Crime In The Victorian Metropolis

One could be forgiven, when one sees constant reporting on crimes such as the Jack the Ripper murders, that crime in Victorian London was out of control.

But, just as today, crime waves had peaks and troughs in the 19th century metropolis.

The best source for us today, to help glean some idea of the rate of offending is the annual police reports, put out by various police commissioners.

In these, we can see some of the problems that beset the public and police alike.

The Daily News, on Friday the 20th of August 1875, had this to say about the what the annual police reports revealed about crime in the previous year:-

CRIME IN LONDON

Last year was remarkable for the small number of serious – that is to say indictable – offences against person and property, such as burglary, housebreaking, and larceny.

In 1865 these offences numbered 10,612, in 1868 there were 14,31, in 1874 they had fallen to 10,185.

With the increased temptation to commit crime involved in the augmentation of wealth, which attends the growth of London, these results are gratifying; and as it is to be feared only a small portion of them can be set down to an improvement in human character, some of the credit probably belongs to the police.

STREET ACCIDENTS IN LONDON

A serious item in the annual police reports is punctually furnished under the head of street accidents.

Last year 124 persons were killed in the streets by being run over by vehicles, and 2568 persons were injured by the same cause.

Most of these accidents are caused not by public vehicles, but by light and heavy carts, waggons, drags, and vans.

WHERE ACCIDENTS HAPPEN

Most of the injuries occurred in the Holborn division, and a large proportion of the deaths in the crowded districts of Stepney, Islington, and Camberwell.

The number of the police employed to regulate the traffic and superintend the crossings is being constantly increased, otherwise accidents would be much more frequent.

WHAT CAUSES THEM?

Had the limits of Colonel Henderson’s report permitted, it would have been interesting to learn from him the cause of these numerous accidents.

All he says on the subject is, that “the traffic in the streets increases almost daily, and the majority of them are insufficiently wide to allow to circulate without delay and risk.”

This is no doubt the fact, but it cannot be accepted as a complete explanation.

THE INJURED SOMETIMES TO BLAME

Of course, a certain proportion of the killed and injured are themselves in fault; they are too venturesome – or, what often comes to the same thing, too timid and nervous to avail themselves of the opportunity of crossing in safety, and end by rushing headlong into danger.

INCREASE IN INCOMPETENT DRIVERS

But there is another source of injury to the foot passenger of which it will be necessary sooner or later to take notice.

This is the annual increase of incompetent drivers in London.

There is no city in the world which possesses so competent a body of skilful and courageous drivers as this capital, as certainly there is none where their best qualities are more needed.

EXCLUDED FROM THE STREETS

But in the same thoroughfares with them are to be found others who deserve to be excluded from the streets.

These men are, for the most part, the servants of traders, and are employed, not because they know anything about horses or the conduct of traffic in crowded thoroughfares, but because of their knowledge of the goods in their cart or van.

No streets could be made wide enough for these men, who are constantly causing stoppages, collisions, and disputes.

The House of Commons has appointed many select committees to inquire into subjects of less importance than the London street traffic, which, moreover, is sure to force itself before long upon its notice.