Our guest speaker was Pam Mills, a former member of Kent Police and she gave us a very interesting and entertaining talk and display on the history of policing in Kent up to the mid-1970s. Pam is a volunteer at the Kent Police Museum in Faversham and is studying for a PhD on the role of women in the Kent Police Force.
The Kent Country Constabulary began in 1857 but Maidstone had its own borough police force from 1835 until 1943. The Kent force was run by magistrates and the first Chief Constable was Captain John Henry Hay Ruxton, 1857-1894. He was a magistrate and gentleman farmer as well as having served in the King’s Own Regiment of Foot. In his first year in charge 71 police officers were disciplined, a third of the force, and 35 were dismissed.
Wrens Cross was bought as the headquarters and in 1897 the first helmet of a type we would recognise was in use. Taller hats were replaced in 1860 with a kepi style. Whistles as a form of communication were introduced in 1885.
There were 12 divisions in the Kent force and each had one horse. A horse and cart was used to move prisoners and Maidstone had a Crown Court. In 1864 modern police stations started and women were tasked with looking after female prisoners. It was however, 1895, before they were paid, one shilling per call out.
Pam went on to talk about the next Chief Constables. The second Major Henry Herbert Edwards lasted 6 months and the third was Lt. Col. Henry Murray Ashley Warde. Warde brought in reforms including a sports day with prizes and money was raised for the police orphans’ fund. A CID unit was formed and bicycles came into use too. When Warde retired in 1921, Harry Chapman who had been his deputy took over as Chief Constable. In 1930, the first motor car arrived and 19 motorbikes making the first motorised patrol. Over the coming years staff welfare and recreation rooms were put in place. Sir Percy Sillitoe appointed in 1942 taking over after the death of Chief Constable, Captain Davison. Sir Percy was appointed Chief Constable and was also the head of the joint borough and county force. In 1939 the Home Office took control of policing.
Permission was granted to recruit WPCs in 1944, but they only made up 10% of the total force. In 1976 there was an exodus of women due to the introduction of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. Pam ended her story there.