Like some of my other posts, this will be probably be in several parts as the Weymouth Borough (and Melcombe Regis) Police Force was formed in 1846, a long time before Dorset County Constabulary, and lasted till April 1921.
We should really start at the beggining, but it is now April 2021, and I will begin with this photograph from exactly a century ago which was taken at the Borough’s Force demise.
This is the last parade photograph of the men that served, most of whom then had no choice but to be part of the Dorset County Constabulary, if they could not retire. There are some very proud looking men when this photograph was taken on the 31st March 1921.
This photograph is not from my collection, my grandfather mentioned it and gave me lots of details of who was who in the photograph, saying who was in which position, but I never actually found the photograph. I can only assume it disappeared before I got hold of it. Eventually I got hold of the photograph, which was kindly donated to me by, Stephen CORBEN, the grandson of PC Harry CORBEN. Below is the list of officers that joined the Dorset County Constabulary in 1921, and the personal numbers they were given and a few men that retired.
SGT 25 | PALMER | HENRY CREWE |
SGT 29 | PELLS | RICHARD |
SGT 30 | PUGH | WILFRED C |
SGT 31 | RICHARDSON | WILLIAM |
PC 193 | BLANDAMER | WALTER |
PC 194 | HANSFORD | GEORGE |
PC 195 | SCRIVEN | WILLIAM J |
PC 196 | BARTLETT | THOMAS |
PC 197 | MOORE | ALBERT |
PC 198 | PUGH | FRANCIS |
PC 199 | MARSH | ALFRED |
PC 200 | SYMES | JOHN “JACK” |
PC 201 | DUNFORD | SAMUEL |
PC 202 | DAVIS | TOM |
PC 203 | EDWARDS | REG |
PC 204 | SARTIN | WALTER |
PC 205 | BRIDLE | EDWARD |
PC 206 | CRITCHELL | CHARLES |
PC 207 | HYDE | THOMAS |
PC 208 | HEAD | ALFRED |
PC 209 | LEGG | WILLIAM |
PC 210 | BURT | GEORGE E |
PC 211 | BAILEY | ALBERT GEORGE |
PC 212 | CORBEN | HARRY |
PC 213 | IVAMY | ARTHUR C H |
So only two retired, the two in the middle of the front row who are not wearing caps or uniform !
So far I have identified the following men in the photograph.
I have also put their personal issued numbers in brackets which are their original Borough and then new County numbers, to try and identify all when I can.
FRONT ROW:
1: PC ?
2: PC Walter BLANDAMER ( / 193)
3: SGT Wilfred C PUGH ( /30)
4: SGT ?
5: INSP Eustace MARTYN
6: ?
7: SGT ?
8: SGT William RICHARDSON ( /31)
9: PC ?
MIDDLE ROW:
1: PC Tom DAVIS ( 8 /202)
2: PC Reginald EDWARDS ( /203)
3: PC Francis PUGH ( /198)
4: PC Jack SYMES ( /200)
5: DC Albert MOORE ( /197)
6: PC ?
7: PC Samuel DUNFORD ( /201)
8: PC Charles CRITCHELL ( 11/206)
9: PC ?
BACK ROW:
1: PC George BURT ( /210)
2: PC Edward BRIDLE ( /205)
3: PC Harry CORBEN ( /212)
4: PC ?
5: PC Arthur IVAMY ( /213)
6: PC Walter SARTIN ( /204)
7: PC Albert HEAD ( /208)
8: PC ?
9: PC Alfred ” Dandy” MARSH ( /199)
My grandfather identified many officers, I think I can identify a few more but some will have to be educated guess work by deduction, old photographs and seniority within the Force. I believe the names above are correct but if one is wrong then obviously 2 or more maybe wrong ! Hopefully by the end of part 3, I will be able to name them all !
Photograph spilt in half to try and make it clearer and then a black and white version which also may help do the same.
PART 2 TO FOLLOW