The Chieftain: Victorian True Crime through the Eyes of a Scotland Yard Detective
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.40 (768 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0752456679 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 288 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2013-07-15 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
True crime stories from the early days of the Metropolitan Police Detective Branch capture the essence of Victorian crime George Clarke joined the Metropolitan Police in 1841. This fascinating book uses widespread sources of information, including many of Clarke's own case reports.. Though a "slow starter," his career took off when he was transferred to the small team of detectives at Scotland Yard in 1862, where he became known as "The Chieftain." This book paints the most detailed picture yet published of detective work in mid-Victorian Britain, covering "murders most foul," "slums and Society," the emergence of terrorism related to Ireland, and Victorian frauds. One particular fraudster, Harry Benson, was to contribute to the end of Clarke's career and lead to the first major Metropolitan Police corruption trial in 1877
About the AuthorChris Payne is the great-great-grandson of George Clarke, and has spent several years researching Scotland Yard's detective branch during the Victorian era.
Chris Payne is the great-great-grandson of George Clarke, and has spent several years researching Scotland Yard's detective branch during the Victorian era.
"The Chieftain; an excellent read" according to GCThorburn. The Chieftain by Chris Payne is an excellent read as well as being an authoritive and well researched historical document. The book shows the day to day life of one of the first eight Detectives in Scotland Yard, George Clarke who was the authors great, great, grandfather. Its historical accuracy and detailed descriptions of public hangings, murders, scams and fraudsters gives a vivid snapshot of what life would have been like in Victorian London between 1818 and 1900.A Policeman today would be astonished at the authority and responsibility these. Exceptional book on a sorely overlooked subject Tom Wescott If you have an interest in Victorian crime, Victorian police, or simply enjoy a great non-fiction book, you should do yourself a favor and grab this. Rarely does the descendant of a historically significant person also turn out to be a fastidious researcher and talented writer, but Chris Payne is all of these things. The book was a true treat and worth more than the pittance I paid for it.. It is certainly interesting to read about the early development It is certainly interesting to read about the early development of Scotland Yard's detective force and how thoroughness was the main cause of it's effectiveness. Each step of a crime had to be identified and linked to the next. Thank goodness that this has led to where crime detection is as advanced as it is today even though there will never be enough government funding - especially for the detection of white collar crimes.