Proposed police protection for Queen's Walk 1855

Police station Queen's Walk 1961

www.picturethepast.org.uk

A report of the Nottingham Town Council’s Chamber Committee in the Nottinghamshire Guardian of 10th May 1855, says there were discussions about the Inclosure Committee’s request for the erection of police houses in several locations in Nottingham including The Meadows, ‘on land which lies at the junction of Queen’s Walk and Kirke White Street’

Alderman Birkin said that the idea of having a police house in the Meadows was not a new one as ‘It was a fact that on a day anything like fine, [The Meadows] were visited by thousands of persons. Amongst these, there was sure to be some disorderly youths, who would either commit mischief or interrupt the peaceful enjoyment of the more orderly portion of the population.’    

Another member of the Committee, Mr Hardy, said he would support the proposal as he believed there was good evidence for the need of a police presence in the Meadows. He said that the ‘the thousands of orderly persons who resorted to the Queen’s Walk for recreation ought to be protected from the rough rabble who took pleasure in mischief and annoyance …including ‘drunken persons on the Walk using the most filthy and abusive language to respectable persons.’