Name/Title
Eastbourne Borough Police black helmet plate 1952-1967Entry/Object ID
542Description
Black painted Brunswick star Eastbourne Borough Police Queen's Crown helmet plate with separate chrome Eastbourne Borough coat of arms insert, marked around edge "Eastbourne Borough Police".Use
For use on a police helmet.Context
The use of the "Queen's" or St. Edward's Crown on this helmet plate dates it from 1952 to 1967. Eastbourne Borough Police used these star shaped black badges with chrome/white metal inserts from at least 1951, when they replaced the earlier wreath style badge. Initially these badges had a King's Crown but had the Queen's crown after 1952. Black badges were used for both day and night wear in Eastbourne until the early 1960s. It seems that then an all chrome version was adopted for day use and the black ones were possibly retained for nights, requiring separate helmets.
In 1964 Eastbourne Police adopted a new coxcomb style helmet which was only worn with the all chrome badge, for days and nights. However it appears that existing officers, were given the option of wearing the old style helmet with black badges for night duty.
This style of badge is called a Brunswick Star and its use on police helmets goes back to the 1870's. However it only became more common after 1934, when the Home Office attempted to standardise police uniforms and insignia.