After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal Origins of Victorian Murder Detectives
Feb 26, 2026
A lively tour of early Victorian policing and how prevention-first constables evolved into plain‑clothes detectives. Tales of bungled manhunts, press fury and the Jade Jones fiasco contrast with the coordinated Manning case and the rise of forensics. Listeners hear about social class, recruitment quirks, early methods like footprint matching, and the slow path to fingerprint science.
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How A Botched Manhunt Destroyed A Crime Scene
- After the stable discovery the police failed to act for 24 hours and conducted a disorganised manhunt across multiple divisions.
- They left the crime scene unprotected, allowing crowds to view the torso and contaminating vital evidence.
The First Eight Detectives At Scotland Yard
- In 1842 the Met established a Detective Department with only eight detectives recruited from the police ranks.
- These first detectives were based at Scotland Yard and marked the formal start of investigative policing in Britain.
Names And Setting Of The Original Detectives
- The inaugural detective roster included inspectors Pierce and Haynes and sergeants Garrett, Thornton, Witcher, Gough, Shaw and Braddock.
- They worked from a modest Scotland Yard courtyard amid wharves, taverns and pie makers, not a formal HQ.
