Name/Title
Sussex Constabulary motorcycle crash helmet c1970-1975Entry/Object ID
2540Description
White coloured plastic open face motorcycle helmet with blue and white sticker to the front marked "POLICE" and blue and white checkered bands either side. The lining has a maker's label marked "Everoak Grand Prix". The helmet has a detachable transparent visor marked "Stadium", although it is missing the press stud attachments to fix it to the helmet. On the right side of the helmet are "Dymo" labels marked "PC AA390" and "T./4 D DS".Use
For use by a Traffic motorcycle police office.Context
When Sussex Constabulary was formed in 1968, Traffic Department motorcyclists wore open faced white crash helmets with detachable visors and road motorcycles with white fairings. A photograph of what is thought to be the Force's first cerimonial parade in September 1970, shows very similar helmets to the one pictured being worn. It is unlikely that the 1970 helmets had a checkered band, as that was only introduced on Sussex Constabulary caps in 1971. As well as transparent visors helmets such as these could be fitted with solid peaked sun visors.
By the mid to late 1970s the by then Sussex Police was using yellow coloured helmets of a similar style, instead of white ones and motorcycles with the same yellow coloured fairings. Full face helmets were only adopted by Sussex Police in the late 1980s/early 1990s.
The Dymo labels on this particular helmet clearly identify it as from Sussex Constabulary/Police, "AA390" being a Sussex warrant number. Records show this was allocated to PC D.A. Allwright upon the formation of Sussex Constabulary. The "T./4" identify him as a traffic officer.