Thankyou for your reply bjo. If the police station at Whitechapel opened in 1847 do you know where policemen would have been stationed in 1844? I am not even certain that he was with the Metropolitan police. All I know is this, in 1837 he is a seargent in the Police on the christening record of my grt grandfather living in Orange Street Bethnal Green. On 1841 census he is listed as policeman living in Catherine Street, St George East. In 1844 he is listed as Inspecter of Police living at 28 Lemon Street Whitechapel on the christening record of son Edward. By 1851 he is living at 59 Old Street Road and he is listed as a Barristers clerk. He is nowhere to be found on 1861. By 1869 on marriage cert of my grt grandfather his occupation is Warder Millbank prison. I have checked the records they have online for Met police but he isn't there. These only cover enlistments up to 1830. I live in Australia so can't go to Kew to search the rest. Well I will just keep trying eventually the brick wall will crumble Jabawak