The Pierhead Sentinel: History of the Newhaven Fishmarket Police Box

The bustling trade of the old Newhaven Fishmarket relied on a precise ecosystem of daily governance. Alongside the market secretary and the harbourmaster, the local police constable was one of three core officials stationed permanently at the pierhead. Operating directly from Box 23 of the Edinburgh police force’s D Division, the market policeman carried out vital duties to maintain commercial order. The constable was responsible for opening and closing the heavy market gates, managing the flow of traders, and ensuring that unauthorized individuals did not access the fish market or the fishing boats docked along the pier.

The structure serving as the center for this local authority is the iconic cast-iron police box located right beside the historic Fishmarket building. Commissioned in May 1933, the kiosk was built using the famous 1929 design by Edinburgh City Architect Ebenezer James MacRae. Rather than opting for plain utilitarian designs seen in other British cities, MacRae crafted these boxes to mirror Edinburgh’s reputation as the Athens of the North. Manufactured by the Carron Iron Works in Falkirk, the structures featured classical rectangular framing, Saltire-patterned moldings, and the prominent city crest stamped on the gables. Originally painted a distinctive dark blue, the Newhaven box was built to withstand the harsh coastal weather of the Firth of Forth while seamlessly blending into the historic architecture of the harbor.

Step inside the compact interior of Box 23 during its mid-twentieth-century peak, and you would find a highly organized, self-contained mini-station. The interior was outfitted with specific equipment designed to support a constable on a long shift:

A wooden desk and stool positioned under a series of wall-mounted pigeon holes, locally known as doocots, which held General Orders, Police Gazettes, and the official Keyholders Book.

A central telephone system placed on the left side of the desk, adjacent to the vital Beat Journal where every patrol entry had to be meticulously logged.

A small sink with running water, a heating element, and a dedicated power point specifically for boiling an electric kettle during breaks.

A foldable wooden stool designated specifically for miscreants or local troublemakers, who were made to sit and wait under supervision until a police transport van, known as a Black Maria, could be summoned to the harbor.

The roof of the kiosk featured a distinctive blue light that could be activated remotely by the local area station to signal the duty constable that an urgent call was waiting. During the years of the Second World War, this signaling infrastructure was upgraded with an air raid siren to provide early warnings to the coastal community of Newhaven.

As technology advanced and personal police radios became standard equipment in the 1970s, these traditional beat boxes were slowly decommissioned across the city. While many fell into deep disrepair, the Newhaven Fishmarket box successfully transitioned into private hands. The structure was acquired by local artist Johnathan Elders, who initiated vital structural repairs and repainted the frame to transform the former security outpost into an independent art gallery and community event space. This modern evolution preserves a crucial piece of Newhaven’s working-class heritage, proving that historic civic design can successfully pivot to serve the cultural life of a modern neighborhood.