Name/Title
Photograph of a Brighton Police Traffic Department constable with a BSA 650cc motorcycle 1959Entry/Object ID
591Description
Black & white unframed photograph of Brighton Borough Traffic Department PC 108 RD Mockford with BSA 650cc twin cylinder motorcycle, taken on Brighton Seafront with the West Pier in the background. Date 1959. Photograph 295mm wide x 210mm high.Context
The first recorded use of a motorcycle by Brighton Police was in 1921, when one was used during a visit to the Town by the Prince of Wales to unveil the Indian War Memorial at Patcham (Baines 1967). However it was only in 1931 that three motorcycles were purchased for general police use (Baines 1967), two of which were used for daily motorcycle patrols throughout the 1930s. By 1956 the force had five motorcycles.
The motorcycle in this picture is a BSA 650cc twin cylinder Road Rocket which weighed 5cwt and had a top speed of 90mph. It has been fitted with a radio on the rear which is very large by modern standards. These motorcycles usually had a double seat and this would appear to have been modified with a single seat, presumably to allow the radio to be fitted.
The officer, PC 108 RD Mockford is wearing standard motorcycle dress for the period, of high boots, breeches and large leather gauntlets, but otherwise no protective clothing, other than a motorcycle helmet. This helmet is an earlier plastic type made by "Stadium" and this very helmet as worn in the photograph is also in the museum collection (item 585).