The Irish Constable’s Guide. Second Edition. Dublin: Alex. Thom & Co., 1888. Pp ix, 480. Publisher’s cloth boards, title in gilt to spine. Light shelf-wear, perforation to inner hinge of title page, otherwise a very good copy. This second edition was revised & enlarged, the author adding new matter of 140 pages.

Galway born Andrew Reed joined the RIC in 1859. From the outset Reed was a talented policeman, and between August 1863 and May 1864 he accrued no less than four favourable records for excellent police work.

In his Irish Constable’s Guide Reed recommended strict sobriety for those policemen wanting ‘to succeed in the service’ and the issues arising from intemperance were of great interest to him. He subsequently produced a significant work entitled ‘The Liquor Licensing Laws of Ireland’ and ‘Innkeeper’s Guide.’