Name/Title
Sussex Police sergeant's tunic 1974 - 1980Entry/Object ID
2238.5Description
Black wool sergeant's tunic with open collar, four large buttons to the front, two breast pockets and two hip pockets, the hip pockets having small buttons (the breast pockets' buttons are missing), and a fixed wool belt with a chrome plated two prong buckle. There are two small button fastened epaulettes, each having the chrome plated letter "H" and numbers "810", and 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 crown and stamped at the rear "Grantham". Over the left breast pocket is a medal ribbon for the Police Long Service and Good Conduct medal. Each arm has a felt badge attached, embroidered with three thick silver/white chevron sergeant's stripes. Attached inside is a paper label marked "Grantham", and typed "Sussex P... Brighton" and the name " Hother Sgt 810 ", along with certain measurements. There is also a collar label marked "Tailored by Grantham in England"Use
For use by a Sussex Police sergeantContext
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. It is clearly identified by the stripe insignia as having been issued to a sergeant and the epaulettes and label inside, identify the officer as PS H810 Hother stationed at Brighton. We know that PS Herbert Hother was a sergeant in Brighton Borough Police, who went onto serve in Sussex Constabulary/Police, retiring in 1980. The sergeant stripes are of a thick bolder style used in Sussex Police from the late 1970s onwards. The museum has an identical style of tunic (item 1094) with the older style thinner stripes which dates from the mid 1970s.
The tunic here is pictured with a light blue shirt and a black tie as it would have been worn with. 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 Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal which was first instituted in 1951. To qualify for the medal an officer had to be currently serving, have completed 22 years and be of very good conduct. In 2010 the period of service was reduced to 20 years, in order to bring the police service in line with long service awards issued to the fire and ambulance, services. So at the time PS Hother was wearing this tunic he had completed at least 22 years service.
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 ?
The paper size labels suggest that these tunics were made to an officer's specific measurements , which are recorded on them.