H Division Roll of Honour 1900

[MrBarnett]

[ATTACH]16807[/ATTACH]

[PC2267]

Wynne Baxter presided at PC Thompson's Inquest.

At victorianripper.niceboard.org Police, they have a nice piece on Thompson's funeral, reprinted from 'The Echo' of Friday 7th December 1900.

It's clear poor old Thompson had a massive funeral, 'many floral tributes,' the Bishop of Stepney in attendance as well as 4,000 police officers, many crowds of onlookers etc, etc.
Thompson lived at Princes St Redman's Row, Stepney at the time of his death. He'd been married five years before and the clergyman who had married him and his wife conducted his funeral at Christ Church in Jamaica St. Eight H Division policemen were pall bearers for their dead comrade.

Many thanks Rosella. I wonder are the names of the bearers known? Do any newspaper reports for the incident concerning his death exist? I wonder do they name any Officers involved in the incident?

[Rosella]

Wynne Baxter presided at PC Thompson's Inquest.

At victorianripper.niceboard.org Police, they have a nice piece on Thompson's funeral, reprinted from 'The Echo' of Friday 7th December 1900.

It's clear poor old Thompson had a massive funeral, 'many floral tributes,' the Bishop of Stepney in attendance as well as 4,000 police officers, many crowds of onlookers etc, etc.
Thompson lived at Princes St Redman's Row, Stepney at the time of his death. He'd been married five years before and the clergyman who had married him and his wife conducted his funeral at Christ Church in Jamaica St. Eight H Division policemen were pall bearers for their dead comrade.

[PC2267]

Thanks for your replies guys.

It is interesting, however, that so little is known about these 3 Officers. I would have assumed they'd be well documented.

I can feel a research project coming on!!!!

[Monty]

PC Ernest Thompson memorial plaque presented by the men of Southwark (M) Division to their brother constable, and Thompsons own brother, Albert Thompson.

Monty

[Rosella]

Yes, poor bloke. I've got a vision of him red-faced, probably a bit overweight, going purple, and then...! Why didn't he just get near and shake him awake? Why was the carman asleep while on his cart anyway?

[GUT]

Don't you just love the way Cooke died???

[Rosella]

Well, you know of course, that Ernest Thompson was the unfortunate copper who, while on beat duty for the first time, found Frances Coles lying dying under the railway arches in Swallow Gardens in February 1891. He stayed with her as he saw an eyelid flicker and blew his whistle for assistance.

It was said that he had heard retreating male footsteps and reproached himself for the rest of his short life for not running after the murderer and arresting 'Jack the Ripper'. In fact, at the inquest into Frances Coles, Thompson never mentioned hearing footsteps or anything else.

Thompson was murdered by Barnett Abrahams in December 1900, when after a fracas, Thompson attempted to arrest him for causing a disturbance at a coffee stall.

[PC2267]

It appears that 3 Officers died on duty in H Division in 1900

PC Frederick James Kidd (Died 26 December 1900, aged 23) Drowned in Shadwell dock apparently having accidentally fallen in while on night duty.

PC Ernest Thompson (Died 1 December 1900, aged 32) Fatally stabbed in the neck by a man he had moved on at a street disturbance at Whitechapel.

PC George Cooke (Died 26 June 1900, aged 47) Died from a ruptured blood vessel resulting from his shouting to wake a sleeping carman near Spitalfields Market.

The roll of honour began in 1900 and interestingly this appears to be on the only year H Division suffered any fatalities, two of which happened in the same month. Does anyone know of any other fatalities prior to 1900 that H Division sustained?

Has anyone ever researched these Officers?

Does anyone have any copies of newspaper reports that they could share with me? Do they contain any details about other Officers involved in the incidents?

2267.