WW1 SPECIAL CONSTABLES

[Mervyn Mitton]

With quite a number of members having an interest in Special Constables, I thought there might be ref. material in this set. I have forgotten which town's coat of arms is on the middle one - perhaps someone will recognise it ?

When the 1st.WW started in 1914, many regular police left to join-up - the result was that in haste, the authorities had to start a war reserve special police force. I mentioned , in an earlier post, that they had only basic identity badges and they carried a truncheon. When the War ended a number of Midlands towns had truncheons specially made to handout as mementoes to those men who had volunteered. The crests were transfers, and as such are liable to rubbing - so, rarely are they in this condition.

From left, they are : Rochdale ; ? ; Blackburn

[Mervyn Mitton]

Close-up of Rochdale and the unidentified one

[Mervyn Mitton]

Blackburn

[Mervyn Mitton]

Birmingham

[Mervyn Mitton]

A drawer with Special Constables' truncheons. (I hope the size is large enough to see them?) From the left :

1. Cleckheaton. Q. Victoria . When they put 1st. - it shows a date between 1837 and approx. 1841. They realised that she was the only 'Victoria' so, stopped the number for monarchs of the same name.

2. Early Victorian. This shape is called a 'baluster' - basically from the chair legs of the period.

3. Bradford

4. Liverpool comm. truncheon from the Police strike and riots of 1919. They were given to police who did not strike - it just has

the small silver band. The riots were so bad the navy sailed two warships up the Mersey and landed armed seamen.

5. Rawling (?)

6. Birmingham

7. Manchester 17. General Strike 1926 - Bradford

13 Isle of Wight 19. Early Isle of Wight.

[Ian Shepherd]

Rochdale issued a commemorative truncheon at the end of WW2. The same as in the photo of the WW1 one but the later dates. I don't know of any other force that did but no doubt someone will know of one

[Mervyn Mitton]

Ian - as a new member myself, may I say Welcome ! to GMIC. You will find your friend, Alan - the Badger, has also joined.

Hope to see you posting some of your good tipstaffs - give my love to Ann.

Mervyn

[Mervyn Mitton]

Ian - why don't you introduce yourself on The Lounge - mention the Macclesfield Fair and your tipstaff collection. People will know who you are then and can welcome you - this is a bit lost at the end of a post. Alan should do the same.

[Swainys Boy]

I also have a Birmingham Special Constables truncheon like Mervyn's on post 4, but not in such good condition. However, mine has SC 2491 stamped on the side, I guess this identifys who the truncheon belonged to. Where can I find out the name of the constable? Can anyone advise?

[Brian Wolfe]

I would assume that the accountability number on the side would have been recorded beside the PC's name when issued at the beginning of his shift. If my assumption is correct then there would be no one constable to whom this truncheon was assigned.  Much like the police lanterns, which have been featured on this forum a few years ago, one particular lantern would have possibly been issued to different PCs at the start of their shift.

Regards

Brian

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

On 24/08/2016 at 21:48, Swainys Boy said:

I also have a Birmingham Special Constables truncheon like Mervyn's on post 4, but not in such good condition. However, mine has SC 2491 stamped on the side, I guess this identifys who the truncheon belonged to. Where can I find out the name of the constable? Can anyone advise?

Lawrence,

This is a "presentation" piece which would have been given to the SC to commemorate his service in the 1st WW. Birmingham City Police became part of the West Midlands Police in 1974. The number on the stick would be his personal force number. They have a museum which is primarily "Birmingham" related in terms of exhibits and paper records. Their personnel records are very extensive and stretch back to the formation of Birmingham Police. Whether that extends to their SC's I'm not sure. If you make an enquiry to the below address you may have some success.

The Curator, West Midlands Police Museum, West Midlands Police HQ., PO Box 52, Lloyd House, Colmore Circus, Queensway, Birmingham B4 6NQ

Dave.

 

 

 

Edited August 27, 2016 by Dave Wilkinson

[Swainys Boy]

Thanks for your comments Brian, Dave. An electronic mail is on its way to the West Midlands Museum. I'll update when I hear from them.

Cheers
Laurence.

[Brian Wolfe]

Well done Dave, thanks for setting the record straight I do hope Laurence can find the information he seeks.

Regards to you both,

Brian