Name/Title
Sussex Police male constable's tunic c1974 - 1985Entry/Object ID
14Description
Black wool constable's tunic with open collar, three large buttons to the front ( there is one of the original four missing), two breast pockets and two hip pockets, all pockets having small buttons, and a fixed wool belt with a chrome plated two prong buckle. There are two small button fastened epaulettes, each having the chrome plated numbers "979", the left one of which has a similar letter "K" and the right holes where a letter was originally attached. Each label has a chrome plated Sussex Constabulary/Sussex Police coat of arms shield badge. All buttons are chrome plated and marked "Sussex Police" with a Queen's chrome and stamped at the rear "Grantham", except the top front button which is marked "West Sussex Constabulary". Over the left breast pocket is a medal ribbon for the military General Service Medal. Each arm has a felt badge attached, embroidered with three thin silver/white chevron sergeant's stripes. Inside is a very worn paper label of which there are very worn typewritten entries most of which cannot be read, other than "Knox" and "K979". There is a collar label marked "Tailored by Grantham in England".
See notes re trousers (item 14.2) that are displayed with this tunic.Use
For use by a male Sussex Police constableContext
This style of open necked tunic with a belt was adopted for male sergeants and constables by Sussex Constabulary on formation in 1968 and was used within the re-named Sussex Police until the mid to late 1980s, when it was replaced with a simpler style of tunic without a belt.
The "Sussex Police" marked buttons on this particular example date it from 1974 onwards, when the force changed its name from Sussex Constabulary to Sussex Police.The odd " West Sussex Constabulary" button was probably added to replace a missing one, when it first arrived at the museum. The letter and numbers on the epaulettes show that this was issued to an officer whose surname began with a "K", and originally both epaulettes would have had this letter attached. The label inside shows that the officer's name was "Knox".This tunic is pictured with a with a light blue shirt and black tie as it would have been originally worn. Until the mid 1990s most police forces, including Sussex Police, used blue shirts for male constables and sergeants, with only the ranks of inspector and above having white shirts.
The medal ribbon is for the military General Service Medal which was introduced in 1962, for service in the Army, Navy or RAF during certain military campaigns for which separate medals were not awarded. It's presence shows that the officer had been a member of the armed services before becoming a police officer.
These tunics have a very interesting arrangement with the left breast pocket. Not only is there an "outside" pocket as can be seen, but inside the pocket is a divider allowing access to a much longer "inside" pocket. The reason for this arrangement is not known, though it may have something to do with the type of personal radios issued in the late 1960s or possible to contain some type of report book that was too big for the other pockets ?