Essex Police Records 1840 - 1881

An early policeman, sometimes called a Peeler or Bobby
Image from Punch, 1845, courtesy of the Harold B. Lee Library on Flickr NKCR
Essex Police Records 1840 - 1881 - officers surnames starting with the letter Sm to Sy.
The first General Force Register listing all the officers is in the Essex Record Office 'ERO' under reference J/P 2/1. It covers the period 1840-1881.
Images of the records are available online, but until now the records have not been indexed by name as the records are arranged by rank and collar number. Now History House has indexed them by name with their place of birth and linked them to the image of their individual record at the ERO. There are over 2000 names on the Register. Some names are repeated as they were promoted through the ranks.
Each record gives name, age, date of joining, height, where born, previous trade, marital status and date and reason for leaving the force.
Some records give health details, grading of their conduct, and disciplinary reasons for discharge. Examples include: having got drunk first night on patrol and again next morning (after one days service!); want of bodily strength; leaving his guard in company with a prostitute; drinking on duty; refusing to transfer; and one was discharged because he was connected with a religious group called the Memonites.
The turnover of staff was quite high in the early years as the force seemed to struggle to find suitable recruits. Many of them were former soldiers born in Scotland and Ireland. This large turnover means that many fall between between census dates and you may be unaware that your ancestor was even in the police force. So it is worth checking the list.
As from 21 January 2016 the Essex Record have changed their system, they now require registration and login to view these records. I suggest that you go through this process first to have their cookie in your browser before clicking on these links. Otherwise they will not work.
For further information on the early years of the force, other resources to research your Essex police ancestors and for records covering 1881 - 1910 see our article Essex Police Records
Richard Smart, p.o.b. Hadley Middsx SEAX record
William Smart, p.o.b. Sible Hedingham SEAX record
Charles Smith, p.o.b. Great Chishall SEAX record
Charles Smith, p.o.b. Langham SEAX record
Charles Smith, p.o.b. Wiltshire SEAX record
David Smith, p.o.b. Campelltown (Campbeltown?) SEAX record
David Smith, p.o.b. Campbell Town Scotland SEAX record
Ethelbert Smith, p.o.b. Cheltenham SEAX record
George Smith, p.o.b. Barnack Northamptonshire SEAX record
George Smith, p.o.b. Bishop Stortford SEAX record
George Smith, p.o.b. Dunmow SEAX record
George Smith, p.o.b. Epping SEAX record
George Smith, p.o.b. Loughton SEAX record
George Smith, p.o.b. Norwich SEAX record
George Smith, p.o.b. Roxwell SEAX record
Henry Smith, p.o.b. Wizoe Suffolk SEAX record
Isaac Smith, p.o.b. Roydon SEAX record
James Smith, p.o.b. Colchester SEAX record
James Smith, p.o.b. Eastwood SEAX record
James Smith, p.o.b. Mersea SEAX record
John Mantle Smith, p.o.b. Woodbridge SEAX record
John smith, p.o.b. Kells Co. Meath SEAX record
John Smith, p.o.b. Exmouth Devon SEAX record
John Smith, p.o.b. New Ross SEAX record
John Smith, p.o.b. Co. Sligo SEAX record
John Smith, p.o.b. Liverpool SEAX record
John Smith, p.o.b. Middlesex SEAX record
John Smith, p.o.b. London SEAX record
Jonathan Smith, p.o.b. Braintree SEAX record
Joseph Smith, p.o.b. Paulfield SEAX record
Peter Smith, p.o.b. Longparish Hants SEAX record
Samuel Smith, p.o.b. Essex SEAX record
Silvanus Smith, p.o.b. Melton Suffolk SEAX record
Thomas Smith, p.o.b. Kettering SEAX record
Thomas Smith, p.o.b. Rayleigh SEAX record
William Edward Smith, p.o.b. Great Holland SEAX record
William Smith, p.o.b. Ardley SEAX record
William Smith, p.o.b. Aveley SEAX record
William Smith, p.o.b. Cirencester SEAX record
William Smith, p.o.b. Copford SEAX record
Thomas Timothy Smythe, p.o.b. Ashen SEAX record
Snazell, p.o.b. Colchester SEAX record
Samuel Solman, p.o.b. Cressing SEAX record
Raglan Somerset, p.o.b. Stroud SEAX record
William Sopwith, p.o.b. Romford SEAX record
William Sorrell, p.o.b. Boddenham Kent SEAX record
Daniel South, p.o.b. Birch SEAX record
John Southgate, p.o.b. Lawford SEAX record
William Spalding, p.o.b. Danbury SEAX record
Samuel Sparks, p.o.b. Maldon SEAX record
Thomas Sparks, p.o.b. Maldon SEAX record
William Sparks, p.o.b. Suffolk SEAX record
Josiah Sparrow, p.o.b. Doddingham Cambs. SEAX record
Josiah Sparrow, p.o.b. Doddinghurst SEAX record
Joseph Speed, p.o.b. Windsor SEAX record
Joseph Speed, p.o.b. Windsor SEAX record
Robert Spencer, p.o.b. Barking Essex SEAX record
Thomas Spicer, p.o.b. Shoebury SEAX record
Samuel Spiller, p.o.b. Billericay SEAX record
Charles Spinks, p.o.b. Thetford SEAX record
John Spinks, p.o.b. Wymondham SEAX record
Robert Spooner, p.o.b. Rainham SEAX record
Thomas Spooner, p.o.b. Wickford SEAX record
Walter Harry Spooner, p.o.b. Downham SEAX record
William Spooner, p.o.b. Tollesbury SEAX record
Alfred Spratt, p.o.b. Fordwich SEAX record
William Spurgeon, p.o.b. Bury SEAX record
Abel Squinell, p.o.b. Hitcham SEAX record
Edward St.Clair, p.o.b. Oxford SEAX record
Henry Stacey, SEAX record
John Staden, p.o.b. Sundridge SEAX record
William Staggs, p.o.b. Southminster SEAX record
William Staines, p.o.b. Chelmsford SEAX record
Frederick Standingford, SEAX record
Thomas Staples, p.o.b. Knockholt Kent SEAX record
Frederick Starkey, p.o.b. Marylebone SEAX record
William Stedman, p.o.b. Bures SEAX record
John Steed, p.o.b. Great Waldingfield SEAX record
Richard Steer, p.o.b. Dartford SEAX record
Richard Steer, p.o.b. Dartford SEAX record
Richard Steers, p.o.b. Dartford SEAX record
David Stevenson, p.o.b. Ardleigh SEAX record
Thomas Steward, p.o.b. Leigh SEAX record
George Stewart, p.o.b. Butsbury SEAX record
George Stewart, p.o.b. Butsbury SEAX record
George Stewart, p.o.b. Taddingstone SEAX record
David Stickley, p.o.b. Hornchurch SEAX record
Frederick Stock, p.o.b. Barnston SEAX record
James Stoken, p.o.b. Norwich SEAX record
Joseph Stokes, p.o.b. Witham SEAX record
Henry Storey, p.o.b. Templeport Cavan SEAX record
John Stowe, p.o.b. Great Horksley SEAX record
John Street, p.o.b. St Osyth SEAX record
George Strutt, p.o.b. Braintree Essex SEAX record
George Strutt, p.o.b. Braintree SEAX record
Robert Stuck, p.o.b. Marylebone SEAX record
James Sullivan, p.o.b. Bristol SEAX record
James Sullivan, p.o.b. Ireland SEAX record
** Surrey, p.o.b. Little Burstead SEAX record
William Surry, p.o.b. High Roothing SEAX record
Henry Sutch, p.o.b. St. George's Hanover Square SEAX record
William Suttle, p.o.b. Bury St Edmunds SEAX record
Charles Swainstone, p.o.b. Hertford SEAX record
George Sweeting, p.o.b. High Easter SEAX record
William Sweetman, p.o.b. Southampton SEAX record
William Sweetman, p.o.b. Southampton SEAX record
George Swinscoe, p.o.b. Shelford Notts SEAX record
George Swoart, p.o.b. Sandwich SEAX record
James Syer, p.o.b. Kirby Essex SEAX record
Find your Essex Ancestors in the Parish Registers
The Essex Record Office 'ERO' are custodians of the parish registers of Essex. Ancestry.co.uk have now transcribed the entire collection of Essex parish registers. Search now on Ancestry for your Essex ancestors. Then on the results page click on ‘request image’ and you will be taken to the ERO website where you can purchase an image of the relevant page.
Visit our Parish Registers of Essex page for more information.
Find your Ancestors in the Newspapers
Newspaper archives are now a very important source of information for researching your family tree.
Try our example search to help you discover if your ancestors are in the British Newspaper Archive.

Looking for pictures to add to your family tree album?

Ebay is a good source of old images of Essex towns and villages. If you're looking for pictures to add to your family tree album, then try one of the auctions, or there are several 'Buy It Now' shops offering postcards which have been touched up and improved - so if you're unsure about bidding, try these.
Link below already formatted for Essex and Postcards.