Beginnings of the British Police

   The centuries-old system of constables aided by free citizens broke down under the combined effects of industrialization and urbanization. The growth of crime and serious public disorders in cities had become almost intolerable by the late 18th century.
   One of the early and unofficial attempts by Londoners to police themselves appeared in 1749. The Bow Street Runners were founded by novelist Henry Fielding, who had been appointed magistrate for Westminster and Middlesex in 1748. His residence was in Bow Street, and from it he sent out his groups of thief catchers. In 1762 the Bow Street Horse Patrol was added to combat the bands of highway robbers who worked the roads leading into the city.
   A different type of police force was created in London in June 1798 by the West India Trading Company. (It was about this time that the word police came into English usage.) London was at that time the largest port in the world, and thefts from shipping had grown to unmanageable proportions. The Thames River Police, as the organization was known, was meant to stop these thefts. The force had a full-time staff of 80 men and a volunteer staff of 1,120 who could be called on when needed. The Thames River Police patrolled along the river, hoping by their presence to prevent criminal activity. They were paid regular salaries and forbidden to accept fees or gratuities for their work. So successful was this experiment that Parliament put the Thames River Police on the public payroll.
   In spite of the success of the Bow Street Runners and the Thames River Police, public opinion still opposed the formation of a standing police force. Not until 1829 did Parliament pass the Metropolitan Police Act. It was sponsored by Robert Peel, later prime minister . Since he was considered the founder of the force, the officers have long been called bobbies. The police force was assigned to work in the London area except for the City of London itself--the square mile of territory within Greater London that is today the financial district. The 1829 act stipulated that all police be in uniform. They were to be paid regular salaries and were not allowed to accept any other payment for services or returned stolen property. This early police force also accumulated such other functions as looking for fires and calling out the time.
   The London police soon proved themselves a capable crime-fighting force. Public acceptance grew. In 1835 Parliament passed the Municipal Corporations Act, calling on every borough to set up a police force under the control of a local watch committee. A police force for the City of London was created in 1839. In 1856 Parliament ordered the establishment of police forces in all provinces. In 1842 London's Metropolitan Police created the Criminal Investigation Department, and in 1883 the forerunner of today's Special Branch was set up to deal with illegal political activities. Headquarters of the Metropolitan Police were in Scotland Yard. A new building, called New Scotland Yard, was acquired in 1967 (See Scotland Yard).


PEEL, Robert 

PEEL, Robert  (1788-1850).  London bobbies, or policemen, derive their nickname from the name of Sir Robert Peel, the British statesman who organized the London police force in 1829 (See Police; Scotland Yard). Peel was born on Feb. 5, 1788, near Bury, England. He attended Harrow preparatory school and Oxford University. He graduated from Oxford in 1808 and entered Parliament the following year as a Tory. When he was 24 years old, Peel became the chief secretary for Ireland. In this role he maintained the Protestant ascendancy in what is today Northern Ireland in the face of growing demands for Roman Catholic emancipation.
   In 1831 the Tory party became the Conservative party. As head of the Conservatives, Peel was prime minister in 1834-35. His greatest work, however, was done during his second term as prime minister from 1841 to 1846. Tariff duties were lowered, laws limiting the employment of women and children were passed, foreign relations with France and the United States were improved, a new charter was passed for the Bank of England, and the income tax was reintroduced. He also had to deal with war with Afghanistan and China, as well as with the dispute over the boundary between the United States and Canada.
   An Anti-Corn Law League in England favored the repeal of import duties on grain to lower the cost of food. Peel and the Conservatives were against their repeal. In 1845, however, a potato famine caused mass starvation in Ireland, coupled with mass emigration. As a relief measure, Peel succeeded in getting the Corn Laws repealed in 1846. Peel's split with the Conservative party over this issue led to his resignation. He died in London on July 2, 1850, as the result of a riding accident.


Police Equipment

   From the ancient world until the 19th century, there were few major improvements in police technology apart from the invention of firearms. Not until 1849 were the district police stations of London connected to Scotland Yard by telegraph lines. A telephone was first installed in a police station in Washington, D.C., in 1878. Telephone boxes were installed on patrolmen's beats in 1880 in Chicago. The automobile was first used in police work in Akron, Ohio, in 1899.
   Other inventions helpful to police work were the teletypewriter, facsimile transmission, and two-way portable radio. In the 1920s firearms identification (ballistics testing) by comparing the rifling marks on bullets was introduced. New investigative techniques led to the opening of police laboratories, one of the first of which was in Lyon, France.
   Until the 1960s the standard weapons carried by police officers were a nightstick and a firearm, though even this practice varied. London police carried only a small nightstick (variously referred to as a baton, club, billy club, or truncheon). Police in American cities have traditionally carried both the stick and a large-caliber revolver, along with a pair of handcuffs. Shotguns, rifles, and automatic weapons are normally kept in the police arsenal for use in emergencies.
   Firing a gun is called use of deadly force, because serious injury or death can result. Police also have a number of nonlethal weapons at their disposal. Chemical weapons are compounds that cause tearing of the eyes, extreme discomfort, or vomiting. These chemicals can be delivered in cannisters or fog generators, or by launching guns. There are hand-held tear-gas, or Mace, cannisters as well. They can be carried in holsters and are easily aimed. They have a range of about 15 feet (4.6 meters).
   Stun guns are nonchemical weapons that disable temporarily. They give out a sudden electrical charge that renders victims unconscious. These guns have not been generally added to police arsenals. Plastic or rubber bullets are occasionally used for crowd control, but they can cause serious injury or even death. Water cannons are also used for riot control.
   The bulletproof vest is the best-known body armor. Known also as textile armor, a bulletproof vest is made of several layers of nylon cloth. Instead of penetrating the vest, a bullet becomes caught in the layers of nylon. Other protective devices include transparent plastic shields to ward off rocks and other thrown objects and bulletproof shields made of nylon and ceramic materials.
   Police personnel once kept watch on neighborhoods by foot patrol. Today it is more likely that they travel in pairs in a squad car, sometimes with a police dog in the rear compartment. (Dogs, usually German shepherds, were first trained for police work in Ghent, Belgium, in about 1900.) Some police officers ride horses or motorcycles, either for neighborhood patrol or for traffic patrol. In some countries police ride bicycles. Support vehicles include paramedic units, mobile operations units, and patrol wagons--vans for hauling offenders to jail or to the police station. Antiterrorist paramilitary units use military vehicles such as armored cars and personnel carriers.
   Aircraft, especially helicopters, are used in some large police departments for monitoring traffic, rescue missions, and searches. They are not used for routine patrol because of the expense and weather variability. Some countries have short-takeoff-and-landing (STOL) aircraft for rescue and patrol work.


SCOTLAND YARD. 

The headquarters of the Metropolitan Police in London, England, is situated on Victoria Street and has its main entrance at 10 Broadway, a side street. At the Broadway entrance can be found the revolving sign--often seen on television and in films--announcing New Scotland Yard. This is the third building to house the administration of the most famous police organization in the world.
   London's police force was established in 1829 under an act of Parliament that was introduced by Sir Robert Peel (See Police). The first headquarters was located at No. 4 Whitehall, a street in the Westminster area occupied mainly by government buildings. A police station and office for dealing with the public was installed in the back of the building, facing a plot of ground called Great Scotland Yard. The name of the place is of uncertain origin. One tradition states that the land was set aside to provide a London residence for the kings of Scotland, but no such home was ever built. Another story indicates that the land was owned by a man named Adam Scot. By the reign of James I early in the 17th century, government buildings surrounded the area. A house built at the site was occupied by a succession of royal surveyors, including the architects Inigo Jones and Christopher Wren. The poet John Milton lived there in the years 1649-51 during Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth.
   After the founding of the police force, the building was opened as police headquarters on Sept. 29, 1829. The force consisted only of two commissioners--Colonel Charles Rowan and Richard Mayne--eight superintendents, 20 inspectors, 88 sergeants, and 895 constables (or police officers). The original Scotland Yard had about 50 rooms and functioned primarily as an administrative headquarters. It has never been a police station in the usual sense, and each division of the force had its own station. Old Scotland yard, like New Scotland Yard, was staffed by police who were responsible for the security of the building, dealing with the public, receiving and sending out correspondence, and enlisting candidates for the force. As the size of the force increased, the staff took on more duties.
   By 1887 the size of the police force had grown to about 13,000. To accommodate the additional responsibilities of police headquarters, the construction of a new building on the Thames Embankment was completed in 1890. An additional structure was erected nearby in 1907 and another in 1940. In spite of the additional buildings, the pressure of modern technology and diversification of police duties led to the leasing of the 20-story office building on Victoria Street at Broadway. Renamed New Scotland Yard, it was occupied in early 1967.
   Still an entirely administrative headquarters, New Scotland Yard has no police station. There is, however, a citizens' information office on Victoria Street. The administrative staff in charge of the building itself is headed by an inspector, who is responsible to the commissioner of police.

Uniforms of Great Britain and the Commonwealth


   The dress uniforms of the British armed forces are among the most colorful in the world. They have been changed very little over the years, and they bear markings and symbols that may be traced far back into the history of Great Britain.
   The uniforms of the guards regiments are among the best known. Londoners and tourists throng to Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guard. These soldiers of the sovereign wear brilliant red jackets and blue-striped trousers. Regular headdress for all five of the regiments is a tall bearskin hat.
   Plumes on the bearskin identify the various regiments. The Grenadiers' bearskin has a 6-inch (15-centimeter) white plume of goat's hair on the left side. The Coldstream Guards have a red plume on the right side. The Irish Guards' bearskin has a 6-inch St. Patrick's blue plume of cut feathers on the right side. The Welsh Guards have a 9-inch (23-centimeter) white plume with a 2-inch (5-centimeter) green band on the left side of the headdress. Scots Guards have no plumes on their bearskins.
   The buttons on the English dress uniforms also have special significance. Evenly spaced tunic buttons are the mark of the Grenadier. The other guards wear buttons in groups of twos, threes, fours, or fives to indicate their regiment. Full dress for the Scots Guards is a brilliant Highland uniform with kilts.
   Regular summer and winter uniforms for the British Army are khaki. A darker shade is used for battle dress. Uniforms of the British Navy are the familiar navy blue. Those of the Air Force are air force blue. The same general pattern of color and style is used in other Commonwealth nations, with certain exceptions. One celebrated variation is the slouch hat of the Australian Army.
   Insignia of rank on Commonwealth uniforms are somewhat similar to those used in the United States. British noncommissioned officers (NCOs) wear stripes on their sleeves. British officers, depending upon their service or class of uniform, wear insignia of rank on the shoulder, lower arm, or collar in the same general positions used on United States military dress.
   Before Canada's military forces were unified in 1968, its uniforms were similar in cut and colors to those worn by the armed forces of Great Britain. However, for the development of a national identity within the newly instituted Canadian Armed Forces, a dark green dress uniform was introduced. All members of the Canadian forces wear the common dress uniform. Fatigue uniforms are worn for land, sea, and air units. Members of the Mobile Command, the land forces of the Canadian Armed Forces, wear combat dress resembling that worn by United States infantrymen.


The Victorian Age

   William IV died in 1837, in the seventh year of his reign, and Victoria, his 18-year-old niece, became queen of Great Britain. Three years later she married her cousin Albert, a German prince. As prince consort, Albert gave valuable aid to the queen until his death in 1861 .
   The young girl entered eagerly upon her new duties. Her long reign, 1837-1901, was to be immensely creative in literature and science, and before its close Britain reached the first place among nations in wealth and power. In the first years of her rule, however, the country seemed to be almost on the verge of revolution.
   A series of bad harvests, beginning in 1837, continued into the Hungry Forties. England suffered a wheat famine, Ireland a potato famine. A high tariff on grain (called corn in England) kept out foreign wheat. The price of bread soared. A new Poor Law (1834) had ended the outdoor relief for paupers that had been begun in the time of Queen Elizabeth I. The workhouses that took its place (described in Dickens' novel `Oliver Twist') were more dreaded than jails. Wages were miserably low. A tremendous migration began from the British Isles to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
   A group of reformers called Chartists drafted in 1838 a bill called the People's Charter, calling for universal manhood suffrage. Meanwhile an Anti-Corn Law League had been formed in 1836, to campaign for the free entry of foreign wheat to feed the hungry poor. Sir Robert Peel, the Conservative prime minister, was finally converted to their view; and in 1846 he put through Parliament the famous bill repealing the Corn Laws. Wheat at once poured in from overseas. Prosperity returned, even for the farmers. The working people now began to turn their attention to the new trade unions and to the cooperative movement, started in 1844 by the Rochdale Pioneers. (See Cooperatives)


Corn Controversy.

	 Between 1791 and 1846 the controversy over the corn laws was fought between different interests and classes in society. The landed interest feared substantial imports and sought more protection. The commercial and manufacturing interests, rapidly growing, attacked the corn bounties and demanded inexpensive food.
   An act of 1791 favored farmers and raised import duties to new heights. But for the next 25 years, during wars against France, war conditions gave a natural protection to English farmers. After the wars import duties were again increased. By 1825 agitation against the corn laws increased dramatically, especially in the face of reduced protection for manufactured goods and raw materials.
   In 1838 the Anti-Corn Law League, operating from Manchester, mobilized industry during a period in which the economy was weak. The league claimed that only total repeal of the laws could settle the grievances of manufacturers and of poor laborers burdened with the high cost of living. The league succeeded in persuading Prime Minister Robert Peel to put through repeal of the laws in 1846. The farmers' fear that they would suffer proved incorrect as agriculture became increasingly prosperous under free trade.


The Regency and the Trend to Reform

   George III became insane in his later years and blind as well. For nine years before his death his incompetent eldest son governed as prince regent. (This period, 1811-20, is therefore known as the Regency.) On his father's death, the prince regent became King George IV (See George, Kings of England, Scotland, and Ireland).
   The more progressive Tories now began a series of reforms that opened a new era. Trade unions were partially legalized in 1825. Catholics were admitted to Parliament--after a struggle of many years--by the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829. Harsh criminal laws were reformed, reducing capital offenses to about a dozen. (In 1800, 200 offenses had been punishable by death.) In 1829 Robert Peel set up, for the first time in history, a civilian police force. Started in London, it spread quickly to other cities. The people called the police by either of Peel's names--bobbies or peelers .
   William IV, brother of George IV, began his short reign in 1830 (See William, Kings of England). The reform of Parliament had by now become the burning issue. Extreme Tories, led by the duke of Wellington, stood fast against it. Reform groups in Parliament, including the moderate Tories, drew together and supported Earl Grey, the Whig leader. Wellington's government fell and the Whigs came into power. Lord John Russell introduced a strong reform bill. In the face of tremendous opposition in the House of Lords, the Great Reform Act was passed in 1832. (See Wellington; Russell, John)


SALVATION ARMY. 

A semimilitary religious and social-service organization, the Salvation Army was founded by William Booth (1829-1912), an English evangelist. The revivalist preacher decided to serve people who would not go to church and who perhaps would not be welcome in a church. He brought the church to them by holding open-air meetings in the slums of London's East End. His wife, Catherine, worked with him. Other evangelists soon joined his Christian Mission, which was organized in 1865. In 1878 Booth reorganized the group along military lines as the Salvation Army. As its "general," he headed the group until his death.
   In 1880 General Booth sent Commissioner George Scott Railton, with seven female officers, to "open fire" on the United States. Pioneer groups were also sent to other countries. The movement spread quickly. Today the Army operates about 18,000 centers of religious work in 90 countries and territories.
   Considering themselves the "militant arm of the Christian church," Salvationists wear blue military uniforms. All officers--both men and women--are members of the clergy, trained and ordained by the Salvation Army. Lay members are called soldiers and are required to sign articles of war. A general heads the organization from international headquarters in London. Territorial commanders in various countries administer the work.
   The Army still holds thousands of open-air meetings yearly. It also conducts indoor religious services, including Sunday morning and evening worship, prayer meetings, and Sunday school. It has almost become a distinct denomination.
   The social-service program includes family welfare, transient relief, and visitation in hospitals and prisons. The Harbor Light program is devoted to alcoholics. Shelter is provided for homeless men and women, as are low-cost residences for working women. Homes and hospitals are maintained for unmarried mothers and for children. When disaster strikes, emergency workers of the Salvation Army respond quickly. The Army has a record of service in all United States wars since the Spanish-American War.
   The Salvation Army depends for support on voluntary contributions from its members and the public. In the United States and Canada it usually shares in community chests and united funds. The official organ is The War Cry, published weekly around the world in 45 editions. The Young Salvationist is published monthly for young people.


Zouave.

French infantry corps originally recruited in Algeria from the Zouaves, a group of Berbers, but now drawn from France; wear picturesque Oriental uniform.



The Worlds first Uniformed Police Force

Set up in 1798, the Marine Police Establishment, now Thames Division, has 
been policing the River Thames continually for almost 200 years.
The River Thames has been the centre of international trade since Roman times, making London the 
greatest trading port in the world. In Queen Elizabeth I's reign 20 Legal Quays were introduced in 
order to collect a levy or duty on imported goods. The quays were situated on the City bank between 
the Tower of London and London Bridge. As trade increased the delay in unloading ships became 
intolerable, valuable cargoes were easy pickings for the thousands of criminals and corrupt officials 
operating on the River Thames at that time. Patrick Colqhuon recorded in his treatise on the River 
Thames in 1798, that of the 37,000 river workers 11,000 were known criminals, and more than 1,000 
pirates were operating on the river. It was discovered that twelve wharehouses were processing stolen 
goods in the area of Wapping alone. At times over 1,500 ships would be lying in the Upper Pool and 
over 5,000 in the Lower Pool. The ships were continually harassed by thieves and river pirates. 
River pirates were usually executed at Execution Dock, this is to the east of the police station at 
Wapping. The unfortunate individual would then be chained to the river wall and three tides 
allowed to wash over their bodies as a warning to others. This did not seem to deter them as there was 
no organised body of men to arrest and bring them to trial. This concerned many merchants,especially 
the West India Company of Merchantmen and eventually two men, Dr. Patrick Colquhoun and 
Captain John Harriott , both magistrates, and with the assistance of Jeremy Bentham, an eminent 
lawyer and founder of University College, devised a scheme to police the River Thames. Despite some 
scepticism and opposition from Parliament and the city on the 2nd July 1798 the Marine Police 
Establishment was set up and patrols in rowing galleys were commenced from Wapping. The present 
headquarters of Thames Division still occupies this site. This effectively reduced the losses of cargo 
and led to the arrest of many criminals, so much so, that on 16th October 1798 a riot took place and an 
attempt was made to destroy the Court building. During the riot two police officers were shot, one in 
the hand and the other subsequently died from his wounds. The police officers were ordered by 
Harriott to fire into the crowd, the crowd dispersed and Dr. Colquhoun created a legal precedent by 
allowing one hour to elapse before pursuing the ring leaders of the riot who were by this time known 
to the authorities. One was hanged and a further six were transported. 
The Marine Police became an officially recognised body in 1800 when parliament passed a bill to run 
for seven years, this was extended for a further seven years in 1806. 
It was during these early times that the Marine Police were involved in one of their most serious 
murder investigations. During the year of 1811 eight murders were committed in Wapping, Shadwell 
and St.George in the East Parishes. A man named John Williams was seen to leave the scene of the 
last murder and was apprehended by a group of residents under the old Hue and Cry law established 
under King Alfred the Great in about 890 AD. Williams was taken to the House of Correction at Cold 
Bath Fields, (Mount Pleasant Postal Sorting Office now occupies this site). Before Williams could be 
tried for his crime he was found hanged in his cell. In order to pacify the local populace his body was 
paraded around the streets of the local parishes. Over 10,000 people followed the procession. WIlliams' 
body was interred at the cross roads at Cannon Street Road and Cable Street, the Times reporter records 
the event thus, "The hole was three feet long, two feet wide and four feet deep, the hole was 
deliberately dug small so that these ignoble limbs would not lie as if laid out for a decent Christian 
burial, or in innocent sleep, the body was tumbled roughly out of the cart and forced into the hole, 
where a member of the local community drove a stake through the heart, at this point the air became 
hideous with shouts and execrations. A quantity of unslaked lime was thrown into the hole, the earth 
was replaced and the paving stones hammered down". 
In 1833 the Treasury suggested that all Marine Police Surveyors (Inspectors) be given the powers of 
Customs Officers due to the number of corrupt customs officials at that time. This was approved, and 
to this day all officers on Thames Division of Inspector rank and above are holders of Customs 
Warrants. 
The first Metropolitan Police Act was passed in 1829, but it wasn't until the second Bill in 1839 that the 
Marine Police along with the Bow Street Horse Patrol were incorporated into the Metropolitan Police. 
The Bow Street Runners were disbanded. 
In the early days the patrols were confined to the Upper and Lower Pools. They were later extended to 
above and below the Upper and Lower Pools, first to Vauxhall and Deptford, then to Battersea and 
Woolwich. Two floating police stations were situated on the river, one at Westminster and one at East 
Greenwich on Blackwall Point. Waterloo Pier Police Station, situated on the Embankment, is still to 
this day a floating police station.The floating station at Blackwall was replaced by a land building in 
1894. 
In 1878 a major tragedy struck the river when the passenger paddle steamer Princess Alice was in 
collision with an unladen collier, the Bywell Castle. Of the 802 passengers 640 lost their lives. Due to 
this unfortunate incident steam launches were purchased to allow more efficient patrols on the river 
in 1884. 
In 1907 a petrol/paraffin engined craft was developed at Wapping and were first installed into the 
rowing galleys, this unfortunately affected the balance of the craft and several capsized, one involved 
the loss of life of an officer. In 1914 purpose built craft were in use, and a civilian engineering and 
carpenters workshop was opened, this released the police officers to concentrate on patrolling the 
river. 
The current fleet available for patrolling the River Thames today consists of four different types of 
craft. 
Lives are lost in the Thames because people are all too often unaware of the dangers, or treat the river 
with contempt. A number of dead bodies are recovered by Thames Division officers. However, due to 
the skills and expertise of the officers of Thames Division many lives are saved every year. 
Although Thames Division consists of a small group of officers they are equipped and trained to make 
London's River a safe, and pleasant thoroughfare for everyone's use and enjoyment. 
Daniel Lines
Thames Police Museum 
Comments on this or any other aspect of Thames Division can be made by e-mail to 
thames.metpol@gtnet.gov.uk or by mail. 



Patrick Colquhoun
Born in Dumbarton, Scotland on 14th March 1745. Son of the Registrar. At age 16 went to Virginia, 
USA 
Returned to Scotland in 1766 and set up in the linen trade. 
Became Lord Provost of Glasgow in 1782, set up the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce in 1783. In 1789 
he was bestowed the Honorary title of "Father of the City" due to his successful public service. 
1790 - moved to London to take up position with Government trade. 
1792 - applied and was appointed Magistrate of Worship Street Court, Westminster, under the 
Middlesex Courts Act, which created the first Stipendary Magistrates in England. 
He lived in the East End of London and became familiar with the plight of the poor. He set up the 
Westminster soup kitchen and school for poor boys. 
1797 - Glasgow University conferred LL.D. for his Magisterial work. 
1797-1800 - wrote the Treatise on Crime in the Metropolis. 
1798 - set up the Marine Police Establishmentafter having been turned down by the Lord Mayor of 
London and Government, who eventually relented after pressure brought by Committee of West 
India Merchants. Appointed one of the first Magistrates of Thames Court and retired in 1818 with a 
pension of £90 per annum. He died penniless in 1820 and was never recognised for his outstanding 
achievements in public service, or for his charitable work for the poor of London.

John Harriott
Born in Great Stanbridge, Essex, in 1745. After some schooling was appointed as a Midshipman in the 
Royal Navy rising to the rank of Captain. During his naval career he saw service in the West Indies, 
the taking of Havana in 1762 and the taking of Newfoundland. He returned to England in 1763. In 
1768 Harriott resigned from the Royal Navy after being offered a military posting to India in the 
province of Madras where he was badly wounded in a skirmish with the French backed rebel, Haida 
Ali, a fanatical Hindu. As a result of this injury he was invalided back to England and settled down in 
his native Essex as a wine merchant. He eventually became a gentleman farmer and magistrate in 
Great Stanbridge. He was also an accomplished engineer and inventor and put to work on his ideas. 
His first major success was a road in Harrow and was appointed a surveyor of Essex roads. He also 
invented a pump and was successful in draining the Island of Rushey from the River Thames. This 
achievement led to his award of the Royal Society's Gold Medal. 
His good fortune was not to last, his farm house was burned down and he was forced to convert an old 
barn into a house. Then an abnormally high tide destroyed the river defences on his farm, the result 
was financial ruin. His creditors did not push him for his debts, so in 1791 he emigrated to Virginia in 
America. He became a successful merchant and returned to England in 1795 setting up a factory to 
manufacture a pump for ships that he had just invented. This enabled him to repay all his debts, and 
donated £500 to Pitts Loyalty Fund. 
He prepared a paper on the policing of the River Thames and as a result was introduced to Patrick 
Colquhoun. They jointly prepared the scheme for Policing the River Thames and the setting up of the 
Marine Police at Wapping. He served as a Magistrate at Wapping until his suicide in 1821 after 
suffering from terminal cancer. He is buried in Great Stanbridge.