Useful links and places to go for more
information
Websites
http://www.headline.org.uk
A site dedicated to the history of dock and railway
policing. Includes all aspects of policing the railways, docks
and canals in South Wales including listing the different
forces and a database of nearly 1000 officers who served there
between 1840 and 1985.
www.met.police.uk/history
www.policememorial.org.uk
The National Police Memorial lists all UK
police officers who have been killed or died in the execution of
their duty. It has a page dedicated to each UK police force
including the British Transport Police
www.policehistorysociety.co.uk
www.londonancestor.com
Has a section for London Police.
www.nrm.org.uk
National Railway Museum
www.ltmuseum.co.uk
London Transport Museum
www.policememorial.org.uk
National Police Roll of Honour
BTP books
The Railway Policeman by J R
Whitbread
Published by George Harrop & Co 1961.
A Force on the Move by Pauline
Appleby
Published by Images Publishing (Malvern) Ltd
1995.
ISBN 1 897817 67 3
Police history books
Badges of Office by M B Taylor and V L
Wilkinson
First published by R Hazell & Co 1989 and
reprinted by the Police Insignia Collectors Association.
ISBN 0 901718 52 1
As with the majority of police history books
the railway police barely get a mention and the history of British
Police starts with the formation of the Metropolitan Police in
1829. A section called Current Forces shows the constabularies that
amalgamated to make those forces also fails to mention the BTP.
A series of 53 photographic plates each show a
average of 20 police helmet plates and cap-badges. Unfortunately
there seems to be no order in the display of the badges.
The following plates have helmet plates for
the constituent forces of the BTP:
Plate 13: Two Great Eastern Railway Police
both with a Queen Victorian Crown.
Plate 21: Grand Union Canal Company and the
Regents Canal Police.
Plate 23: Regents Canal Police.
Plate 25: BTC Police with a Kings Crown.
Plate 26: Manchester Ship Canal Police.
Plate 31: Great Western Railway Police with a
Kings Crown.
Plate 43: BTC Police (lion and wheel).
Plate 45: BT Police.
Plate 46: BTC Police.
Truncheons by Erland
Fenn-Clark
Published by Herbert Jenkins Ltd 1935.
The book illustrates more than 500 decorated
truncheons and is the definitive work on the subject. Unlike other
police history books the author takes due accord of the railway
forces. There are many railway tipstaves and decorated truncheons
illustrated (all in black and white) including copies of those in
the collections at the National Railway Museum. Most however are
from the authors extensive collection.
The Policeman’s Lot by Mervyn
Mitton
Published by Quiller Press 1985.
IBSN 0 907621 50 3
This book is a must for collectors of antique
police equipment and not only illustrates truncheons but other
equipment such as rattles, lamps and uniform. There is a short
chapter about the early railways with illustrations of four
truncheons and a list of some early railway companies. There are
two Great Western Railway Police and two Manchester and Leeds
Railway Police illustrated truncheons.