Name/Title
Brighton Bough Police Sports and Social Club tie c1960-1968Entry/Object ID
1821Description
Dark blue coloured neck tie with printed design of a white police helmet and the Brighton coat of arms. On the reverse is a label marked "100% Polyester"Use
For wearing on a non uniform men's shirtContext
Police forces have always had active sports and social clubs to encourage their officers to stay fit. In the past these clubs extended to many police stations even having their own bars, which historically were to prevent officers from frequenting outside licensed premises and this potentially causing conflicts of interests.
Often clubs would have their own badges and in some cases ties like this. The white helmet and Brighton coat of arms clearly identify this tie as being connected to Brighton Borough Police, although it is not a uniform tie. It is thought that it may be the tie and symbol for the Brighton Borough Police Sports and Social Club, which would have been amalgamated into the Sussex Constabulary Sports and Social Club in 1968. The museum has a latter Brighton Police Social Club plaque, which has a completely different symbol on it, including the Royal Pavilion. It is equally possible that the tie represents an association of former Brighton Borough Police officers formed after amalgamation. The museum also has a wall plaque with exactly the same symbols on it above a scroll marked "Brighton Borough Police", clearly suggesting that they represent a distinct Borough Police affiliation, rather than one of Brighton Police as part of Sussex Constabulary.