Memorial in St Margaret’s Westminster, London commemorating Patrick Colquhoun, founder of the Thames River Police, d. 1821
Location
St Margaret's Westminster, London, England
Transcript
'INTEGER VITAE SCELERISQUE PURUS' [On cloth] 'SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF / PATRICK COLQUHOUN ESQ L.L.D. / ELECTED DURING THREE SUCCESSIVE YEARS LORD PROVOST OF GLASGOW, / HE FOUNDED IN THAT CITY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, / THE ROYAL EXCHANGE TONTINE / AND ESSENTIALLY PROMOTED THE TRADE AND MANUFACTURES OF SCOTLAND. / A DEPUTY LIEUTENANT FOR MIDDLESEX AND FOR XXV YEARS A MAGISTRATE / OF THAT AND THE ADJOINING COUNTIES; / HE ORIGINATED AND GRATUITOUSLY CARRIED INTO EFFECT / THE MARINE POLICE / AN ESTABLISHMENT BY WHICH THE PROPERTY OF THE WEST INDIA PLANTER, / THE MERCHANT, AND SHIP OWNER OF THE PORT OF LONDON / WAS PROTECTED FROM PLUNDER TO A GREAT EXTENT, / THE REVENUE OF THE CROWN LARGELY INCREASED, / AND THE MORALS OF THE RIVER LABOURERS MATERIALLY IMPROVED. / WITH UNCEASING ENERGY HE SUGGESTED AND SUCCESSFULLY PROMOTED / VARIOUS PLANS FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRIMES, / FOR THE SUPPLY OF FOOD DURING SCARCITIES, / FOR THE MELIORATION OF THE CONDITION OF THE POOR / AND FOR THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN. / HE WAS AUTHOR OF THE TREATISES / ON THE POLICE OF THE METROPOLIS AND RIVER THAMES, / ON THE WEALTH, POWER AND RESOURCES OF THE EMPIRE, / AND OF NUMEROUS OTHER IMPORTANT WORKS / ON CRIMINAL JURISPRUDENCE, POLITICAL ECONOMY, / AND ON THE COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURES OF GREAT BRITAIN / SO HIGHLY WAS HE RESPECTED AND ESTEEMED, / AS WELL ON THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE / AS IN THE POSSESSIONS OF HIS MAJESTY ABROAD, / THAT ON THE DECLARED GROUND OF HIS PUBLIC CHARACTER AND SERVICES, / THE FREE HANSEATIC REPUBLICS OF LUBECK, BREMEN AND HAMBURG / CONSTITUTED HIM THEIR RESIDENT AND CONSUL GENERAL, / AND THE COLONIES OF / ST VINCENT, NEVIS, DOMINICA AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS / THEIR AGENT IN THIS COUNTRY. / HIS MIND WAS FERTILE IN CONCEPTION, / KIND AND BENEVOLENT IN DISPOSITION, / BOLD AND PERSEVERING IN EXECUTION / HE WAS BORN IN DUMBARTON IN SCOTLAND XIV MARCH MDCCXIV OLD STYLE, / AND AFTER A LABORIOUS LIFE / ALIKE HONOURABLE TO HIMSELF AND USEFUL TO HIS COUNTRY / HE DIED / ON THE XXV DAY OF APRIL MDCCCXXI AGED LXXVI YEARS'
Details
Type: Wall tablet
Position: West end of nave
Materials: Marble
People
Age: 76
Date of Death: 25/4/1821
Cause of Death: Unknown
Rank / Occupation: Merchant and Magistrate
Organisation: Marine Police
Extra
Recorder: The Arts Society (NADFAS)