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    dpk

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    Everything posted by dpk

    1. Did see that, contacted the seller to see if he would split the 3 items but no go. I guess he would rather not sell three, than sell one!
    2. Hi All, Researching the badges and possible medals issued to British Police by their forces for gaining "Merit Class'- a system where officers were given grades of merit which meant a pay rise, for good work, sometimes bravery etc. They often were given an embroidered badge to wear on a sleeve (often bullion wire badges with the word 'Merit' shown on them. Any info most welcome David (dpk@iinet.net.au)
    3. Hi SCollector and all-

      I am writing a book on medals and awards issued to police by local UK forces and authorities, essentially Counties, Cities and Boroughs. I have two Bradford items in the book which I would like to know more about- what they were for, criteria for issue etc and any info. Hope you can help! I believe they were either awards for some particular service, or possibly identification badges. First one is in gold, the second bronze or brass.

      David-  dpk@iinet.net.au

      Bradford Obv gold ex Trevor Finbow close.jpg

      Bradford 2nd type Obv close ex Finbow.jpg

    4. Hello All- I am writing a book on medals & awards issued by UK local authorities (Counties, Cities and Boroughs) to their police officers. A surprisingly large number! I recently came across the Gloucestershire Police Silver Braid Bravery Award- initiated in about 1919 to recognize acts of bravery by Gloucestershire police. It ran for a number of years and was quite frequently awarded to officers. It took the shape of a single full-size medal ribbon bar worn on the right tunic breast. Seeking any information, pictures of front and back and maybe to acquire one if I can! David Picton-King dpk@iinet.net.au
    5. Interesting idea on language variations. Might be a struggle to get all the required letters on the rim of a Welsh police medal-!!!
    6. Hi all, Not sure if anyone can help but I am seeking two original shamrock top brooch pin bars for the 1900 and 1903 Visit to Ireland Police medals. Picture attached- willing to pay a reasonable sum! Please let me know- David at dpk@iinet.net.au
    7. Hello All, Slightly off topic (or at least geographically distant) is the baton experience in Western Australia Police. On joining in 1973 we were presented with a dinky little rubber baton. It had a tightly wound steel spring at its centre, covered with a slightly flexible firm rubber outer- 14 inches long. This was particularly useless as a tool to subdue an angry man as it just didn't have the reach to connect from a safe distance. You virtually had to be wrestling with the crook before you could use it. It did have the novelty value of being able to be thrown down onto the footpath in front of lonely night beat constable, whereupon it would, if thrown just right, bounce up in front of him- to be caught in the hand ready for the next bounce. This was great fun until some imperfection in the footpath cause it to bounce back- not directly in front of the bored constable but sideways into a window. A surprising number of 'damage' incidents were detected and reported by vigilant police on the night beat!! The second issued baton was I think the best- a long spun aluminium beauty- it had a beautifully knurled handle, and was about 26 inches long. It looked impressive and that alone made it very effective as a control tool . It also had great 'reach' when it had to be used. Lastly we got the ASP- an extending baton of 24 inches which most coppers will know. It was light and easily carried when closed and had reasonable reach when used. Many of us felt it had the potential to cause excessive injury because it was thin, hard steel and so were reluctant to use it unless absolutely necessary. Couple of photos attached- don't have one of the aluminium model.
    8. Problem partly solved. The medal was the Norfolk Veteran Medal- issued by the King to veterans of the armed forces who attended the Territorial Army review conducted during his visit in 1909. It may have also been issued to police who attended the event, or possibly who were veterans themselves. However it is most likely that it was issued only to military veterans in attendance that day. Pics shown.
    9. I am researching police medals and awards issued by UK local authorities to their police, for long service as well as bravery and meritorious conduct. I have come across the following information regarding a supposed 'Norwich medal to police for a Royal Visit'. Can anyone help with more information? There is anecdotal information provided by Inspector C.W. Tozer, in his article ‘Provincial Police Medals’ (written about 1949) about the existence of a Norwich Police Medal. He found no known record of the medal but Tozer states a firm of military tailors in the City did recall it, and they believed it to have been issued between 1902 and 1914 to commemorate a Royal visit. It was said to be known as the ‘Mousehold Medal’. Inspector Tozer states he had a piece of ribbon said to belong to the medal, which is ‘red with a blue stripe towards one edge and a green stripe towards the other, with a narrow yellow stripe in the centre’. Examination of local records confirm 2 Royal visits. HM King Edward VII visited Norwich on 25th October 1909 to lay the foundation stone of the extension to the Norfolk & Norwich hospital. As part of the visit units of the Territorial Army paraded before the King on the Mousehold Heath review ground. There is also a record of King George V visiting Norwich in 1935. In view of the anecdotal evidence provided, the King Edward VII visit appears to be most likely to match the medal issue as described. The date of the visit (within the stated period), the activity at Mousehold Heath and the parade event probably meant a police involvement in managing the arrangements- with the consequent possibility of a commemorative medal. Any information gratefully accepted! David (dpk@iinet.net.au)
    10. Hi all- I have had a closer look at my obverses- in particular the QEII DEI GRATIA. The cupro-nickel Queens head is slightly more vertically placed on the disc than the Rhodium plated one. The rhodium plate head is tilted just a little towards the left- so that the cross on top of the rhodium crown point towards the end of the claw footing. The cupro-nickel cross points more towards the centre of claw fitting. Amazing what you see when you really look closely!
    11. Thanks Deelibob, always helps having eyes on the ground- especially from 12,000Km away!
    12. Hi Peter, thank you for the info. I bid on it but missed- it went for £75 and I was a little under. It looked to me that it may be missing a pin brooch or ribbon suspender- doesn't seem to be complete?? I collect all UK/Commonwealth police medals but particularly interested in the older UK County/Borough/City medals so if you spot any on the market please let me know.It's a bit hard to track them as most are UK based sales and I am in Australia. The time difference is a killer! Kind regards Dave. dpk@iinet.net.au
    13. Can anyone assist me with information about a silver coloured medal issued to Macclesfield Special Constables for World War 1 service. I have attached Obv and Rev pictures for information. Cannot find any references about it after numerous searches!
    14. Hello Alan,

      I hope you can help! I have an 1897 C of L Police jubilee medal to PC 404 W. SHEEN. I am trying to locate anything on his history with C of L police and hope you can assist. It's a little difficult to source info from Australia!

      Kind regards, David.

      1. Alan Baird

        Alan Baird

        Hi David,

                       Go on the ''London Metropolitan Archives'' site and give them all his City of London Police details, as you have listed above, asking if his personal file is available.

        They will then tell you if the file has survived and they will sent you some forms which allows you to pay a small charge for them to go into the file and give you a break-down of the costs of supplying a copy of the file.

        If he has a big file, it might be a bit costly so you might only want the best bits from the file.

        I live in Scotland so I have to do the same and all communications with them is by 'e' mail and post so being in Australia will be no problem for them.

        The files obviously contains lots of details you can't get anywhere else and are invaluable if you want to research this individual.

        Also go on the ''Old Bailey trials'' site.... basically put in PC Sheen or Sheen and see what comes up around the period you think he was in the City of London Police. 

        If you have any problems just come back and I will help if I can

        regards Alan.

        Hi again,

        The 'e' mail address for the enquiry to the London Metropolitan Archives is

        ask.lma@cityoflondon.gov.uk

        Alan

    15. Hi All- Further to previous posts re the obverse types for the Special Constabulary Long Service medal, I have attached a photo of my 6 different obverses. I think that these are all of those that were issued but would welcome any information on others. Waiting for the 'old Queen' image to be used on this medal, as it is in some newer military medals! Not sure how the image will appear- the GMIC screen keeps putting it in upside down on my screen! Cheers David
    16. As part of my collecting police medals, I am keen to acquire an 1887 City of London Police Jubilee medal (with or without the 1897 bar). If anyone has one for sale, or can recommend likely sources (eg other collectors, or dealers etc) I would be most grateful! Please contact me via the group or at email dpk@iinet.net.au)
    17. Hello Odin,

      Is the reprinted book 'The Metropolitan Police, The Men and Their Medals' still available? If so I would like to purchase one!

      Kind regards

      David dpk@iinet.net.au

      1. Odin Mk 3

        Odin Mk 3

        Hello David

        The book is still available but I see you live in Australia - I have just checked the cost of postage and other than sea mail which takes ages, the cost is around £19 for untracked postage as it is a heavy book and weighs over 1.7 kg when packed.  This almost doubles the price of the book which is now £22.  Also I'm not sure if they would hit you with customs duty  as well.  By comparison the cost to send it second class within the UK is just £3.

        Because the postage for overseas mail has gone up so much I haven't sold any abroad for several years. 

        I have tried to convert it to an e-book but failed I'm afraid.  I do have it in pdf format which I can e-mail out but I am a bit wary of doing that as it is possible to start a print run from that.  I have sent one copy to Canada on the understanding it was for the personal use of the recipient only.

        It is annoying as I have about sixty copies of the book and most of the interest I seem to get now comes from abroad!

        Given the above do you have any thoughts on what you want to do

        Regards

        J Kemp

         

    18. Great topic and plenty of good info for SC collectors. Re some earlier discussion re the obverse types in this medal: I have six obverses in the 1919 SC Long Service medal- if anyone knows of more, or other variations please advise! I have collected the following (as per MYB description) obverse types: GV(c)- crowned head Coronation robes; GV(e)- coinage head; GVI(d)- coinage head 'IND:IMP'; GVI(e)- coinage head 'FID:DEF'; QEII(b)- coinage head 'BRITT:OMN'; QEII(c)- coinage head 'DEI.GRATIA'. Keen to hear of any other types! David dpk@iinet.net.au
    19. I am seeking the following WW1 Australian medals/awards issued to a family group- as follows: No 3521 Private Claude BROWN, 11th Bn AIF- Memorial Plaque, Kings Message & Scroll; No 6726 Private Herbert Charles BROWN, 11th Bn AIF-War medal, Victory medal, Memorial Plaque, Kings Message & Scroll; No 5557 Sapper Arthur Henry BROWN, 59th Bn AIF- War medal, Victory medal; No 6912 Private Theodore Sylvester BROWN, 27th Bn AIF- War medal, Victory medal; No 7345 Sergeant Albert (Bert) CROCKENBURG, 11th Bn AIF- Military medal, War medal, Victory medal;Memorial plaque, Kings Message & Scroll. Any inf greatly appreciated! Contact David dpk@iinet.net.au
    20. I have a set of WW1 medals to Private 3521 Claude BROWN of 11th Battalion AIF. He was killed in action at Pozieres on 25th July 1916. I am hoping to locate his Memorial Plaque, Memorial Scroll and King's Message (I know, a needle in a huge haystack!). If anyone can assist in locating these it would be greatly appreciated. Also any info of likely sources, websites to search etc would be great! David
    21. Hello Mike, Yes, the time gap from the centre of the medal world can be an issue. I find it particularly bad on UK Ebay bids. I put in a bid on something closing during the middle of my night and I very often get done by someone in the UK who can think about it and bid in the 2 or 3 seconds before close. In several cases I look at the sold price and think 'I probably would have bid more than that!' The only way to guarantee a win is to make a ridiculous max bid- and if some fool bids more than the odds my max bid could become huge while I sleep the night away! No chance of a bargain! What is your collecting area- police I assume? Kind regards David
    22. I am hoping to acquire an example of each of these- does anyone know of likely sources, dealers etc who may stock them? Also if anyone spies an upcoming auction with these listed, please let me know- as I am in Australia it is a little difficult to cover all the bases being 8 hours ahead! Cheers David
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