Name/Title
West Sussex Constabulary special constable's tunic c1936 - 1958Entry/Object ID
331Description
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. Most of the buttons are marked "West Sussex Constabulary" with a King's crown, except two of the large front buttons, which are marked "East Sussex Constabulary" with Queen's crowns. The chrome plated metal numbers "604" are attached to each side of the collar, which also has two metal badges marked "SC" topped with a Queen's crown. There are no holes in the epaulettes to suggest anything else was originally attached there.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 "SC" badges on the collar of this particular tunic indicate that it was used by a special constable and the Queen's crown on those badges, suggest that it was in use after 1952. The majority of the buttons are from West Sussex Constabulary, indicating that it is from that police force, and date from before 1952. However, it is known that many police forces continued to use King's crown insignia, after 1952 when Queen Elizabeth came to the throne and in West Sussex it was used until the late 1950s. The presence of the East Sussex Constabulary buttons, indicates a later restoration.
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.
Regular officers in West Sussex Constabulary wearing this type of tunic wore chrome metal "WS" letters on their lapels but special constables did not normally. In this case there are no holes in the epaulettes to indicate there ever were any such letters, and it would always have been used by a special constable.