Charles Reith

Last updated August 12, 2025

Charles Edward Williams Reith (27 November 1886 - 7 February 1957) was a Scottish police historian, best known for distilling the thought of Robert Peel into nine principles in his 1948 book A short history of the British police.^[1] He worked in Sri Lanka as a tea- and rubber- planter, where he joined the Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps and on its disbandment rose to Captain in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers.^[2]

Works

An Ensign of the 19th Foot. A novel, etc, 1925^[3]
The Police Idea, 1938^[3]
Police Principles and the Problem of War, 1940^[3]
British Police and the Democratic Ideal, 1943^[3]
A short history of the British police, 1948^[3]
Comparative systems of law-enforcement, 1948^[3]
The Blind Eye of History. A study of the origins of the present police era, 1952^[3]
A New Study of Police History, 1956^[3]

References

↑ Hjellemo, O., 'A tribute to an unusual historian of police: Charles Edward Williams Reith (1886-1957)', Police College Magazine, 1977,14, p. 5-8.
↑ "Lives of the First World War - Charles Edward Williams Reith". Imperial War Museum.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Works by Charles Reith in the British Library

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[Hjellemo-1] Hjellemo, O., 'A tribute to an unusual historian of police: Charles Edward Williams Reith (1886-1957)', Police College Magazine, 1977,14, p. 5-8.

[2] "Lives of the First World War - Charles Edward Williams Reith". Imperial War Museum.

[BL-3] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Works by Charles Reith in the British Library

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