East Sussex Constabulary Form of Recommendation and associated papers re Alfred Owen Curd 1884

Object/Artifact

Old Police Cells Museum Brighton

East Sussex Constabulary "Form of Recommendation" and associated papers re Alfred Owen Curd 1884

Name/Title

East Sussex Constabulary "Form of Recommendation" and associated papers re Alfred Owen Curd 1884

Entry/Object ID

2310

Description

Collection of papers detailing an application by Alfred Owen Curd to join East Sussex Constabulary in December 1884. This includes a "Form of Recommendation", a medical declaration, a medical examination form and conditions of service. These papers are A4 size and printed on official East Sussex Constabulary forms with handwritten entries.

Use

To record an application to join East Sussex Constabulary

Context

These papers show the process by which a potential candidate applied for a position as a constable in East Sussex Constabulary in the 1880's. They were found some years ago at Uckfield Police Station, along with another set of application papers They show that four referees were required and that the candidate also had to supply a medical declaration witnessed by a priest or magistrate. There is emphasis on the medical history of applicant's parents, the assumption being that if they were healthy, then the applicant would be as well. The applicant was required to agree to the conditions of service before being accepted and the last stage go this initial process was a medical examination. In this particular case the application failed because Alfred Curd was declared as medically "unfit" following his medical examination. There is nothing to indicate the reason for this. It is of note that the application process only took a matter of three weeks, the "Form of Recommendation", having been given to the candidate on 26th December 1884 and the medical examination taking place on 16th January 1885. Also this was over much of we would now regard as the Christmas/New Year holiday period.