WELCOME. History Chief Constables World War Two & After World War Two & After (ii) HQ & Mount Browne Cadets CID CID @ Work Operation Accentor Terrorism & Search Traffic Dept. Motorway & Accidents Mike Hawthorn Public Order The Dorking Boys John Walters @ Woking Greenham Common Dog Section Firearms Operations Room Helicopter Underwater Search Divisional Areas WPC's Major Incidents Killed on Duty Retired Comrades Sports & Social S.C.M.C.C. The Day Book WPC'sWomen Police: The First Surrey Police Women*.During the Second World War, Surrey, like many police forces throughout the country, had recruited many women as temporary WPCs to replace the men who had been called up and were serving in the forces. Usually the women dealt with clerical and administrative work and were not asked to do patrol duties. It was not long before a powerful lobby was building in up in favour of a permanent force of policewomen. The churches and women’s organisations sponsored public meetings and pressure was put on the Chief Constables, MPs and the Home Office. Such meetings were held in Guildford and other Surrey towns and received widespread support. Representations were made to the Surrey Standing Joint Committee and eventually they agreed to the appointment of a woman police inspector and ten policewomen to cover the county.The inspector’s post was advertised in the Police Review; one of the basic requirements was that the applicant should have already reached the rank of sergeant. The Chief Constable informed Det/Supt. Tom Roberts that he intended that the newly selected woman inspector was to form part of the Det/Supt’s Headquarters staff. Tom Roberts had wholly been in favour of such an appointment and the Chief Constable felt that he, (Tom Roberts), would be willing to cope with any problems that might arise from it. The new woman inspector was also to be responsible to the Det/Supt. For her day-to-day workload. The final interview for the post was held on the 20th July 1944. Many preliminary discussions and meetings had already taken place and there was a short list of two candidates. Tom Robert had met both and discussed their applications with the Chief Constable. On the day of the interview the Chief Constable was away from Guildford and the Deputy Chief Constable was ill so it fell to Tom Roberts with two colleagues to offer the post to Women Sergeant Urqhurt from the Metropolitan Special Branch. Inspector Urqhurt proved to be a first-class, highly competent officer, who became very popular with both men and women of all ranks throughout the Force. Unfortunately for Surrey she eventually decided that she did not wish to spend the rest of her working life in the police force. After three years in Surrey she left to join the Probation Service. She went on to become a children’s officer in Aberdeen and that job suited her ideally. Later she was awarded an OBE for her work in this field. Before leaving Surrey in 1947, Miss Urqhurt recommended a fellow Scot, Women Sergeant McKenzie, as a suitable replacement for herself. Miss McKenzie was serving in the Kent Constabulary at the time; after the normal round of applications and interviews she was transferred to Surrey. Like her predecessor she was a most capable and efficient officer.*(The above being an excerpt from Tom Roberts autobiography Friends & Villains) WPC 1 Mary Gould WPC Marie Wooler DCC W/Ins. Urqhurt Det. Supt.Tom Roberts 1944 Ins. John Lucas WPC's Bell Ball Adams WPC 1 Mary Gould W/Ins. Urqhurt W/Special Avenall 1945 1970's ... and the new 1970's uniform Surrey's First Women Detectives Nancy Faul with C/C Brian Hayes 1985 January 1974: WPC 55 Jackie Parrish was awarded the Queens Commendation for Brave Conduct for disarming a women armed with a knife January 1984: WPC Karen Edmiston was awarded the Queens Commendation for Brave Conduct for disarming a drunken man who was threatening to kill his wife and others with a firearm ALSO Surrey Constabulary 'For those who served' 1851 - 1992 Editor: Robert Bartlett. Website Design & Maintenance: Denis Turner. Incorp. Surrey Constabulary Blog @: http://blog.old-and-bold.info/ To see all content, you will need the current version of Adobe Flash Player to view it. |