Metropolitan Police: Office of the Commissioner: Letter Books

MEPO 1

1803-1950

Entry books of the Office of the Commissioner's general and confidential out-letters: to the Home Office and other bodies; some relating to dockyard police, and the administration of the Metropolitan Streets Act 1867; letters from the Public Carriage Office to the Home Office; correspondence between Bow Street Police Office (abolished 1839) and Thames Police Office, Wapping (existed 1798-1839) and the Home Office, and between Bow Street Police Court (created 1839) and other police courts; and a register of correspondence of the Police Office, Queen Square, Westminster.

Public Record(s)

English

• Bow Street Police Court, 1839-1839
• Bow Street Police Office, 1740-1839
• Metropolitan Police Office, Office of the Commissioner, 1829-1968
• Metropolitan Police Office, Office of the Commissioner, Public Carriage Office, 1850-1850
• Police Office, Queen Square, Westminster, 1792-1839
• Thames Police Office, Wapping, 1798-1839

69 volume(s)

Subject to 30 year closure unless otherwise stated

In 1850 the duties of the Registrar of Metropolitan Public Carriages, appointed by the Home Secretary under an act of 1838 to license drivers of hackney and stage carriages, were taken over by the Commissioners of Police. They had already been responsible for appointing cab ranks since 1843. A separate Public Carriage Branch was formed to carry out these functions.

In 1853 the commissioners were also made responsible for certifying the fitness of carriages for public use prior to the issue of vehicle licenses by the Board of Inland Revenue and for enforcing good order at cab ranks. Police stations were made responsible for the custody of lost property left in carriages, but by 1876 a Lost Property Office had been established within the branch.

By an act of 1869 all licensing powers over hackney and stage carriages were vested in the Commissioner of Police under the supervision of the Home Secretary. In 1932, with the exception of the licensing of drivers and conductors of public vehicles, they were transferred to the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner. The Public Carriage Office was re-organised and remained in existence to carry out the remaining duties.