Name/Title
Hove Police belt clasp c1878-1901Entry/Object ID
95Description
Nickel silver round clasp for broad leather belt, marked "Hove Police" with coat of arms centre.Use
Used to fasten a uniform belt over a tunic or overcoat.Context
Belts were first introduced when police forces abandoned the tail coat in favour of a tunic in the 1850's. They smartened the appearance of the long tunics then worn and were used to hang leather truncheon holders, occasionally small swords and at night oil lanterns. When used at night they would often have leather guards attached to prevent the oil lamps from burning or staining the uniform.
This particular belt clasp is marked "Hove Police" and has the coat of arms for the Town of Hove, a shield with three martlets, over a St.Andrew's Cross. This same coat of arms was also used on what are thought to be the first helmet plates used in the Force in 1878, when the Town of Hove Commissioners took control of policing in the Town ( Poulson et al 1987 ). This type of belt clasp was probably first introduced then and the design used is certainly seen in pattern books from the 1880s. After the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, the newly named, Hove Borough Police adopted a new helmet plate with a different coat of arms, to reflect Hove's recent Borough status, so this clasp with the old coat of arms is unlikely to have been made after that date.
Photographs of Hove Police officers, suggest that by at least 1907, belts were not worn during normal day duties. They are seen however on officers engaged in ceremonial activities and inspections, though it is not known if these belts, had the same coat of arms as the clasp pictured, though they appear to be of a similar general design. It is likely that new belts were purchased after 1901 to match the coat of arms on the new helmet badge. An inspection in August 1935, shows that the only officer wearing a belt is the Chief Constable.
The use of belts nationally, declined in the 1920's, and they were often only used for ceremonial occasions. It is known though that some police forces retained them for night use until the 1960's, presumably to hang battery powered lamps that replaced oil lanterns in the 1920's.
Photographs show that many of the Sussex police forces issued belts with elaborate clasps like this one in the 19th and early 20th centuries, sometimes supplementing their use with plain belts with more generic "snake's head" clasps (see item 1269).