There is nothing worse than coming across a family photograph and not knowing who it is !
On the other hand, you can treat it as a challenge to identify that person and on numerous occasions I have been lucky enough to do so !
It is a bit more difficult though with police photographs, where the photographs now attached are all ones of men who are not my ancestors, but they could be yours. I will add what research details and information I can, but at the end of the day, so far I have failed, so they are mystery men !
Are the above two photographs the same man ? I will put them together as it may help !
After many hours of trying to identify the man or men and based on the research that the photos were taken in about 1902, this is my findings.
I have discounted 10 Superintendents and that leaves 5 possible Superintendents from around that time.
1: Solomon DENNETT, who was at Shaftesbury as a Supt from 1901 to 1905.
2: Joseph MARSH, unlikely as he was at Wimborne and did not serve in the north of the county
3: Ambrose RICKETTS, again unlikely as always served in southern divisions and was at Portland.
4: John SIMPSON who was the Sherborne divisional Supt from 1894 till retirement in 1905.
5: James Chislett COLLINS who was promoted to Supt at Sturminster NEWTON in 1901 as retired there in 1914.
This is PC 161
That is as much as I know at the moment except he may have been based at Weymouth from the photographer.
Unfortunately I do not know who was 161 around the time of this photograph which from the uniform is around the 1930’/ 1940’s
All of these men are Dorset policemen however I have no idea who the gentleman is who has the civilian clothes, cap and walking stick. The fact that the grey uniform is being worn shows that it is a summer photograph from 1907 to and including 1912. This photograph will be or is included “Men in Grey” a separate post discussing the uniform.
From identifying various policemen I believe it has to be in the summer of 1908.
The above magnified photograph is from Dorchester HQ in 1953.
Supt Frank ELMES is at the front, but I am trying to identify the Insp or Ch/Insp to the left underneath the ladder. Possible contenders are:
Reg STICKLEY
Charles FUDGE
Frank PAYNE