Name/Title
West Sussex Constabulary special constable's tunic c1936 - 1952Entry/Object ID
337Description
Black wool constable's tunic with high closed collar, seven large chrome plated buttons to the front, two breast pockets and two epaulettes, both pockets and epaulettes having small chrome plated buttons. All of the buttons are marked "West Sussex Constabulary" with a King's crown and stamped on the rear "Special Quality". The chrome plated metal numbers and letter "1257 S"" are attached to each side of the collar and each epaulette has attached to it the chrome plated letters "WS".Use
For use by a male special constable in West Sussex ConstabularyContext
Closed neck tunics with two breast pockets were used by constables and sergeants in West Sussex Constabulary from c1905, replacing an earlier tunic without pockets, designed to be worn with a leather belt.
To begin with these breast pocketed tunics had five front buttons, but in 1936, a number of changes were made to uniforms, including the introduction of a seven buttoned tunic like the one pictured. At the same time police helmets were re-introduced for the first time since they were replaced by caps for all officers in 1912.
The presence of the "S" and the four figure the number on the collar indicate that this tunic was used by a special constable. West Sussex Constabulary regular officers only ever amounted to the hundreds, there being 840 in 1967. The "WS" on the epaulettes and the buttons all identify the tunic as coming from the West Sussex force, and the King's crown date it to pre 1952. Interestingly photographs from the 1950s show that in West Sussex special constables normally did not wear the "WS" on their epaulettes and were identified not by an "S" on their collars but by an "SC" badge topped with a crown. At this time the "WS" was reserved for regular officers, who had worn the letters on their shoulders since the introduction of epaulettes on tunics in the county. The fact that this tunic has them, together with the "S" on the collar and the high officer's number may indicate that this was a wartime issue tunic, very large numbers of both special constables and police reservists having been recruited during the second world war.
This style of tunic continued to be worn by regular officers in West Sussex until March 1950 when an open necked tunic was adopted for constables and sergeants, worn with a shirt and tie. To begin with the closed neck tunics were retained for night duty but eventually they were completely replaced by the open necked examples for use by regular officers. However special constables within West Sussex Constabulary continued to wear closed neck tunics like this one for a number of years.