Arthur Ernest Bassom (14 June 1865 – 17 January 1926) was a British police officer and one of the main pioneers of

traffic policing Traffic police (also known as traffic officers, traffic enforcement units, traffic cops, traffic monitors, or traffic enforcers) are units and agencies who enforce traffic laws and manage traffic. Traffic police help to assist in patrolling ...

with the

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

Metropolitan Police. Bassom joined the

Royal Marine Artillery The history of the Royal Marines began on 28 October 1664 with the formation of the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot soon becoming known as the Admiral's Regiment. During the War of the Spanish Succession the most historic achi ...

as a gunner at the age of 17 and gained the highest possible marks in his gunnery examinations and therefore almost certain promotion. However, in 1886, just before he reached 21, the minimum age at which he could be promoted, he left to join the Metropolitan Police as a

constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. ''Constable'' is commonly the rank of an officer within a police service. Other peo ...

. He was posted to "D" Division (

Marylebone Marylebone (usually , also ) is an area in London, England, and is located in the City of Westminster. It is in Central London and part of the West End. Oxford Street forms its southern boundary. An ancient parish and latterly a metropo ...

), and the following year was transferred to the

Public Carriage Office Taxicabs are available throughout the United Kingdom, and are regulated by local authorities. Types of cab * Hackney carriages (taxis) can be flagged down on the street or hired from a taxi rank. * Private hire vehicles ("minicabs") are pas ...

Scotland Yard Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's London boroughs, 32 boroughs. Its name derives from the location of the original ...

, where he spent the rest of his career. At the PCO his hard work, encyclopaedic memory and innate understanding of traffic problems led to rapid promotion. In 1901 he was promoted to chief inspector in charge of the branch. In 1903 he saw the introduction of London's first motor cab. After completing a course in motor engineering at the

Regent Street Polytechnic The University of Westminster is a public university, public university based in London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1838 as the Royal Polytechnic Institution, it was the first Polytechnic (United Kingdom), polytechnic to open in London. The Po ...

, he produced the Metropolitan Police Regulations for the Construction and Licensing of Hackney (Motor) Carriages, 1906 (The Conditions of Fitness for Motor Hackney Carriages). This included the requirement for a turning circle, and influenced the design of London cabs for a century. In 1906 he was promoted to

superintendent Superintendent may refer to: *Building superintendent, a manager, maintenance or repair person, custodian or janitor, especially in the United States; sometimes shortened to "super" *Prison warden or superintendent, a prison administrator *Soprin ...

on merit. It was said that he could visualise any part of the 700 square miles of the

Metropolitan Police District The Metropolitan Police District (MPD) is the police area which is policed by the Metropolitan Police Service in London. It currently consists of the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London, which excludes the City of ...

and give an analysis of its traffic problems and possible solutions.

Commissioner A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to incl ...

Sir Nevil Macready admitted that Bassom was the one man in the Metropolitan Police who was indispensable, so much so that when he reached the retirement age of 60 for officers below chief officer rank in 1925 he was promoted to chief constable and given the title of Director of Traffic Services in order to retain him. He died in 1926, still in office. He had a detailed knowledge of motor mechanics. He visited nearly every town in the United Kingdom and many in Europe to observe their traffic problems. He framed "

the Knowledge Taxis are regulated throughout the United Kingdom, but the regulation of taxicabs in London is especially rigorous with regard to mechanical integrity and driver knowledge. An official report observed that: "Little however is known about the regula ...

", the test undertaken by all London taxi drivers, and devised the Bassom System of London bus route numbers, some of which still survive in London today; the 13 and 113; the 15 and 115; the 36 and 136; and the 68 and 168. He was awarded the

King's Police Medal The King's Police Medal (KPM) is awarded to police in the United Kingdom for gallantry or distinguished service. It was also formerly awarded within the wider British Empire, including Commonwealth countries, most of which now have their own hono ...

(KPM) in 1919 and appointed

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(OBE) in the 1920 civilian war honours.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bassom, Arthur 1865 births 1926 deaths Chief Constables in the Metropolitan Police Royal Marines ranks Officers of the Order of the British Empire English recipients of the Queen's Police Medal Metropolitan Police recipients of the Queen's Police Medal 19th-century Royal Marines personnel Alumni of the Regent Street Polytechnic