Watchman facts for kids
Watchmen were groups of people who helped keep towns safe. They tried to stop crime and made sure people followed the rules. Governments usually gave them the power to do this. Watchmen have been around in many parts of the world for a very long time. Today, police forces usually do the job that watchmen once did.
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Early Watchmen: Protecting Communities
One of the first mentions of a watchman is in the Bible. The book of Ezekiel talks about watchmen whose job was to warn people if an attack was coming. They would sound an alarm to let everyone know about danger.
Watchmen in Ancient Rome
The Roman Empire turned the role of a watchman into a real job. They had a group called the Vigiles in the city of Rome. The Vigiles were like the city's police force. They helped keep order and safety in the busy city.
Watchmen in England's History
In England, rules were made to have watchmen. The "Ordinance of 1233" said that watchmen needed to be appointed. Later, the "Assize of Arms of 1252" and the "Statute of Winchester" in 1285 were important steps. These rules are seen as early examples of how police work began in England.
Constables and Royal Guards
The Assize of Arms said that constables should be chosen. Their job was to call men to fight if a town was attacked. They also had to stop fights and take criminals to the sheriff. By the year 1415, a watch was even set up for the Parliament of England.
King Henry VII also had a watch for his home, the Tower of London, starting in 1485. These special watchmen became very famous. They are still known today as the Beefeaters.
Images for kids
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False Cape lifesaving watchman
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A city of London Watchman drawn and engraved by John Bogle, 1776.
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"Uncle John" Redd the Bridge Watchman on duty. Taken April 10, 1914.
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A Night Watchman. By Thomas Dekker from The Belman of London (1608).
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The Town Watchman, illustration from Bill Nye's History of the United States (1894).
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Mundy-a Bekci, a night watchman. Ottoman Empire, 1618.
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