Group    From 29/9/1829 

Metropolitan Police

Categories: Emergency Services

Founded in 1829 by Robert Peel under the Metropolitan Police Act 1829 and on 26 September of that year, over 1,000 men were sworn in in the grounds of the Foundling Hospital. (From Sarah Wise's book, The Italian Boy).

The next year local divisions, one for each borough and each with its own station, were established. These were known by letters of the alphabet. e.g. M division was for Southwark.

The Met did not police the City, so, predictably, territorial disputes materialised: the old-style force policing the City moving vagrants over the border and the Met doing the same in reverse. Temple Bar was a location where this activity became a spectator sport (from Sarah Wise's book). Sad and laughable as this now seems, in essence, the practice has not gone away: the buskers at King's Cross knowing the precise line where the BT police patch meets that of the Met, and what the differing busker policies are; each Council being aware that whenever they launch a campaign to clean up drug-dealing, it causes increased drug-related activity in neighbouring boroughs.

Wikipedia states the Met is "the first modern and professional police force in the world" though the establishment of the Marine Police preceded the land-based force by over 30 years, and Commissioners of Police for Scotland were appointed in 1714. It's all in the definition.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Metropolitan Police

Commemorated ati

First Peelers training school

The bronze panel depicts an everyday scene in London at that time - that of a...

Read More

Metropolitan Police - Eternal flame

{On the glass in front of the flame:} This eternal flame commemorates those w...

Read More

National Police Memorial

Unveiled by the Queen.

Read More

PC Patrick Dunne - SW8

{On the top, diamond, plaque:} This tree is dedicated to PC Patrick Dunne who...

Read More

Police at Scotland Yard

Site of Scotland Yard, first headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, 1829 - ...

Read More

Show all 9

This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Metropolitan Police

Creations i

James Braidwood

What a great plaque. The inscription is inside a laurel wreath, in front of a...

Read More

Jonathon “JJ” McPhillips

Murder £20,000 reward At about 12:40am on Saturday 25th February 2017, 28 yea...

Read More

PC Gary Toms

Here fell PC Gary Toms, 11 April 2009.

Read More

PC Nina Mackay

Here fell PC Nina Mackay, 24th October 1997. Metropolitan Police

Read More

Other Subjects

Fireman Ernest Francis Robinson
War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
G. W. Kendall, MD, BCH

G. W. Kendall, MD, BCH

Assistant Commissioner in the St John Ambulance Brigade, No. 1 District, 1911-1942. Officer in the Order of St John.

Person, Emergency Services, Medicine, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
J. M. Shepherd

J. M. Shepherd

Either lost his life, or gave distinguished service to the London Fire Brigade, and was buried in the Highgate Cemetery plot between 1884 and 1955.

Person, Emergency Services

1 memorial
Albert V. Kite

Albert V. Kite

Fireman killed as a result of an air raid on Old Palace School, Bow, E3 on 20 April 1941. Our colleague Andrew Behan has kindly researched this man: Auxiliary Fireman Albert Victor Kite was born o...

Person, Emergency Services

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
Miss F. E. Cherry

Miss F. E. Cherry

Lady District Officer in the St John Ambulance Brigade, No. 1 District, 1915-1942. Serving Sister in the Order of St John.

Person, Emergency Services, Medicine, Politics & Administration

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Poplar Borough Council

Poplar Borough Council

In 1855, Poplar joined with neighbouring Bromley and Bow to form the Poplar District of the Metropolis. This became the Metropolitan Borough of Poplar in 1900. In 1965 it merged with the Metropolit...

Group, Politics & Administration

3 memorials
John Philpot

John Philpot

Protestant martyr burned at Smithfield.

Person, Execution, Religion

1 memorial
Fred Hampton

Fred Hampton

Fredrick Allen Hampton Sr. was an American activist. He came to prominence in Chicago as chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party (BPP), and deputy chairman of the national BPP. ...

Person, Politics & Administration, Tragedy, USA

1 memorial
St George's Hospital - Tooting

St George's Hospital - Tooting

SW17, St George's Hospital, Hunter Wing

The corridor with the two busts, plaque and glass display area is on the ground floor of the Hunter wing.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
H. Smith

H. Smith

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial