Metro Divisions?

[C. F. Leon]

Can anyone supply or direct me to a PUBLIC source giving the list of the Metropolitan Divisions c 1888? Are they the same as the current divisions?

These are the ones that I have so far:

A- Whitehall
B- Chelsea
C- Chelsea
CO- Scotland Yard
D
E
F
G
H- Whitechapel
I- Bethnal Green
J- Bethnal Green
K
L- (Lambeth)
M
N- Islington
O
P- Camberwell/ (Peckham)
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W- (Clapham)
X- Paddington Green
Y- Highgate/(Holloway)

(Apparently the City was its own, separate division.)

Note that there are a couple of duplications: are these real or errors? Did each division have its own Station, and do we have the names & locations for those?

Thanks for any help.

[Rosella]

Police Divisions in 1888 for both City and Met police can be found in the Jack the Ripper Forums under 'Police Divisions in 1888.'

[Monty]

Police Divisions in 1888

Source: Dickens's Dictionary of London 1888 (ISBN 1-873590-04-0).

City of London Police Force

The City Police Force comprises 1 Commissioner, 1 Chief Superintendent, 1 Superintendent, 14 Inspectors, 92 Sergeants, and 781 Constables. The following is a list of divisions, with addresses of stations:-

Cripplegate ~ More Lane
Snow Hill ~ Snow Hill
Bridwell Place ~ Bridwell Place
Cloak Lane ~ Queen Street
Tower Street ~ Seething Lane
Bishopgate ~ Bishopgate Street
Metropolitan Police Force

The following is the Divisional distribution of the Metropolitan Police Force, with names of Superintendents and strength of Divisions. Total strength of all ranks, including superintendents 14,106:-

C.O. or Commissioners' Office.

Charles H. Cutbush, Supt. Executive Branch;
Edward Ware, Supt. Public Carriage Branch;
John Shore, Supt. Criminal Investigations Dept.;
Inspectors 43, Sergeants 63, Constables 120. Total 229.

A or Whitehall Division.

King Street, Westminster.
Joseph Henry Dunlap, Supt., also Charles Fraser;
Inspectors, 38; Sergeants 60; Constables 835. Total 935.

B or Chelsea Division.

Walton Street, Brompton.
Chas. W. Sheppard, Supt.;
Inspectors 22; Sergeants 52; Constables 560. Total 635.

C or St James's Division.

Little Vine Street, Piccadilly.
William G. Hume, Supt.;
Inspectors 17; Sergeants 37; Constables 386. Total 441.

D or Marylebone Division.

Marylebone Lane.
George Draper, Supt.;
Inspectors 23; Sergeants 40; Constables 467. Total 531.

E or Holborn Division.

Bow Street.
Rich. W. Steggles, Supt.;
Inspectors 17; Sergeants 50; Constables 447. Total 515.

F or Paddington Division.

Paddington Green.
Philip Giles, Supt.;
Inspectors 21; Sergeants 41; Constables 377. Total 440.
G or Finsbury Division.

King's Cross Road.
Charles Hunt, Supt.;
Inspectors 23; Sergeants 46; Constables 480. Total 550.

H or Whitechapel Division.

Leman Street.
Thos. Arnold, Supt.;
Inspectors 30; Sergeants 44; Constables 473. Total 548.

J or Bethnal Green Division.

Bethnal Green Road.
James Keating, Supt.;
Inspectors 38; Sergeants 56; Constables 522. Total 617.

K or Bow Division.

Bow Road.
George Steed, Supt.;
Inspectors 48; Sergeants 71; Constables 619. Total 739.

L or Lambeth Division.

Lower Kennington Lane.
James Brannan, Supt.;
Inspectors 22; Sergeants 35; Constables 346. Total 404.

M or Southwark Division.

Blackman Street.
Denis Neylan, Supt.;
Inspectors 28; Sergeants 43; Constables 429. Total 501.

N or Islington Division.

Stoke Newington High Street.
William J. Sherlock, Supt.;
Inspectors 37; Sergeants 66; Constables 536. Total 640.

P or Camberwell Division.

High Street, Peckham.
Thomas Butt, Supt.;
Inspectors 44; Sergeants 68; Constables 599. Total 712.

R or Greenwich Division.

Blackheath Road, Greenwich.
Christopher McHugo, Supt.;
Inspectors 38; Sergeants 71; Constables 476. Total 586.

S or Hampstead Division.

Albany Street, Regent's Park.
William Harris, Supt.;
Inspectors 42; Sergeants 80; Constables 613. Total 736.

T or Hammersmith Division.

Broadway, Hammersmith.
Wm. Fisher, Supt.;
Inspectors 52; Sergeants 75; Constables 623. Total 751.

V or Wandsworth Division.

West Hill, Wandsworth.
Davis Saines, Supt.;
Inspectors 36; Sergeants 59; Constables 561. Total 657.

W or Clapham Division.

Brixton Road.
Stephen Lucas, Supt.;
Inspectors 39; Sergeants 72; Constables 571. Total 683.

X or Kilburn Division.

Carlton Terrace, Harrow Road.
Frederick Beard, Supt.;
Inspectors 40; Sergeants 53; Constables 469. Total 563.

Y or Highgate Division.

Kentish Town Road.
William J. Huntley, Supt.;
Inspectors 46; Sergeants 73; Constables 480. Total 727.

Thames Division.

Wapping, near the river.
George Skeats, Supt,;
Inspectors 49; Sergeants 4; Constables 147. Total 201.

Woolwich Dockyard Division.

Woolwich Arsenal.
Thomas E. Hindes, Supt.;
Inspectors 8; Sergeants 25; Constables 140. Total 174.

Portsmouth Dockyard Division.

Portsmouth.
Wm. Ventham, Supt.;
Inspectors 8; Sergeants 29; Constables 128. Total 155.

Chatham Dockyard Division.

Chatham.
Geo. Godfrey, Supt.;
Inspectors 6; Sergeants 24; Constables 157. Total 188.

Pembroke Dockyard Divison.

No Superintendent.
Inspectors 2; Sergeants 4; Constables 28. Total 34.

Police Office (City)

26 Old Jewry, E.C.
Commissioner ~ Col. Sir James Fraser, K.C.B.;
Chief Supt. ~ Major Henry Smith;
Receiver ~ J. W. Carlyon-Hughes, Esq.;
Chief Clerk ~ John Whatley, Esq.

Police Office (Metropolitan)

4 Whitechapel Place, S.W.
Commissioner ~ Colonel Sir Charles Warren, G.C.M.G.
Assist. Commissioners ~ Lieut-Col R.L.O. Pearson, A.C. Bruce, Esq. and J. Monro, Esq.
Legal Advisor ~ J.E. Davis, Esq.
Chief Constables ~ A.C. Howard, Esq., Lt-Col Roberts, Lt-Col B. Monsell, Major W.E. Gilbert, and A.F. Williamson, Esq. (Criminal Investigation Department).
Chief Clerk ~ W.F.M. Staples, Esq.
Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District and Courts of the Metropolis ~ Alfred Richard Pennefather, Esq.
Chief Clerk ~ E. Mills, Esq.
Surgeon-in-Chief ~ A.O. Mackellar, Esq.
Acting Surveyor ~ J. Butler, Esq.
Engineer under Smoke Nuisance Abatement Acts ~ W.R.E. Coles, Esq.
Storekeeper ~ Mr. J. Mole.
Criminal Investigation Department ~ John Shore.
Executive Branch & Common Lodging Houses Branch ~ Chief Inspector Cutbush.
Public Carriage Branch ~ Chief Inspector Ware.
Lost Property Office ~ Chief Inspector Beavis.

Monty

[PC2267]

There appears to have been numbered Divisions as well, which appear to have been part of the Met as well? Not entirely sure how that worked?


1 - Woolwich Dockyard
2 - Portsmouth Dockyard
3 - Devonport Dockyard
4 - Chatham Dockyard
5 - Pembroke Dockyard


Can anyone clarify this?

Also I am right in thinking that the docks around the Tower Hamlets area were covered by the dockyard divisions as apposed to the divisions that they were in? If so which division was responsible for the St Katherine's dock?

With regards to the COLES case, is it known which docks SADLER was trying to gain entry to, following him being robbed, for which the Bobbies on the gate turned him away for being drunk? Where these Officers H Division or one of the numbered Dockyard Divisions?

[Bridewell]

There appears to have been numbered Divisions as well, which appear to have been part of the Met as well? Not entirely sure how that worked?


1 - Woolwich Dockyard
2 - Portsmouth Dockyard
3 - Devonport Dockyard
4 - Chatham Dockyard
5 - Pembroke Dockyard


Can anyone clarify this?

Also I am right in thinking that the docks around the Tower Hamlets area were covered by the dockyard divisions as apposed to the divisions that they were in? If so which division was responsible for the St Katherine's dock?

With regards to the COLES case, is it known which docks SADLER was trying to gain entry to, following him being robbed, for which the Bobbies on the gate turned him away for being drunk? Where these Officers H Division or one of the numbered Dockyard Divisions?

The Dockyards you mention are also mentioned in that order in the Dickens's Dictionary of London 1888 referred to by Monty. They are listed at Divisions (Thames Dockyard Division etc) and included within the section of the book covering the Metropolitan Police and appear to be part of the whole as reference to them is followed by the closing sentence "Total strength of all ranks, including superintendents, 14,106".

The Dickens's Dictionary of London 1888 and The Dickens's Dictionary of The Thames 1887 are available and were, at one time, being sold through The Works for £3 each. They're worth getting at that price.

[Rosella]

Sugden has Sadler trying to gain entrance to St Katherine's Dock when he got into a fight.

Jack the Ripper A-Z goes into more detail and has PC Bogan (of H Division) finding Sadler lying very drunk at the entrance gate to London Docks. Bogan moved off, allowing the beating up of Sadler by two dockers he'd got into an argument with to occur.

I've taken a look at my Dickens Dictionary 1888. The different dockyards are marked 'Woolwich Dockyard Division; Chatham Dockyard Division; and so on. They all appear in Dickens under 'Thames Division'. They don't appear to be individually numbered, alphabetically or any other way.

[PC2267]

Sugden has Sadler trying to gain entrance to St Katherine's Dock when he got into a fight.

Jack the Ripper A-Z goes into more detail and has PC Bogan (of H Division) finding Sadler lying very drunk at the entrance gate to London Docks. Bogan moved off, allowing the beating up of Sadler by two dockers he'd got into an argument with to occur.

I've taken a look at my Dickens Dictionary 1888. The different dockyards are marked 'Woolwich Dockyard Division; Chatham Dockyard Division; and so on. They all appear in Dickens under 'Thames Division'. They don't appear to be individually numbered, alphabetically or any other way.

Thanks Rosella!! So I assume then that outside the St Katherine's dock gates came under H Division, but inside would come under one of the dock yard divisions? None of them seem to incorporate St Katherine's from what I can see, judging by there names. Has anyone got any idea which dock yard division would have covered St Katherine's dock?

Interesting that Dickens Dictionary 1888, doesn't number them. As the 1887 medals issued does? There's on one ebay at the moment... "The medal in the photographs is named in the rim to: PC. W. WEBB – 3rd DIV"

[Rosella]

St Katherine's docks was in the borough of Tower Hamlets, at East Smithfield, quite near Tower Bridge, but which police division covered it I don't know.

[Rosella]

The police who patrolled St Katherine's docks may have been based at Wapping which also is in Tower Hamlets, (as is Whitechapel and Spitalfields.)

George Skeats was Superintendent at Wapping, in charge of 49 Inspectors, 4 Sergeants 147 constables, according to Dickens.

[PC2267]

The police who patrolled St Katherine's docks may have been based at Wapping which also is in Tower Hamlets, (as is Whitechapel and Spitalfields.)

George Skeats was Superintendent at Wapping, in charge of 49 Inspectors, 4 Sergeants 147 constables, according to Dickens.

Interesting!!!

[Monty]

Thought you read my book Gordon ;-)

The Met provided a presence at the five naval docks mentioned.

H division HQ, Leman Street, provided men for the commercial docks in their jurisdiction, as well as some railways and The Royal Mint.

The river police patrolled the Thames, and waterways within the docks.

Monty

[Lechmere]

Yes the dock divisions guarded Royal Naval or military docks not commercial docks and the Thames Division was River Police.

[PC2267]

Thought you read my book Gordon ;-)

The Met provided a presence at the five naval docks mentioned.

H division HQ, Leman Street, provided men for the commercial docks in their jurisdiction, as well as some railways and The Royal Mint.

The river police patrolled the Thames, and waterways within the docks.

Monty

I'm confused about why some 1887 Jubilee Medals are named to lettered Divisions and some are to numbered Division?

[Monty]

I'm confused about why some 1887 Jubilee Medals are named to lettered Divisions and some are to numbered Division?

Met police usedletters for their divisions, the City boys used numbers till around 1911.

Monty

[Monty]

City of London Police Divisions were-

No1 Moor Lane
No2 Snow Hill
No3 Bridwell Place
No4 Cloak Lane
No5 Seething Lane
No6 Bishopsgate

Monty