New Means to Old Ends 79Another way to increase the vigilance of the watch was to use shifts of
men, that the 'incessant Fatigue of Watching every Night, must inevitably-be
productive of a Languor little compatible with the vigilant Exertion to be
expected from an useful Guard'.^14 The St Marylebone watch committee
came up with a slightly different idea. The Watch Committee received
several complaints in January 1785 about burglaries but could not determine
when they occurred or if the watch had been negligent^144 The Committee
examined a plan to divide the parish into more divisions, using two, larger
shifts of watchmen. However, this would have entailed an additional annual
cost of £2046.12s.Od. and the idea was shelved. The committee hired 13 more
watchmen and another sergeant instead.^145
As a result of a major review of the night watch in 1791, St Marylebone
decided to use two shifts of watchmen from October to March.^146 They
would guard the parish each night from flve in the evening until seven the
following morning. During the other six months, one set of men would watch
the entire night. Instead, however, of having stationary watchmen who would
go their rounds on the half hour, assisted by a few patrols, the committee
recommended that all the watchmen be constantly on the move. The com-
mittee explained:... the adoption of a Patroling [sic] Watch, with their present Stations, but
without fixed Boxes, who should Perambulate their several Districts four
Times at least within the Hour, (by which means every House would be
passed every Quarter of an hour) and who should Cry the Hours and half
Hours, is the most likely mode to produce security, and to Detect Offenders
[Emphasis added].The plan was approved unanimously and became the permanent mode of
watching in St Marylebone.^147
In the parish of StJames, Piccadilly, bordering St Marylebone, an evening
patrol was established in 1793, suggested by flve magistrates, 'acting for
the said Parish of St James'.^148 The vestry reviewed the watch system
in 1794 when their clerk, Mr Dyson, reported that the watch rate had
been running a surplus for four years. The parish could employ 60 additional
watchmen from October to February and it would only cost £490.^149
The vestry asked Dyson 'to enquire what Plans are at present adopted
by the adjoining Parishes in the Appointment and Employment of
their Watchmen'.^150 There is no direct evidence that Dyson communicated
with St Marylebone, but the Piccadilly watch committee recommended
adoption of the same system used in that neighbouring parish - two shifts
of watchmen in the winter and all the watchmen to patrol. The St James'
committee also recommended that 'the said several Watchmen shall take
the first and second Watch alternately every Night, so that the Duty may
be equal'.^151