International Centre for the History of Crime, Policing and Justice

Transcripts: Letter of complaint about the level of pay

24th Nov. 1848

Report

Men joining the Police Service as 3rd Class Constables and having a wife and 3 children to support on joining, are not able properly to do so on the pay of 16^s/8^d [16 shillings and 8 old pence equivalent to £0.83] per week.

Most of the married men on joining are somewhat in debt, and are unable to extricate themselves on account of rent to pay and articles to buy which are necessary for support of wife and children.

We beg leave respectfully to state that a married man having a wife and 2 children to support on joining that is as much he can do upon 16^s/8^d per week – and having to remain upon that pay for the first 12 or 18 months.

[The letter is signed by ten men.]

Contents

• Preface
• Origins of the Met
• Policeman as a Worker
  • Introduction
  • PC Arthur Battle
  • Recruiting the London Policeman
  • Training
  • Discipline
  • Police Sociability
  • Pay and Industrial Unrest
  • Documents
  • Worksheet
  • Transcripts
    • Introduction
    • Extract from Pearce's memoirs
    • Application for a warrant for the arrest of PC Henry Fraser
    • Letter on pay
  • References
• Women Police
• Police-Public Relations
• Public Order
• Crime
• Bibliography
• Acknowledgements

William Edward Pearce 1853-1883