Name/Title
Photograph of Brighton Borough Police officers in a fitness demonstration at the Dome c1910Entry/Object ID
2321Description
Black and white unframed original photographic print on card, approx. 18 cm x 32 cm, of what are believed to be a group of Brighton Borough Police officers posed in what appears to be a fitness demonstration. Each one is wearing, gym shoes and a short sleeved vest top, with what appear to be uniform trousers held up with a belt, holding a small pair of dumbbells in each hand. In the background is an officer, who appears to be an inspector wearing a cap with a large cap badge. The group are standing in front of a large organ. On the rear is written in pencil "Brighton Police".Context
The police have always wanted their officers to be fit and in the past actively encouraged them to take part in sporting activities, often in duty time. This photograph appears to be of a group of police officers from Brighton, as stated on the rear. The officer in uniform at the rear certainly appears to have the old style large Brighton cap badge. The organ at the rear identifies the location as the Brighton Dome, auditorium, and is the original 1870 organ that was replaced in 1935. The position of the officers and the fact that they are on stage suggest that they were performing some sort of demonstration as opposed to simply exercising. The photograph is difficult to date but is thought to be c1910 from the general appearance of the officers. However a newspaper report in the Brighton Gazette for 14th December 1912 (page 3) gives a report of an annual charity performance at the Brighton Dome by members of the Borough Police force. This evening included music, comedy and various demonstrations, including "lance exercises", and "sword exercises", but most interestingly "dumb-bell exercises by a number of members of the force....". This photograph may actually relate to that particular charity performance, the location making it highly likely, and if not it is probably from the same period.