Metropolitan Police Records Online

[sandiep]

I wonder if you can help me........I am trying to find when Samuel John Raphael PC478 no 118936 left the force he joined 14/10/1929.................it was always said in family that something happeded that he had to leave!!

hopefully  sandie

[BarnabyP]

Hello Sandiep,

I think your best bet might be The Met Collection. I believe they have some records from after the 1940s - which is the point to which the Registers of Leavers go - that they can search for you. If you click on the link it will take you to their webpage, where you can get their phone number, email address and physical address. If they can find a date when your officer left the force there might also be a pension record at the National Archives.

They also have a nice little museum over there - where you could talk directly to the staff about the history of the Met.

Hope that helps.

Regards, BarnabyP

[sandiep]

thank you

I tried to find him on your transcriptions but got a bit confused trying to use them

I take it from your reply you dont think I would find them on these?

I will gicve the museum a try  thanks  sandie

[jmp]

Hi BarnabyP

I am not sure if my friends rellie has "fallen between the stools" as it were. William Evans ( sometimes called William Thomas Evans) born 1832 Kidderminster, Worcestershire was a police constable in London ( Shoreditch area I think) in the Censuses between 1861 and 1881, he is listed as retired in the 1891 Census. I believe the family came to the London area between 1851 and 61. I have found a reference on the TNA site to his retirement between 1879 and 1881 under MEPO 21/15/5416. But I am afraid I am not having any luck on the images you have transcribed. Would he be there by any chance?

Any help even if it is a "no" would be useful 

Many thanks
Jackie

[kesannah]

Congratulations on all your hard work.

I have a problem. I have tried to find 2 family members.

One I have a warrant No for 188k but no name .

 The other I have name Joseph Watson b 1902 West Ham but do not have any other information other than he was a policeman in the Met.

Is it possible you could help please?

[BarnabyP]

Hello jmp,

I have looked at the pension record that you have found a reference to - number 5416. I can tell you that it details a William Evans (which you know), who was born in Kidderminster, Worcester on the 18 June 1832. He joined in 1858. Hopefully that matches the details of the person that you are looking for. The original document can be viewed at TNA or you can order a copy via their website.

Unfortunately there is a gap in the various joining and leaving records held at The National Archives from around 1857 to 1891, so this might be your best bet.

Hope that's better than a no.

Regards, BarnabyP

[BarnabyP]

Hello kesannah,

I'm not sure that with the records that I have I can be very helpful. The divisional number of 188K is the number that officers were issued when working within a division, in this case division K. Unfortunately these numbers weren't unique to a person, so when officer 188 moved to another division the next officer would inherit this number and so on.

Also I have had a look for a Joseph Watson and can't find him in the Registers of Leavers  - which only go as far as 1947. I've had a quick look on the Alphabetical Registers of Joiners and couldn't see a Joseph Watson in there either - it covered 1911 to 1933. Is it possible that he served in the City of London Police?

The best thing I can recommend is to contact The Met Collection (email on the linked page) and see if they can do a look-up in their records - as they have some which cover officers who joined later in the 1900s and have more records indexed. If you know when the officer with 188K served that should help narrow it down for them.

Sorry I can't be of more help , BarnabyP

[jmp]

Thank you BarnabyP, that is very kind of you to look re William Evans. Yes it is the same chap and I'm glad that I wasnt missing anything obvious in your wonderful indexes .  I didnt know the joining date but it fits in weith the move to London ;)Thought that he had probably fallen into the "black hole" of missing records, just my luck as per usual, but will chase up the National Archives information on the pension

Many thanks for all you have done
Jackie

[kesannah]

Hello Barnaby, Thanks for looking for both of  my policemen.

It is possible that Joseph Watson was in the City of London police,so I shall try
The Met Collection.  I don't have the name of 188 so he could be difficult to find.

I appreciate your help.