Police History Society
The Police History Society (PHS) is a registered charity in the United Kingdom, number 295540, and an academic society, the aim of which is to educate the public in police history and further interest and research into the subject of Policing History across the world. It does this by encouraging the study of police history by supporting researchers with enquiries, and offering grants to cover expenses into the research of aspects of policing history.[1]
Its current patron is John Stevens, Baron Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
Its current president is Sir Tom Winsor, Chief of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services
Its current chair is Paul Grifftiths, who is also chair of the Police Superintendents' Association
Aims and Objectives[edit]
- To act as a focal point and network for all who are interested in police history
- To promote interest in police history as a subject by
- a. occasional talks and meetings
- b. encouraging research into all aspects of police history and
- c. publishing the useful results of such research
- To encourage the preservation of relevant police archives and artefacts and to promote their accessibility to the general public
- To produce newsletters, journals and other publications
- To provide grants for approved research into and publications relating to police history
- To forge and maintain strategic links with relevant academic institutions
- To maintain a register of police museums and archives and their curators or keepers
- To maintain a register of specialist interests and expertise within the broad subject of police history
Some examples of where the Society benefit wider society are that they are frequently contacted by researchers for television documentaries and journalists compiling articles relating to historical matters involving the police and these requests are put out to its members from across the world, many of whom may have served during the period in question and had first-hand experience in the cases being looked into. Recent requests include from journalists looking into the Brighton Hotel Bombings and producers making a documentary about the Yorkshire Ripper.
The PHS also provides access to a large network of like-minded individuals who support enquirers, both internal and external, on almost any subject relating to policing history.
Genealogists are able to contact the Police History Society with requests to assist them finding out information into their family history about ancestors who were police officers.
The history of the Society[edit]
The Police History Society began in 1985 when it was launched and promoted in Police Review with a quarterly supplement featuring historical articles. Superintendent Les Waters MA (Cambridgeshire Constabulary) and Chief Inspector Robert Bartlett BA (Northamptonshire Police) came up with the idea of a police historical society during 1984. They teamed up with Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Drew MBA, FBIM (West Mercia Police) and Elizabeth Lally BA, Cert Ed. Museum Curator (West Mercia) who had been looking at forming an organisation of police museums.
The Society was launched in the Police Review of 29 March 1985[2], inviting membership at a cost of £5, funds to be used for meetings, seminars, an annual conference, and a proposed journal. Their president was Barry Pain, CBE, QPM, Commandant of the Police Staff College, among the historical advisers was Clive Emsley.
The first conference and AGM were held on 7 September 1985 at Churchill College, Cambridge, with Bramshill Police College providing the venue for the subsequent 1986 event.
On Friday 28th May 2021 the Newsletter of the Police History Society featured as the 'guest publication' for the 'missing words round' on the BBC satirical news programme Have I Got News for You.
Publications[edit]
The society publishes an annual journal The Journal of the Police History Society, currently spanning 34 volumes. Details of previous content can be found on the Society's website. Members receive a copy of that year's journal every year they are a member. Submissions can be made any person to the editor through the PHS website.
Articles from various Journals have been cited in numerous books including a biography of Capt. Athelstan Popkess[3] and Richard Cowley's broad work A History of the British Police: From its Earliest Beginnings to the Present Day.[4]
The PHS has also published a Monograph on the subject of The British Police: Forces and Chief Officers 1829 – 2012 written by members Martin Stallion and David S Wall and published in 2011. The book lists all known 'modern' (as recognised by being broadly consistent with the ideals espoused by Sir Robert Peel) police forces in the British Isles as well as the tenures of their Chief Constables.[5]
It has also published:
- The Police & Constabulary List 1844[6]
- Towards a Record Management Policy for provincial forces in England and Wales[7]
- A History of the Chipping Norton Borough Police 1836-1857[8]
The Society has recently begun regularly contributing short articles in the magazine of the National Association of Retired Police Officers (NARPO)[9]
Conference[edit]
The PHS holds an annual conference featuring a range of speakers on various topics relating to police history. This is open to members to attend and is regularly attended by British and international members. The last conference was held at the Police Federation of England and Wales HQ in Leatherhead, Surrey.
References[edit]
- ↑ "Charity overview: The Police History Society". The Charity Commission for England and Wales. Retrieved 13 June 2021. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Bartlett, Robert (29 March 1985). "Police History Society". Police Review.
- ↑ Andrews, Tom (2020). THE GREATEST POLICEMAN? A BIOGRAPHY OF CAPT. ATHELSTAN POPKESS CBE, OStJ Chief Constable of Nottingham City Police 1930-1959. London: Blue Lamp Books. Search this book on
- ↑ Cowley, Richard (2011). A History of the British Police: From its Earliest Beginnings to the Present Day. The History Press. ISBN 978-0752458915. Search this book on
- ↑ Stallion (1) and Wall (2), Martin (1) and David S (2) (2011). The British Police: Forces and Chief Officers 1829 – 2012. Bodmin: The Police History Society. ISBN 978-0951253861. Search this book on
- ↑ The Police & Constabulary List 1844. The Police History Society. 1990. ISBN 0 9512538 2 4. Search this book on
- ↑ Waters, L. A (1994). Towards a Record Management Policy for provincial forces in England and Wales. The Police History Society. ISBN 0 9512538 3 2. Search this book on
- ↑ Woodley, Leonard (2005). A History of the Chipping Norton Borough Police 1836-1857. The Police History Society. ISBN 978-09512538-5-4. Search this book on
- ↑ "NARPO". National Association of Retired Police Officers. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help)
External links[edit]
This article "Police History Society" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Police History Society. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
