Then and Now
| Author | J.A. Claydon |
| Published date | 01 October 1989 |
| Date | 01 October 1989 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X8906200404 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
J.A.
CLA
YDON, QPM
former Detective Superintendent aged 89 years
Then and Now
In September, 1924, when I joined the Leicestershire Constabulary
the salary was £3.10.0 a week or £182 a year. However, this was not my
first duty as a guardian of the law as in August, 1919 I was in the Army at
Crosby Camp on the outskirts of Liverpool when the police in London,
Birmingham and Liverpool went on strike for the first and only time in
their history. Along with other soldiers I was drafted into the dock area of
Liverpool and although we were there within a few hours of the strike
commencing in ScotlandRoad, adjoiningthe docks, every shop had been
looted and what could not be stolen and carried away was left damaged.
Thoseof us who fitted the physicalrequirements of the police service were
given the opportunity to apply for enlistmentinthe Liverpool PoliceForce
butat
that time nothing was further from my thoughts and I did not apply.
Between August, 1919 and September, 1924, when back at home,
I was appointed the parish constable of my native village and issued with
atruncheon, handcuffs and an armlet. I was then sworn in at a magistrates
court at Melton Mowbray,given a few verbal instructions and no subsequent
retaining fee but was never called upon to exercise my authority. Laterthe
post of parish constable was abolished.
On joining the police service in September, 1924 I received no
special training, just six weeks at headquarters - doing errands and
odd
jobs with the occasional lecture by a superintendent. I was posted in
November to Hinckley, athriving and busy town with hosiery its main
industry. Therewas no all-night duty, the latestshift finishing
at4
a.m. All
duties were split shifts, mainly three and five hour stints. Applicationhad
to be made to the superintendent for permission to leave
one's
station on
rest days - also to get married. Once a year the Chief Constable held an
inspection in each division and one of the directions beforehand was that
"hair on the head and face should be well trimmed." From what I
sometimes see today this no longer applies. In 1924 cricket was the only
sport in the Constabulary. Arecent chiefconstable's annual report listed
over twenty! Time off for cricket was not allowed but duty could be re-
arranged where possible.
In 1931 I became the first officer from our force to go on a course
- to Scotland Yard on a six weeks detective training course, and the
following year I was appointed Hinckley's first everdetective officer and
had responsibility for investigating crime throughout the Division and
also for my own clerical work.
In 1926 or 1927 our force made history after two men were
disturbed breaking into a hosiery factory. The police superintendent
persuaded a friend, a member of a nearby aero club, to take him up in a
plane in an endeavour to spot the men. This, as far as I am aware, was the
first time a police force had used an aeroplane in the detection
of
crime.
October
1989
289
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