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Early Police Women

Steve R

Steve R

master brummie
The first Police women in Birmingham were recruited in 1917. The first two were recruited from the 'lock up' for the Victoria Law Courts. I am collating information on these for the Police museum and booklet to be released next year to coincide with the 100th anniversary.

We have some photographs of the early days but I am looking for more and especially any pictures from the 'lock up' or first police women. Once completed I intend to put some of the story's on to the forum. If you have anything that you think may be of value please PM me

Steve R
 
hi steve..good luck with the booklet and info for the police museum...i am sure that if any of our members can help you in any way they will..i will of course see if i can come up with anything of interest..as a start have you looked through the newspaper archives as there may well have been a report on when the first police women were recruited in brum..

lyn
 
Hi steve
The first two police women on the beat in 1917. Names was Rebecca lipscombe
And Evelyn miles were lock matrons ,
The first police station was established in1839 with the setting up of the birmingham Bourough police
The police adverised for young men not over 36 years of age or under 5; 8.. Able to read, write
And produce, Testimonials of exceptional character,
The first recruit was George Howick , twenty six whom joined up on 23 september 1839.
On 10 October 1966 Belgrave road police station took delivery of the force,s first three
Austin A 40 Patrol cars
1939 was the year in which the first horse patrol appeared
Best of Luck steve with your book,,, Alan,,,,, Astonian,,,,
 
Hello Lyn/Viv
We have done the archives and have some very interesting stuff for the book. I will let you know when it is available. I have seen the two links above as the museum supplied the information. I am interested in any pictures the members may have of Police women but it is the early days that the material is harder to source. The lady in the picture (Evelyn Miles) is well documented and we have her service records and a period uniform in the museum.
Any pictures or stories considered

Steve R
 
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Astonian said:
Hi steve
The first two police women on the beat in 1917. Names was Rebecca lipscombe
And Evelyn miles were lock matrons ,
The first police station was established in1839 with the setting up of the birmingham Bourough police
The police adverised for young men not over 36 years of age or under 5; 8.. Able to read, write
And produce, Testimonials of exceptional character,
The first recruit was George Howick , twenty six whom joined up on 23 september 1839.
On 10 October 1966 Belgrave road police station took delivery of the force,s first three
Austin A 40 Patrol cars
1939 was the year in which the first horse patrol appeared
Best of Luck steve with your book,,, Alan,,,,, Astonian,,,,
Click to expand...

Thank you to my learned friend Astonian for naming the second recruit, Rebecca Lipscombe. Although it seems she did not serve very long she does deserve her mention.
 
I agree worthy of a mention. They both joined on the same day so I think worthy of recognition in fact Rebecca (a local lady) name is written before Evelyns so perhaps she should be considered the first but we will never know for sure now. I have found records for Evelyn who originated from Gloucestershire but as Astonian states both were lock up Matrons. I have discovered Rebecca was a nurse before being a lock up matron. The research continues. I would like to see any pictures of Female Police officers or any of the Lock up as it was back then.

Steve R
 
hi jim thanks for the heads up on the bbc report...steve rice who is mentioned in it is Steve R on the forum so if anyone out there can help him with his research that would be great...i notice that the records on 4 police women did not survive so if there are any of their rellies out there please contact steve either on this thread or via our private message system if prefered..(inbox top right of the page)

steve do you have any info at all about the 4 missing police women??..ie their dates of birth as we have some very clever members on here who maybe able to trace their rellies via ancestry...we have done this before when researching phyllis nicklin:)..here are their names folks


West Midlands Police said files on four officers - Elsie Chapman, Mary Dwelly, Lizzie May Peers and Malenda Shawe - have not survived.

Corinne Brazier, who has worked with Insp Steve Rice on a book to mark the centenary of the force's first female officers, said they have been "unable to match names with faces" and would "love to complete the picture".


lyn
 
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There's a death for a Mary E S Dwelly listed Sep qtr 1956, Bham. Age 80.

She seems to have been Mary Ellen S Curry born 1875 in Warrington and married Frederick William Dwelly in 1898. They are living in Bham in 1911 and in 1901 Frederick is listed as an assistant warder for the home office in Lancaster (prison maybe).

They had at least 2 sons and 3 daughters. The youngest were born in 1915 & 1919 so could be a problem.
 
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There is a Milinda (?) Shawe listed on the e rol in 1920 at "Prison Lodge Road" with an Arthur Charles Shawe and a Reginald Arthur Shawe (marked as being a Naval or Military voter and also an absent voter). In 1922 Malinda and Arthur are at back of 294 Monument Road.
 
Arthur and Malinda Evans seem to have married in 1911 in St Pancras. Arthur died in 1925 in Worcester - probate granted to widow Malinda who, I think, was his second wife as he appears with Amelia on 1901 Wales census as a warder at HM Prison.
 
Malinda's birth was registered in 1876, Brecknock as was her death in 1961. In 1939 she's in Crickhowell with a sister, Sarah Evans.

Can't see any Shawe/Evans children. Arthur was at the same address as Melinda in 1911 in Brecknock.

A cousin of my grandfather was in prison in Brecon in 1907, so guessing that Arthur is working there.
 
Best I can come up for Lizzie May Peers is a Lizzie May Cresswell b1886 in Leominster and married a Thomson Henry Peers in Ludlow 1908.

Thomson Henry Peers was born in Erdington and in 1901 was a solicitor's clerk (law connection). In 1911 they are living in Minsterley, Shropshire.

There doesn't appear to be any Peers/Cresswell children unfortunately.

Possible death for Lizzie in 1962, Ontario.
 
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If I have the right entry 1891 then Arthur and his first wife seem to have had - Reginald born 1888 and died 1945 in Australian Pay Corps in ww2 (listed on CWG site as sone of Arthur and Amelia wife given as Sarah at Cremorne). On 1901 census they have 2 daughters as well Amy born 1892 and Mabel born 1895 died 1902. Malinda's probate went to Gertrude Evans who was her sister. I also think Amy might have gone to Australia as well as Reginald. There is a marriage of Amy G Shawe to Willie Larcombe and then several entries in ships logs to show visits to the UK.
 
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Thank you to those that have contributed we are slowly building the picture and hopefully somebody will be able identify those listed. We now have contact with Rebecca Lispscombe's family but we are still searching for Evelyn Miles decedents.
The books celebrating a 100 years of Women in Policing were delivered last week and available soon to those that are interested. I will update shortly

Steve R
 
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