Name/Title
Sussex Police re-enforced mounted/lightweight motorcycle officer's helmet c1968 -1974Entry/Object ID
654Description
Two panelled felt covered Sussex Police re-enforced mounted officer's helmet with chrome rose top and chrome one piece round Sussex Police Queen's Crown "EIIR" voided cap badge. The inside has cork padding a webbing harness, leather lining and headband and a harness chinstrap. Marked "Protective Police Helmet, J. Compton Sons and Webb, London", ""7 1/8 "AG140"Use
For use by a Sussex Police mounted male constable or sergeant.Context
Most of the pre amalgamation Sussex police forces made use of mounted officers, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However they usually rented horses when they were required and did not have full time mounted units. Photographs indicate that they did use horse breastplates with individual force crests on them, suggesting that they retained at least some tack.
The only two forces that are known to have had their own horses and to have retained them until amalgamation in 1968, are those of Eastbourne and Brighton Boroughs.
In 1929 Eastbourne Borough Council took ownership of a large area of downland around Beachy Head, in order to prevent development. To police this area the unique police post of Downs Ranger was created, a full time mounted officer of Eastbourne Borough Police, based at a stable at Beachy Head. The officers in this role and their horses became famous with tourists. PC Henry Poole served in the role from 1929 to 1953 and PC Harry Ward from 1953 until 1966. The last Downs Ranger was PC Jack Williams who took over in 1966.
Brighton Borough Police also had full time horses and in the 1960s retained two for its mounted unit. When the new police station at John Street was finished in 1965 it came complete with stables at the rear.
After the 1968 creation of Sussex Constabulary a full time mounted branch was retained at the John Street stables, consisting of one horse, a full time officer and relief officers who could ride from other departments. This unit was part of the Traffic Department and officers were issued with white traffic officer's caps. In 1974 it was felt that the horses were not being used efficiently and Sussex Constabulary recruited two experienced mounted officers from other forces, PC Bob Bird from the Metropolitan Police and PC Tom Grey from Glasgow. At the same time PC Jack Williams, who was still the Downs Ranger, joined the unit at Brighton and the role of Down's Ranger came to an end. Sussex Constabulary became Sussex Police and the mounted unit eventually grew to four police constables, a sergeant and four horses, under an inspector who also managed the Dog unit. The mounted unit was eventually disbanded in 1989.
This helmet is not a "Custodian" public order helmet and pre dates that design. It is actually designed for lightweight motor cycle use and is slightly smaller than the standard police helmet. The badge on it was used by Sussex Police for caps and female officers' hats from 1974 until 1995. A cap badge has been used because these helmets were designed for badges with sliders. When used in the Metropolitan Police a smaller version of the Brunswick star helmet plate was designed for these helmets that had a slider fixing rather than the normal lugs. These helmets are often called "Noddy " helmets, because officers wearing them to ride small motor cycles in the 1950s and 1960s were instructed not to salute any senior officers whilst on patrol but to "nod" to them instead. For the same reason the lightweight motor cycles used, normally Velocettes, were called "Noddy bikes".
The museum does have two Sussex Constabulary badges that have been adapted to fit this type of helmet (item 2522). It is likely that a cap badge has been used on this helmet as a "Sussex Police" adapted helmet badge with a slider was not available, and by then the Sussex Constabulary badges that had been adapted could no longer be used because of the force name change in 1974.
The helmet pictured was supplied to the re-vamped mounted unit in 1974 after PC Bob Bird and PC Tom Grey, requested proper police riding helmets to supplement the caps they were issued with. Initially they were not supplied with riding hats but previously issued lightweight motorcycle helmets such as this. The "AG140" mark is a Sussex Police warrant number for a male officer whose surname begins with the letter "G", and who was originally issued with this helmet for riding a motor cycle.