London’s First Policemen Were Drunk, Violent… and Hated | Crime & Punishment in the Capital City

Macabre London

Jul 01, 2025•28 min

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Episode description

Before the crisp uniforms and community smiles, London’s very first police officers were anything but respectable. In this episode of Macabre London, we uncover the outrageous early days of the Met — when public trust was low, tempers were high, and a night on the beat often ended in a fight outside the pub.

From riotous mobs to internal corruption, discover how Britain’s most iconic police force was built by brawlers, not by-the-book officers.

We look into the horrifying bloody code years, the 200 offences you could be hanged for and the tireless work of Elizabeth Fry and Robert Peel to reform not only prisons but also to try and establish a police force.

Before the crisp uniforms and community smiles, London’s very first police officers were anything but respectable. In this episode of Macabre London, we uncover the outrageous early days of the Met — when public trust was low, tempers were high, and a night on the beat often ended in a bar fight.

From riotous mobs to internal corruption, discover how Britain’s most iconic police force was built by brawlers, not by-the-book officers.

🔔 Subscribe for more chilling tales from London’s dark past.

Todays episode is sponsored by Wolf Escape Games www.wolfescapegames.com - to get your special discount code of 30% off any purchase use the code: MACABRE30

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🔪 If you love British true crime, unsolved mysteries, and historical murders, don’t miss this episode!

Also available wherever you get your podcasts: https://podfollow.com/macabrelondon

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Be sure to check out my other podcast, Killers, Cults & Queens https://podfollow.com/queens

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