Ireland, Dublin Metropolitan Police General Register 1837-1925

Each record will provide you with a transcript, which will include all or some of the following details:

• First name(s)
• Last name
• Age
• Birth year
• Joined year
• Joined date
• Warrant number
• Trade
• Residence parish
• Residence post town
• Residence county/country
• Archive
• Record source—links to images of the original registers, which you can browse through. Images will often provide additional details such as an individual’s height (in feet and inches), previous public service, and divisions attached to while in the force and dates of joining each.
• Page
• Line
• County
• Country

The records in this collection are from the Dublin Metropolitan Police’s general register comprising recruitment and transfers within the police force from 1837 to 1925. While the register was used up until 1975, due to data protection reasons, only the entries up to 1925 have been digitised and made available.

The general register recorded both biographical and professional details of the men in the force: warrant number, name, age, height, trade or occupation, county, parish, post town, previous public service, by whom recommended, divisions attached to, service details (dates, rank, promotions), good service pay, date and cause of removal from the force, reappointment details, and general observations. From 1858 onwards, religion was added as well.

In browsing the images linked to from the transcripts in this collection, it is worth noting that, up until 1924, entries were arranged in numerical order by warrant number. Jim Herlihy’s book The Dublin Metropolitan Police: A Complete Alphabetical Listing of Officers and Men, 1836-1925 provides an alphabetical listing of the general register.

In 1836, the Dublin Metropolitan Police, alongside the Irish Constabulary (later, the Royal Irish Constabulary), was established. These two organisations replaced the County Constabulary. After the truce of July 1921 following the War of Independece, the Royal Irish Constabulary disbanded and the Civic Guard (later named Garda Síochána na hÉireann) was established. In 1925, the Dublin Metropolitan Police merged with Garda Síochána.

• Begin your search broadly with just a name.

• If needed, you can narrow your results by including additional search criteria such as a year, location, or keyword.