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I saw the obituary in the Times - A real Met hero - RIP

Peter The Met used to be responsible for policing the Royal Dockyards - Dockyard constables had their numbers on the collar along with an anchor & crown. The helmet plate had their number in the centre with an anchor above. 1st Div - Woolwich 2nd Div - Portsmouth (1860 - 1934) 3rd Div - Devonport 4th Div - Chatham 5th Div - Pembroke 6th Div - Rosyth The only J Wyatt connected to the Dockyard Div that I could find was a James Wyatt - warrant no 80496 - who joined the 3rd Div 13/06/1895 who retired as a PS on the 13/06/1921 while still serving on 3rd Div. Sure its going to be your man Entitled to 1897Jubilee medal - 1902 coronation medal - 1911 coronation medal. Alex

This is currently advertised on ebay as a tipstaff - any ideas where from ?

Metropolitan police officers who returned from retirement to Coronation duties were all given 'O' Division when they collected their uniforms - I believe they took part in practice ceremonies and once the real thing had passed would have handed their uniforms in. Constables and sergeants wore O Div on their collars and in their helmets whilst inspectors had their helmet with O in the centre.

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY. Order of Merit, Medal of Merit (BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND. Verdienstorden, Verdienstmedaille) [DE689] Quantity Available: 1 £65 Click to enlarge Circular gilt metal medal with loop for ribbon suspension; the face with a narrow-armed red enamel cross pattée with a circular central gilt medallion bearing a black eagle, wings outstretched, a laurel wreath between the arms; the reverse inscribed ‘FÜR / VERDIENSTE / UM DIE / BUNDESREPUBLIK / DEUTSCHLAND’ (for Merit to the German Federal Republic); slight contact marks to the gilt; on original ribbon. The Order is the highest honour that the Federal Republic of Germany bestows and was instituted by President Theodor Heuss on 7 September 1951, second anniversary of the founding of the Federal Republic, ‘with the desire to create a visible expression of recognition and thanks for meritorious men and women of the German people and from abroad for service in the fields of politics, socio-economics and intellectual work and for service in rebuilding the fatherland, and, as an award intended for all, for contributions to enhancing Germany’s reputation abroad’. (‘In dem Wunsche, verdienten Männern und Frauen des deutschen Volkes und des Auslandes Anerkennung und Dank sichtbar zum Ausdruck zu bringen, stifte ich am 2. Jahrestag der Bundesrepublik Deutschland den ,Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Er wird verliehen für Leistungen, die im Bereich der politischen, der wirtschaftlich-sozialen und der geistigen Arbeit dem Wiederaufbau des Vaterlandes dienten, und soll eine Auszeichnung all derer bedeuten, deren Wirken zum friedlichen Aufstieg der Bundesrepublik Deutschland beiträgt’). A good example.

Do any of you medal guys know what medals Chief James Bruce is wearing ?

Oh and I forgot to mention that over half of the Hendon Police college estate is to be sold also !!!

Mervyn I'm afraid the Met (and the London Fire Brigade) is going through some of the biggest changes in recent years to save money - The new London Police Model is to put in place soon and many stations are being closed (section houses and police married quarters have long gone) and shift systems changed - to enforce changes a new fast track officer class has just been recruited.The guys now work out of shops & Industrial estates on the pretext of being closer to the community - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The plan for 2013-16 says changes to the Metropolitan police's estate - which has almost 500 buildings - will save £60m in running costs. The plan notes the number of crimes reported at front counters has dropped by 100,000 since 2006/7, and the majority of people report crime over the phone. Each borough will have a front counter open every day for 24 hours and 94 "contact points" will be open a minimum of three times a week. Of the 63 front counters being closed, 34 of the buildings will be kept and 29 sold. Continue reading the main story A further 15 police stations are said to be unsuitable in the long-term and may also be sold once alternatives can be provided, including Barking, Ealing, Chelsea, Tottenham and Chingford. Under a new local policing model, safer neighbourhood teams will focus on clusters of wards, Local Police Areas. Each ward will have its own dedicated police constable, but now only one dedicated police community support officer. The Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) has been set priorities which it will be held to account on. These are reducing key neighbourhood crimes (including burglary and vandalism) by 20%, cutting costs by 20% and boosting public confidence by 20%. Deputy mayor for policing, Stephen Greenhalgh, said despite having to find significant savings, the plan would "allow Londoners to reconnect with the Met, and the Met to reconnect with Londoners".

Peter You have got me thinking there - surely Christie's medals must be in a collection already ? On another note I popped into the Met Police Heritage centre today to look into some old Divisional records re some of my photo's - I was blown away with the history that I held- well worth a visit if you vidit London. Alex

Peter Like you I have never really been interested in special related items but your local knowledge has really helped you find a special group. In these days of body recovery courses e.t.c the thought of a special being involved in such an incident would be unbelievable to the modern policeman. Alex

By the summer of 1943 more than 36,000 men had left the coal industry. The British Government decided that it needed around 40,000 men to take their places. They became known as Bevin Boys when, in December 1943, Labour and National Service Minister Ernest Bevin devised a scheme whereby a ballot took place to put a proportion of conscripts into the collieries rather than the armed services. Alongside the ballotees were also men who volunteered for service in the coal mines rather than military. Between 1943 and 1948, 48,000 young men were conscripted for National Service Employment in British coal mines.

A memorial has been dedicated to thousands of young men who worked in British coal mines during WWII. They were known as the Bevin Boys and they carried out the dangerous, vital, work of keeping coal supplies flowing during the war. Former miners and the Countess of Wessex were at The National Memorial Arboretum at Staffordshire for the unveiling ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Many of these young men wanted to join the military but were forced down the coal pits - some under the excuse they were flat footed or that if they were left handed they wouldn't be able to fire a Lee Enfield 303 rifle.

Same here - strange to think our groups may be researched like the 1887/1897 etc - really don't like seeing guys putting theirs on ebay.

I agree - I have looked at the Met Roll of honour with negative result - I'm afraid guys die during service and if its not through any form of gallantry etc its not recorded - Death cert will give you will give you a result - Keep at it,you will get there. Please let us know the result!

Staying on the topic of police dealing with runaway horses - This 1880's illustration depicts a mounted Met Police constable attempting to rescue a women on a runaway horse in Rotten Row, Hyde Park, London.

Sorry joined 23/06/1884 !!!!!!!!!

Think this is your man - Pc Arthur Bragg - warrant number 69494 - joined the Met 23/06/1864 & posted to C Division - entitled to 1887 Jubilee medal with 1897 bar & 1902 Coronation medal while serving at Greenwich R Division - pensioned 27/06/1910 on B Division Chelsea (Westminster).

Stunning - what a career !! Any images of the man ?

Looks like a drugs raid that didn't find anything so they resorted to animal cruelty when when the bald bird was found.

You could never call this group insignificant !!!!!!! - You certainly have some great police gallantry groups.

Farnborough Police Station 1867 - 1987

Peter By a strange coincidence I know Locksbottom very well as it's only 5 mins away from where I live. Although in Farnborough Kent it is now part of the London Borough of Bromley and has been part of the Metropolitan Police District since 1864. It is rumoured that Sir Robert Peel was lobbied to build a station there by friends because of problems with highwaymen. It was originally on R Division but in 1865 it was transferred to P Division (Camberwell). In 1867 two buildings were purchased by the Met police at Locksbottom to become Farnborough police station and it remained in the Met until 1987. I notice that Pc Smith retired from the Met while on P Division and he was living at Locksbottom. Because of the rural nature of the area I am sure he would have been stationed at Farnborough police station. As for the horse related injury, it might have been a runaway scenario but more likely as a result of an accident on mounted patrol. As you can see from the below entries from the Met Roll of honour these type of accidents were common. PC George Hall Died 4 July 1846, aged 21 Fatally injured when thrown from his horse after 15 hours on duty. PC Malachi Shannon Died 28 June 1856, aged 34 Fatally injured when accidentally thrown from his horse on patrol PC William Fuller Died 19 April 1859, aged 43 Killed taking a police horse to the station when it reared and fell. Insp William Hard Died 11 June 1862, aged 43 Died from a fractured skull caused by a fall from his horse on duty. Sgt Henry Collins Died 21 November 1866, aged 38 Fatally injured apparently having been thrown from his horse at night. Sgt George Robins Died 11 October 1870, aged 46 Killed when kicked by his horse while practicing mounted drill. PC Richard Cook Died 14 October 1878, aged 28 Fatally injured when his horse fell on him while on mounted patrol. Insp Joseph Hughes Died 27 November 1882, aged 37 Killed when thrown from his horse while returning from court PC Robert McGaw Died 10 February 1887, aged 29 Died from a fractured skull after being kicked by his police horse. Alex

Peter You were right - of apparently 226 KPM's awarded to Met police officers up to 1940, 41 (18%) were for dealing with runaway horses Alex

Thanks Peter - very interesting to see your Liverpool City collection !! Alex

During the 19th century the streets of Liverpool & London were crowded with horse drawn vehicles and it was not uncommon for police to deal with runaway horses. In London the Met Police regs even gave instructions how to deal with runaway horses which gave such pearls of wisdom as 'run in the same direction as the horse'. A search of the Met Police Roll of honour gives evidence as to how dangerous an event it was !!. For Pc Ellis to have dealt with four separate such incidents and lived to tell the tale is truly amazing and he deserved his medal & clasps. Can you tell me what is says on the clasp & what regiment he joined in the army? The following are entries from the Metropolitan Police Roll of honour 10/09/1879 - Pc William Twinn aged 23 years - Fatally injured while attempting to stop a runaway horse & cart. 11/02/1885 - Pc Albert Thompson aged 33 years - Fatally injured while on point duty trying to stop a horse & cart. 24/06/1891 - Pc George Cole aged 33 years - Fatally injured when run over trying to stop runaway horses & a van. 07/04/1919 - Pc Frederick William Lambert aged 40 years - Fatally injured attempting to stop a runaway horse & trap