The Police Gazette (also known as The Hue and Cry) was a magazine produced in London from 1772 onwards, for circulation among all the police forces of Britain. Its primary purpose was to publish notices of wanted criminals with requests for information, and where appropriate to offer rewards:[1] [2] a kind of early precursor of an Intranet.
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The Quarterly Pursuit was first issued by John Fielding, chief magistrate of the Bow Street Police Court, in 1772.
The publication was repeatedly renamed, first to Public Hue and Cry. It became The Hue and Cry, and Police Gazette on 30 September 1797. It was renamed to Police Gazette; or, Hue and Cry on 18 January 1828. It became simply The Police Gazette on 1 April 1839.[3]
Responsibility for its production rested with the Home Office. Editing was delegated to the Chief Clerk to Bow Street Magistrates Court, notably John Alexander (chief clerk) who edited the Police Gazette from 1877 until 1895. Responsibility for the Police Gazette was transferred to the Metropolitan Police ('Scotland Yard') in 1883 [2].
The Police Gazette is still published today.[3]
The Police Gazette was published as follows [2]:
| Section | Frequency | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Main Magazine | Weekly | crimes committed, information wanted |
| Supplement A | Fortnightly | details of active travelling criminals. |
| Supplement B | Weekly | particulars of convicts on licence, persons under police supervision and other wanted people. |
| Supplement C | Fortnightly? | wanted aliens. |
| Supplement D | Fortnightly, (alternating with Supplement A) | absentees and deserters from HM Forces. |
| Supplement E | ? | photographs of active criminals. |
| Supplement F | - | not issued? |
| Supplement G | Daily | deaths of people who had previously appeared in the Police Gazette. |
The Police Gazette was intended for circulation throughout the British Isles. Since an archive survives in New South Wales, Australia [4], the Police Gazette may also have been circulated in countries governed by Britain around the world. However, local gazettes were printed by states in Australia (see e.g. Victoria Police Gazette which began in 1853).
The Police Gazette records the history of crime; the role of the police; and major social events such as the 'Transportation' (deportation of criminals) to Australia. The many references to personal names - of missing persons, criminals, army deserters and those deported and imprisoned - make it an important source for genealogy when census and marriage records prove insufficient [4].
At least 61% of the total run of issues from 1772 to 1900 survives, archived by the initiative of local police forces, as well as by the British Library[4].
Many of the Supplements between 1914 and 1965 also survive[2].