Metropolitan Police Chief Inspector Francis Harry Rolfe

[219PG]

This is a famous image of Chief Inspector Francis Harry Rolfe arresting the suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst outside Buckingham palace in May 1914.

Unfortunately two months after arresting Emmeline Pankhurst he tripped over a rope barrier while on duty and died in St Thomas’s hospital aged 45.

After doing a little research I was surprised to find a link between Mr Rolfe and my own family. In 1901 he was the next door neighbour of my great great grandfather (a retired Met Chief Inspector) living in Deptford, South London.

Francis Harry Rolfe was the son of J Division Metropolitan police Inspector George Rolfe – warrant no 50270.

He joined the Metropolitan police on the16th January 1888 as a constable on C Division – warrant no 73222.

He received the 1897 Jubilee medal as a sergeant on C Division (Chelsea). 1902 coronation medal as an Inspector on G Division (Finsbury) and the 1911 coronation medal on as a Chief Inspector on A Division (Whitehall)

In 1911 he was living with his family at Cannon Row police station, Westminster, London.

Chief Inspector Rolfe’s death is recorded in the Metropolitan police Roll of Honour.

[Mervyn Mitton]

219PG - what a wonderful link to discover. One of the iconic pictures of the suffragette movement. Mervyn