Douglas Labalmondière
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas William Parish Labalmondière CB
(1815–8 March 1893) was the first Assistant Commissioner (Administrative) of the London
Metropolitan Police
and acted as Commissioner
for three months in 1868–1869.
Labalmondière was descended from an aristocratic French
family who had established sugar
plantation
s in the West Indies. He was educated at Eton College
and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst
, where he passed out at the head of the list with exceptional honours, and was commissioned an Ensign
in the 83rd Regiment of Foot
(County of Dublin Regiment) (later the Royal Irish Rifles). He served in Canada
, 1837–1838, carried dispatch
es during Mackenzie's Rebellion
and Papineau's Rebellion
, and was promoted Lieutenant
. He was promoted Captain
in 1844. In 1848–1849, he served in Ireland
during the Irish Potato Famine, with special duties under the Poor Law
Commissioners.
In 1850, he retired on half pay as a Lieutenant-Colonel
and joined the Metropolitan Police as its second Inspecting Superintendent
, effectively functioning as deputy to the two Joint Commissioners, Sir Richard Mayne
and Captain William Hay (who had been his predecessor as Inspecting Superintendent). He was made a Companion of the Bath
(CB) for his services in policing the Great Exhibition in 1851 and in 1855 was selected to attend Queen Victoria
in Paris
.
In 1856, after Hay's death and the reorganisation of the police, Labalmondière was appointed Assistant Commissioner (Administrative). He was responsible for administration and discipline, with the Assistant Commissioner (Executive), Captain W. C. Harris, being responsible for supplies, buildings and other such business. Mayne was now the sole Commissioner. One of Labalmondière's duties was to make quarterly inspections of every police station
and station house, with every tour of inspection taking nineteen days.
After Mayne's death on 26 December 1868, Labalmondière acted as Commissioner until the appointment of Colonel Edmund Henderson
three months later. He continued to serve Henderson and his successor, Sir Charles Warren
, as Assistant Commissioner until his retirement in 1888.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(1815–8 March 1893) was the first Assistant Commissioner (Administrative) of the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
and acted as Commissioner
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is the head of London's Metropolitan Police Service, classing the holder as a chief police officer...
for three months in 1868–1869.
Labalmondière was descended from an aristocratic French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
family who had established sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s in the West Indies. He was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
, where he passed out at the head of the list with exceptional honours, and was commissioned an Ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
in the 83rd Regiment of Foot
83rd Regiment of Foot
The 83rd Regiment of Foot was a British infantry regiment that served in the American Revolutionary War...
(County of Dublin Regiment) (later the Royal Irish Rifles). He served in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, 1837–1838, carried dispatch
Dispatch
Dispatch or dispatches may refer to:In literature* Dispatches , a 1977 book by Michael Herr about the Vietnam War* dispatches , a magazine edited by Gary Knight and Mort RosenblumIn radio and television...
es during Mackenzie's Rebellion
Upper Canada Rebellion
The Upper Canada Rebellion was, along with the Lower Canada Rebellion in Lower Canada, a rebellion against the British colonial government in 1837 and 1838. Collectively they are also known as the Rebellions of 1837.-Issues:...
and Papineau's Rebellion
Lower Canada Rebellion
The Lower Canada Rebellion , commonly referred to as the Patriots' War by Quebeckers, is the name given to the armed conflict between the rebels of Lower Canada and the British colonial power of that province...
, and was promoted Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. He was promoted Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in 1844. In 1848–1849, he served in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
during the Irish Potato Famine, with special duties under the Poor Law
Poor Law
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
Commissioners.
In 1850, he retired on half pay as a Lieutenant-Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
and joined the Metropolitan Police as its second Inspecting Superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
, effectively functioning as deputy to the two Joint Commissioners, Sir Richard Mayne
Richard Mayne
Sir Richard Mayne KCB was a barrister and the joint first Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, the head of the London Metropolitan Police...
and Captain William Hay (who had been his predecessor as Inspecting Superintendent). He was made a Companion of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(CB) for his services in policing the Great Exhibition in 1851 and in 1855 was selected to attend Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
In 1856, after Hay's death and the reorganisation of the police, Labalmondière was appointed Assistant Commissioner (Administrative). He was responsible for administration and discipline, with the Assistant Commissioner (Executive), Captain W. C. Harris, being responsible for supplies, buildings and other such business. Mayne was now the sole Commissioner. One of Labalmondière's duties was to make quarterly inspections of every police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
and station house, with every tour of inspection taking nineteen days.
After Mayne's death on 26 December 1868, Labalmondière acted as Commissioner until the appointment of Colonel Edmund Henderson
Edmund Henderson
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Edmund Yeamans Walcott Henderson KCB was an officer in the British Army who was Comptroller-General of Convicts in Western Australia from 1850 to 1863, Home Office Surveyor-General of Prisons from 1863 to 1869, and Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, head of the London...
three months later. He continued to serve Henderson and his successor, Sir Charles Warren
Charles Warren
General Sir Charles Warren, GCMG, KCB, FRS was an officer in the British Royal Engineers. He was one of the earliest European archaeologists of Biblical Holy Land, and particularly of Temple Mount...
, as Assistant Commissioner until his retirement in 1888.