This was another visit to a museum that was so small that I thought it was hardly worth blogging about... BUT it might be small (really, it's one room) but it's perfectly formed and I did get some okay pictures and liked the half an hour I spent there. So, here goes...
The City of London- also known as 'The Square Mile'- is the historic centre of London which also contains the primary central business district. It is not a London borough but a county in its own right. Indeed, it is the smallest county in the United Kingdom.
It had a resident population of 9,401 (figures: Office for national Statistics, circa 2016) but over 300,000 people commute to and work there.
The current City Police Headquarters is built on part of a site of a Roman fortress. It is this site that probably housed the City's first 'police' as there has been some form of policing in the City since that time. The museum takes up a small section of this building.
Bollards in the City are painted red and white. I loved this view down to the museum, walking past the nearby Guildhall Art Gallery.
Just before you enter the museum, there is a section devoted to playing cards. Why, I do not know!
If you wanna talk playing cards, then let's talk shoes! I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a pair of these. They're by Lulu Guinness and are from a collection called 'If You Play Your Cards Right.' They first came to my attention when I saw a pair in a Margate vintage shop (in my size) but I wasn't paying either £60 or £70 (I can't remember which) for second hand shoes when they pop up on eBay for a tenner. I will keep searching...
The first cabinet displays a range of historical defensive weapons used in early policing...
There is a sad section devoted to Catherine Eddowes, who was Jack the Ripper's fourth victim. She was the second person killed in the early hours of Sunday September 30th, 1888. She was found in Mitre Square, which falls under the jurisdiction of the City of London.
The next section is devoted to The Houndsditch Murders.
In December 1910, the murder of three City of London Police officers and the wounding of two others was, and continues to be, one of the largest multiple murders of police officers on duty carried out in Great Britain.
The three officers – Sergeants Bentley and Tucker and Constable Choat - were shot dead whilst trying to prevent a burglary at a jewellers in Houndsditch on the evening of the 16th of December and this incident and the events surrounding it formed the precursor to the famous Siege of Sidney Street in January 1911.
Today, 11 Exchange Buildings, Houndsditch no longer exists, a casualty of the Second World War, but the street layout remains unaltered and it is still possible to follow in the footsteps of the three murdered officers – all of whom left behind family responsibilities in an era without a welfare state or benefit system.
The force has come a long way, and changed a great deal, since the Houndsditch murders in 1910. Imagine a time with no patrol cars, radios, traffic lights or even electric street lamps. (source: City of London Police website.)
The rented gang house was next to the jewellers...
Front page raid story...
Information board showing details of the crime...
Their gun and a reflected vain old tart...
Round the corner we find an old-fashioned Police Box, where members of the public could call for police assistance. I recently photographed on of these near Postman's Park and featured it in that blog.
I believe this is a police emergency call switchboard...
Underground torches used during recovery after the Moorgate Tube crash of 1975...
It was a sad time towards the end of the last century as the City played host to IRA bombings...
This is a ruined helmet of a police constable after the Old Bailey Central Criminal court bombing of 1973. The officer survived the attack.
Horses and dogs play an integral role in policing the City. According to these writings, they appear to lead a pretty nice off-duty life!
Uniforms throughout the ages...
This cabinet was probably my favourite and showcases a selection of criminals' weapons. Nice!
Police hats...
After we left, I took a picture of this cooling green sculpture fountain just because I liked it. Not too sure about ye-olde-plastic-carrier-bag in the water, though!
We popped into the next door church of St Lawrence Jewry. It was destroyed during the Blitz in 1940, but rebuilt in 1957 and opened by the Queen.
We popped into Pizza Union in Spitalfields (I was at its sister restaurant in Aldgate East last week) and had this lovely Nutella and mascarpone pizza ring. Delicious!!!!
TTFN
The Miss Elaineous
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