What I enjoy most about this blog is, that I have contacted so many different people and shared some historic interests. A bit like the old days, when we had pen pals. I have spoken too and gained so much information from retired police officers, relatives of officers and now and again I …
The surname BISHOP is not a common surname but, neither uncommon. In My years of researching the Dorset Constabulary and coming across the surname BISHOP, meant it was always a little difficult to work out who was who. You see, when you have a name like SWATRIDGE, researching and …
Obviously, when Dorset County Constabulary was formed, each town, and village had a police station or police house. Sometimes you have to wait a few years to find them. That was the case for Market Street Station in Poole, Shaftesbury original police station and even Weymouth station on Dorchester Road which I was so …
Victor Walter SWATRIDGE, my grandfather, was in the right place at the right time being a police Sgt at Dorchester in WW2 . He witnessed many local incidents and especially the build up to the finale of WW2. When I think back to all the information I have read about …
Well it is pretty obvious what this post is about , Training! Before I forget, if you have served for Dorset or any other South West County, you will find much more information and photographs on a facebook site. Chantmarle DPTC. Over the years it was not just Wessex officers …
This must be a photograph of this officer when he joined, although I am not 100 per cent sure. The clarity is very good, I would say excellent, but I am no expert. Isn’t it wonderful that you can clearly see his force number on his uniform and especially his helmet, which …
This photograph I inherited with others, from my grandfather Vic. It is another photograph that I had no clue about as there were no names or any writing on the front or the back. I identified Vic in the 2nd row , 5th from the left straight away. Unfortunately with a photograph …
This is a postcard taken in Tonypandy, Wales in 1921 obviously ! I do not know the exact date, but I think I started trying to work out who they all were about 2015, so 7 years later with the help of the 1921 census I might be able …
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 …
WEYMOUTH BOROUGH POLICE PART 2 This is not the history of the police force in Weymouth, it’s more like a chronological document of information, which I have uncovered about the men that made up the Force from start to finish. I am not sure if this should have been included in my blog, …