Name/Title
Framed set of medals, badges and photographs relating to Sergeant Thomas Arthur Parrott of East Sussex Constabulary 1914 - 1945Entry/Object ID
1108Description
Framed display of two photographs, two badges and six medals relating to Sergeant Thomas Arthur Parrott, with a small plaque at bottom engraved "Thomas Arthur Parrott 1894 - 1973". The photographs show him as a member of the Military Foot Police and as a sergeant with East Sussex Constabulary. The first badge is a George V Military Police cap badge and the second a wreath style police helmet badge, Marked "East Sussex Constabulary" in the garter. This has a white metal centre in the form of the East Sussex shield coat of arms, which is mounted on a black leather plate. This badge has an apparent white metal finish. The medals are as follows: the 1914 Star, he 1914 - 1918 War medal, the 1914 - 1919 Victory Medal, the 1939 - 1945 Defence Medal, the 1937 Coronation Medal, and the Queen Elizabeth Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. The War Medal and Victory Medal are inscribed "CPL. T.A. Parrott M.F.P," and the Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is inscribed "Const. Thomas Parrott".Use
To commemorate the military and police service of Thomas ParrottContext
This display along with a related biography and copies of documents and photographs (item 1108b) enable us to trace the career of Thomas Arthur Parrott. Having initially been a member of the Territorial Army, he joined East Sussex Constabulary in May 1914 after his family moved to Sussex. In 1915, the chief constable of Sussex encouraged his younger officers to volunteer for military service, suggesting that they enlist in the Military Police, which at the time was short of men. Thomas Parrott duly enlisted in the Military Foot Police in June 1915 and went onto serve until September 1919, re-joining East Sussex Constabulary in October 1919. He had numerous postings and was promoted to sergeant in 1929. He retired in 1945, but re enlisted in 1948 as a Police First Reserve Officer and performed station duties until 1962, when he finally retired. In total he had 44 years of service in the East Sussex Force.
The helmet plate in this collection is of a type that was used in East Sussex Constabulary from 1902 until 1922, after which helmets were replaced with caps. At this time all white metal badges were only used by sergeants, and if this was originally issued to Thomas as a constable, it may have originally had a black finish, with only a white metal centre. Alternatively he may have acquired it after helmets were no longer worn, as a white metal example. Helmets were only re-introduced in East Sussex in 1954, by which time a different style of helmet plate had been introduced.
The Coronation Medal was awarded to commemorate the 1937 coronation of George VI. Over 90,000 were awarded to a large variety of officials, including some police officers. Only a relatively small number would have been awarded to officers within Sussex, normally the more senior ranks, and those other officers with the longest service.
The Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was introduced in 1951, by the then King George VI and it is interesting that Thomas Parrott received a Queen Elizabeth post 1952 example. This probably reflects the numbers of serving officers that were eligible in 1951, that is any officer with 22 years or more service.