ABSTRACT
The greatest amount of distress prevailing at the present time is chiefly extended to Provincial Towns, and not in the Metropolis. The Metropolitan Police were often used by the Home Secretary to gather information and intelligence on various aspects of the social and economic life of London. The Home Secretary at the time, Richard Cross, requested the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police to use his force to survey London. This chapter illustrates the intimate knowledge that police officers had of the nature of the social and economic pressures in the areas they policed. It explains the efficiency with which the police could gather and channel information on social problems. In addition, however, alongside the detailed knowledge of the condition of the working-classes, the chapter shows a pragmatic acceptance of both poverty and hardship coupled with a measure of sympathy and concern.
