Secrets of Margate Police revealed

MARGATE, U.K. - Sept. 24, 2022 - PRLog -- Following years of forensic research, a new book offers readers and researchers unprecedented detail about Margate's finest ... and the less fine. Watch and Ward – a history of Margate Borough Police 1858 to 1943 is an exhaustive account that tracks down every constable who served in the force, along with their 'clients' (ranging from murderers through wife-beaters and swindlers to dangerous drivers, enemy aliens and juvenile pick-pockets). It also contains insights into their 'masters' – the Watch Committee, Margate Town Council, Kent County Constabulary, HM Inspectors of Constabulary, and the Home Office. And alongside those honourably killed in the line of duty, it doesn't shy away from the 'rotten eggs': those dismissed for drunkenness or dishonesty.

Never before has the history of a municipal police force been recorded in such detail in a single volume. Indeed, seldom has this crucial side of any town's development been made available in such an accessible format. The hardback book comprises 942 pages, with 52 chapters, nearly 100 illustrations, and 50 pages of indices for names and locations, so anyone interested in researching the history of their ancestors, or their local area, will find it an invaluable resource.

The author, Nigel Cruttenden, worked for Kent Police for over forty years, thirty of those as a warranted police officer, and many as a major crime scene supervisor or manager, ensuring that no stone was left unturned in his research.

The book is published by Ozaru Books, whose primary focus is works connected with Thanet and East Kent, including many publications about the history of Margate and its surrounding area. It is available on order from online or 'bricks and mortar' bookstores world-wide, using the ISBN 978-1-915174-03-1. For more details see https://ozaru.net/ozarubooks/margatepolice.html.