EDEXCEL GCSE HISTORY · PAPER 1 · CRIME & PUNISHMENT
The Metropolitan Police, 1829
c1700-c1900 · Chapter 3: Crime and punishment in Britain, c1700-c1900, c1700-c1900 · Lesson 4 of 4
Learning Objectives
1. Describe law enforcement before 1829, including watchmen and the Bow Street Runners.
2. Explain why the Metropolitan Police was set up in 1829.
3. Explain how policing developed after 1829, and why the police were at first unpopular.
Setting the Scene
In 1700 there was still no professional police force. Towns relied on unpaid parish constables and night watchmen, who were often old, poorly paid and easily bribed. As London grew into the largest city in the world, it became clear that this system could not cope.
1749 - Henry Fielding sets up the Bow Street Runners in London. | 1805 - The Bow Street Horse Patrol guards the roads around London. | 1829 - Robert Peel's Metropolitan Police Act creates the Metropolitan Police. | 1842 - The Metropolitan Police sets up a Detective Department. | 1856 - The County and Borough Police Act makes every area have a police force. | 1878 - The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is formed.
Law Enforcement Before 1829
A patchy system that relied on individuals rather than an organised force.
▸ Watchmen. Night watchmen patrolled towns, but were often old, badly paid and mocked as "Charleys".
▸ Constables. Parish constables were ordinary men who served for a year, usually unpaid and untrained.
▸ Thief-takers. Private individuals who caught criminals for rewards - some, like Jonathan Wild, were criminals themselves.
▸ Bow Street Runners. Set up in 1749 by magistrate Henry Fielding and his half-brother John: a small, paid team who investigated crimes and caught criminals.
Why Was the Metropolitan Police Set Up?
Several pressures came together in the 1820s.
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A growing city London's population had grown enormously, and the old system could not cope. |
Rising crime Crime appeared to be rising, and the Bloody Code was not stopping it. |
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Fear of unrest Riots and protests made the government want better control of the streets. |
Bow Street's success The Runners showed that a paid, organised force could work. |
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Robert Peel As Home Secretary, Peel persuaded Parliament to act. |
Prevention Peel wanted to prevent crime by having police visible on the streets. |
The First Police Officers
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The Metropolitan Police began in 1829 with around 3,200 constables. They were deliberately made to look different from soldiers, to reassure a public that feared a military-style force. The first "Peelers" ▸ Uniform. A blue tailcoat and top hat, not a red army coat. ▸ Equipment. A wooden truncheon and a rattle to call for help. ▸ Beats. Constables walked set routes, or beats, around the clock. ▸ Discipline. Strict rules - many early recruits were sacked for drunkenness. |
A "Peeler" of the 1830s. |
Nineteenth-century illustration; public domain copies on Wikimedia Commons.
Opposition to the New Police
Not everyone welcomed the "Peelers" or "Bobbies".
▸ Cost. People resented paying for the police through local taxes.
▸ Liberty. Many feared the police would be used to spy on people, like the police in France.
▸ Early problems. Many early recruits were dismissed, often for drunkenness.
▸ Gaining trust. Over time, the police's focus on preventing crime and keeping order helped them gain acceptance.
How Policing Spread
The Metropolitan Police became a model for the whole country.
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1 1829 Metropolitan Police set up in London. |
2 1839 Counties were allowed, but not forced, to set up police forces. |
3 1842 The Met set up a Detective Department to investigate crimes. |
4 1856 The County and Borough Police Act made police forces compulsory across the country. |
5 1878 The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was formed. |
Key Terms
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Watchman A man paid to patrol a town at night, often old and ineffective. |
Parish constable An unpaid local man who kept order for a year. |
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Thief-taker A private individual who caught criminals for rewards. |
Bow Street Runners A small paid force set up by Henry Fielding in London in 1749. |
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Metropolitan Police London's professional police force, set up by Robert Peel in 1829. |
Peelers / Bobbies Nicknames for the first police officers, after Robert Peel. |
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CID The Criminal Investigation Department, formed in 1878. |
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Summary
✓ Before 1829, law enforcement relied on watchmen, constables and thief-takers.
✓ The Bow Street Runners (1749) showed that paid officers could work.
✓ Robert Peel created the Metropolitan Police in 1829 to prevent crime.
✓ By 1856 every area had to have a police force.
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EXAM FOCUS Explain why the Metropolitan Police was set up in 1829. (12 marks) Explain several factors - London's growth, crime, fear of unrest, Peel - and link each one to the decision. |