History of the Metropolitan Police

Section Houses

Section houses were originally used as accommodation for unmarried officers, a product of founding Commissioner Sir Charles Rowan's military background and expectation that the men should be housed conveniently for summoning them to duty as they might be needed. It was originally intended to supply one to each section, but this proved an over-ambitious target.

Until the 1930s, section houses provided extremely spartan accommodation, the only furnishings being a bed, a fold-down table and an upright chair. The rooms were regularly inspected for tidiness. As late as the 1930s, the wash rooms were still only a row of sinks and troughs, with no privacy and no running hot water.

In 1933 the Commissioner Lord Trenchard provided section houses with reasonable comfort and modern conveniences with a range of lounges and gymnasia. Until WWII, roll-calls were taken to ensure that all officers were back at their section house by midnight.

By 1968 some section houses still only provided constables with cubicles in which the walls did not extend to the ceiling, and bedrooms no more than 7ft across containing nothing more than a bed, chest of draws and space for hanging uniforms.

In more recent years the number of section houses has reduced, along with the 'married quarters', and officers are normally expected to find their own accommodation. Some section houses still exist, particularly in central London.