Latest News
14/01/2022
RESEARCH UPDATES: In late 2020, a private collector contacted the West Midlands Police Museum regarding a discipline book he had purchased at an auction for the Dudley Police force from 1887 until 1927. This covered a period where Dudley was part of the Worcestershire Constabulary and then later as an independent Borough force. Both collector and the museum very kindly allowed us to scan the book and add the information to our police records and earlier this month this was completed. As the book covers such a lengthy period of time it shows changes in disciplinary issues (drunkeness replaced with being late for parade) as well as the changes in attitudes of senior police officers in how these issues were dealt with (from reprimands to fines). In our opinion the earlier period of the book seems to duplicate information that was sent to headquarters and entered onto the ledger records of officers (now stored at the archives in Worcester) whilst later the book became a more important and possibly sole document to record disciplinary issues until we assume being ultimately replaced by individual police records (some of which are held by West Midlands Police Museum and searchable at the Ancestry website). The other important information this book contains is the collar numbers of individuals who transferred from Worcestershire or joined shortly afterwards and goes someway to filling in some gaps in the Worcestershire Police History Database.
We have also begun visiting Worcester Archives to record information from the Watch Committee minutes for Worcester City, Kidderminster and Droitwich - these books contain valuable information on these borough/city forces including details on duties, buildings, uniforms and individual officers such as collar numbers, past occupations, family information and reasons for leaving. As far as we are aware these are the only surviving records for some of the officers but with the previously unknown Dudley ledger recently being made available we can always hope other books might still exist in private collections. If anyone does have anything they would allow us to copy (or donate) then please do get in touch.
Dudley Disciplinary Ledger Images:
17/10/2021
A NEW CHIEF CONSTABLE: Following the retirement of Chief Constable Anthony Bangham in September, 2021, the West Mercia Police welcomed a new Chief Constable – Ms. Pippa Mills. She is the first female Chief Constable to lead the Force. She has previously served in the Metropolitan and the Essex Police Forces. She has a particular interest in the use of Police Dogs and became the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for Police Dogs in 2020.
08/09/2021
SPONSORED BEACON WALK UPDATE: Marjorie has been in touch to thank everyone who donated money to support her walk. Her final figure was £1625.
21/08/2021
SPONSORED BEACON WALK UPDATE: Congratulations to Marjorie, who completed the Beacon Walk last Saturday and raised £1500. Well done!
17/07/2021
SPONSORED BEACON WALK: On Saturday 14th. August 90-year old former City police officer Marjorie Pearce is doing a sponsored walk to the top of the Worcestershire Beacon in aid of several local charities. Marjorie later worked as a Traffic Warden and finally as a Clerical Assistant at Deansway Police Station. Below is a flyer with further information and a picture of Marjorie directing traffic at the Junction of Broad Street and Angel Place circa 1960. Please do sponsor her if you can.
