police in London

[Angelaj]

Hi,
Having traced police constable Charles Cox with much help I now have more queries. On the 1901 census my gt. grandfather's address is the police station itself (Lavender Hill, Battersea). Did policemen live 'on site' at all or is that just the way they were recorded for the census?



Angela

[busyglen]

I'm not too sure, but could it have been that he was on `night duty' and therefore not at home on Census night?

Glenys

[Colin Moretti]

My recollection of my youth is that even in the 1940s some police stations (Hatfield in my case) had accommodation for unmarried officers. I also have a book Crime & Punishment From Old Photographs which includes a picture of
Godalming Police Station, Surrey 1897. A typical example of the small town police stations built in late Victorian times combining the station office with living accommodation. I would be surprised if the Met didn't have rooms over the shop.

Colin

[Vossy]

Angela

Just seen your entry. In many forces there were single mens quarters in most larger police stations. Some Met Stations also had married quarters right up to the 1970s and 80s. Where I live in Harwich the Superintendents House and the Inspectors house were attached to the police station. The single men lived on the top floor of the station. At the turn of the 1900s the men had to have permission to leave the town even on their days off!

Vossy