How will these resources help you?

The role of ‘law and order’ in society may be difficult for modern students to appreciate. However, understanding its importance is the key to understanding the Victorians. The cornerstones of Victorian society were social stability and economic growth. At the start of the nineteenth century, the enforcement of law and order in England and Wales was the same as it had been during the Middle Ages, despite the vastly increased population in cities. Petty crime, violent behaviour and drunkenness made city dwellers of all classes afraid to walk the streets, leading to the introduction of the first (male only) police officers in London by the Home Secretary, Sir Robert Peel. These resources will provide insight into this pivotal change, as well as the wider picture of criminality at the time.