AU440 – The History of Detective Branch

In 1842, amid much controversy and political manoeuvring, Scotland Yard became home to a new type of police force – the Detective. Starting with just six Sergeants and two Inspectors, this small group of men would investigate some of the most infamous cases in the annals of criminal history and become venerated by one of the greatest novelists of the age.

And yet, ultimately their demise later in the century would be brought about by one of the most notorious corruption cases of all time.

This five-week course charts this rise and fall and focusses on several of Detective Branch’s most high-profile cases, including the Road Hill House murder, where Mr Whicher had his suspicions, and Frome’s very own awful killing of Sarah Watts.