HISTORY OF FINGERPRINTS

[Mervyn Mitton]

There are many aspects of policing that are taken for granted - or, overlooked. For the past 111 years fingerprints and the science of reading their patterns have formed an important part in the science of detecting crimes. Without fingerprints in today's world it is doubtful if we could still control the steady rise in crime.

The man credited with discovering that fingerprints are unique to the person and that they remained throughout life, is Sir William Herschel. He was an Administrator in the Indian State of Bengal and spent time looking into the characteristics of our skin. He realised that this would be an ideal way to track criminals, as it was difficult not to leave an impression on whatever you touched. He was not the first to notice the prints - there are writings going back to Roman times - however, he was the first to link them to the person.

Towards the end of the 19th Century two scientists - working separately - Sir Francis Galton and Henry Faulds, worked out a method of how to classify and research them.

This led to a Royal Commission in 1900 - appointed by the Home Secretary - to investigate a possible use for them. This was led by Sir Edward Henry -

later to become the Commissioner at Scotland Yard. This led directly to the setting-up of a Fingerprints Branch at Scotland Yard - HQ of the Metropolitan Police - in July 1900. Sir Edward Henry had also worked out a classification system and this was the one chosen. The Department now numbers over 600 people - against the original 3 !

Many of us on this Forum are serving , or , exPolice Officers and know how important they are in the solving of crimes. Probably an even more important purpose for them is the ability it gives the Police to find out the antecedants (past record) of a criminal and to be able to tell the Courts of any past crimes.

When I was still in uniform you had to take your prisoner's fingerprints once he had been charged. A dirty job, it involved a brass plate - mounted on a block of wood - a roller, a tube of ink and a special fingerprint form. This had designated spaces for each hand and each finger and thumb.

You inked the plate - rolled his digit - and then transferred it to the right place on the form. When you'd finished you had to clean the mess.

I expect today they are more organised with digital recording - perhaps someone could tell us how it is done today - I'm going back 37 years !

This fingerprint kit is a very early and very rare pattern - probably the first issued on Division. I have no idea of who was responsible for using it - or, what they did with 'lifting' the prints. I have looked through many ref. books - but, it is a neglected subject. I lent this to an exhibition some years ago - hence the label - however, I think it was given out early in the 1900's. I was given it by an old gardener at the house who had been a Sgt.in F Div. - he found it at the back in the stores - long forgotten.

[Arthur R]

Mervyn

Thanks for yet another fascinating story and picture.

Just to add a South African perspective: the Cape Peninsula Urban Police established a Fingerprint Registry, headed by one Aubrey Edward Catherine, in May 1904.

Natal also established one around that time, if not slightly earlier. Apparently the head of the Natal Police CID, Col William Clarke, had to struggle to obtain approval to set up the branch because the authorities thought that "there were not sufficient criminals in the colony to justify it" and "the colony was not advanced enough".

[Brian Wolfe]

Hello Mervyn,

A very informitive and interesting post. I'm not sure if the police and other security forces around the world are finger printed but you are here when you join up. That's all fine and well but it really puts a damper on taking up a life of crime after you retire!

Well done.

Regards

Brian

[Brett Hendey]

Arthur

You are correct about the then Sub-Inspector W J Clarke setting up a fingerprint section in the Natal Police CID in 1898, which was only one year after the first such fingerprint office was established in Calcutta. Clarke's project was started at his expense and only later was it officially adopted.

One of the claims made in Holt's history of the Natal Police was that by 1910 there were more sets of prints on file with the NP than at any other similar office in the British Empire, including Scotland Yard. I am sure that the Metropolitan Police will dispute this but, if the high rate of criminality in KwaZulu-Natal today can be used as a guide, then the 1910 claim may well be true!

Regards

Brett

[Mervyn Mitton]

Thank you for comments. Brett - I would not dispute your figures - it takes only one dedicated person to get things moving. I am in fact surprised at how quickly most police forces adopted - what to them - was a strange set of equipment. The Metropolitan adoption of a dedicated Fingerprints Department was the catalyst that brought them into general use.

[Hugh]

I had occasion not too long ago to have my fingerprints taken for a concealed weapon carry permit. It's a long distance from the old tube of ink and your fingers feeling dirty all day. Your put your fingers on a glass plate, which is then scanned by light, very similar to a copy machine. Your dabs are then digitised and registered electronically, from whence they can be sent round the world. No muss, no fuss.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Thanks for that info. Hugh - I guessed that it must all be digitalised today. Mind you - I expect the Met. are still using ink, they take time to catch-up !