KAREN CHARLTON
  • Home
  • Author
  • The York Ladies' Detective Agency Mysteries
    • The Mystery of Mad Alice Lane
    • Smoke & Cracked Mirrors
    • Dancing With Dusty Fossils
  • The Detective Lavender Mysteries
    • The Heiress of Linn Hagh
    • The Sans Pareil Mystery
    • The Sculthorpe Murder
    • Plauge Pits & River Bones
    • Murder on Park Lane
    • The Willow Marsh Murder
  • Detective Lavender Short Stories
    • Death At The Frost Fair
    • The Death of Irish Nell
    • The Piccadilly Pickpocket
    • The Mystery of the Skelton Diamonds
  • Catching the Eagle & February 1909
    • Catching the Eagle
    • February 1809
  • Seeking Our Eagle
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Genealogy
    • James Charlton Senior (1700-1770)
    • John Charlton (1746-1818)
    • 'Pious John' Charlton (1769-)
    • James 'Jamie' Charlton (1774- )
    • The mysterious William Charlton
    • The Family Tree: Ten generations
Welcome to the official website of historical novelist KAREN CHARLTON

Article: Bow street magistrates' court

5/12/2014

10 Comments

 

The Fascinating & gruesome history of 
bow street magistrates' court

Bow Street Magistrates’ court, was the thriving centre of policing in the crime-ridden capital of England for two hundred and fifty years. Now abandoned, empty and awaiting conversion into a hotel and museum, the silent and ghostly building has seen some of Britain's most notorious criminals cross its threshold - and it still hides some grisly secrets today. 
Picture
In the mid-18th century, every fourth shop in London was a ‘gin house;’ a vast sex trade sprawled across hundreds of brothels and gangs of highwaymen and cut-throats terrorized the roads on the outskirts of the capital. There was a growing call in the city to find an effective means to tackle the increasing crime and disorder. In 1747, Sir Henry Fielding, novelist and magistrate, persuaded the British government to establish a police force based at number 4 Bow Street in Covent Garden.

Fielding brought together eight reliable constables, who soon gained a reputation for honesty and efficiency in their pursuit of criminals and later came to be known as ‘The Bow Street Runners.’  But Fielding faced an uphill struggle against both organised crime in the capital, and the mistrust of the politicians who paid for his policemen.

Picture
By 1809, the year of my Detective Lavender Series of novels, Bow Street Magistrates' Court had been expanded to include several of the neighbouring properties and prison cells had built built around the back. The number of police personnel had dramatically increased and a horse patrol had been established to bring some law and order to the crime-infested outlying areas. Principal officers were restyled ‘detectives’ and had various roles. Apart from supporting their colleagues in the capital, they were often sent out to help magistrates in the provinces with difficult cases.  They provided security for the Royal Family and the Bank of England and took part in undercover work in periods of insurrection, for example, during the Luddite riots in the Midlands 
PictureThe arrest of Emmeline Pankhurst
Bow Street remained a magistrates’ court until 2004.  During its two hundred and fifty year reign as Britain’s best-known police station, it has had both the famous, and the infamous, pass across its threshold.  From the legendary lover, Giacomo Casanova, to the murderer, Dr. Crippen, and the notorious East End gangsters, the Kray twins. Other notable inmates include: the famous mother and daughter suffragettes, Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst; the brilliant, homosexual playwright, Oscar Wilde and more recently, the Chilean dictator , General Pinochet.

Bow Street Magistrates’ court now stands empty, waiting for its conversion into a hotel and museum. It has an ornate frontage which mirrors the creamy and elaborate façade of the Royal Opera House on the opposite side of the road. But at night, it is silent, dark and brooding compared to the noisy, brightly-lit bistros and taverns on the rest of this busy street. Its façade  is built with pearlescent Portland Stone and it glows eerily in the moonlight.
Picture

Around the back, the building is stark, plain and ugly, with many twentieth century extensions.  A high brick wall with barbed wire encloses outhouses, prison cells and a courtyard, which was used as an exercise yard for the prisoners. My hotel was slap-bang next door and I took these photographs while leaning out of a second floor bedroom window with my camera. 
Picture
I was surprised to learn that the site had been continuously occupied since the mid-16th century. As a result, before it can be refurbished an archaeological study is being carried out.

'What are they hoping to find?’ I asked the hotel manager. And added hopefully:  'Regency handcuffs?' 

'No,' she replied. 'Human remains.’

Picture
PictureThe scales of justice
'But it's a court house - not a church graveyard,' I said, startled. 'It's not consecrated ground!’

‘I don't think it mattered back then,’ she replied with a certain amount of glee. 'If someone died in prison two hundred years ago and was a pauper, they'd just drop them into a hole. There's also a rumour that there was a lime-pit on the premises for disposing of any fever victims.'

I've always known that gaol fever was rife in Britain's overcrowded prisons during this era, but personally, I'm still hoping that my informant had a fevered imagination herself.  The thought that my protagonist, Detective Stephen Lavender, and any of his noble colleagues might have been involved in callously disposing of dead prisoners  beneath the courtyard slabs of Bow Street Magistrates' Court, just does not bear thinking about. 

10 Comments
Nancy
5/12/2014 07:59:08 am

Interesting blog about Bow Street. Most people know something about Bow Street and most think it was the only police office in the area. Bow Street was in Westminster and was one of eight police offices , including the Thames river police. In London itself, the Aldermen were the JP's. The Fieldings and the succeeding chief magistrates at Bow Street did an excellent job of organizing the offices. Peel would not have finally had his bill for a regular police force passed if not for the accomplishments of the police offices. Bow street was the best known

Reply
Lindsay
5/12/2014 08:58:36 am

What a fascinating history. Thanks for sharing it with us

Reply
Kristin
5/12/2014 05:19:00 pm

Really fascinating history of something I only knew about vaguely.

Reply
Bill Pritchard
5/12/2014 07:24:20 pm

Fascinating.

Reply
Margaret Callow
6/12/2014 01:13:37 am

Excellent read Karen and what fascinating things might they find after a dig. Artefacts over the years hopefully - I should love to be there, but maybe there will be a TV programme at some point. My first nurses home digs were in Rochester Row in Westminster so know the area well. Anyway, thanks for this.

Reply
Karen Charlton link
22/1/2015 02:44:11 am

I'm so glad you all enjoyed the article.
Karen Charlton

Reply
Joanne Harvey
29/4/2015 06:32:57 am

What a fascinating piece. I used to be a regular visitor to Bow Street in my former role as an expert witness. Whenever I was required to attend court how my face lit up when I heard it was to be Bow Street. My favourite courtroom in the entire UK. There was so much history, atmosphere and plain downright fascination for me to lap up and there was no ignoring it. I loved it all. I would travel up from Berkshire, fall out of the Covent Garden tube exit straight into Bow Street court house, smile sweetly at security as I offered my bag for searching, wait in the dusty witness area, be called into court, do my 'thing' and then leave via Covent Garden for a wander and a walk down to Leicester Square. Oh yes, they were the days. I loved them. I miss them - and not a Monopoly board in sight! Hurry up hotel, I've promised myself a night there

Reply
peter baggott
12/9/2020 05:12:32 am

Thank you for the article I am researching for a new series of factional crimes series based around the mid 1750's with a black male prime character. You mention 8 Bow Street Runners yet other sources and a friend who was an antique dealer seeking to obtain a "runners" staff sight only 6? None have been described as honest and efficient, one particular was famous for being the contrary. What have you used as your source of information

Reply
Karen Charlton link
25/9/2020 03:06:06 am

Hi Peter, Thank you for your comment. The Bow Street Runners were in operation for nearly eighty years and the number of Principal Officers and constables did vary during this time, depending on funding from parliament. Although, you may be right about how they started out with six. I found 'A Certain Share of Low Cunning: A history of the Bow Street Rumnners 1792 - 1839' by David J. Cox to be particularly helpful, but this may be a little late for your research into the mid-18th century. Good luck with your new book. Best wishes, Karen

Reply
Nancy Mayer
25/9/2020 07:33:56 am

Peter, the reputation of the Runners as well as the numbers of them and the investigating officers changed over the decades.The reputation of the men was wretched at first. They practiced entrapment and some were not much better than the men they arrested.. By the 19th century their repuations had improved. A great deal of the improvement was due to Sir John Fielding, the Blind beak. but it also changed with the change in time and as the old men died off. The whole of the office in 1750 was different from what it became in the Regency period.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    For an occasional newsletter containing news, events and other information from historical novelist, Karen Charlton, please subscribe to the mailing list below.

    Archives

    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    November 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    February 2014
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011

    Categories

    All
    Articles
    Book Reviews
    Catching The Eagle
    Crime Fiction
    Dancing With Dusty Fossils
    Death At The Frost Fair
    Events
    Favourite Authors
    February 1809
    Genealogy
    Getting Published
    Guests
    Having Fun
    Historical Fiction
    Literary Awards
    Marketing
    Murder In Park Lane
    Musings On Life
    News
    Non Fiction
    Non-Fiction
    Northumberland
    Plague Pits & River Bones
    Reading For Pleasure
    Research
    Sales News
    Seeking Our Eagle
    Smoke & Cracked Mirrors
    Stephen Lavender
    Talks And Workshops
    The Border Reivers
    The Death Of Irish Nell
    The Detective Lavender Series
    The Gemma James Mysteries
    The Golden Age Of Crime Fiction
    The Heiress Of Linn Hagh
    The Missing Heiress
    The Mystery Of Mad Alice Lane
    The Mystery Of The Skelton Diamonds
    The Piccadilly Pickpocket
    The Sans Pareil Mystery
    The Sculthorpe Murder
    The Willow Marsh Murder
    The York Ladies' Detective Agency Mysteries
    Writing In General

    RSS Feed