A Police Cap?

[leigh kitchen]

I think I posted thf I did then it would have been in the "miltary" section.

Is this a British or Commonwealth police cap of some kind?

It looks like it's an "officer's" one by the qualty.

Slver buttons, tarnished black, they have the initials "NP" on them, below a King's Crown - Nottingham, Northampton, Natal Police? A Brtish yeomanry cap, not that I can think of any regimental ttles initalled "NP".

A badge has been mounted on the front band of the cap at one tme, but it's left no distinguishable outline.

[leigh kitchen]

"Hobson & Sons

1, 3, & 5, Lexington Street

LONDON W."

[Mervyn Mitton]

I don't think Natal - although it is the right period. I agree with you Leigh , that it looks like an officer's - what about Nigeria. We will have to see what Peter thinks ?

[leigh kitchen]

Nigeria - there's a thought - but would that mean opening up the Jewish Chaplain / Nigerian Polce / Trinidad Customs cap badge debate again if I start looking for a badge?

[Craig]

That pale blue band makes it look a bit like an old Met cadets hat?

[Craig]

I just had a look on the Web and found a similar Crown and NP motif that was worn by Naval Police in the Royal Canadian Navy between 1910 and 1920 maybe a posting in the Naval section could shed some Light?

[leigh kitchen]

Thanks, will do (that's one that would never have occurred to me).

[Mervyn Mitton]

Did look like a Met. Cadet cap - 'little beasts ' - sorry Foo , are you an ex-cadet ??

[Craig]

No I was never a Gadget lots of friends who were though and I try to not let them forget it!

[leigh kitchen]

Yes, the light blue band certainly puts you in mind of police cadets - or PCSO's now I suppose.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Leigh - what's a PCSO ?

[Craig]

Police Community Support Officers.....cheap labour with no powers they were formed to perform certain tasks to free up the real Police but in my expeirance they cause more problems than they solve.

[NickLangley]

This is definitely not a UK piece of uniform. Off the top of my head I'd go for Newfoundland Police.

A quick check confirms that the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary currently wears a cap with a light blue band.

Edited November 27, 2009 by NickLangley

[leigh kitchen]

Thanks, I'll try finding out more about that possibility

[Vickers Dunfee]

Leigh - what's a PCSO ?

Known as Plastic PCs, lower on the food chain that Special Constables who actually out rank them. Their hat bands, at least in the Met, are a sort of off white or very light blue. They are very poorly trained and supervised unless they are on a Neighbourhood Team. They have powers to detail someone for 10mins but no power of arrest.

[Laurence Strong]

I just had a look on the Web and found a similar Crown and NP motif that was worn by Naval Police in the Royal Canadian Navy between 1910 and 1920 maybe a posting in the Naval section could shed some Light?

On this link it states and shows that the crown was betweenthe letters.

http://mpmuseum.org/rcnregulator.html

[Mervyn Mitton]

Thankyou Foo and Vickers - now that I have been reminded I had heard of them. I'm trying to work out how you 'detain' someone for 10 mins. when you can't arrest them and have no training ??? Sounds like a comic script - you hang-on for 10 minutes and if no-one arrives to help you stand back and say goodbye ! Of course go over by 30 seconds and he could have you for assault.

Our laws are always so badly worked out - South Africa is the best - the Commissioner has just stated publicly that he expects his men to use lethal force. YEAH ! Way to go...

[Nick]

The Naval armband with crown between the N P is also used in the Royal Navy, it stands for Naval Provost and in my opinion is no way related to this cap.

As for the Newfoundland Police they have been called the Newfoundland Constabulary or latterly the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary for some time prior to this cap being made so NC as opposed to NP is more likely for them.

[Nick]

How about Nepal Police, prior to independence of course ? Their uniform caps are a similar blue today ?

Image courtesy of http://www.npa.gov.np

[Vickers Dunfee]

Thankyou Foo and Vickers - now that I have been reminded I had heard of them. I'm trying to work out how you 'detain' someone for 10 mins. when you can't arrest them and have no training ??? Sounds like a comic script - you hang-on for 10 minutes and if no-one arrives to help you stand back and say goodbye ! Of course go over by 30 seconds and he could have you for assault.

Our laws are always so badly worked out - South Africa is the best - the Commissioner has just stated publicly that he expects his men to use lethal force. YEAH ! Way to go...

A little strong for us I think but I know that when a Special of my acquaintance visted Soth Africa some years ago he was told that the Reserves were all right but they should shoot more people. Whilst 10mins seems a short time in most urban areas during the day when PCOs work they would get support within two or three minutes. The point of PCSOs is that the Home Office was concerned that the Public did not see enough police on the street so they first tried to recruit a large number of SCs but there was resitance from both the Regulars and Specials so they came up with what amounts to civilians walking the streets in a unform that from a distance looks as if there are 'proper police' on the streets. At least one force did not want them but was brow beaten by the Home Office to have a nominal number. Had the Regulars not been so anti SC when a suggested expansion of the SC first arose they would not be saddled with PCSOs now.

[leigh kitchen]

How about Nepal Police, prior to independence of course ? Their uniform caps are a similar blue today ?

Image courtesy of http://www.npa.gov.np

Thanks, I'd checked the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary's website & could find no reference to "Poice" rather than "Constabulary" in their titles - the lnk to their historical section appears to be under construction.

Nepal is yet another one had'nt considered. I don't thnk they have lght blue piping, merely the lght blue band?

I should have asked the Nepaese police officers I worked with years ago.....

[leigh kitchen]

The Northumberland Hussars fit for the cap, I thnk - just the buttons being "NP" seem to knock that one out.

[NickLangley]

Nepal was never part of the British Empire so the Imperial Crown is totally wrong..

I take the point about the Newfoundland Constabulary and NP rather than NC on the button. If it isn't a Newfie's uniform item I'd tend towards it being from a Canadian municipal police department.

[Nick]

Nepal was never part of the British Empire so the Imperial Crown is totally wrong..

You are totally right, my mistake, I didn't realise they kept their sovereignty.

[leigh kitchen]

I should have - Ed pointed it out on a thread at least once..........