Name/Title
Sussex Constabulary notebook in a Brighton Police leather cover issued to PS Hother 1969Entry/Object ID
2376Description
Sussex Constabulary pocket notebook, consisting of entries on 144 numbered lined pages, 3 7/8 x 6 1/4 inches, and contained within a brown leather notebook cover, issued to PS Hother on 20th February 1968 and covering the period 27th August 1969 to 1971. Printed to the front "Sussex Constabulary" and hand written "PS Hother H810 27.8.69". Date stamped at rear "Sussex Constabulary 26th Aug 1969 Police Station Brighton B". Contains timed and dated handwritten entries in ink. The leather cover is marked inside "P.S. 47" in ink. At the rear of the book are an aide memoire relating to speed limits, a "T25 Sussex Constabulary" aid memoire relating to the completing of accident reports, and a leaflet explaining new rules in relation to the use of radial and cross ply tyres.Use
For an officer to record their duties and any relevant information, including evidence and visits by supervisorsContext
Since the 19th century police officers have been issued with pocket notebooks to record anything relevant during their periods of duty, and they would often be referred to when an officer gave evidence at court. Generally the use of these notebooks has not changed significantly over the last 100 years and there are strict guidelines concerning their use. In the past as now, they are signed out to officers and date stamped. Each page is numbered to prevent removal and officers are instructed to note leave spaces, so that entries can be backdated. The time an officer begins his duty and finishes, together with any breaks should be recorded and any entry should be timed. Often notebooks would have leather notebook covers.
This particular notebook was used by Sergeant Herbert Hother during his service with Sussex Constabulary, in 1969 and the early 1970s, he having previously been a sergeant in Brighton Borough Police. It contains the usual timed and dated entries normally found in officer's notebooks, with one addition. A sergeant was required to meet the constables under his supervision whilst they were on their allotted foot patrol areas, or "beats". Hence this book contains timed entries with and officer's surname, their beat number and the location of the meeting. As a sergeant PS Hother may well have driven to the meeting places. In earlier times supervisors would often use bicycles to visit their constables. However some of the later entries in this book, simply record on and off duty times, between 9am and 5pm, suggesting an office based duty.
This notebook has a leather notebook cover, which is particularly interesting as it has written on the inside "P.S.47". This was Sergeant Hother's number in Brighton Borough Police and therefore identifies the actual cover as being a Brighton Police one. When Brighton Borough Police, along with the other 4 Sussex Police forces, became part of Sussex Constabulary in 1968, all officers were given new warrant numbers, and PS Hother's new number was H810, as written on the front of the actual notebook.
The aide mémoires and guide in the rear of this book are typical of what officers carried and still carry to assist them.
Notebooks almost identical to this one are still issued in Sussex Police, along with black leather covers. However officers are encouraged to use mobile devices more to record their activities, and in some police forces pocket notebooks have been withdrawn altogether.