City of Vice

In the 1750s London’s perilous streets were run by armed gangs, corrupt night watchmen and thief takers. Then two Westminster magistrates, novelist Henry Fielding and his brother, John, obtained a grant from Parliament allowing them to bring some law and order to the crime-ridden boroughs of Central London.

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Created By

Status

Ended

Original Name

City of Vice

First Air Date

January 14, 2008

Last Air Date

February 11, 2008

Seasons

Episodes

Language

English

Production Companies

Networks

Channel 4

S01E05

Episode 5

Henry looks back on the struggle to fund the Bow Street Runners in the first place, and reflects on how close London came to not having a police force at all… As the new magistrates of Westminster, novelist Henry Fielding and his blind half-brother John want to set up a police force to tackle London's soaring crime epidemic. They find a potential patron in Lord Newcastle, the Prime Minister's brother, but he is unsure of such a force's merits. With the help of Saunders Welch, the High Constable of Holborn, the brothers set out to show Newcastle they can rid the streets of the violent criminal gangs.

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