Before the Bobbies. The Night Watch and Police Reform in Metropolitan London, 1720-1830

156 Before the Bobbies

Commissioners and it is under their advice that the Vestry now act in

desiring me to write to you. The Vestry would request you to allow them to

discharge the Oaim by Installments ....^46

Only after St Marylebone's vestry became elective and dominated by

Radicals in 1832 did it threaten not to pay the police rate. In its petition to

the House of Commons in July 1832, the vestry argued that the new police

force was unconstitutional because it cost so much. Noting that the poor rate

was 'nearly double' what it had been before 1829, the vestrymen stated:

Your Petitioners find from the Reports of a Committee of your Honour-

able House in 1828 that you sanctioned the establishment of the present

police force upon the representation of your Committee that a greater

Security would thereby be afforded to persons and property without the

probability of any greater expense to the public, but when Your Honour-

able House learns that such representation turns out to be altogether

incorrect, your Petitioners feel assured you will restore to the Parochial

Authorities that power over its police which is consonant to the Spirit of

the Constitution, and which they always exercised not only without abuse

but with greater advantage to the Parishioners than the Commissioners of

the New Police either do or can and at an expense hardly exceeding one

third of the Sum they are now compelled to pay.^47

This argument over the rates went on for months. In a letter to a colleague,
Receiver John Wray noted he had two options if the parish refused to pay.
First, he could obtain distress warrants on the goods of the overseers of the
poor and vestrymen. Wray argued against this: 'the Board of Vestry Men is
very considerable, and there would be great difficulty in levying upon all, or
still greater, in making a selection .. .'. He noted that the elected vestrymen
were raising the issue, 'who are for the most part, persons of an inferior
station, with whom the Gentlemen will not associate .. .'. Instead, Wray
suggested a second course - the 'fteasury should lend the police the funds
needed until the situation was resolved. He noted the sum would not be
large and 'hitherto, none of the Parishes have refused payment, but have
only asked for time'.^48 Avoiding a head-on confrontation was undoubtedly a
wise choice. Wray still made it clear to the St Marylebone vestry that legally
the parish was liable for the amounts rated and thus the protest would not
hold up in court.^49
Because of an economic downturn that began in 1826, many smaller or
poorer parishes were also hard pressed to meet the demands on the poor
rate when they were faced with the new police rate. 50 St Nicholas, Deptford,
relied primarily on unpaid constables under the old system and spent only
£27 annually on its policing while under the new system it was rated at £202
12s. 8d.^51 The churchwardens and overseers were convinced that the