William Leng policeman Wortley area early 1900's

[Leeds Hippo]

iansmithofotley wrote: Hi everyone,There was also another Police Station in the area which was called New Wortley Police Station. It was situated at 69 Wellington Road, Leeds 12 at the junction with Milnes Terrace. It was built as a Police Station and Divisional Headquarters in 1866 and it closed down in 1935. After this date, the premises were occupied by a clothing factory, the Fire Brigade during the war, and then from 1949 until 1959 by the Police again. The premises were later demolished.There was a Police Station situated in Upper Wortley Road from 1857 until 1898. It was next to the Upper Wortley Police Station, shown in the photograph above, which replaced it in 1898. A library was also built next to it. The last Upper Wortley Police Station closed in 1978 but the area was then policed from the 'new' Pudsey Police Station which was built in the early 1970's. Ian         From the Leodis site - gives 95 Wellington RoadQuotec.1950s On the left edge of this view is number 95 Wellington Road, this had been New Wortley Police Station. At the time of this view it was being used as a section house, accommodation for unmarried police officers. A notice board and an emergency telephone are visible. Moving right is number 97, this house is covered with advertising billboards for Cerebos Salt, Rowntree's Dairy Box chocolates and Crosse and Blackwell salad-cream. Wilson Row runs to the right. Bryden's petrol station and garage is partially visible on the right edge.The New Wortley police station is on the Godfrey map of the area - seem to recall it was near the bank on the corner of Wellington road and Copley Hill. What is amazing is the density of population that lived in New Wortley - it was choc a bloc with back to backs at that time - I'm not surprised they needed a police station near by.    

[iansmithofotley]

Hi Leeds Hippo,I agree that the Leodis site states that the premises were at No. 95. However, according to the book 'The Leeds City Police 1836 - 1974' (page 145), the premises were at No. 69, which is where I obtained my information. Possibly, the number of the premises, in the book, is wrong or they are different premises at different times.Ian    

[dogduke]

Jools wrote: Hi everyoneJust to say that having got the full 1911 census details for my Great Grandfather it turns out he was a policeman for the railway company I don't know if that makes it any easier to find out more about him.Jools In the earlydaysof the railways the men who operatedthe primitive signalling of the day were known as policemen.It could be that your great grandfather was employed in thatcapacity.Policemen became signalmen then P.C 'signaller',even todaysignalmen(ers) are referred to as 'Bobbies' in some areas.

[jim]

Hi Dogduke. Although what you say is true for the early days of railways, and that signalmen are still referred to as "bobbies", practically every railway of any size had a formal police force by 1870.I believe it is almost certain that Jools' grandfather would have been a railway policeman in the normal sense when the date of 1911 is what is referred to.

[dogduke]

jim wrote: Hi Dogduke. Although what you say is true for the early days of railways, and that signalmen are still referred to as "bobbies", practically every railway of any size had a formal police force by 1870.I believe it is almost certain that Jools' grandfather would have been a railway policeman in the normal sense when the date of 1911 is what is referred to. I didn'tknow of thetime of formation of proper policeforces on the railway but I somehow knew'someone'wouldTa

[iansmithofotley]

Hi dogduke,There was a form of Police on the railways from around 1826 but the British Transport Police did not become the force that it is today until 1949.There have been various forms of Police in this country since medieval times but, in London, the Bow Street Runners were one of the last organisations until the formation of the Metropolitan Police in 1829 by Sir Robert Peel. The next step was the formation of City and Borough forces from 1835. County forces were established in 1839. Since this time there have been various amalgamations of forces, mainly because of the Police Act 1964. After this legislation, many forces amalgamated between 1965 and 1969. There were further massive amalgamations in 1974, e.g. when Leeds City Police amalgamated with Bradford City Police and parts of West Riding Constabulary to form the West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police (this name only lasted for a short time before it was changed to the West Yorkshire Police). In 1968, the West Riding Police became the West Riding Constabulary until 1974 when the force was devastated and divided up into West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police (later West Yorkshire Police), the South Yorkshire Police (with Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster, etc.) and North Yorkshire Police (which also included York, etc.). Other areas of the West Riding Police changed in 1968 when Teeside Police was formed (later, in 1974, to be called the Cleveland Constabulary which also took in parts of County Durham and Middlesborough, etc.). Further east, in 1974, parts of the West Riding, e.g. Goole, became part of the Humberside Police (which also took in Hull, the East Riding and parts of North Lincolnshire). Parts of the West Riding were also lost to Cumbria and Lancashire.Most of these changes were due to the re-organisation of local government. Personally, I can't believe it has taken so much time before we have a National Police Force.Ian