Metropolitan Police A Career Detective from Whitechapel 1887-1912

[Insp43519]

1897 METROPOLITAN POLICE JUBILEE MEDAL: PC. C. SMITH. H. DIV (CID)
1902 METROPOLITAN POLICE CORONATION MEDAL: PC. C. SMITH. H. DIV (CID)
1911 METROPOLITAN POLICE CORONATION MEDAL: PC. C. SMITH (H DIV CID)

CHARLEY SMITH was born on 07/03/1865 in Hannington, Northamptonshire, having worked as an agricultural worker he joined the Metropolitan Police on 27/06/1887 with the warrant number: 72728. He was posted to their H Division (Whitechapel), given the uniform collar number: 135.H, and was stationed at H Division's Commercial Street Police Station. Whilst living in quarters there he appears on the census and electoral rolls between 1891-1895.
Having joined Whitechapel Division the year prior to the 'Jack the Ripper' killings he would have certainly been personally involved in the hunt for The Ripper on his normal patrols, and extra duties, expecially as he was showing an interest in a future with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) through the period of the killings. Who knows, maybe seeing Abberline and his men at work helped decide Charley's future career path onto the Whitechapel CID.

On 30/01/1888 Charley gave his first evidence at The Old Bailey Court, after chasing and arresting a burglar in Spelman Street, Whitechapel. He went on to give evidence at The Old Bailey on a staggering 21 seperate occassions, his cases ranged from burglary, theft, robbery, extortion, counterfeit currency, and receiving stolen goods. Every crime had been committed within the 1, 1/4 mile square of Whitechapel, and many of them within the infamous Whitechapel Public Houses.

On 08/10/1894 Charley was promoted to rank of Detective Constable onto the Whitechapel CID, and was stationed at the Divisional HQ at Leman Street. Once there he would have been one of only 7 Detective Constables, who worked under the direction of a Detective Inspector and 8 Detective Sergeants.
On 22/04/1898 Charley married in Northamptonshire, and he and his new wife moved into 20 Walden Street, Mile End Old Town, (Just off the Whitechapel Road).

On 16/12/1901 Charley was Highly Commended by the Judge at The Old Bailey Court for his part in arresting 3 dangerous members of a notorious London criminal gang, who were wanted for many crimes all over London. He was commended alongside his Detective Inspector, Frederick Wensley, and his Detective Sergeant, Benjamin Leeson, both of which were later to be shot during the SIEGE OF SIDNEY STREET.

On 3rd January 1911 the famous siege of Sidney Street commenced, after police attended at 100 Sidney Street to arrest members of a gang wanted for the murder of 3 City of London police officers the month before.
Divisional Detective Inspector Frederick Wensley of H Division CID knocked on the front door whilst accompanied by a number of Whitechapel Detectives (Including Detective Sergeant Benjamin Leeson) during the siege both of these Detectives from Whitechapel CID received gunshot wounds.
As Charley was a long serving and respected Detective of the same CID office, had worked very closely with Wensley and Leeson, and was living only 3 roads away from Sidney Street, I have no doubt Charley would have been in Wensley's team of Detectives who approached the front of 100 Sidney Street, and went on to be involved in the infamous seige.

Charley Smith served his entire career of 25 years and 4 days with the Metropolitan Police on their Whitechapel Division, and 18 years of which was on it's CID. It is very rare to find medals to a man who stayed on the same Division for his entire career, especially as that Division was the famous 'H' which was involved in so many high profile cases during his time of service.
Charley resigned from the service on 01/07/1912 to an annual pension of £56,12,4.
He moved with his wife back to his birth place of Hannington in Northamptonshire, and stayed there until his death on 13/09/1945 (aged 80 years).

Charley's full size original group of medals are now framed alongside a matching original trio of minatures, against a backing of a detailed street map of Whitechapel, London, dated 1888. (He was 7 days short of receiving the 1887 Jubilee medal, as he joined on 27th June 1887, and the Jubilee took place on the 21st!, so his group was almost a trio with 1897 bar!)
1887 medal was issued as a Uniformed Constable on H Division (One of 287)
1902 medal was issued as a Detective Constable on H Division (One of only 9)
1911 medal was issued as a Detective Constable on H Division (One of approx 12)

A lovely trio to a real hard working and busy 'Commended' Victorian copper, who would have been a very familiar face on the streets, and in the pubs and lodging houses of Spitalfields, Whitechapel, London.

Edited April 17, 2013 by Insp43519

[219PG]

Jon

You certainly saved the best to last !! , I wonder if he is here ? Thanks for sharing your collection and research today.

[Insp43519]

Alex,

You never know! I see the uniformed officers are Met, so you would presume the Detectives are too. Do you know if that photo was taken at Sidney Street? I've not seen that one before.

Jon

[219PG]

Yes it is

[turtle]

Stunning grouping with great research! Collecting british police medals seems to be a really really interesting subject with loads of history!!!

[Chris Boonzaier]

That's fantastic, I wonder if he served in some auxillary capacity in 14-18 ?

[Tom King]

Great research to support this group.

One observation:

On 08/10/1894 Charley was promoted to rank of Detective Constable

Detective rank is not a promotion !

[David B 1812]

Very impressive and interesting group - well done..........

[Polsa999]

Great research to support this group.

One observation:

Detective rank is not a promotion !

I think you will find that it was considered so in 1894

Good research and brilliantly presented...well done !

Edited April 25, 2013 by Polsa999