Archives, though often mentioned in the same breath as museums and libraries, and though sharing some similarities with them, are different in several ways. One crucial distinction is that although museums hold original & unique artefacts, the public are seldom allowed contact with these; libraries on the other hand do allow handling of their holdings by users although they do not usually possess unique items.  Archives not only hold original and irreplaceable items but also provide ‘hands on’ access to their users.  This presents more difficult problems with preservation and though digitising records and making them available online is one solution to this dilemma, it is an expensive and time-consuming option.  Consequently, the favoured answer for many archives, when money allows, is for the most severely damaged and worn items in archival collections to be professionally conserved.

ECA has been very fortunate in these financially-straitened times to have  been awarded a considerable end of year sum for just this purpose.  Our holdings of Lothian & Borders Police records – an important and extensive collection – is about to receive some long overdue TLC.  This contains, among other things, some excellent personnel records which have been well used by both academics and genealogists in the past and some items, such as a series of ‘Weekly Records’ (ED6/5) which are an ongoing log of promotions, punishments and resignations within and from the Edinburgh Police Force.

Opposite is an example of the poor state of some of this series and a volume which is so badly water-damaged and fragile that it is currently unfit for production to the public.  When conserved this, and several other similar volumes will once again be available to the public in our search room.  One comparable volume in this same collection – a ‘Conduct Book’ covering the years 1851-1901 (ED6/8/3) was conserved some time ago, keeping as much of the original volume in tact whilst repairing the most damaged parts. Now, its rich treasure of the records of careers of generations of 19th century policemen  in their impressive – and in some cases, not so impressive detail – is accessible once again to the public.

To give some insight into its content it can be said that although the promotions through the various grades of police officers and their salaries are useful genealogical details, it is perhaps the record of their misdemeanours and subsequent punishments which is so fascinating.

The policeman’s job, then as now, must have been a difficult and often dangerous one. This volume shows that in the 19th century at least, officers were helped through their daily trials by liberal amounts of alcohol.  Even a cursory leaf through its pages is enough to show that occasions  for reprimand, fine or even dismissal for being drunk while on duty could almost be said to be the rule rather than the exception on the evidence of this volume.  In 1879, one Arthur Cooper, not content for merely dropping into the local on his beat for a quick pint was demoted for “…being found along with a Constable of the Section of which he was Sergeant within a Brewery where they had gone to drink.”  Another constable, James Knox, perhaps under the influence himself, was reprimanded in 1899 for “…improperly larking on the public street in uniform.” What the ‘larking’ entailed exactly is not recorded!

Ronald Macdonald, though not specifically reported for drinking, was fined 1/- for being found “…sitting on a wall asleep while on duty” – a feat both difficult and dangerous to achieve one might have thought.  Finally, whether or not drink was involved in a case of the double dismissal from the service of Andrew Davidson and John Mackay in 1898, or indeed if they had been on duty at the time is not recorded.  The record shows however, that they were “Allowed to resign forthwith for improperly visiting a suspected brothel” – this just goes to show that immorality, as well as insobriety, were not to be tolerated within the ranks of Edinburgh’s 19th century keepers of the peace!