In addition, as was happening in the 1690 s—though now to an even greater
extent—it was common for beadles to take on the additional role of deputy con-
stable. In 1730 , for example, eleven of the City’s twenty-eight beadles also served
as deputies; in 1742 , sixteen.^109 It is possible that some took on the office because
they were available and no one else would do it. It is more likely that they valued
the extra fee it would provide on top of the salary that all beadles received, and
at the same time the added authority and the measure of protection from the
insults and assaults that might come their way in the streets.^110
Whether frequent service meant devotion to the work of the constabulary is
another matter. It is difficult in fact to discover how commonly the constables
were likely to be called upon to perform some aspect of their duty. Only a small
proportion of a busy constable’s work would have left traces in the records, and
in any case only a handful of records survive. One source that provides some in-
dication of how busy a typical constable might be is the lord mayor’s Charge
Constables and Other Officers 151(^109) Rep 134 , pp. 91 – 5 , 101 – 2 ; Rep 146 , pp. 57 – 61.
(^110) For beadles, see below pp. 163‒8.
Table 3 .4.Multiple years of service by deputy constables in four selected wards,
1721 – 1737
Number of individual deputies in Total number
Number of Bread Street Coleman Cornhill Tower of deputies %
years served Street
1 6 6 7 12 31 33.3
2 3 1 1 10 15 16.1
3 6 2 3 4 15 16.1
4 3 3 3 1 10 10.8
5 2 — — 1 3 3.2
6 — — 1 2 3 3.2
7 1 — 2 3 6 6.5
8 — — — 1 1 1.1
9 1 — — — 1 1.1
10 1 1 — — 2 2.2
11 — 1 1 — 2 2.2
12 — — — 1 1 1.1
13 — — — 1 1 1.1
14 1 — — — 1 1.1
15 — — — — — —
16 1 — — — 1 1.1
Total number
of deputies 25 14 18 36 93
Average years
served 4. 2 3. 4 3. 0 3. 3 3. 6
Source: Reps 125 – 41