Sheffield City Police - Chief Constables

[Steve457]

In the 123 years of its history between its formation on 12th March 1844 and its amalgamation with Rotherham Borough Police on 1st June 1967, Sheffield City Police had ten Chief Constables.  It will be noted that a number of the Chief Constables appointed prior to World War 2 held military or naval ranks.  Many police forces sought to recruit their chief officers from men (they were always men in those days) of previous military or naval service.  

• 1844 - 1858: Thomas RAYNOR
• 1st January 1859 - 1898: John JACKSON.  Jackson was unusual for a Chief Constable in the 19th century as he served for 39 years in an era when indifferent sanitation and health standards were not indusive to long life or service, and when even at chief officer level standards of discipline were not always of the highest.  Jackson died in service.
• December 1898 - 1912: Commander Charles T. SCOTT.  Scott had previously served as Chief Constable of Dewsbury (1887-1890); and Chief Constable of Salford (1889-1898).
• July 1913 - 7th January 1926: Major John HALL-DALWOOD.  Hall-Dalwood had previously served as Chief Constable of Leicester (September 1907 - February 1913).
• May 1926 - November 1931: Captain Percy J. SILLITOE.  Sillitoe had previously served as Chief Constable of Chesterfield (1st May 1923 - 19th February 1925); and Chief Constable of East Riding of Yorkshire Constabulary (19th February 1925 - 1926).  Subsequent to his service in Sheffield, Sillitoe moved to the post of Chief Constable of Glasgow (1st December 1931 - 1st March 1943); and Chief Constable of Kent (1st March 1943 - 30th April 1946).  While serving as Chief Constable of Glasgow, Sillitoe introduced the black & white chequered capband now common to all police forces in England, Wales and Scotland.  This was nicknamed the "Sillitoe Tartan".
• 1st December 1931 - 1941: Major F.S. JAMES.  James had previously served as Chief Constable of Chesterfield from 1925 to 1931, having suceeded Sillitoe in that post.
• 1st December 1941 - 1948: George S. LOWE.  Lowe had previously served as Chief Constable of Congleton (1st November 1930 - 1932); Chief Constable of Newcastle-under-Lyme (18th June 1932 - 22nd March 1936); and Chief Constable of Plymouth (23rd March 1936 - 1941).
• 1948 - 1959: George E. SCOTT.  Scott had previously served as Chief Constable of Luton (1936-1944); Chief Constable of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1944-1947).  Subsequent to his service in Sheffield, Scott became Chief Constable of the West Riding Constabulary (1st November 1959 - 30th September 1968); and Chief Constable of West Yorkshire (1st October 1968 - 5th June 1969).
• 1959 - 20th November 1963: Eric V. STAINES.  Staines had previously served as Chief Constable of Derby (1956 - 1959).
• 1964 - 31st May 1967: Edward BARKER.  Barker had previously served as Chief Constable of Bolton (1957 - 1964).  When the Sheffield City Police and Rotherham Borough Police merged on 1st June 1967, Barker became the first Chief Constable of the Sheffield & Rotherham Police, serving until 1972.

[LeadFarmer]

My grandfather, a Sheffield lad, joined the police straight after WW2, but back then you couldn't join your home force, so he had to join Derbyshire and was posted in Dronfield. He later transferred to Rotherham police and then Sheffield police, before finally both forces combined, and later became SY police. He retired from SY Police in 1976 as a Chief Superintendent.

During this time he was an Inspector in charge of prosecutions at the old Town Hall court house on Waingate, When he retired The Star ran an article where the Sheffield magistrates thanked hi for his service and for not taking a single day off sick in his 30yrs service.

I have his Sheffield, Rotherham and SY Police cap badges, wooden truncheon and tunic. I also have his internal police brochure celebrating the opening of Snig Hill police station (1974?0 and inviting senior ranks to its open day.

 

[johnm]

Edward Barker famous as the inventor of Barker's Markers at crossings !