Bow Street Runners

Bow Street Runners

The Bow Street Runners have been called London's first professional police force. They were founded in 1749 by the author Henry Fielding and originally numbered just eight.

Similar to the unofficial 'thief-takers' (men who would solve petty crime for a fee), they represented a formalisation and regularisation of existing policing methods. What made them different from the thief-takers was their formal attachment to the Bow Street magistrates' office, and that they were paid by the magistrate with funds from central government. They worked out of Fielding's office and court at No. 4 Bow Street, and did not patrol but served writs and arrested offenders on the authority of the magistrates, travelling nationwide to apprehend criminals.

When Henry Fielding retired as 'court' or Chief Magistrate in 1754 he was succeeded by his brother John Fielding, who had previously been his assistant for four years. Known as the "Blind Beak of Bow Street", John Fielding refined the patrol into the first truly effective police force for the capital, later adding officers mounted on horseback.

Although the force was only funded intermittently in the years that followed, it did serve as the guiding principle for the way policing was to develop over the next eighty years: Bow Street was a manifestation of the move towards increasing professionalisation and state control of street life, beginning in London.

Contrary to several popular sources, the Bow Street Runners were not nicknamed "Robin Redbreasts", this epithet being reserved for the Bow Street Horse Patrol. The Horse Patrol, organised in 1805 by Sir John Fielding's successor at Bow Street, Richard Ford, wore a distinctive scarlet waistcoat under their blue greatcoats.

Bow Street Magistrates' Court closed in July 2006, breaking its long association with law enforcement. [cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/5179270.stm | title=Bow Street court closes its doors | accessdate=2006-07-19 | date=2006-07-14 | work=BBC News ] The building is due to be converted to a boutique hotel.

In Culture

A fictional Bow Street Runner named Edmund 'Beau' Blackstone is the protagonist of the "Blackstone" series of historical thrillers by Richard Falkirk (Derek Lambert), set in 1820s London and comprising "Blackstone", "Blackstone's Fancy", "Beau Blackstone", "Blackstone and the Scourge of Europe", "Blackstone Underground" and "Blackstone on Broadway" (see [http://www.crimethrutime.com/library/pages/print/f_print.htm] )The Bow Street Runners feature in an episode of the popular "Carry On" comedy series—"Carry On Dick". In this episode they are made out to be a set of bungling idiots who are frequently outsmarted by Sid James, playing the legendary highwayman Dick Turpin. The Bow Street Runners are also mentioned briefly and with apparent regard in Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist". Andrew Pepper's "The Last Days of Newgate" (2006) describes a fictitious Bow Street Runner, Pyke, who tries to prove his innocence in a murder trial.

Bruce Alexander penned eleven "Sir John Fielding" historical mystery novels. The series, beginning with "Blind Justice" (1994), features a fictionalised "Blind Beak Of Bow Street", ingeniously solving murders, assisted by the Bow Street Runners.

Novelist James McGee has written a series about a Runner named Matthew Hawkwood.

Novelist Jayne Ann Krentz (writing as Amanda Quick) has the hero of her historical novel "I Thee Wed" (1999, second book in the Vanza series) use them as bodyguards for his fiancee.

The Bow Street Runners are depicted in a 2008 drama series on Channel 4 entitled "City of Vice", which featured Ian McDiarmid as Henry Fielding.

There is also a BBC Radio play "The Last of the Bow Street Runners", part of the "London Particulars" stories.

The movie "The Tale of Sweeney Todd" (1998) portrays a young American, Ben Carlyle, who comes to London in search of a diamond merchant who has defaulted on a payment of $50,000 worth of diamonds. Carlyle stops in at the Bow Street Runners' headquarters in search of the man.

Many historical romance novels, such as those written by Lisa Kleypas (particularly the Bow Street series), include the Bow Street Runners - Kleypas discusses her use of the runners in a [http://www.lisakleypas.com/inprint07/someonetowatch.asp note on her homepage] .

A novel entitled "Richmond : Scenes in the life of a Bow Street runner", author unknown, was originally published in 1827 in London, and republished by Dover Publications in 1976. It follows the adventures of the titular narrator Richmond, first his early wandering life, then cases he investigates when he later joins the Runners.

Channel 4's website has a point-and-click adventure game called "Bow Street Runner", where the player is a new runner put on a case and charged with solving it. There are five chapters. The game uses classic point-and-click gameplay elements as well as new styles of play similar to games such as for the Nintendo DS. The game attempts to be historically accurate.

References

External links

* [http://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1403 Bow Street Runners in the Literary Encyclopedia]
* [http://www.met.police.uk/history/archives.htm The Metropolitan Police Service Historical Archives]
* [http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/C/city-of-vice/game/bow-street-runner/game.html Game About the Bow Street Runners]

ee also

* Bow Street
* Bow Street Magistrates' Court


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Bow Street Runners — ➡ Bow Street * * * …   Universalium

  • Bow Street Magistrates' Court — was the most famous magistrates court in England for much of its existence, and was located in various buildings on Bow Street in central London close to Covent Garden throughout its history.HistoryThe first court at Bow Street was established in …   Wikipedia

  • Bow Street — is a thoroughfare in Covent Garden, Westminster, London. It features as one of the streets on the standard London Monopoly board.The area around Bow Street was developed by Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford in the 1630s. Oliver Cromwell moved… …   Wikipedia

  • Bow Street — /boh/ a street in London, England: location of a metropolitan police court. * * * Bow Street «boh», 1. a street in central London, the site of a principal police court. 2. the court itself: »to appear on charges at Bow Street. * * * Bow Street… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Cato Street Conspiracy — The Cato Street Conspiracy was an attempt to murder all the British cabinet ministers and Prime Minister Lord Liverpool in 1820. The name comes from the meeting place near Edgware Road in London. Origins of the conspiracy The conspirators were… …   Wikipedia

  • City of Vice — Format Drama Starring Ian McDiarmid Iain Glen Country of origin United Kingdom No. of series 1 …   Wikipedia

  • History of the Metropolitan Police Service — The history of the Metropolitan Police Service is long and complex, with many different events taking place between its inception in 1829 to the present day. Contents 1 Policing in London before 1829 2 The new police 3 The Metropolitan Police… …   Wikipedia

  • Metropolitan Police Service — Metropolitan Police Force redirects here. For other uses, see Metropolitan police. Metropolitan Police Service Metropolitan Police Force Common name The Met[1] Abbreviation MPS …   Wikipedia

  • London — This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. For other uses, see London (disambiguation). London From upper left: City of London, Tower Bridge and London Eye, Palace of Westminster …   Wikipedia

  • Henry Fielding — Infobox Writer name = Henry Fielding pseudonym = Captain Hercules Vinegar , also some works published anonymously birthdate = Birth date|1707|4|22 birthplace = Sharpham, Somerset, England deathdate = Death date and age|1754|10|8|1707|4|22… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”