This book provides an account and analysis of the history if the Bow Street 'Runners, ' precursors of today's police force in London. Through a detailed analysis of a wide range of both qualitative and quantitative research data, the book provides a fresh insight into their history, arguing that the use of Bow Street personnel in provincially instigated cases was much more common than has been assumed by many historians. It also demonstrates that the range of activities carried out by Bow Street personnel while employed on such cases was far more complex than can be gleaned from the majority of books and articles concerning early 19th-century provincial policing, which often do little more than touch on the role of Bow Street. By describing the various roles and activities of the Bow Street Principal Officers, with specific regard to cases originating in the provinces, it also places them firmly within the wider contexts of provincial law enforcement and policing history. The book inves