5-7 JUNE 2026 – PAST EVENT
ALIBIS IN THE ARCHIVE
Crime investigation has captured the public’s imagination since the early nineteenth century, and the fascination with detectives and their sleuthing adventures endures today. Yet, despite the widespread interest, little is known about how the first professional police detectives developed their investigative skills, including the adoption of new scientific techniques, such as trace analysis, photography and fingerprinting. Dr Angela Buckley will share her original research into this compelling and unique topic. In her talk, she will follow in the footsteps of the Victorian and Edwardian police detectives as they examined crime scenes, gathered clues and tracked criminals on the dark streets of their cities. She will reveal how the first investigators used their skills to solve serious offences, including murder cases, and laid the foundations for today’s detective policing.