Name/Title
Brighton Borough Police blue helmet c1952 - 1967Entry/Object ID
1817Description
Two panelled blue felt covered cork Brighton Borough Police helmet, fitted with chrome ball top and chrome Queen's Crown Brighton Borough Police Brunswick star helmet plate with separate coat of arms centre. Size 7 1/8. Has a black painted metal helmet band and a fixed black leather chinstrap. Marked on headband in ink, "Hawkins PC" followed by indistinct number and there is a label marked "7 1/8". Part of the leather edging around the rim has become detached.Use
Winter daytime headdress for Brighton Borough Police constables and sergeants.Context
Brighton Borough Police Officers wore white helmets for daytime summer use between 1933 and 1939, then again from 1952 until 1967. During daytime in the winter months they wore blue helmets with chrome badges (helmet plates) and chrome tops. During the hours of darkness they worn blue helmets with black helmet plates and tops. This was common practice in the UK, the rationale was that a black helmet plate would be harder for a criminal to see and not alert them to the presence of an officer.
The badge or helmet plate on this example, with a "Queen Elizabeth" or "St Edward's Crown", dates it from 1952-1967. This style of helmet is known as a "ball top", which was used for both summer and winter wear in Brighton from the 1890s onwards.