James Vukmirovic speaks to West Midlands Police heritage manager Corinne Brazier and former police officers Mike Rogers, Roy Barratt and Tom Duffin about a brand new book detailing the history of Wolverhampton Borough Police
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00:00 I'm here with Coen Brazier, tell me about your role with the museum.
00:03 So I'm the Heritage Manager for West Midlands Police, so I have the amazing job of being able to celebrate and share policing heritage from right across the West Midlands.
00:11 We're here today to talk about this book, just about Wolverhampton Borough Police and the history behind that. Tell me a bit about it.
00:17 So we're conscious we've got a lot of books about the history of Birmingham City Police and not so much about the other forces that existed from outside of Birmingham.
00:25 So this book is specifically about Wolverhampton Borough Police which existed from 1848 right up until 1966 when it merged with other local forces to create West Midlands Constabulary.
00:35 Right, so what can people expect when they go in and start reading the book? What's the sort of detail of it?
00:40 There's a lot of nostalgia, there's some interesting information about early policing in the region which is a little bit of social history, a little bit of information about the kind of kit and equipment that officers would have had.
00:51 People who have worked or policed the area might recognise some of the old vehicles or some of the people in the pictures, some of the old police stations like Red Lion Street which there's an awful lot of fond memories.
01:03 Some fantastic pictures about the refurbishment of that building and all the new facilities that were created in the 40s. So yeah, there's loads of nostalgia.
01:13 It's a whole nostalgia trip, not just for Wolverhampton, I suspect there's other parts of the region that we're going to be doing as well.
01:18 Yeah, so this is focusing on Wolverhampton but we'd really like to look at other areas like Walsall, perhaps that'll be something we'll do next and just continue to make it very clear that our Police Museum covers the whole of the West Midlands.
01:30 What are some of the interesting stories that you found out from putting this book together?
01:34 Well one of my favourite pieces to include was the picture of FA Cup winners Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1949 escorted by the local police. But also some of the personal stories like former Superintendent Joe Davies.
01:46 He just seemed to have the most fantastic career. He was included in lots of different firsts with radios in police cars and different police motorbikes. He had amazing stories.
01:56 And there's interesting information about the first female officers in Wolverhampton, the officers on the Roll of Honour. I think it's really, really important that we tell their stories and make sure that they're not forgotten. But yeah, loads of great stories.
02:08 Do you think there's something that the modern police force could learn from reading this book?
02:12 I think it's really, really important that we as a police force know where we've come from in order to know where we're going. I think that's a saying that's been used before.
02:22 It's really important to know your past, to know the rich heritage, the people that went before you, particularly the pioneers, the people that paved the way and made it possible for everyone that works in policing today.
02:32 I'm here with three veterans of the Wolverhampton Police. Would you please introduce yourselves?
02:37 Michael Rogers, formerly a Chief Officer of the Special Crime Sabotage, joined in February '71 at Wolverhampton. I've had the privilege of working with these two wonderful gentlemen.
02:51 I'm Roy Marras. I joined Wolverhampton Borough on the 24th April 1962, over 60 years ago.
02:58 And you are?
02:59 Tom Duffin. I was a Chief Superintendent here. I joined the police on 31st July 1978. When do you have the holidays, Dave?
03:08 It's weird, isn't it? It's weird you realise that we're all looking at the history of Wolverhampton Borough Police. What are your memories of the Borough Police Force? Tell me your best ones.
03:16 I was never part of the Borough. I joined Westmoreland's Police Stability, which now remains in the 74s, the Westmoreland's Police.
03:26 But yeah, policing was quite different, the style was different, but doing a wonderful job as the young officers do these days.
03:34 I would imagine you've got a bit more of a memory of this.
03:36 I'm afraid I have. What of my memories still exist? Going back into those early days, you appreciate there's no such thing as communication, otherwise by word of mouth.
03:46 And the old police box, the old police pillar on the corner, every now and again, of which you had to answer within an hour so they could be calling you.
03:55 And then everything you did was only one report, and it was a single sheet of full-scale paper.
04:02 You folded the margin to the left-hand side and then you turned the paper, the opposite wall, upside down.
04:08 And so the margin was still on the left and you wrote on it. And every report had to finish with "I am sir, your obedient servant."
04:16 We are talking back in the traditional past in that case then.
04:20 Well, it's 1962 and obviously it was in existence when I joined.
04:24 My father died in 1963 and I've got a letter from the Chief Constable which he in turn ends "I am sir, your obedient servant."
04:32 Norman W. Butcher.
04:34 And you've been superintendent over time. Do you have memories of the police force or have you sort of learnt about it over time?
04:41 No. Fun memories. I think Wolverhampton's always been a lively and thriving place where people have worked with the police to make things different and better.
04:52 So, yeah, it's a great place to live and work.
04:56 And I'm guessing you've all had a chance to have at least a look through the book.
05:00 Has it brought back any sort of memories for yourselves or is there anything there that's particularly caught your eye?
05:05 Ken Perks, I remember him. So there's some individuals in here who I recall. And yeah, very interesting book.
05:14 I suppose when you have a pop chat or read through it, what are you hoping to get from it?
05:19 Memories.
05:21 Is that the same thing for yourself?
05:22 Yes, it is. Obviously I know quite a few more than Mike does at the end of the day.
05:27 Looking at some of the photographs, bearing in mind we didn't have cameras upstairs, we didn't have mobile phones, there was no communication at the end of the day.
05:36 So it was totally different now looking at one or two of these old photographs that I didn't even know existed then.
05:44 I think I had cameras. My dad had a box brownie and that was about it. Everybody now has got some sort of device.
05:51 I can imagine that reading it is bringing back some good memories for yourself.
05:55 I'm not really ready to have any flick through the pictures at the moment, but I'm sure it's good.
06:00 And for yourself, reading through it and seeing the history of the force up to the 1960s, what do you think the modern force could learn from looking through that?
06:10 I don't think in principle things have changed. I think the core values of what they say there, the importance of the relationship with people, that's the method.
06:22 But I think it stays the same. But it is nice to look back.
06:25 There's a photograph here of the old discipline book. I'd be really interested to read some of those photos.
06:30 When I joined, I was very sure to do that.
06:34 I think the chief of the force could prove where I was. In the old days, you'd see somebody moving tens of miles somewhere else just to finish you off.
06:44 So it's interesting to look back at some of the old customs.
06:47 I can only imagine the alarms just going off right now, mate. I suspect you're all thinking, "Oh, spring into action!"
06:51 Yeah, something like that.