The Story of Scotland Yard

by Basil Thomson

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

376 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1935

About the author

Sir Basil Home Thomson, KCB (21 April 1861 – 26 March 1939) was a British intelligence officer, police officer, prison governor, colonial administrator, and writer.

abridged from Wikipedia

Reviews

[Dhspilsbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

A contextual account during the times of capital punishment and Suffrage.

This is an insider's history and contains many very interesting accounts of crimes such as The Brides in the Bath and how a very slowly evolving police force responded. Many many opportunities missed through the usual political incompetence that causes such long delays in improving efficiency just as evident today. Makes one want to cry!

[Wealhtheow · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the memoir of Sir Basil Thompson, who was head of Scotland Yard before, during and after World War I (or as he calls it, The Great War). In any other hands the tale of a spy catcher would be fascinating, but unfortunately he feels himself unable to give any details or even vague ideas of how actual discoveries are made, and so instead contents himself with "through the usual methods" and then how bravely the spy went to the firing squad. Moreoever, he holds every possible prejudice an Englishman of his time and class *could* hold (against women, Jews, the Irish, the lower classes, and of course, every non-European...) I found both the lack of actual detail and the narrowness of his opinions to be grating, and gave up half-way through. That said, this is an interesting historical document.