Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Colquhoun , Patrick , 1745-1820 , economist, statistician and police magistrate
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
Patrick Colquhoun (1745-1820) was appointed a police magistrate in 1792 and posted to the office in Worship Street, Finsbury Square. In 1797 he was requested by the West India merchants to protect their property on the Thames from pillage. He put into operation a scheme projected by John Harriott, and in 1798 the marine police office was established at Wapping, with Harriott as resident magistrate and Colquhoun as receiver. The office was unpopular at first, and a riot took place at Wapping in October 1798. However, the establishment quickly proved effective in bringing law and order to the river.