Summary
A quiet back street in Islington, Middleton Passage, features a brick wall with numerous carvings. Initially thought to be prisoner numbers from the Napoleonic Wars, an investigation in 2006 by English Heritage revealed they were actually made by Victorian policemen in the mid-19th century. These bored officers, stationed in the area known for crime, carved their collar numbers followed by their division letter, such as ‘RG’ for the Finsbury division.
Key claims
- Carvings on a brick wall in Middleton Passage, Islington, were initially believed to be prisoner numbers from the Napoleonic Wars.
- Investigations in 2006 by English Heritage determined the carvings were made by Victorian policemen.
- The policemen carved their collar numbers and division letters as a pastime while stationed in the crime-prone area.
Entities mentioned
- english_heritage — Investigated and solved the mystery of the Islington carvings.
- victorian_policemen — Carved their numbers and division letters into the brick wall in Middleton Passage.
Concepts covered
- historical_mystery — The carvings in Middleton Passage presented a historical mystery that was eventually solved through investigation.
- victorian_era_crime — The high crime rate in the area led to policemen being stationed there, which in turn led to the carvings.
- policing_practices — The carvings represent a unique, albeit unofficial, form of record-keeping or marking by Victorian policemen.
Contradictions or open questions
None identified.
Source
tblwnjrTwt4_Mysterious_carvings_in_Islington____london__london.txt