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AP Wolf
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Apwolf
Post Number: 2537
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, September 18, 2005 - 2:52 pm: | 
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I have long been vexed by the idea of women being held in custody in police stations in the LVP - overnight or otherwise - without WPC’s to examine them or tend to their womanly needs.
Remember that the London police force was exclusively male at this time, and it would be many years before a WPC came onto the scene of London policing.
However the following transcript from the Old Bailey does show that women were very much officially involved in the examination and care of arrested women in police stations during the Victorian period:
‘The Proceedings of the Old Bailey Ref: t18310217-228

See original
Trial Summary:
Crime(s): theft : pick pocketing,
Punishment Type: transportation,
(Punishment details may be provided at the end of the trial.)
Verdict: Guilty,
Other trials on 17 Feb 1831
Name search for: CHARLOTTE SMITH,
Crime Location: Winfield-street
Associated Records...
Original Text:
654. CHARLOTTE SMITH was indicted for stealing, on the 10th of February, 2 sovereigns and 1 sixpence, the monies of John Wilson , from his person .
JOHN WILSON. I am a shipwright, and live in John-street, Limehouse-fields. I met the prisoner near Finsbury-square, on the 10th of February; she accosted me, and asked me if I would give her any gin; I gave her some at two different houses; we then went to a house in Winfield-street - we went into a bed-room; I staid there more than half an hour - I had two sovereigns and one sixpence in my pocket, which I know were safe ten minutes before I went into the room; I observed her put her hand into my right-hand pocket, and I gave her in charge - I was rather fresh with liquor.
Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. Where did you meet her? A. At the corner of Finsbury-square - we went to a public-house - I had a glass of gin at two houses, and gave her the same; we then went on towards Spitalfield's church, and she proffered to show me the way - I do not remember what time it was; I do not remember telling her it was too late for me to go home - I do not know who proposed my going with her; she seduced me - I do not remember seeing the landlady; I did not pay for the room, nor give the prisoner any thing, nor send out for more liquor, nor lay down on the bed - I had requested her to let me go home before I went in, but I was rather in liquor and went with her; I kept all my clothes on all the time - I do not remember a sovereign being on the floor, and our having a dispute about it - I had not seen any one else in the house, nor made any bargain; I was standing in the room when the Policeman came in - I had put the candle out with snuffing it, about three minutes before the officer came in - I do not know whether she had laid down; I am married.
JOHN ROBINSON . I am a Police-constable. I was on duty near Petticoat-lane - I heard a call for Police, and went to Gun-yard, Petticoat-lane; I found the prosecutor and the prisoner together in the dark, in a lower room - the prosecutor was a good deal the worse for liquor, and the prisoner was worse than him; I took the prisoner - I have one sovereign which I received from Mrs. Francis.
Cross-examined. Q. You say the prisoner was tipsy? A. Yes - they were both so tipsy they hardly knew what they were about; the prisoner was the worst - the landlady brought me a light, but she did not come into the room; the prisoner was so tipsy I had to carry her to the station-house nearly - she behaved very riotous, and bit and struck me; the bed appeared to me as if some one had been lying on it - the prisoner's gown was nearly off, but the prosecutor had his clothes and his hat on - it was between twelve and one o'clock.
SUSANNAH FRANCIS . I am the wife of Edward Francis , a Police-constable; I live at the station-house, in Church-street, Spitalfields. I saw the prisoner the next morning, and searched her - I told her to take her stays off; she put her hand into her bosom, took out two sovereigns, put one of them in her mouth, made a bolt, and swallowed it - she then put the other into her mouth, but I seized the back of her neck and made her put that out; I gave it to the officer.
Cross-examined. Q. She had recovered her senses then? A. Yes.
Prisoner's Defence. It is false - I dropped one sove reign, but I did not swallow one; I picked up the sovereign, but did not know it was the prosecutor's.
GUILTY . Aged 25. - Transported for 14 Years .’ |
Robert Charles Linford
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Robert
Post Number: 5005
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, September 18, 2005 - 3:13 pm: |
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Good point, AP. I think BPS had a small domestic staff (at least in 1881) and maybe they attended to people like Kate.
Robert |
Robert Charles Linford
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Robert
Post Number: 5006
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, September 18, 2005 - 3:49 pm: |
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Here are some snips that show that women searchers were used, though I have seen apparent references to men searching women as well.
April 19th 1860
Aug 30th 1876
Dec 23rd 1852
Robert |
AP Wolf
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Apwolf
Post Number: 2538
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, September 18, 2005 - 4:49 pm: |
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Thanks Robert
Very important snippets, as this is a point I really want to establish.
But more that that, and very relevant to the Eddowes case is the testimony of the arresting officer where he states that the woman was ‘tipsy’ on arrest that night; and then the testimony of the female searcher that the same woman had 'recovered her senses' the next morning on her search.
This is lacking in the Eddowes case. |
AP Wolf
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Apwolf
Post Number: 2657
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 1:05 pm: |
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And, Robert, I did find a 'female searcher' at Bishopsgate Police Station for the period required but I lost the reference. |
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