PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
|
|
PLYMOUTH BOROUGH AND PLYMOUTH CITY POLICE FORCE A French King, Charles V, is said to have invented the police to increase the happiness and security of the people. However, it developed into an engine of horrible oppression and as such was repugnant to the feelings of a free people. The watchmen were considered useless and were more likely to be accused of aiding the criminals than protecting the people. When Sir Robert Peel introduced his much improved system of policing in 1829 it was very slow to gain favour but in 1835 the Municipal Corporations Act established borough police forces throughout the country. Plymouth Borough Police was formed on January 1st 1836 at the first meeting of the Watch Committee. It was decided to have a force of thirty-eight constables, eight in Sutton Ward and six in each of the others. As with those in operation in 1812 (SEE Watch and Ward), the constables were to be ordinary householders, unpaid, with one of their number in each ward being named the Ward Constable. Their names and places of residence were to be published and affixed to public buildings in the wards. The daytime police were to be paid a weekly amount. An inspector and six "street-keepers", as they were named, were to be constantly on duty and allocated between the wards. In addition there were the captain, rounders, patrol-men and watchmen of the night police. All these were placed under of superintendent of police, the first of whom was Mr John Estridge Adams. The new Borough Police Force commenced its duties on March 26th 1836. Remuneration was vastly better than it had been. The inspector got paid 18s per week and the street-keepers 15s, although they had 1s a week deducted to pay for the uniforms. Plymouth police wore the same kinds of hats as their colleagues in London. The superintendent earned £40 a year. The Superintendent of Police in 1851 was 35-years-old Joseph Gibbons. He came from Bristol but as he married a lady from Cobham in Surrey and his three eldest children were born in London, he evidently served with the Metropolitan Police. The family lived at 1 Portland Terrace, Plymouth, where they employed 18-years-old Mary J Ferris from Helston as their house servant. In 1867 the Inspector of
Constabularies, Captain Edward Willis, reported that 'the Plymouth force consists of 79
persons, one to each 7 acres.' Whistles were issued in 1880,
prior to them becoming standard issue from September 1881 (see Devonport). The Police also controlled the
Fire Service from 1887 until 1941 when the National Fire Service was formed. In 1890 the Chief Constable's
residence at 17 Addison Road was connected to the telephone system although the Police
Stations were already connected up. In the Western Counties &
South Wales Telephone Co Directory for May 1892 the telephone numbers were: Plymouth
Central Police & Fire Station, Plymouth 32; Stonehouse Central Police Station,
Plymouth 187; Devonport Central Police Station, Devonport 417. In 1892 Mr Joseph Davidson Sowerby was appointed Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer. Mr Sowerby had been a senior police officer at Leeds before the appointment. His Great Grandson, Mr Owen Sowerby, has pointed out that he was only 24-years-old at the time and even today still holds the record as the youngest person ever appointed as Chief Constable in this country. Police Stations at Ford Park Lane, Mutley, and at Elliott Road, Prince Rock, were approved in 1897, plus taking-over two houses at Laira. First point duty policeman was appointed in 1897. In January 1906 there were 123 Constables in the Plymouth Borough Force, all of whom worked an 8 hour day and were allowed 10 days leave of absence a year. Their wages ranged from £1 3s 6d per week for the 41 8th class Constables to £1 12s 3d per week for the 15 1st class officers. The highest paid Constables were those with "2 badges", who received £1 13s 6d a week. But if they were sick or off work due to an accident they found an amount deducted from their wages per day. The 7th and 8yth class lost 1 shilling a day; the 6th, 5th and 4th class Constables lost 1s 1d per day; and those from the 3rd clas supwards lost 1s 2d per day. Also in January 1906 the Council's Watch Committee approved the purchase of clothing for the officers. The summer helmets for the Constables came from Messrs Christy & Company at a cost of 4s 5d each: they had previously cost 4s 11½d. Messrs Pearson, Huggins & Company supplied tunics at a cost of 19s 10d each: they had previously cost £1 3s 11d each. The same Company supplied the "S" trousers (summer trousers?) at a cost of 11 shillings each (previously 9s 8d) while Messrs H Lotery & Company supplied "W" trousers (winter ones?) at 9s 7d each (previously 9s 3d). Caps for the Inspectors cost 13s 6d each from Messrs Christy & Company while the Superintendent was supplied with a suit costing £3, and a pair of trousers costing 16s 6d, both from Messrs S Stidston & Company. Stonehouse was transferred to Plymouth on November 8th 1914 and with it 1 Inspector, 2 Sergeants and 15 Constables from the Devon Constabulary. Mr Sowerby, who had been appointed Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer in 1892, retired on March 31st 1917. He was, therefore, the senior officer during the amalgamation of the Plymouth force with that of Devonport and with the Stonehouse District of the Devon Constabulary. During his time in charge he had introduced women in to the Special Constables, whose main duty was to look after the morals of young girls in the streets at night. Mr Sowerby was succeeded by Mr Herbert Hards Sanders, who had previously been a Divisional Detective-Inspector at New Scotland Yard. On May 21st 1919 it was resolved by the Plymouth Borough Council that two policewomen be appointed. On June 18th Audrey J Canney was appointed Inspector plus Isobel F Taylor. Police used the old Watch House
on the Hoe as a Police Station from 1922. In December 1924 the old Laira police station was to be offered to the Library service. Residents of Laira protested at closure of the station. It was opened as a library on Tuesday March 10th 1925. On September 24th 1924 the Council resolved to place a Police box at Lyndhurst Road in lieu of the telephone attached to 8 Beaconsfield Road. On October 22nd 1924 it was resolved by the Council that a Police box be provided in St Levan Road in lieu of the telephone attached to 8 Alexandra Road recently occupied by a police constable. Police boxes to be erected at St Budeaux Square and the junction of Mount Gould Road/Lipson Road, November 19th 1924. The Chief Constable reported on December 17th 1924 on the 'question of installing a telephone system by means of which the public and police on patrol can get quick and easy communication with the central police, fire and ambulance stations'.In December 1924 the residents of Laira once again complained about the removal of their police station (see next item). However, Police boxes were to be provided at: Compton, Laira (a large box!), South Devon Place (by Astor Playing Field), Tavistock Road (Stoke), Swilly Hospital, Millbridge and Pennycomequick. Boxes already authorised at Lyndhurst Road, St Budeaux, Ford, and Mount Gould Road. In January 1925 the old Laira police station was to be rented to the Library service at £20pa. 1926 -- Crownhill - 'H' Division, Superintendent W J Joslin; telephone Crown Hill No. 9. The force became the Plymouth City Constabulary in 1928, when this status was conferred upon Plymouth. Sometime in 1929-32 motor cycle patrols were started with 2 Sunbeams. On December 18th 1930 the "Western Morning News" reported that three vehicles were to be purchased to provide motor patrols. A new police car, a Rover Meteor, was to be purchased from Humm & Co for £305 15s in April/May 1931. Sunday January 24th 1932 started quietly for the Plymouthh Police and possibly the Chief Constable was the only person who had any inkling of what the rest of the day was going to bring. Just after midday on the Saturday he received a telephone call from the Governor of Dartmoor Prison hinting that the services of the Plymouth force might be needed soon. The call came just after 9.30am that Sunday morning, when the Gate Officer telephoned to say that prisoners had started a mutiny and that ssistance was urgently required. At around 10.30am a Western National bus filled with thirty-one Officers left Plymouth for Princetown, preceded by the Chief Constable, Mr A K Wilson, in a Police car. Although the bus was legally limited to only 30mph it is said that the driver, Mr C Webb, pushed its speed up to 45mph where ever possible. A contingent from the Devon County Police, led initially by Superintendent Smith from the Crownhill Police Station, also made its way to the Prison. Once at the gates of the Prison, the Chief Constable tried to negotite with the prisoners but this failed and so, with the words: 'In you go lads, it's them or us, so spare no mercy', 31 Police Officers carrying only their truncheons poured through the gates. The mutiny was quelled by mid-afternoon and the Officers were able to have their first meal of the day, dry bread and a pint of beer, before boarding the coach for the slower return journey. Soon after the mutiny Mr Archilbald Wilson left Plymouth to become Chief Constable of the City of Liverpool Police. On November 24th 1933 the tender of Mr J W Spencer (£28,751) was accepted for the conversion of the old prison at Greenbank into new headquarters for police, fire, magistrate's court and weights & measures office. Police box to be built in January/February 1934 at Central Park by Norwest Construction Co. Ltd of concrete at a cost of £85. The police ceased to supervise
car parks after 1934. What was described at the time as 'One of the most important steps in the history of Plymouth's administartive life..' was taken on Thursday February 28th 1935 when the Mayor of Plymouth, Alderman J E Piilar, opened the new Fire Station and Mr A L Dixon, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Home Department, opened the new Police Headquarters and Magistrate's Court at Greenbank. Read more about the Greenbank Police Headquarters.......... Mr G S Lowe from Newcastle-under-Lyme became the new Chief Constable of Plymouth on Monday March 23rd 1936. Traffic Division was formed in
1937. On September 11th 1940 the tender was accepted from J W Spencer in the sum of £498 for the conversion of the Wolseley Road Cinema into an Auxiliary Fire Service and Police sub-station. Premises taken from H & G Simonds [brewers of Reading] on a 7-years lease terminable at the end of the War by 3 months notice. Rent £60 per annum. During a major raid on the Royal Dockyard at Devonport, recently promoted Sergeant Edward Harold Gibbs, was killed while on duty at the corner of Corondale Road and Beacon Park Road. His brother, Sidney, the Head ARP Warden, and Sidney's 14-years-old son David, an ARP messenger boy, were killed at the same time. Following the bombing of the Greenbank Police Station, approval was given on June 11th 1941 to Widey Court being taken over as a Police Reinforcement Base from May 21st 1941. Police van JY 5283 was wrecked in an accident on June 19th 1941. The insurers paid out £50 as compensation. New Wolseley Road station was in existence as referred to in Council minute 2127 on July 21st 1941. Tuesday March 3rd 1942 was a very special day for a number of City of Plymouth police officers who, on that day, attended an investiture at Buckingham Palace when HM King George VI presented them with the British Empire Medals (BEM) for thier bravery and gallant conduct during the heavy bombing raids of March and April 1941. They were: Inspector Herbert Beswick; Police Constable Robert Eakers; and Aircraftman (formerly Police Constable) Alan John Hill. Among those in the audience were 2-years-old Wendy Hill and 9-years-old Beryl Eakers. Following the bombing of Greenbank just after midnight on June 11th 1943, the headquarters were moved to Widey Court and then back to Greenbank. City Centre station was in Basket Street. On June 21st 1943, Mr John
Fawke Skittery became Chief Constable. Mr Skittery became the first of Plymouth's Chief
Constables to wear the Crown on his uniform rather than the City crest, as did all his
officers. He retired June 30th 1965 and died March 20th 1968. On March 1st 1945 the Police radio was first used to recover a stolen car. The Plymouth City Police Force memorial to those officers who fell in Plymouth or in service overseas during World War 2 bears the names of:
It concludes with the verse:
Regular wireless patrols were started on January 1st 1946 operating for 16 hours per day. A car could reach any part of the City in 4 minutes. The Police Act 1946 (9 & 10
Geo 6 ch 46) became law on April 15th 1946 and 45 non-county borough forces were abolished
from April 1st 1947. Devon County Police first used wireless patrols in 1948 in 'H' Division (Plympton & Roborough); this was made possible through the co-operation of the Chief Constable of Plymouth allowing them to use the Plymouth wavelength. Within a matter of weeks a car was stolen from Milehouse and the owner reported its loss to Greenbank Police Station. Its details were put over the radio and received by a Devon County car operating on Roborough Down. Practically the first car they saw was the stolen vehicle and it was stopped and the thief arrested. In May 1948 a young man by the name of Frederick Davey joined the City of Plymouth Contabulary. Fifty-seven years later he has supplied some reminiscences of the beat organisation over the years. On July 12th 1950 it was stated at a Council meeting that Police telephone pillars were to be repainted azure blue by the General Post Office. The Chief Constable's pay was
increased from December 16th 1955 to £2,160 pa. The 1964 Police Act proposed the abolition of certain police forces. The Home Secretary issued a programme of enforced amalgamations on May 18th 1966. On July 1st 1965, Mr Ronald
Gregory became Chief Constable. Final parade of the City of
Plymouth Police Force took place on May 12th 1967. The City of Plymouth Police were amalgamated with the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary from June 1st 1967. The last Watch Committee meeting was held that day. Many of the City officers reserved their right not to serve outside the City and they also declined to change their style of uniform, although this was by choice rather than by right. GO TO PAGE 3 - Devonport Borough Police Force GO TO PAGE 5 - Police Officers GO TO PAGE 6 - Beat Reminiscences
|
