Londons first professional police force, founded in 1749 by magistrate Henry Fielding and continued by his brother John Fielding, replacing the corrupt thief-taker system and influencing British policing for the next eighty years. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Institution TypeSourced to the subject's own accountEarly professional police force 1 Founded YearSourced to the subject's own account HeadquartersSourced to the subject's own account Institution Type
Institution Type (category)Sourced to the subject's own account Connections
Founded By
Source Wikipedia: Bow Street Runners
Source Wikipedia: John Fielding
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Bow Street Runners
Lead section
The Bow Street Runners were the law enforcement officers of the Bow Street Magistrates' Court in the City of Westminster.
"Henry Fielding (1750-1754)" section
since 1749-50 Henry Fielding had begun organising a group of men with the task of apprehending offenders and taking them to Bow Street for examination and commitment to trial.
- Founded By: Henry Fielding
View the SourceWikipedia: John Fielding
Founded By: John Fielding, Career sectionQuote, Founded By: John Fielding, Career section
When Henry died in 1754, John was appointed magistrate at Bow Street in his place, becoming renowned as the 'Blind Beak'
Frequently Asked Questions
Were the Bow Street Runners really Britain's first police force?
Yes, in the sense of being the first professional, centrally paid police force in Britain. Founded in 1749 by Henry Fielding, they predated the Metropolitan Police by eighty years, though informal thief-takers had existed earlier.
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