Metropolitan Police

[Angelaj]

Hi,
Another age/occupation question; at what age could you join the Met in the late 1800s?

[Geoffers]

Forces outside London had officers enlist aged 20 - I would imagine the Met would not be dissimilar.

Geoffers

[Angelaj]

Hi Geoffers,
Thanks for that, I'm trying to work from the middle outwards to find an approximate DOB for my gt grandfather. I wasn't sure if you could join as a teenager with parents' permission, or if they had some sort of cadet system. Unfortunately without knowing his birth year or when exactly he served I can't look him up in service records.


Angela

[Oates]

Hi Geoffers,
Thanks for that, I'm trying to work from the middle outwards to find an approximate DOB for my gt grandfather. I wasn't sure if you could join as a teenager with parents' permission, or if they had some sort of cadet system. Unfortunately without knowing his birth year or when exactly he served I can't look him up in service records.


Angela

Angela,

I don't suppose you know who/when/where he married? The certificate will list his age, as will the death cert and censuses.

[Angelaj]

Hi Oates,
Unfortunately this is a bit tricky. I only know the first name of his wife and that they must have married sometime before 1914, the year their second and surviving son was born. I know he lived in Clapham and was in the Met but I don't know when or for how long. I can't find a record of his marriage or the birth and death of his first son anywhere either in London or Bedfordshire. Perhaps I've missed it or possibly the record is lost. The only thing I know for sure is that he was running the Golden Lion/Inn in Biggleswade from 1903-22. I suspect brewery records are my only chance of finding out anything.

Angela

[Oates]

Hi Oates,
Unfortunately this is a bit tricky. I only know the first name of his wife and that they must have married sometime before 1914, the year their second and surviving son was born. I know he lived in Clapham and was in the Met but I don't know when or for how long. I can't find a record of his marriage or the birth and death of his first son anywhere either in London or Bedfordshire. Perhaps I've missed it or possibly the record is lost. The only thing I know for sure is that he was running the Golden Lion/Inn in Biggleswade from 1903-22. I suspect brewery records are my only chance of finding out anything.

Angela

Angela,

If you can't find the first son, do you have the birth cert of the second son? This should list his mother's maiden name perhaps allowing you to extend your search for a marriage. Also, did he serve in WWI? If so, service records give a lot of information. Unfortunately pub records (at least the ones I've seen which were made by the police) only give a name, the dates they ran the pub and any convictions. However, as he lived in London you might be able to find more detailed records somewhere. I don't know if the Met keeps records but it would be worth finding out.

[Angelaj]

Hi Oates,
Not sure of the whereabouts of his son's birth certificate but I'll make enquiries before ordering a copy. Thanks for suggesting the WW1 link. It hadn't occurred to me that he'd be the right age to sign up.


Angela

[v.wells]

angela
Try policeorders.co.uk. My grandfather was an inspector in the Met for many years. There is an address to write to and they will find all the records associated. Unfortunately I haven't done it yet as keep runnung out of money ordering certs online. Good Luck

Vanessa

[Angelaj]

Hi Vanessa,
Thanks, I'll give it a go.

Angela

[Eiton]

Hello Angelaj,

I dont know whether you could try this way as i dont know how much info you have on your great grandfather. However this is what i did. I emailed Head of the Metroploitan Police Historical Collection - Maggie Bird.
emial - Maggie.E.Bird@met.police.uk
She replied and told me she would look it up but it could be sometime before i got a repky about two months later she was back with the info i needed. unfortunatley it wasnt good news but at least we know the outcome of our relative now. She sent his rank and warrent number detail
and the reason to why he was apparently dismissed; There you go. Hope this helps --

eiton

[Angelaj]

Hi Eiton,
Thanks for the details. I've sent an email - just a case of waiting now.
Angelaj

[v.wells]

searches@policeorders.co.uk. very timely courteous service. Cost 10pnds. Had it almost the next day by email.

[mrsnoah]

Hi. did you send your payment to a Simon Fuller at his home address?I have had no word at all despite sending three e-mails since I sent payment on the 18th of July. Came across this site by chance and saw your post about what a prompt service you ha received.

[v.wells]

Hi mrsnoah

I sent my payment via paypal to S dot fuller at sfuller at demon dot co dot uk
I immediately cancelled the paypal when he notified me that he had recieved it because paypal has security issues and I received the information almost the next day. He may be on holiday. He was super - he even drove over and took photos of my grandparents house which was up for sale. I have to admit that when I contacted him again for another search on another relative I never got a response.

Perhaps you should just go to: http://www.externalserver.me.uk/musimgns.nsf/Menu!OpenForm which seems to be down at the moment or www.met.police.uk or the Metro police museum - that's where he is out of and ask them about him. It did take a while before he answered my first inquiry - a couple of weeks. A bit of a mystery.

[Eiton]

Hi there, I never paid anything for any info from my contact. I just worte to the met and about three months later i receieved the info i reqested. No pay pal or any money ever changed hands in my case. and my contact was a woman if you nee her name i may have it on file somewhewre. eiton

[Angelaj]

Hi,
I sent an email to Maggie Bird but my reply was from this man - George dot Bird at met dot police dot uk

It took about 2 months for them to get back to me but I now know my gt. grandfather's joining and leaving dates, the division he served with, collar number and service number. All for free.

Angelaj