Policing the Ports

PC in rowing boat at Grimsby Dock
PC in rowing boat at Grimsby Dock

 

 

Maritime Posts

A list of ports and docks once policed by BTP or constituent forces (Please get in touch if you can add any further information).

Dates, where known, show the earliest and latest record of officers stationed at the post.

ENGLAND
AVONMOUTH Docks,
Gloucestershire
1928-1945 The location “Avonmouth Joint” is also shown from 1912 to 1928
ANGERSTEIN WHARF,
London
A PC Walter Titmuss is shown as being based here in 1913. Located on the south bank of the Thames.
BARROW,
Lancashire
1921 - 1973 Last regular Officer Jack Maddocks retired circa 1975 and it was covered from Heysham Harbour on an as required basis. An officer used to travel daily from Heysham to Barrow, mainly for rail work.
BATTERSEA WHARF,
London
1901-1932. Officers based here include PC Arthur Chamberlain and PC Charles Rice.
CANADA DOCK,
Liverpool
1922 - 1947
DEPTFORD WHARF,
London
1918 - 1945
DOVER WESTERN DOCKS,
Kent
-1985
Operated by BR (Sealink)
FLEETWOOD DOCKS,
Lancashire
FOLKESTONE HARBOUR,
Kent
1920 -– 1985 Owned and operated by BR (Sealink)
GARSTON DOCK,
Liverpool
GOOLE DOCKS
GRIMSBY DOCKS,
Lincolnshire
<1895 - 1985
HARTLEPOOL DOCKS,
Durham
1965 - 1967 (PC Norman Green) (Also Shown as West Hartlepool Docks) See PJ3/8/3
HARWICH / PARKESTON QUAY,
Essex
Mentioned in the Police Almanac of 1902
HEYSHAM HARBOUR,
Lancashire
From Heysham we covered the Lake Windermere Steamers and the three Piers at Lakeside, Bowness and Ambleside. Bill Rogerson was based here for a couple of years.
HULLMentioned in the Police Almanac of 1902
HUSKISSION DOCK,
Liverpool
1919 –- 1969 (named after William Huskisson MP, the first person to be killed by a train)
IMMINGHAM DOCKS,
Lincolnshire
1914 -
KING’S LYNN,
Norfolk
LYDNEY,
Gloucestershire
Uncertain if officers were ever actually stationed at the dock there. Covered on an as required basis from Newport Docks in the 1970s (Source VH/KCC).
LOWESTOFT, SuffolkBut did we police the port or just the railway station?
Update July 2022: Tony Thompson, who was PS at Lowestoft (1973 - 75) confirms that BTP did indeed police both the railway and the port.
MORPETH DOCK,
Birkenhead
Policed by BTP in 1969. Pc Stanley Arthur George was on duty there, at least during 2 days of Investiture of the Prince of Wales (Source Glyn Thomas)
NEWHAVEN HARBOUR,
Sussex
1901 - The Police Station is still standing but due for demolition. (KG has photos and worked there as a Cadet in 1974)
NORTH DOCK,
Liverpool
1928 - 1934
PLYMOUTH DOCKS,
Devon
PC Terence Jordan was based here in 1985.
POPLAR DOCKS, London1919 –- 1935
SANDOCK DOCK,
Liverpool
1914 –- 1959
SEAHAM HARBOUR,
Durham
An officer was based here until 1931 Source Police Journal Vol. 1, No 3, Page 6
SILLOTH DOCKS, Cumbria1941 - 1949 I believe we stopped policing this dock around in 1964.
SOUTHAMPTON DOCKS, Hampshire1840 - 1985 Once a Division of the Force.
TYNE DOCKS,
Durham
1902 –- 1957 Policed in 1910 by NER Photo PJ/3/8/11
VICTORIA & ALBERT DOCKS,
London
1904 - 1969
VICTORIA DOCK, Hull,
Yorkshire
1886 - 1933
WATERLOO DOCK,
Liverpool
1930 - 1950
WEYMOUTH HARBOURThere were no police stationed at Weymouth Quay. From at least 07.06.1880 Police stationed at Weymouth Town railway station escorted trains from the station to the quay that ran over public roads. And policed the GWR owned passenger steamers that ran from Weymouth to continental ports. In the late 1970s/early 1980s, officers often performed duties in uniform on the quayside in Cherbourg. Weymouth BTP police post closed on 01.03.1987 and its officers were relocated to Bournemouth. See StoryBank.
WYRE DOCK, Lancashire1914 –- 1946
WALES
BUTE DOCKS, CardiffOct 1858 –- 13.04.1985 Four large docks. 127 years unbroken police service. Police withdrawn 1985, still a working commercial port (2010).
BARRY DOCKS, Vale of Glamorgan10.07.1889 –- April 1985 Built and owned by the Barry Dock & Railway Company. Police withdrawn 1985, still a working commercial port (2010).
PENARTH DOCKS
Vale of Glamorgan
10.06.1865 - 1950s Built and owned by the Taff Vale Railway Company until 1923. Closed commercially in 1936. Re-opened for duration of the 2WW. A police post until the 1950s then covered from Cardiff on an as required basis. Still a working commercial port albeit as a yacht marina today (2010).
FISHGUARD
Pembrokeshire
1926 –- 1985 Police withdrawn 1985, still a working passenger port (2010).
HOLYHEAD
Anglesey
1920s - 1985 Police withdrawn 1985, still a working passenger port (2010).
LLANELLI DOCKSTwo officers were stationed there during the 1960s-1970s and likely to have been much earlier. (Information from Malcolm Clegg who served at nearby Swansea Docks.)
NEWPORT DOCKS
Gwent
1873 -– 1985 Built and owned by the Alexander Dock & Railway Company, Newport until 1923. Police withdrawn 1985, still a working commercial port (2010).
PORT TALBOT DOCKS
Glamorgan
1922 –- 1985 Built by the Port Talbot Dock Company in 1837. No confirmation of early policing before 1922 although there almost certainly was. Police withdrawn 1985, still a working commercial port (2010).
SWANSEA DOCKS
Glamorgan
1852 –- April 1985 Built and owned by the Swansea Harbour Trust until 1923. Police withdrawn 1985, still a working commercial port (2010).
TAFF VALE RAILWAY DOCK, CardiffOwned and policed by the Taff Vale Railway Co. from c.1841 n/k when closed
SCOTLAND
ARDROSSANPolice withdrawn around 1964 not sure if this was a summer only post. George Smith-Leach stationed here. Ferries sailed from here to Brodick (Arran) and the Isle of Man
AYR HarbourPC Robert Frew was based here from 1943 - 1945 so presumably just a wartime posting.
GRANGEMOUTH DOCKS1940 –- 1977 I believe that this was a private dock but Policed by BTP on contract.
METHIL DOCKSDates of the police post are unknown, but the docks were under railway company / nationalised ownership between 1889 and 1963.
PC George Clark served there from 1939 until his retirement in 1962.
ROTHSAEY DOCKSOn the River Clyde.
STRANRAER HARBOUR
TROON HARBOUR1943 –- 1945 PC Homer Taylor was based here during the War.
TWEEDMOUTH DOCKS1937 - 1963
IRELAND
BELFAST DONEGAL QUAYPolice there until around 1978/79 (KG went there to collect the radio equipment when the post closed).
DUBLIN NORTH WALLNorth Wall Dock was built in 1860. Records of officers here 1902 - 1946. Listed in the Police Almanac of 1902. Police withdrawn around 1964.
DUN LAOGHAIREPolice withdrawn around 1964.