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19th Century depiction of the Bow Street Magistrates' Court, to which the Bow Street Runners were attached.

The Bow Street Runners have been called London's first professional police force. They were founded in 1749 by the author Henry Fielding and originally numbered just eight. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For the band, see The Police. ... Events While in debtors prison, John Cleland writes Fanny Hill (Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure). ... Henry Fielding (April 22, 1707 – October 8, 1754) was an English novelist and dramatist known for his rich earthy humor and satirical prowess and as the author of the novel Tom Jones. ...

Similar to the unofficial 'thief-takers' (men who would solve petty crime for a fee), they represented a formalisation and regularisation of existing policing methods. What made them different from the thieftakers was their formal attachment to the Bow Street magistrates' office, and that they were paid by the magistrate with funds from central government. They worked out of Fielding's office and court at No.4 Bow Street, and did not patrol but served writs and arrested offenders on the authority of the magistrates, travelling nationwide to apprehend criminals. The widespread establishment of professional police in England did not occur until the 19th century. ... Bow Street looking north. ... In law, a writ is a formal written order issued by a body with administrative or judicial jurisdiction. ... For other uses, see Arrest (disambiguation). ...

When Henry Fielding retired as 'court' or Chief Magistrate in 1754 he was succeeded by his brother John Fielding, who had previously been his assistant for four years. Known as the "Blind Beak of Bow Street", John Fielding refined the patrol into the first truly effective police force for the capital, later adding officers mounted on horseback. 1754 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the London magistrate. ...

Although the force was only funded intermittently in the years that followed, it did serve as the guiding principle for the way policing was to develop over the next eighty years: Bow Street was a manifestation of the move towards increasing professionalisation and state control of street life, beginning in London.

Contrary to several popular sources, the Bow Street Runners were not nicknamed "Robin Redbreasts", this epithet being reserved for the Bow Street Horse Patrol. The Horse Patrol, organised in 1805 by Sir John Fielding's successor at Bow Street, Richard Ford, wore a distinctive scarlet waistcoat under their blue greatcoats. A traditional waistcoat, to be worn with a two-piece suit or separate jacket and trousers A waistcoat (sometimes called a vest in Canada and the US) is a sleeveless upper-body garment worn over a dress shirt and necktie (if applicable) and below a coat as a part of...

Bow Street Magistrates' Court closed in July 2006, breaking its long association with law enforcement.^[1] The building is due to be converted to a boutique hotel. Bow Street Magistrates Court has been the most famous magistrates court in England for much of its existence. ... Boutique hotel is a term originating in North America to describe intimate, usually luxurious or quirky hotel environments. ...

In Culture

A fictional Bow Street Runner named Edmund 'Beau' Blackstone is the protagonist of the "Blackstone" series of historical thrillers by Richard Falkirk (Derek Lambert), set in 1820s London and comprising Blackstone, Blackstone's Fancy, Beau Blackstone, Blackstone and the Scourge of Europe, Blackstone Underground and Blackstone on Broadway (see [1]) The Bow Street Runners feature in an episode of the popular "Carry On" comedy series—"Carry On Dick". In this episode they are made out to be a set of bungling idiots who are frequently outsmarted by Sid James, playing the legendary highwayman Dick Turpin. The Bow Street Runners are also mentioned briefly and with apparent regard in Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist". Derek Lambert (10 October 1929 – 2001)[1] was educated at Epsom College and was both an author of thrillers in his own name, writing also as Richard Falkirk,[2] and a journalist. ... The Carry On films were a long-running series of British low-budget comedy films, directed by Gerald Thomas and produced by Peter Rogers. ... Carry On Dick was the 26th Carry On film. ... Sid James Sid James (8 May 1913–26 April 1976) was a film and television actor. ... Folk image of a mounted highwayman Highwayman was a term used particularly in Britain during the 17th and 18th centuries to describe robbers who targeted people traveling by stagecoach and other modes of transport along public highways. ... A 19th century illustration of Dick Turpin Richard (Dick) Turpin (born September 21, 1705 in Hempstead, Essex – died April 7, 1739 in York) is a legendary English rogue and the most famous historical highwayman. ... Dickens redirects here. ... Oliver Twist (1838) is Charles Dickens second novel. ...

Andrew Pepper's "The Last Days of Newgate" (2006) describes a fictitious Bow Street Runner, Pyke, who tries to prove his innocence in a murder trial.

Bruce Alexander penned eleven "Sir John Fielding" historical mystery novels. The series, beginning with "Blind Justice" (1994), features a fictionalised "Blind Beak Of Bow Street", ingeniously solving murders, assisted by the Bow Street Runners. Bruce Cook is a child actor who played Patrick Smash in the 2002 film Thunderpants. ...

Novelist James McGee has written a series about a Runner named Matthew Hawkwood.

The Bow Street Runners are depicted in a 2008 drama series on Channel 4 entitled "City of Vice", which featured Ian McDiarmid as Henry Fielding. This article is about the British television station. ... Ian McDiarmid (born August 11, 1944) is a Tony Award-winning Scottish actor born in Carnoustie. ... Henry Fielding (April 22, 1707 – October 8, 1754) was an English novelist and dramatist known for his rich earthy humor and satirical prowess and as the author of the novel Tom Jones. ...

There is also a BBC Radio play "The Last of the Bow Street Runners", part of the "London Particulars" stories.

The movie "The Tale of Sweeney Todd" (1998) portrays a young American, Ben Carlyle, who comes to London in search of a diamond merchant who has defaulted on a payment of $50,000 worth of diamonds. Carlyle stops in at the Bow Street Runners' headquarters in search of the man.

Many historical romance novels, such as those written by Lisa Kleypas (particularly the Bow Street series), include the Bow Street Runners.

References

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 195th day of the year (196th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Bow Street Runners in the Literary Encyclopedia
• The Metropolitan Police Service Historical Archives

See also

• Bow Street
• Bow Street Magistrates' Court