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History

History of the Police History Society

 

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 (Cambs) and Chief Inspector Robert Bartlett BA (Northants) 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) 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, 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 one Clive Emsley. Bernard was Chair; Les, Secretary; and Bob, Treasurer and Editor (and he did indeed edit the first Journal in 1986 and the next six). The first conference and AGM were held on 7 September 1985 at Churchill College, Cambridge and were a great success, with Barry Pain offering Bramshill Police College as the venue for 1986. Auspicious beginnings indeed!

Founders & Committee

Patron

1988   2014    Lord Knights #

2015               Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington

 

President

1985   1988   Barry Pain  -  HMI, Commandant Bramshill

1988   1993   Sir Robert Bunyard  -  HMI, Commandant Bramshill

1993   1996   Sir Trefor Morris  -  Chief HMI

1996   2001   Sir David O’Dowd  -  Chief HMI

2002   2005   Sir Keith Povey  -  Chief HMI

2005   2009   Sir Ronnie Flanagan  -  Chief HMI

2009   2015   Sir Denis O’Connor  -  Chief HMI

2015   2022   Sir Thomas Winsor  -  Chief HMI

2023              Dr Peter Neyroud CBE

Chair

1985   1990   Bernard Drew  -  ACC, West Mercia

1990   1995   Michael Bradley Taylor  -  DAC, Metropolitan

1995   1998   William Taylor  -  Commissioner, City of London

1998   2001   Colin Bailey  -  CC, Nottinghamshire

2001   2007   Barry Taylor  -  DCC, Dyfed-Powys

2007   2016   Rob Beckley  -  DCC, Avon and Somerset

2016   2018   Simon Edens  -  CC, Northamptonshire

2018   2024   Paul Griffiths  -  Chief Supt., Gwent

2024              Kate Halpin QPM  -  Detective Chief Supt., Metropolitan

Vice-Chair

1986   1997   Arthur Morley

1997   2001   John Dibley

2001   2003   Colin Bailey

2003   2005   John Dibley

2005   2007   Richard Wilcox

2007   2019   Barry Taylor

2020   2024   Kate Halpin QPM  -  Detective Chief Supt., Metropolitan

2024

Secretary

1985   1990   Les Waters

1990   1996   Martin Stallion

1996   2003   Alan Hayhurst

2003   2013   Steve Bridge

2013   2019   Martin Stallion

2019              Karolyn Brookes

Treasurer

1985   1987   Bob Bartlett

1987   1993   Philip Wharton

1993   2003   John Dibley

2003              Michael Vince

Membership Secretary

1985   1986   Steve Swain

1986   1990   Martin Stallion

1991   1993   Pat Morrison

1993   1997   Richard Cowley

1997   2004   Richard Wilcox

2004   2016   Len Woodley

2016              Derek Stevens

          

Museums Secretary

1985   1989   Elizabeth Lally  -  West Mercia

1989   1991   Jeremy Glenn  -  South Wales

1992   2000   Brian Estill  -  Devon and Cornwall

2000   2002   Alan Walker  -  Staffordshire

2002   2014   David Cross  -  West Midlands

2014   2017   Mike McCulloch  -  Greater Manchester

2017   2019   Chris Forester

2019              Clifford Williams

Journal Editor

1985   1992   Bob Bartlett

1992   1999   Jenny Ward

1999   2014   Chris Forester

2014   2017   Richard Cowley #

2017   2020   Adam Wood    

2020              Tom Andrews

 

Newsletter Editor

1985   1990   Les Waters

1990   1996   Martin Stallion

1997   2003   Alan Hayhurst

2003   2004   Charles Giffiths

2004   2007   Martin Stallion

2007   2013   Chris Forester

2013   2019   Martin Stallion

2019              Barry Walsh

 

Academic Adviser

1985   2020   Clive Emsley #

2021              David Churchill

 

Press Officer

1985   1986   Doreen May  -  Editor, Police review

1986   1995   Norman Woollons  -  [Press and Conference Officer]

1995   1999?  Roger Blaxall

Post vacant and eventually abolished

 

Webmaster (not a committee position)

2002   2017   Alan Hayhurst

2003   2017   Keith Moore (non-member)

2017   2020   Adam Wood

2020              Barry Walsh

 

Member

1985   1986   Martin Stallion

1985   2000   Ken Birch #

1985   1992   Patrick White #

1985   1989   Maureen Scollan

1985   1986   Arthur Morley

1985   1995   Barbara Weinberger

1985   1989   Paul Williams

1985   1986   Norman Woollons

1986   1987   Daphne Ruddiman  -  Librarian, Bramshill

1986   1988   Claire Gilbert  -  Asst Editor, Police Review

1987   1989   Jeremy Glenn  -  [Co-opted]

1986   1987   Philip Wharton

1988   2010   Susan King  -  Librarian, Bramshill

1988   1996   Eric Morley #  -  Supplies Officer

1990   1997   Les Waters

1990   1992   Bernard Drew

1992   1994   Bob Bartlett

1992   1993   John Dibley

1992   1993   Richard Cowley

1994   2005   Maureen Scollan

1995   2005   Paul Rason

1996   1999   Chris Forester

1997   2005   Ian Eady

1999   2004   Len Woodley

2001   2007   Mark Custerson

2001   2009   Margaret Bird #

2004   2007   Martin Stallion

2005   2008   John Mason

2005   2018   Peter Farmery  -  [Overseas member]

2007   2016   Simon Dell

2007   2015   Richard Wilcox

2008   2009   Maureen Scollan

2009   2013   Ross Mather

2011               Tony Rae

2014   2018   Lindsay Siviter

2015   2020   David Taylor #

2016   2019   Karolyn Brookes

2016   2017   Chris Forester

2018   2018   Paul Griffiths

2018   2021   Martin Brimble

2018   2022   Alison Jay

2018   2019   Clifford Williams

2019   2019   Barry Walsh

2020              Tony Moore

2020   2022   Keith Jackson

2020   2020   Kate Halpin

2021              Corinne Brazier

2021              David Churchill

2022              David Cox

2022              Lindsay Siviter

2022              Rebecca Walker

# denoted died in post

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Committee members and their posts as shown from left to right - Maureen Scollan, Insp, Essex (Committee Member).  Claire Gilbert, Asst Editor, Police Review (Committee Member).  Les Waters, Supt, Cambridgeshire (Secretary).  Clive Emsley, Open University (Academic Adviser).  Patrick White, ex-DCC York City then ACC York & NE Yorks (Committee member).  Bob Bartlett, Chief Insp, Northants (Editor).  Elizabeth Lally, Museum Curator, West Mercia (Museums Secretary).  Martin Stallion, general PITA  (Membership Secretary).  Philip Wharton, Insp, Met (Treasurer).  Bernard Drew, ACC, West Mercia (Chairman).  Arthur Morley, ex-Met Civil Staff (Vice-Chairman).  Ken Birch, historian from Aberdovey (Committee member).  Norman Woollons, Sgt, Humberside (Press Officer).  Paul Williams, Museum adviser, Met Civil Staff (Committee member).  Jeremy Glenn, Museum Curator, South Wales (Committee member).

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