Policing

The Cambridgeshire County Police Force was formed in 1851 and for the first time there was an organised and consistent approach to the control and investigation of crime. The Police played a major role in taking cases before the Courts. They were both investigators and prosecutors, although barristers would act in more serious matters. This is many years before the Crown Prosecution Service replaced the police as the prosecuting authority.

A key tenet in rural areas was the concept of a policeman being resident in larger parishes covering that parish and smaller adjoining parishes. A local approach to local crime. This continued until the 1980s, when it became apparent that criminals were extremely mobile and it made more sense to organise the force around different areas of expertise and that saw the end of the village bobby. Steeple had resident police officers from the mid-nineteenth century and information about individuals will be recorded here under Law & Order.

The resident police officer either rented or lodged in the village, although as early as 1920 the Cambridgeshire County Council on behalf of the Police Authority were negotiating to buy land in Steeple Morden upon which to erect a police house. It is not known which plot the Council had its eye on, but it appears that nothing came of these negotiations. The intention was the police house would be residence and also fulfil the role of mini police station.

By the early 1950s the need for a police house was becoming pressing. Policing had long been structured around the “village bobbies” responsible for maintaining law and order in a parish or two and they needed to live on their patch. After the South Cambridgeshire Council acquired land in Cheyney Street for housing, now Russell Close etc., the County Council applied pressure to have a couple of plots for their Police House. However South Cambs stood firm and told them to look the other side of Cheyney Street, which they did and bought a plot directly opposite!

The land on which this house stands was originally part of The Bell PH and was sold 20 January 1954 by J & J E Phillips, brewers of Royston and owners of The Bell. to Cambridgeshire CC.

The new Police House was built 1954-55 and the first occupants PC Laurence Fuller and Ellen his wife moved in 21 June 1955. The police house was sold in 1984 for conversion to a private house. It has since been much extended and re-modelled, see 20 Cheyney Street page

Police Constables and Wives – Occupiers of Police House

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