Name/Title
Reproduction of early police officer's swallowtail coat c1955Entry/Object ID
1154Description
Blue wool single breasted high closed collar jacket with six buttons to the front, two missing buttons, and swallow tails to the rear, with two additional decorative buttons, one on each side of the tails. All of the buttons are black composite/plastic and marked "East Sussex Constabulary" with Queen's crowns. The collar has a chrome plated metal number "1" on each side. There are tears around each armpit.Use
To represent the type of uniform tunic worn by the first police officers in the 19th century.Context
Prior to the establishment of the Metropolitan Police in London there were many concerns that such a force would be an arm of the state such as the military and used to oppress civilians rather than protect them. Consequently when the force formed in 1829, a number of measures were introduced to try and alleviate these concerns. Not only were officers not to be armed with lethal weapons, but they were to have a uniform that was to be as far removed from contemporary military ones as possible. As a result the first uniforms of a blue swallow tailed tunic and re -enforced top hat were based upon civilian clothing of the period. Overcoats and capes were also provided. During the winter the tunics were worn with blue woollen trousers and in the summer with white cotton ones. Officer's personal numbers were embroidered on the collars and there were pockets provided in the swallow tails for carrying truncheons and other items. As other police forces were established elsewhere in the UK, they broadly followed the example of the Metropolitan Police and adopted very similar uniforms.
Over time the style of police tunic began to change and by the late 1850s, swallow tailed tunics were being replaced with a three quarter length garment, though the Metropolitan Police did not adopt this until 1864.
This particular swallowtail tunic is one of a number that are known to have come from Sussex Police, along with pairs of white cotton trousers. They are all very well tailored and usually have buttons from either East or West Sussex Constabulary from the 1950s/60s. These reproductions of original tunics, are believed to have been used in the various sports days, tattoos and other public displays that were regular features in both of the Sussex county police forces and went on to be held by Sussex Constabulary. Though not original, they are in themselves museum pieces, dating from the 1950s, and are excellent representations of the type of uniforms worn by the first police officers. This example with its predominantly East Sussex Constabulary buttons is thought to have originated from that force. Though this coat has metal numbers attached to the collar, the original uniform coats had embroidered collar numbers, normally in a cartouche.