Paintings, Prints & Drawings — 1805-1815
The Watch-house
This etching comes from the series 'Fashion and Folly, or the Buck's Pilgrimage' by William Heath, which humorously followed the exploits of two characters - Dashall and Lubin - in the city.
This view shows the interior of one of London's chaotic watch-houses, a place offering shelter to the city's night watchmen. The role of the watchmen was to patrol the streets during the night and maintain order.
In this etching, the disorderly watchmen are shown carrying the tools of their profession, including a lantern and a cudgel.
Watchmen and the parish law they enforced were open to criticism during both the 18th and 19th centuries.
- Category:
- Paintings, Prints & Drawings
- Object ID:
- 44.7/17q
- Object name:
- The Watch-house
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- Sams, William, Heath, William
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
- Production date:
- 1805-1815
- Material:
paper, ink
- Measurements/duration:
- H 105 mm, W 223 mm (paper)
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 60%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Permanent collection
- Copyright holder:
digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.