Mr. Holland found was on duty at Spitalfields Market. The corner of Hanbury & Deal was several blocks in the opposite direction. As best I know there were four (4) instances where Fixed Points came into play in the murder series. (click here)

Roy

[Bridewell]

Does anybody know which church is meant by "Whitechapel Church" and where exactly it was? Was it St Mary Matfelon? Not being local to the area, and knowing that some of the street names have changed since 1888, I'm struggling to pinpoint it.

Regards, Bridewell

[Bridewell]

Does anybody know which church is meant by "Whitechapel Church" and where exactly it was? Was it St Mary Matfelon? Not being local to the area, and knowing that some of the street names have changed since 1888, I'm struggling to pinpoint it.

Regards, Bridewell

Was it perhaps the church on the corner of Whitechapel Road & Union St on the 1894 map?

Regards, Bridewell

[Jon Guy]

Hi Colin

I have these:

123H -On the 19th April 88 was on duty at a fixed point in Broad St.
349H - At midnight on 1st Nov 91 was on fixed point duty near Nightingale Lane.

[Wickerman]

Was it perhaps the church on the corner of Whitechapel Road & Union St on the 1894 map?

Regards, Bridewell

That's correct Colin (Whitechapel High St. & Union), its also known as St Mary's

...

[Bridewell]

That's correct Colin (Whitechapel High St. & Union), its also known as St Mary's

...

Thanks, Jon. If the killer of Elizabeth Stride went north after the murder he must have run into a few of London's finest on Commercial Street.

Regards, Bridewell.