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    Kevin Ross

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    Everything posted by Kevin Ross

    1. Further to the post upstream dated November 2 2017, I’ve attached a clip (from britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) from the ‘Western Morning News’ dated July 30 1897. So I’ve managed at least to put a date on this incident.:
    2. The attached newspaper clipping came to me from my second cousin, the grandson of Frederick Moore (he of post #11). I have assumed the handwriting on the clipping is Frederick's, and that he recognised his father David Moore: in any event, somebody put a cross against the Sergeant in the front row, and named him. The newspaper made a couple of mistakes: the photograph is not of the "Plymouth Force" - the policemen are wearing the uniform of the Devonport Borough Police; and they are sitting on the steps of Devonport Guildhall (as to be seen in post #39). And the date would appear to be wrong - David Moore became a Sergeant in 1907. I've also attached the article, by one David Stewart. It is from the 'Sunday Independent', July 6th 1975.
    3. I saw this tunic button on ebay the other day, and, in the spirit of keeping things all in one place, thought I'd put it up here.
    4. It is the 9th of May, 1910. The Mayor of Devonport, Alderman William Littleton, is reading the Proclamation of the coming to the throne of King George V. Alderman Littleton is on the steps of Devonport Guildhall. Present, in addition to various local worthies and the Devonport Borough Police, is the 1st Battalion, the South Staffordshire Regiment. This Battalion was in South Africa by 1914, and did lot arrive in France until early October. Within a month of landing, 243 men of the Battalion had been killed. By the end of 1914, fatalities were 270. By the end of 1915, the Battalion had lost 538 of its men. So we can see that many of the young men on parade that day did not have so very long to live. I have also attached a newspaper clipping of 10 May 1914. (My thanks to the Great War Forum for the details on this post.)
    5. My thanks to anyone who might have given some thought to my question in post #36. But I have found the answer here: http://www.olddevonport.uk/Policing Old Devonport-Pay Scales 1904.htm As it happens this page of information raises more questions than it answers. But, there it is.
    6. The attached newspaper cutting is from 1912. It concerns the annual Government inspection of the local police forces by HM Inspector of Force for the Southern Division. It can be seen that the rank structure for the Devonport Borough Police (called here the "Dockyard borough force" - an odd mistake) would appear rather straightforward: Chief Constable; inspector; sergeant; constable. But on the attached photograph there is clearly a differential in uniform coat of senior officers - the simpler coat of those sat next to the Chief Constable (and therefore senior?), and the more ornate of those sat further away. I'd be grateful for any advice on what the rank structure of this force might have been. With thanks in advance. By the way, the Inspector Dain of the inspection parade can be seen in the attached photograph of the Devonport Borough Police boat crew. Also to be seen - Sgt D Moore.
    7. On I plod. Two more newspaper cuttings from my great grandfather David Moore's collection of same. In the cutting dated 5 June 1904, "REMARKABLE DEVONPORT CASE" he is not mentioned; but presumably he was involved in this matter in some way:
    8. In the first photograph here (from 'Streetview') the building on our left is the old Devonport police station. The buliding on our right is/was a pub, the 'Crown and Column'. How far from front door to front door? 20 yards? The 'Crown and Column' appears in a 1889 Directory, and in the 1891census. So, at least 70-odd years as a coppers' boozer. What stories it could tell! The police station closed in the 60s, and the 'Crown and Column' closed in 2008. I believe it is now in residential use.
    9. The Devonport Borough Police outside their police station (Sgt Moore sitting second to the left, with his feet crossed at the ankles). The police station was at the rear of Devonport Guildhall, in the heart of old Demport. By a miracle the Guildhall survived the Blitz. And a photograph of the building today. It served, I understand, as a police station into the 1960s.
    10. An addendum or postscript to post #30: I do hope that members find it interesting. It's a 1991 letter from my late grandmother to a local newspaper.
    11. A dated clip - 29 September 1899. Penlee Cottage can be seen on the 1907 map in post #29: it's on Molesworth Road, just to the west of the 'MOLE'. Penlee Cottage survived the Blitz, and still stands. (Unlike Beaumont House, at the centre-right of the image. But Beaumont House wasn't bombed - it was destroyed when a Junkers 88 crashed on top of it. My father, now aged 87 but then a schoolboy, crouching in an Anderson shelter just outside 1 Mayon Cottages, remembers this very well.)
    12. Just what did P.C.Moore come across here? Drunken boisterousness? Homosexual solicitation? I've also attached a map from 1907, and a modern map. P.C.Moore (and I!) lived in 1 Mayon Cottages, Penlee Road. Somerset Place can be seen on both maps; Penlee Road on the modern map; Mayon Cottages on the 1907. You can see how close these locations are. P.C. Moore and his colleagues of the Devonport Borough Police policed the streets where they lived. It seems to me that when we lost this, we lost a great deal.
    13. I did say in post #26 that these cuttings had been carefully kept. Despite this, as you will see, this clipping has at some stage in its long life, been damaged. But here it is, again undated (but the office 'Mayor of Devonport' became obsolete in 1914):
    14. David Moore cut out newspaper articles which mentioned him, or which he found interesting. They have been carefully kept all these years, and I post one here in the hope that forum members find it of interest. No record has been kept of this article's date: but P.C. Moore was promoted to Sergeant on 19 September 1907.
    15. I've tracked down a photograph of the wall mentioned in the article in post #8. (I seem to have lost the 'edit' function, which was working for me yesterday. So here it is in a new post.)
    16. Here you are Simon - I hope this is what you're after. I've also attached the Chief Constable from the 1910 proclamation parade photograph. I find the quasi-miliitary look very interesting. (I have been told that, although it appears that his jacket and trousers were of different colours, this is not the case. His uniform would have been uniformly blue - monochrome photographs show colour very poorly, apparently). The Chief Constable was called John Henderson Watson. After the 1914 amalgamation he became Chief Constable of the Bristol Constabulary, was investigated for corruption, suffered a breakdown, and committed suicide. A very sad end to a distinguished career. Kevin
    17. Are you sure this is Chinese? Perhaps it's from France's First war ally, Japan? According to Taprell Dorling's 'Ribbons and Medals' Japan issued a 'War With Germany 1914-18' medal, but no image is given. Apparently (according to Wikipedia) " ... tentative plans were made to send an expeditionary force of between 100,000 and 500,000 men to France ... " but these plans came to nothing. Wikipedia sources "Harries, Meirion; Susie Harries (1994). 'Soldiers of the Sun: The Rise and Fall of the Imperial Japanese Army.' New York: Random House. ISBN 0-679-75303-6"
    18. Dave, you have been very helpful with this, for which assistance I am very grateful. May I try your patience one last time? You have explained that the policemen in the 1913 'China clay strike' photograph are in summer uniform, with the lightweight helmet; whereas the photograph in post #3 shows the winter uniform and helmet. The post #3 photograph is of the 1910 George V proclamation parade: the wider, uncropped photograph includes soldiers in full dress, wearing greatcoats. So the policemen will be wearing their finest. The attached is, I understand, from 1914. Here the helmets are of a third, more elaborate pattern, with what seems to be a 'pickelhaube' spike. Is this simply a later helmet? Thanks again for your help. Kevin
    19. Thank you Dave - that explains that one. I would guess that the First war medals were handed down in the direct line, and are held by one of Sid's grandchildren. The Merit Badge is indeed missing. When Sgt Moore's truncheon came to me, it came with a Police whistle. I assumed this belonged to Sgt Moore as well, but no: it belonged to my grandfather George Ross, who served in the RAF Police during the Second war. So Sgt Moore's whistle is amongst the missing. Kevin
    20. I did intend to ask about the medals. Uncle Sid served in the Royal Garrison Artillery during the First war - so that would be the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. You have explained the third - thanks. But why is he wearing it on his right? Uncle Fred was in a Reserved Occupation during that war - he was a shipwright at the Yard. So, he is wearing no medals in the PC photograph. But he was given the attached certificate. Alas, I have no idea where these medals might be. I do have Sgt David Moore's wooden truncheon, however!
    21. Thanks Dave. I've attached a photograph of Uncle Sid (Sydney Moore, born 1892); and two of Uncle Fred (Frederick Moore, born 1893), one as a PC and one (direct from Central Casting!) as a Detective Sergeant: Kevin
    22. Thank you for the recommendation Dave - I'll order this book today. Two (of six!) of David Moore's sons had police careers: Sydney followed his father into the Devonport, then the Plymouth force - he became a sergeant; Frederick joined the Metropolitan police (in London, not the Yard!) and became a first class Detective Sergeant. But I think of more interest to members of this forum would be David's brother, Frederick Albert Victor Moore (1864-1944). He served in the (London) Metropolitan police, and features in this 2006 ''Guardian' article: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/mar/03/arts.artsnews1 I've attached a photograph.
    23. Thanks again Dave. I have long wondered why the Force is shown in different photographs wearing different pattern helmets. I hope you find the attached interesting. "Miss Lily Moore'" is my grandmother; she died in 1992, aged 90. 'Mayon-cottage' is the house where she and my father were born, and in which I grew up. I think I'm right in saying that the Devonport Borough Police (and 'H' Division of the Devon Constabulary, who policed Stonehouse) amalgamated with the Plymouth Borough Police in 1914. The Force became the Plymouth City Police in 1928, when Plymouth acquired City status. Kevin
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