Misspelt & Incorrect Badges.

[Swainys Boy]

I am wondering as a matter of interest, just how many misspelt and incorrect badges there have been issued over the years. Do you have any to show or tell us about?

My two in the following photographs, shows a Kings Crown Peterborough Police officers badge with a E11R center which must be wrong.

The second badge, a star badge, is a misspelt Northam 'p' tonshire badge with a missing 'p'. The story goes that apparently a young constable got a rollicking for asking how Northamptonshire should be spelt, when found that there was a missing letter, all badges were called in... except this one!

Edited April 21, 2016 by Swainys Boy

[Dave Wilkinson]

Hi Lawrence,

The Peterborough Inspectors badge is absolutely correct. The force sent back to the manufacturers the KC GVIR centred Inspectors badges, when the old King died and had the GVIR removed and replaced with the (then) new Queen's cipher. Several forces did this. I have a hallmarked sterling silver version of the same badge which would have been worn by the Superintendent (he was also the Deputy Chief Constable). Peterborough did eventually have  a small number of the correct QC EIIR version of the badge made. This is almost impossible to find. I don't have one and I don't think Dad was able to find one either.

The Northamptonshire (incorrectly spelt) badge was issued and they were all recalled when the mistake was spotted. Most were destroyed but probably half a dozen survived. Again, that is a difficult one to find with the missing "p". The story which you relate is, I believe correct.

That's a nice photo of the old boy which you've used. Just as I remember him!

Best wishes, Dave.

 

 

[Swainys Boy]

Interesting reply you make Dave and begs further questions as to why did the returned inspectors badges did not have their crowns changed at the same time? probably we'll never know. Dad certainly has not got the QC City of Peterborough badge on his board as you suspect. I do know of a surviving Inspector whom I could ask although he would have loooong been pestered for his issue. 

Nice photograph indeed! Holding a Brighton Hundred staff, his pride and joy at the time.

[Dave Wilkinson]

Lawrence,

It was much easier to chop out the old cipher from the centre and put a new one in than to pay to have the Crowns taken off as well. Or perhaps there were technical reasons why the Crowns could not be cut off and easily replaced. Its a chrome badge and the application of too much heat would risk damaging the enamel and discolouring the chrome. If there was a QC version floating about locally then your Dad would have had it. I do know that he tracked down all the old Inspectors years ago and spoke to the families of those who had gone, without success.

Dave. 

 

Edited April 22, 2016 by Dave Wilkinson

[Stuka f]

Intresting topic.

All I have is a misspelt uniform button, but nothing to do with British police forces....it is Dutch.

cheers

|<ris

[Swainys Boy]

With this badge it looks like there was no room for the letter 'e' Was this badge recalled and replaced?

 

[paul wood]

No that is the correct spelling with an E would be incorrectly (as is frequently done) spelt.

Paul