Met Pol Medal Pair: 1911 Coronation & 1935 Jubilee

[Hebbo]

Happy New Year, thought I'd share this with you all. I've had this pair for a couple of years now. I have a particular liking for this pair of medals as it represents the long of service of a police officer who served the one local community for the duration of his time in the police. The 1935 Jubilee medal has been very neatly named as well. I like the symmetry too, receiving a coronation medal at the beginning and a Jubilee medal at the end of his service.

Cheers

Chris

Thomas Haynes (1890 – 1968)

Acting Police Sergeant, Metropolitan Police

Thomas Haynes was born on the 21st of January 1890 at West Kensington Park, London. His parents were Thomas and Laura Haynes who had come from Oxfordshire, his father from Stanton and his mother from Whitney. The 1891 census shows that Thomas was living with his parents at Hammersmith. The 1901 census has an 11 year old Thomas still living with his parents and his brother and sister at 144 Blyth Road, Hammersmith. As he was growing up he worked as a shop assistant.

Thomas's father is recorded on both censuses' as being a Police Officer. He joined the Metropolitan police on the 9th April 1883 and was allocated the warrant number 67703. He retired on pension 20/4/1908. He served as a PC in R, A and F divisions and was entitled to the 1887 Jubilee medal with 1897 bar and the 1902 Coronation medal. It appears that he did not return as a pensioner for the 1911 coronation.

His brother Alfred was also a PC in the Southern Railways Police and was killed 19 August 1934, aged 40, struck by a train whilst holding back crowds from the line.

It's not surprising that in 1910, Thomas became a police officer too. On the 28th of December 1910 Thomas was sworn in as a Police Constable in the Metropolitan Police with the warrant number 99536 and was allocated to N Division. He joined in time to take part in the policing of celebrations held for King George V's coronation and was subsequently awarded the 1911 Coronation Medal.

Thomas resided at Cheshunt and on 31/8/1923 he was appointed Acting Police Sergeant of Cheshunt police station. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of APS on the 3rd of September 1923 and was to remain at this rank until his retirement.

In 1928 he was a member of the Cheshunt Police Rifle league team.

From 1928 onwards, Thomas spent his time at Waltham Abbey Police Station. On the 1st of August 1933, as a result of boundary changes to Metropolitan Police divisions, Waltham Abbey was moved from N to J division. Thomas saw out the rest of his service at Waltham Abbey and on the 24th of December 1936 he retired on pension, aged 46. He had served a total of 26 years as a police officer and retired with an exemplary conduct certificate. Ironically, just as he had started his career with a coronation medal, he ended it with one too. In 1935 he was one of the few in J division awarded the 1935 Jubilee Medal for King George V. His medal is confirmed on the roll.

With the outbreak of the Second World War, Thomas returned to policing as a war reserve Constable. It is not known how long he served or if he is entitled to the Defence Medal. Thomas Haynes died on the 18th of June 1968.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Chris - very interesting research with this nice pair. It was often the case that families had sons following the Father into the Police.

I have been reading about the floods in Qld. - have you been affected in any way. Happy New Year.

[Hebbo]

Thanks, Mervyn. No problems where I am re the floods- with the exception of some very high tides. These medals were a joy to research and I was ver lucky with some of my sources.

Cheers Chris.