Name/Title
West Sussex Constabulary chief constable's ceremonial tunic 1935Entry/Object ID
2179Description
Dark blue wool three quarter length single breasted closed high collar dress tunic, with eight large buttons to the front and six to the rear, three each side of vent. There are two additional small buttons attached to each epaulette. All buttons are silver plated and marked with a King's crown inside a laurel wreath and marked to the rear "Ed. Stillwell & Son Ltd London"". There is silver coloured braiding around the collar, on the cuffs, and around the rear vent. Each cuff is also finished in velvet. On each shoulder is an ornate epaulette made of silver cord. Inside at the collar is a label embroidered "William Anderson & Sons Ltd Edinburgh & Glasgow" and hand written on this is "Chief Constable R. Patterson Wilson" and what appears to be "Graf 9485 B" followed by "June 1935". There is one metal belt hook on the left hand side not a matching one on the right or sign of one ever having been there.Use
For the chief constable of West Sussex Constabulary to wear on ceremonial occasionsContext
Before the Second World War it was common for chief constables to have elaborate uniforms to wear on ceremonial occasions. From examples in the museum, these appear to have followed a basic style, being pocketless rather long tunics, embellished with silver braiding and corded epaulettes. They did not have force specific buttons but generic chief officer silver plated ones decorated with a crown inside a laurel wreath. Photographs show that these were usually worn in conjunction with bi-corn hats, which also followed a generic style.
The label inside this example clearly identifies it as having belonged to the chief constable of West Sussex Constabulary Ronald Patterson Wilson, having been made in 1935. He became the chief constable in January 1935 and served in that role until he retired in 1964. He had previously been a member of the Indian Police. He was originally from Scotland which probably explains his use of a Scottish tailor. There is a photograph showing him wearing what is probably this tunic and another that shows, what is probably this tunic complete with its original belt and the sword that hung from it. The use of a sword probably explains the presence of only one belt hook on the left hand side of the tunic.
The museum has two other similar style ceremonial tunics but this example is the only one with buttons on the epaulette's.