H Division Roll of Honour 1900

[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.

[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.

[GUT]

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

[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?

[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

[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!!!!

[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]

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?

[MrBarnett]

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[Robert]

Why does the caption say 'late'? It's obvious that he's late - it's his funeral. In fact, if he isn't late then there's something terribly wrong.

[Rosella]

This is an account of Thompson's death and the capture of his killer.

https://kpoulin1.wordpress.com/2009/01/11/police-constable-ernest-thompson/

[Mayerling]

Interesting thing about the unfortunate officer who burst his blood vessel. He was not the only constable with the name George Cooke. In 1893 a P.C. George Cooke was hanged (and thus became the only English police officer hanged in the 19th Century) for the murder of his former girl friend, a prostitute he tried to reform but couldn't because of her drinking problem.

That constable who fell off the pier - it might be an accident, but I wonder if he was drunk.

[Mayerling]

This is an account of Thompson's death and the capture of his killer.

https://kpoulin1.wordpress.com/2009/...nest-thompson/

Thanks for the site. I was reading the account and I noticed there was a woodcut picture of P.C. Thompson.

As for him not mentioning the footsteps, the account of Thompson's involvement in the Coles' case and his "haunted" reaction to not catching the killer appeared in the memoirs of future Scotland Yard High Constable Frederick Wensley. It is possible that Thompson may have mentioned the business of the footsteps to his fellow police officers, but felt it was too embarrassing to mention in the hearing. Or, it is possible that as the years passed and he recalled finding Coles' body his imagination began to expand the memory to include phantom footsteps running away. Certainly if he came to believe Coles was one of the Ripper victims, the idea that Thompson was the first on that scene might have slowly expanded to his just mulling about a great lost opportunity.

Jeff

[Rosella]

Yes, Mayerling, that George Cooke was disciplined for his 'inappropriate relationship' with his ex de facto Maud, after she turned up at Bow Street police station complaining about him and accusing him of being her pimp. They'd split up and found other partners when, in June, Maud's new boyfriend found her in bed with a punter and kicked her out. Pretty well immediately Maud turns up at the Wornwood Scrubs Common where Cooke was on night beat patrol, anxious to cause trouble, which she unfortunately got!

Completely off-topic from our blood-vessel bursting friend, of course!

PC Kidd may well have had a post-Christmas tot of brandy or beer before he toppled into the water! When I read Fido and Skinner's Encylclopedia of Scotland Yard for the first time I was astounded at the number of policemen (presumably non-swimmers) recorded there who mis-stepped off wharfs they were patrolling and drowned!

[PC2267]

This is an account of Thompson's death and the capture of his killer.

https://kpoulin1.wordpress.com/2009/...nest-thompson/

Many thanks for this link Rosella. Very interesting reading!! I only wish that the names of other Officers involved had been mentioned. I found this bit particularly interesting "It is the custom to remove prisoners from Leman-street Police-station to the Arbour-square court about one o’clock in the morning, and this morning some half a dozen policemen were in charge of the removal of prisoners."

I assume the case was heard at the Old Bailey? I wonder would it be possible to ascertain a list of Officers called as witnesses?