Brighton Borough Police special constable's epaulettes c1961 - 1967
Name/Title
Brighton Borough Police special constable's epaulettes c1961 - 1967
Entry/Object ID
2495
Description
A pair of dark blue/black cotton epaulettes with chrome plated metal numbers "70". One also has a chrome plated badge with the letters "SC" and the other has the holes where such a badge was originally affixed.
Use
For a constable to wear on a uniform shirt.
Context
By the late 1950s most if not all of the police forces in Sussex allowed their officers to wear shirts without tunics in some capacity. This meant that epaulettes were needed to display a constable or sergeant's warrant number on their shirt, with sergeants having the addition of rank insignia as well. Ranks of inspector and above, did not display numbers but only rank insignia as was the case on tunics.
These epaulettes were used by William Frederick Turner who served as a special constable in Brighton Borough Police and later Sussex Constabulary. They date from when he first joined Brighton Special Constabulary in 1961 until the force was amalgamated into Sussex Constabulary in 1968. William Turner was promoted to a special sergeant in Sussex Constabulary in February 1969 and later became a special inspector. His number within Sussex Constabulary was "1576".
Other than the "SC" letters, these epaulettes are identical to what would have been worn by Brighton Borough Police regular constables. The "SC" badge itself is interesting as it is not tipped with a crown as is usual with this type of special constabulary insignia, the letters signifying "Special Constabulary".
