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By the end of the Eighteenth Century increasing industrialisation and urbanisation resulted in the passing of a number of Private Acts of Parliament to facilitate effective street lighting and drainage, and in some cases 'watching' or 'policing'. Responsibility for such services became the remit of an elected group of trustees known as Police Commissioners. The earliest Police Act for Leith was passed on 29th April 1771 to 'facilitate the cleaning and lighting of the streets of South Leith, Saint Anthony's and Yardheads as well as supplying several parts with fresh water.'
Thirty Police Commissioners were elected for the task and included the two Magistrates of Leith (appointed by the Town Council of Edinburgh), Masters of the Trade Incorporation's, Heritors, Proprietors, Lifeners and Tenants in the Town. To cover the cost of the services provided by the Commissioners, property owners and occupiers were assessed and had to pay a Town Tax. It is interesting to note that the original Act was not concerned with crime prevention, watching or warding.
Despite their best efforts the Police Commissioners were beset by many problems. The water supply from Lochend was completely unreliable and Leith, unlike Edinburgh, still had no pavements. To iniate improvements a second Police Act was passed in 1806 which also extended to North Leith, Coathall and Citadel. The Act introduced various changes including the removal of street obstructions and the laying of pavements in front of proprietors properties. The most significant change, however, was that the Act made provision for 'guarding', 'patrolling' and 'watching'. Despite this clause, a Watching Committee was not set up till 1816. The subsequent Watching Force was further reorganised by the introduction of the final Police Act in 1827.
The Police Act of 1827 was to provide for 'the Municipal Government of the Town and Suburbs of the Town of Leith; for the Administration of Justice; and for the Regulation of the Police therein.' This rather lengthy Act, with over 150 clauses, defined, for the first time, the exact boundaries of Leith and introduced a Sheriff Substitute who could hold regular courts and administer justice for the whole Town.
With the creation of the independent Burgh of Leith in 1833, the Town had two bodies to administer its affairs: the Town Council and the Police Commissioners. The independent nature of the Police Commissioners was finally brought to an end in 1848 when its responsibilities were taken over by the Town Council. The Commissioners did continue to operate in name for the next thirty years, but its membership was identical with that of the Town Council. The system of keeping separate minute books was finally abandoned in the late 1870s.
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