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John T Hornick

Loza

knowlegable brummie
I came across this photo yesterday. In it is my Grandfather who served in the City of Birmingham Police, the date on the back of the photo is 1904. I haven't got a clue where it is or who is in the car. He was stationed in Handsworth. Any ideas?
 

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I came across this photo yesterday. In it is my Grandfather who served in the City of Birmingham Police, the date on the back of the photo is 1904. I haven't got a clue where it is or who is in the car. He was stationed in Handsworth. Any ideas?

I can't help much with the location but I think the car is a Lanchester built from between 1900 and 1911, possibly a 20hp. They were steered by a side lever, no steering wheel.
 
hi laurence what a fantastic photo of your grandad....i will pass this link onto one of our members steve rice who helps run the police museum even if he cant help with the location i am sure he will be interested in seeing the photograph...could we have your grandads name please as steve maybe able to look in records to see what beat he was on..fingers crossed someone may recognise those lovely houses which i would imagine must be around the handsworth area

lyn
 
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Photo looks to me like Soho Hill/Road. There were once several large houses like this along there. It's at a junction with another road too, the houses in that adjacent road are probably less grand. Viv.
 
could also be along hamstead road viv....bet the house is no longer there though...just having a little street walk:)
 
hi laurence what a fantastic photo of your grandad....i will pass this link onto one of our members steve rice who helps run the police museum even if he cant help with the location i am sure he will be interested in seeing the photograph...could we have your grandads name please as steve maybe able to look in records to see what beat he was on..fingers crossed someone may recognise those lovely houses which i would imagine must be around the handsworth area

lyn
 

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Hi Lyn, thanks for your ideas on locations . My Grandfather's name was John T. Hornick. I don't know what the station was that he was at. Regards Laurence
 
thanks laurence what wonderful photos you have posted...give us a bit of time we maybe able to help you with some more info ...i will have to have a better look at them later but we maybe able to make out his collar number on one of them...

lyn
 
Lyn - the numbers in the first and last photo are different. The first begin 83 and the last one starts with a 2.
 
Probably not relevant, but looking at the notice on the wall in pic 2, I think it says 'C Division' 'Kidderminster Police' and the words ' Joining the Army' near the bottom.
ps... the 'sports notice' looks to have placed over an army recruiting poster'.
 
thanks janice..i have alerted steve rice to this thread sure he will take a look as soon as he gets my message...just looking at photo 2 on post 9 and to the right there seems to be a poster advertising some sports event..cant make out at what park but i think i can make out that it says C DIVISION...i would take a guess that john hornick is on the steps of what could have been an old police station at that time...can also make out the word army bottom right of the poster..
 
If they're standing outside a police station in post#8 it doesn't look like Handsworth Police Station (Thornhill Road). Viv.
 
deleted one of my posts as i meant to say thornhill road police station not canterbury road...agree with you viv does not look like thornhill road..

lyn
 
Well ,
What i suggest to do is to check is collar number by records if your friend steve as access records that far back
and work out the C divisons meaning check where c division was around the areas
firstly C division incorporates Handsworth , Thornhill road , Then keyon street then ladywood , Then Ladywood, original
police station not the latest of today Oh of Course dudley road which was a little house out side summerfield road
even today it had a litle bush garden on the front and a twineing little path to the small sized front door as in the picture
Itwas a small type house with about the same sized reception
these was all the C Divisional stations it was later in the 1900,s 60\70 that belgrave road became C division to be included
I am just wondering whether or not it could have been kingsheath as they had all there horse stabled there as well as duke street
It will be intresting to find out the result
best wishes Astonian,,,,,Alan,,,
 
Very interesting pictures.
I am going to have to see what there is in the museum but I don't believe there is a surviving file at least not from the spreadsheet I have access to at home. I can say that his full name is John Thomas Hornick and he joined Birmingham City police on the 21st August 1903.
Re the pics on post 7
Pic 1 he has Birmingham City helmet
Pic 2 there isn't anything distinguishing that I note.
Pic 3 appears also to be a Birmingham City helmet.

It is possible to have more than one number. The practice has now stopped but back in the day if an officer moved division he was given a different letter and number with the letter denoting the divisional area he worked.

It should also be remembered that the Birmingham force covered a much smaller operational area back then and the County boundaries were different. I will have to check the old map but I think Canterbury Station for example was in Staffordshire policing area although I may be wrong but I am sure it has the Staffordshire Knot above the door when I worked there.

The C Division would have been Thornhill, Ladywood up as far as Harborne I believe. Need to look at the old maps if they are not packed away

Steve R
 
Hi Steve
Iknow i put kings heath but if its for the horse brigade police section and now you have said possibly harborne
came in with the C division well i was thinking of the kings norton section or would that have been over the boundries
i have got a friend whom worked at duke street on the main operations divisions number 1 car as they called it
he left the force some years ago but i do still see him and his wife
whom actualy still works at the queens road aston station may be she may be able to put an input
well its great that you are a member and may be resolve this puzzle look foreward to seing your result best wishes Astonian,,,,
 
My Grandfather came over from Ireland to join the Birmingham Constabulary. He came from a long line of Policeman in the Royal Irish Constabulary. They were of German Palatine Origin. They came to England as Prodestant refugees in the early 1700s when they were oppressed by the Catholic French troops. The British Government resettled them in Ireland.
Do you know much about the Police recruiting story by Birmingham City at that time my Grandfather came?
 
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