• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Police Horses

rowan

rowan

Born a Brummie
Please....can someone tell me if there are any Police horses still stationed in Birmingham?
 
The short answer is NO. they did away with the horse section and the divers some years ago to save money, if there is an incident where divers are wanted they have to call in divers from an outside force.
 
Police Horses.

Didn't the horses used to stabled at Little Park Street, Aston and The Tally Ho in Edgbaston. If the mounted police are now defunct in Birmingham what has happened to the stables.

Cheers

pmc1947.
 
There were also stables at Victoria road but they were used for storage when I was stationed there ( 1968 + ). the stables at Park road were built when Duke St closed.
 
On 16 August 1839 thenight horse patrol was founded. In 1922 a mounted ection of 22 officers was established using horses hired from the Corporation Stud. By the late 1940's the establishment was an Inspector a Sergeant,24 Constables and 20 horses that were nearly all grey. The horses were maintained by by the Corporation's stud of horses taht belonged ton the City Veterinary Dept, and provided for by the Watch Committee. In May 1946 the weekly upkeep of a horse was increased from 30/- to 35/- for bedding shoeing & feeding. I remember that there were also stables at kINGSTANDING, Thornhill Road Bordesley Green Acocks Green & Kings Heath. There was also a stable & riding school at Tally Ho ! Sadly all the heritage was destroyed by a short sighted Chief Constable !
 
Police horses are now stabled in Stafford. They are moved around in horse boxes for football matches etc.
 
They are moved around in horse boxes for football matches etc.
Click to expand...
I've never seen horses playing footba...oh, I see.

Are the old stables still standing in Ladywood Road, just up from Five Ways? I thought I saw them the other day as I drove past.
 
A neighbour was the cook at Acocks Green police station pre WW2 & post war i looked after her dog while she worked ( she was not married) i would go to the station and she would give bones for her dog, i was allowed to see the horses in their stables this would be circa 1939- on, before there were police women stationed there our neighbour would search women who were arrested, the police would come and get her at anytime of the night, as far as i know the stables are still standing but used for other purposes.
 
My friends husband who saddly died recently was a mounted policeman and his last horse went to a home for retired police horses where he would visit him. His wife still carries on with re- homing dogs and cats. A true animal caring family. Her daughter is married to a vet and has rescued chickens and has adopted one of these retired horses. Jean.
 
Did you Know that the police force was dressed in blue uniform designed to resemble civilian more than military dress...Cat
 
There was a police stable in Bell Barn rd,the man in charge wore leather gaiters ,isn't it amazing the memories that come back to us .The stable later became a delivery firm called Rainbows.Mary
 
Mike love that photo. When I phone my friend I will ask if I can borrow some of her photo's of her late husband and his horses whilst in the mounted police?. Jean.
 
When I was a kid one of our neighbours was in the Mounted Police and occasionally turned up on his horse. Nowadays I guess the Tax people would consider that a taxable perk.
 
When the Mounted Department was disbanded, I believe most of the horses and tack went to either Nottingham and/or Manchester Police Forces for virtually nothing.

Motorman-Mike. Mike have you any more photographs? Would love to see them if you have.

Junie.
 
After the horses were stood down Duke St was used as a Maintenance Station for Police Motorcycles. Len.
 
To log on today and see this has given me a bit of a jolt, my sister has this photo,my Dad the motorcyclist 2nd row on the right.
Their first day out on the 'big bikes' and it snowed, I believe.
 
Last edited:
hi all
I remember the police horse stables as being in ladywood road just down from 5 ways, on a sunday we boys would go and watch as they paraded down towards the town.
great sight now long gone with the constables parading every morning and plenty of bobbys on the town beat, sad really.
regards paul
 
In the sixties we used to go to The Duke Inn, Duke Street, right opposite the Police Stables. There was a great honky-tonk pianist called Fred, who came from Perry Barr, and of a Saturday night there was a wonderful sing-along. Given that me and my friends had hair down to our waists and hippie-style dress, you'd have thought that the regulars at The Duke would've been just a trifle put out, but they weren't. Especially as we knew loads of old music-hall songs, which Fred could always pick up after a bar or two. The all-time favourite was 'Lily Of Laguna', always saved until last.

Most Saturdays the coppers from the stables would come in, and they were a great crowd. I particularly remember one sad night when one of the horses had died, and there was a very solemn and moving memorial to him (I wish I could remember that horse's name, but I can't). The cop whose horse it was, was in tears.

My other memory of police-horses was how they kept things peaceful at Villa Park, just leaning gently against the crowd as we queued to get into the turnstyles.

Another world, or so it seems to me now.

Big Gee
 
yes they use to keep horses at victoria rd during the forties and the early fifties
i used to wait and see them coming out of the stables
and crossing there rear car park and there was a large arch way at the rear
where they would come out on to the street
and also i would walk around to vicarage rd and wait for the big shire horse,s
coming back from there rounds and being taken into the stables
some hadbig badges on them
i think it was early fifties around the 55 ,year they moved them to duke street
best wishes astonian ;;
 
The Police horses were last stabled at Tally Ho on the Pershore Road. The arena which the horses used to be exercised is now the Police driving school.
The old stables have been demolished today 17/09/2009. “I know I was there”.
I will endeavour to get some recent pictures and also some old pictures to hopefully post but I will have to liaise with supervision first.
 
from 1992 to 1999 I was admin girl at the mounted Dept on Park Lane in Aston, we had 40 horses based at Park Lane, Tally ho, West Brom and Chace ave in Coventry. It closed in March 1999 and the horses were sold or retired to the ILPH. As far as I know there are three left, one is stabled up the road from the yard I keep my horse at, 449 Sentinel is now 26 years old and still going well. One is in Warwickshire and the other in wales with a retired WPC from the dept.

It was a sad sad day when we were told the news and the force could do with getting it back but can't see it happening. On the upside thoug Essex have reinstated theirs so there is always hope....

The nearest branch now is Nottingham or Thames Valley, Staffs disbanded before West Mids along with North Yorkshire who replaced theirs with quad bikes.

There is a Duke Street reunion every two years, the next is due in 2011 so if any of you on the forum served on the 'donkey's as they were affectionally called, trafffic or bikes, ring WMP Sports Club at Tally ho nearer the time to enquire. The oldest there last time was 84 and was the Chief Insp on the Dept in the 50's and 60's. I've been told so many stories and have my own as they were for me very happy times spent during my career.

It was my dear dad that took me to Duke Street in around 1971 and sat me on a horse for the first time - he never heard the end of it and have ridden ever since.
 
My cousin Ian Kennedy was in the Mounted based latterly at Tally Ho, I have here some video films of him on the muscial ride and competing at I think White City on Murphy a wonderful dapply grey. When I came home in 1983 he rode Murphy to see me at home in Erdington on my birthday and Murphy did a little bow - it was so sweet. Ian would be retired now, I know he rode as escort on Murph in Diana and Charles Wedding procession. When Murph retired Ian had contact with him and I believe even competed on him and had another horse and I cant remember his name, its on one of the video tapes that Dad took at Tally Ho so would have been before 1991 when they came out here, but like other things it is boxed away ready for the house move.

Dyan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top