A packed room greeted Ken Wells, curator of the Thames Valley Police Museum, on Monday evening (15th October). Mr Wells gave a talk entitled “History of Thames Valley Police Force.” Mr Wells gave a brief overview of his background, noting the fact that he failed to get into certain police forces due to height restrictions. Mr Wells eventually joined the Metropolitan Police Force and served in various districts including Hammersmith. He also server within the Mounted Police division.
Mr Wells later moved to Berkshire and was posted to various towns including Woodly. Mr Wells later became a Scenes of Crime Officer and was involved with recording evidence in the Hungerford Shootings in 1987.
Berkshire, Oxford, Reading and Buckinghamshire forces joined in 1968 to form the Thames Valley Constabulary. This was changed in 1970 to Thames Valley Police (TVP).
Mr Wells walked the society through some of the history of the offices highlighting the most important. The Constable first appeared in 1215AD. This job was given to men for 1 year each and was unpaid. Not a popular job, however, if you had the money you could pay someone else to do it for you.
The Night Watchman came next in the reign of Charles II. They patrolled the streets and could be heard shouting “all’s well” and the time if a clock was visible.
There were also Street Runners who were paid a reward for the apprehension of villains. Some even travelled abroad. They had a staff to show their position. The staff had a crown on top of it, when removed a bill of arrest could be found inside.
Sir Robert Peel created the Metropolitan Police Act in 1829 and gave London the Police Force that we know today. The first Police Officers were known as Peelers and were required to be aged between 23 and 40 to join. They would be paid 17 shillings, work 12hours a day and would get 1 week’s holiday a year, unpaid. Uniform had to be worn at all times and they were to wear a band on their arm to identify if they were on duty or not.
The Victorians later allowed women to join the force and equal opportunities in the 1970’s ensured that women had the same rights as men with equal pay and expectations.
Questions then followed, and a vote of thanks was given by committee member Barry Franklin.