Inner London Probation Service Explained

The Inner London Probation Service existed until 31 March 2001 when it was succeeded by the larger London Probation Area. Its final Chief Probation Officer was John Harding, later visiting professor at the University of Hertfordshire. He succeeded Graham Smith, who went on to be the Chief Inspector of Probation in England and Wales and was knighted towards the end of his career. Seldon Charles Forrester Farmer, OBE was the longest serving Principal Probation Officer for London from 1948 - 1970 when he retired.^{[1] [2]}

The Principal/Chief Probation Officers during its 64 year history were^[3]

1. Guy Clutton-Brock (1937 -1940)
2. Ralph Henry Beeson OBE^[4] (1941 -1948)
3. Seldon Charles Forrester Farmer OBE^[5] (1948 - 1970)
4. Bill Pearce OBE (1970 - 1980)
5. Sir Graham Smith (1981 - 1992)
6. John Harding CBE 1993 - 2001

At an earlier point it was known as the Inner London Probation and After Care Service.

Its boundaries were the same as ILEA (the Inner London Education Service) and it consisted of the 12 Inner London boroughs.

A book about its early years was written by a former employee. It is now called the London Probation Service and includes some of the outer London Boroughs.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Book: Probation Centenary 2007 - A snap shot of the history of the probation service . 2007 . National Probation Service.
2. Book: Statham . Roger . The Golden Age of Probation: Mission V Market . 2014-09-24 . Waterside Press . 9781909976146.
3. Book: May . C . Lord . S . Recollections of Probation in Inner London . 2001 . Inner London Probation Service . London.
4. Web site: Beeson . Ralph Henry . The London Gazette . The London Gazette.
5. Web site: Farmer . Seldon Charles Forrester . The London Gazette . The London Gazette.
6. Book: Page . Martin . Crimefighters of London: a history of the origins and development of the London Probation Service, 1876 - 1965 . 1992 . Inner London Probation Service . London . 0951671103.