Research

On these pages are a series of research based articles which have been written by our members:

 

1. A Photographic Conundrum?
Steve Beamon examines an undated photograph and explains how he researches the details to find out: When? Where? Who? Why?

 

2. Arming the BTP
Dan Tanner examines the history of arming the railway and dock police forces.

 

3. British Newspaper Archives
An exciting project in Colindale helps to make historical research that little bit easier.

 

4. The Visit of HM King George V and Queen Mary
The year of 1912 saw the return of the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert III when she brought King George V and Queen Mary to Cardiff…..

 

5. The First Railway Murder in Britain
The murder of Thomas Briggs by Franz Muller was an unusual one in a number of different ways and brought about many changes, both in public attitude as well as the law…..

 

6. The Brighton, Lewes and Hastings Railway and their Police Force
Kevin Gordon delves in the history of the Sussex railway and highlights one of its servants…..

 

7. Canal Policing after 1948
Graham Major looks at the canals, from a police perspective, after nationalisation…..

 

8. Officers in charge of the police at Southampton Docks
Viv Head tells the story of two well respected OIC’s…..

 

9. Honours and Awards
The story of the KP&FSM and the only railway police recipient…..

 

10. Honours and Awards (Part Two)
How Inspector Michael ‘Dan’ Tanner won the Queen’s Gallantry Medal…..

 

11. Southampton Docks Police, 1890
David Caplehorn reveals the results of his research into this well known photograph…..

 

12. A Brief History of the London Transport Police
Alfred Peedle combines some personal recollections with an outline of the history of this Constituent Force…..

 

13. A Brief History of the London Transport Police (Part 2)
Alfred Peedle continues his story with the formation of the British Transport Commission…..

 

14. Hero of the Charge of the Light Brigade
Before becoming a railway policeman William Nicholson was one of the ‘Six Hundred’…..

 

15. Henry Walter Mustoe  – the story behind the picture.
He may have only served in the Midland Railway police for a short time, but his service to the country is without doubt…..

 

16. The History of the Scottish Railway Police
David Connor looks at the formation of the various Scottish railway forces…..

 

17. Safe and Sound – Stories of Emergency Response in the Tees Valley
An appeal for stories and artefacts of policing within the Tees Valley…..

 

18. Long Service And Good Conduct Award
The story of this medal’s first presentation within the force…..

 

19. The Force Crest
Kevin Gordon looks at the component parts of the force crest and badge…..

 

20. The Official Opening of Tadworth
Rare archive film of opening day of the police school…..

 

21. A Brief History of the Training Centre, Tadworth
In 2000, Kevin Gordon updated his article on history of the training school….

 

22. 120 Year History of Docks Police to End
We look at an article from 1985 on the closure of policing at Goole Docks…..

 

23. The Longevity of a Railway Policeman!
Kevin Gordon follows the career of an old timer…..

 

24. The Temperance Refreshment Room
Steve Beamon continues his examination of old photographs and discovers some interesting history…..

 

25. Murder on the Brighton Line
The murder of Isaac Gold – part of the ‘Murder in Transit’ series…..

 

26. Montague Edwin Rousham
Steve Beamon continues his examination of old photographs and discovers a sad tale…..

 

27. Southampton – Port of Achievement
Southern Railway Film Unit documentary about Southampton Docks during the Second World War…..

 

28. House of Commons Library – Briefing Paper
A briefing paper for MPs on the British Transport Police (June 2017)

 

29. PC Arthur Tuley – the story behind the picture
An examination of an old photograph reveals a story of bravery in combat…..

 

30. A brief history of Policewomen on the Railways 1917 – 2017

 

31. Robert Samuel Cowles
Steve Beamon looks at four photos of a railway policeman during the first half of the last century…..

 

32. Back to the Future: The Historical Perspective of Collaborative Railway Policing
Peter McAndie (BTP Aberdeen) looks at the history of the railway police in Scotland against the backdrop of the formation of the The Scottish Railways Policing Committee…..

 

33. The BTP in Northern Ireland
Robert Davison shares his research on the railway police in Northern Ireland…..

 

34. A Short History of Policing at Newport (Monmouthshire) Harbour and Docks
Viv Head looks at the history of this force…..

 

35. The Chester and Holyhead Railway and The Britannia Bridge
In Part 1, Bill Rogerson looks at the history of the Chester and Holyhead Railway…..

 

36. The Chester and Holyhead Railway and The Britannia Bridge
In Part 2, Bill Rogerson looks at the Britannia Bridge…..

 

37. The Chester and Holyhead Railway and The Britannia Bridge
In Part 3, Bill Rogerson completes his story of the Britannia Bridge…..

 

38. Ericsson AC400
Peter Betts shares a couple of images of a 1930s era Ericsson AC400 telephone from Southampton Docks…..

 

39. The 1985 Murder of Janet Maddocks
Viv Head remembers the investigation and reviews the 1986 Journal article (available below)…..

 

39a. Her Unfinished Journey: The Murder of Mrs Janet Mary Maddocks (1985)
BTP Journal article from 1986…..

 

40. The Great Train Robbery of 1867
Nick Fleetwood details events that occurred on the North Eastern Railway…..

 

41. BTP Terms
Tony Bennett has compiled a list of terms used within BTP and the railway over the years…..
Also see Railway Terms and Graffiti Terms

 

42. “The Cry of Distress is the Summons to Relief”
Phil Trendall looks back at the Lewisham Train Crash (1957)…..

 

43. John James – An officer of the British Transport Commission Police and a Veteran of the Great War
Dan Tanner traces the story of a BTC Constable whose medals he came to own…..

 

44. The Murder of Detective Sergeant Robert Kidd, 1895
Phil Trendall updates his 1995 article in time for 126th anniversary of the murder…..

 

45. The Mystery of the Bloody Jacket
Long time BTP historian Kevin Gordon looks at the mystery concerning the earliest recorded death on duty of a railway policeman…..

 

46. The Headscarf Revolutionaries
John Higgins documents the historic events of 1968 at Hull Docks…..

 

50. The Murder of Mary Money, 1905
W.O. Gay looks back at an unsolved murder…..

 

51. Detective Sub-Inspector John Charles Morris
A recently discovered obituary for an L&NWR officer, published in 1919…..

 

52. Hell Hath No Fury….
As a companion piece to The Headscarf Revolutionaries (46, above), we feature a contemporarily written article from the BTP Journal from 1969,
written by PCs Bielby and Edson, from Hull Docks.

 

53. The Oldest Railway Policeman?
Phil Trendall looks at Police Superintendent James Wright…..

 

54. J.R. Whitbread Uncovered – Part 1
BTP History Writer Malcolm Clegg‘s research uncovers the lost history of the BTP historian…..

 

55. J.R. Whitbread Uncovered – Part 2
In Part 2, Malcolm Clegg looks at the BTP historian’s family…..

 

56. J.R. Whitbread Uncovered – Part 3
In Part 3, Malcolm Clegg details the life of John Robert Whitbread…..

 

57. Appointment of Police Chiefs
A Police Review article from 1949, as transcribed by Colin Sinclair…..

 

58. A Real Treasure
Policeman’s Report, 1842. Phil Trendall looks at a new addition to the HG Collections…..

 

59. Films for Thought
Phil Trendall looks at some films featuring the railway police…..

 

60. Policing the Docks: Cardiff & South Wales
A video recording of an online presentation given by Viv Head…..

 

61. Cornwall Railway Police (External link – See DISLAIMER)
BTPHG member Mark Rothwell looks at the early railway police in Cornwall, in an article on the British Police History website…..

 

62. The Murder of Jennifer Rose Hudson
Viv Head recalls the 1982 investigation…..

 

63. Charles and Herbert Leigh – the Story Behind the Picture
New research by David Caplehorn finds a connection between the officers…..

 

64. A Letter from a Cocked Hat
Phil Trendall looks at the history of Armed Officers at Hull Docks…..

 

65. Trapped in the Railway Police
Phil Trendall looks at the legislation that kept officers in service during WW2…..

 

66. A Hero
Phil Trendall looks the life of William Charles BRERETON…..

 

67. The Coming of the British Transport Commission Police
Phil Trendall puts the formation of the BTCP in context…..

 

A new series, looking at the histories of the various support groups within BTP:

 

SG1. History of the LGBT+ Support Network
Barry Boffy looks at the origins of this BTP support group…..

 

SG2. The Jewish Police Association
The 2020 issue of the BTP JPA newsletter gives some insight into the association’s history and activities…..

 

SG3. The Christian Police Association
As part of our recent look at the various Support Groups within the BTP, today we highlight the Christian Police Association…..

 

SG4. The National Police Autism Association
John Nelson, Chair of the National Police Autism Association gives a quick history of the NPAA in BTP…..

 

SG5. The Female Police Association
Chief Inspector Melissa Cunningham, Chair of the Female Police Association, gives an overview of this BTP network…..

 

 

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