Monday, October 12, 2009

Where to find a policeman (1879)

From Dickens's Dictionary of London, by Charles Dickens, Jr. (1879):

'Fixed Points (Police). The under-mentioned places are appointed as fixed points where police constable is to be permanently stationed from 9 to 1 am. In the event of any person springing a rattle, or persistently ringing a bell in the street or in an area, the police will at once proceed to the spot and render assistance...

P OR CAMBERWELL DIVISION.

Beckenham - bridge, by railway station
Bell-green, near gas works, Lower Sydenham
Bickley-br, near railway - station (during whole 24 hours)
Centre of Lawrie-pk, Sydenham
Corner of Court-la, Lordship-la, Dulwich
Corner of Nelson-st, Wyndham-rd, Camberwell
“Elephant and Castle,” Newington Butts
Forest Hill railway-station, Forest Hill
Hamlet-rd, Anerley-rd, Upper Norwood
Junction of Brockley and Lewisham-roads
Junction of Brockley, Manor, and Cranfield roads
Junction of five roads, Plasstow-green
Junction of four roads, Norwood Cemetery, Lower Norwood
Junction of four roads, Sydenham-hill
Junction of New-cross and Lewisham roads
Kent House-nd, Lower Sydenham-rd
“Lion,” Camberwell-gate
Nunhead railway-station (during the whole 24 hours)
Peckham-rye, south end of Rye-la
Railway station, Queen’s-rd, Peckham
Southend-rd, Lewisham, or “Green -Man”
The corner of Crescent, Southampton-st, Camberwell
“The Swan,” Peckham-pk-rd
Thurloe-pk-rd, Dulwich railway station, Dulwich Trafalgar-bridge,
Trafalgar-rd, Old Kent-rd
White-gate, Champion-hill, Camberwell

K. OR GREENWICH DIVISION.

At Market-hill, Woolwich
At the bridge over the Surrey Canal in the Old Kent-rd
Centre of Blackheath-village
Junction of Blackheath-rd, Lewisham-rd, and South-st, Greenwich
Junction of numerous roads leading into High-street, Deptford
Junction of Plough-rd and Lower Deptford-rd with several other streets, Rotherhithe
Lee Bridge, junction of Lewisham-rd, Lewisham High-rd, Lee-rd, and Granville-pk
Opposite Greenwich Church
The Broadway, Deptford'.

(Interesting that Brockley and Sydenham came under the police Camberwell division. The full list also includes Southwark, Lambeth, Clapham and Wandsworth locations in South London)

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