Metropolitan Police Historical Collection

Many police artefacts, previously hidden from view, are now on permanent public display at the Met's new heritage centre. Staff will rotate displays from the 15,000 items that make up the Met. Police Historical Collection. These include uniforms, old maps of London, police equipment etc.

Address: The Metropolitan Police Heritage Centre, The Annexe, Empress State Building, Empress Approach,  Lillie Road,  SW6 1TR.

Opening: 10.00hrs to 16.00hrs weekdays
Entry: Free
Nearest Underground Station: West Brompton
Turn left outside West Brompton Underground station and we are on the right about 200 metres away, opposite the Lilly hotel.

The Met. Police Historical Collection research material consists of:-  

• Central Records of Service from 1911.
• 54.000 name database from 1829 which is updated regularly.
• Pension cards for pensioners who have died.
• Police Orders from 1857
• Joiners and Leavers Records.  (copies from National Archive)
• Divisional Ledgers. (consisting of  collar Numbers, previous occupation and armed forces service) for certain periods of time for A,B,E,F,G,H,K,L,M,N,R and Y Divisions.
• Subject and People files.
• Photographs - in the process of being scanned to Hi-Res from a vast collection.

These Databases are held at the Met. Police Historical Collection/Heritage Centre. They are excellent and unique finding aids for family history researchers tracing ancestors with Metropolitan Police connections.

Requesting a search at the Met. Police Historical Collection is free of charge at present (November 2011). For searches requested through FOMPHC, a donation is requested to enable them to assist the Collection with acquisitions and for the continuing research such as the Oral History Project.

If you are interested in buying Metropolitan Police merchandise, please visit Metgifts

For further information please contact us.