Welcome to the Website Updates page.
If you are a regular visitor to the site this a handy page to look at to see what new articles and items of interest have been added to the website.
Of course smaller items, such as photographs in the Photo Gallery, are being added all the time – so it’s still worth having a look around the site to see what you might find!
The following articles have recently been added to the website:
January / February 2021
Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added Deputy Chief Constable Adrian Hanstock Q.P.M. – Congratulations to him;
November / December 2020
Blog: Announcement from BTPA that D.A.C. Lucy D’Orsi (Met) appointed BTP Chief Constable from Feb 2021;BookShelf: Added ‘Operation Cabinet – The Inside Story’ by Paul Kenyon;Research: History of the LGBT+ Support Network, Barry Boffy looks at origins of this BTP support group;Research: The Jewish Police Association, the 2020 issue of the BTP JPA newsletter gives some insight into the association’s history and activities;Research: As part of our recent look at the various Support Groups within the BTP, we highlight the Christian Police Association;
Research: The National Police Autism Association, John Nelson, Chair of the National Police Autism Association gives a quick history of the NPAA in BTP;
Roll of Honour (Line of Duty): more research has added an additional eight names to the list;
September / October 2020
Research: The Chester and Holyhead Railway and The Britannia Bridge, In Part 3, Bill Rogerson completes his story of the Britannia Bridge;Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added DCI Kate Forsyth, Q.P.M., DCI Gary Richardson, Q.P.M., O.B.E., Elizabeth McWHIRTER M.B.E., and CC Carl FOULKES, Q.P.M. – Congratulations to them all;Roll of Honour (Line of Duty): completed a major update to the table and biography document;Research: The Great Train Robbery of 1867, Nick Fleetwood details events that occurred on the North Eastern Railway;Posters: Updated the BTPHG A4 promotional poster to the latest version, thanks to Viv Head for the design;Behind the scenes: Fixed software problem (for now) that affected the usability of several plug-ins, including the photo gallery and tables, which had been caused by a WordPress update;
August 2020
StoryBank: A Rookie Police Instructors Tale!, Paul Robb recalls his early days as an Instructor;Newsletter: The History of the BTP Scenes of Crime Department, Martin Thurston recalls the early days of SOCO…..StoryBank: Stansted Airport, Steve Daly recalls the BTP post and an incident on a train…..Research: Her Unfinished Journey: The Murder of Mrs Janet Mary Maddocks (1985), BTP Journal article from 1986;
June / July 2020
Research: The Chester and Holyhead Railway and The Britannia Bridge, In Part 2, Bill Rogerson looks at the Britannia Bridge;BTP History Writer: Rob Davision has been appointed as a BTP History Writer;Research: Peter Betts shares a couple of images of a 1930s era Ericsson AC400 telephone from Southampton Docks;
April / May 2020
Research: A Short History of Policing at Newport (Monmouthshire) Harbour and Docks – Viv Head looks at the history of this force;Roll of Honour (Line of Duty): added PC’s John Maule (d.1868), William Nash (d.1855), and Alfred Rodaway (d.1864), all of the Newport Harbour Commission Police,and in the Remembrance section: added DC John Coker, who died in April 2020 from the effects of Coronavirus (Covid-19);Research: The Chester and Holyhead Railway and The Britannia Bridge In Part 1, Bill Rogerson looks at the history of the railway;
February / March 2020
Storybank: Memories of Heysham Harbour – Bill Rogerson remembers his posting to Heysham Harbour;History Group AGM cancelled – due to the Coronavirus outbreak we had to cancel the AGM and committee meeting;BTP Citizens in Policing Awards – HG Treasurer John Owen accepted the Volunteer Special Recognition Award 2020 on behalf of the Group;
December 2019 / January 2020
Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added Chief Constable Paul Crowther O.B.E., C.B.E. – Congratulations to him;HistoryBank: 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;Roll of Honour (Line of Duty) in the the ‘Non Railway Police officers killed on duty on the railway’ table, added PC Richard Pace of the Edinburghshire Constabulary, killed during a riot of railway navvies in 1846;Newsletter: British Transport Police – Make the Difference Awards 2019 Glyn Thomas reports from this years ceremony;Research: The BTP in Northern Ireland – Robert Davison shares his research on the railway police in Northern Ireland;Together with additional photos in the gallery, including 3 photos of the Southampton Tug of War Team in the Sports & Social gallery.
October / November 2019
Roll of Honour (Second World War) Additional names and causes of death added, and an accompanying PDF giving more details is now available. Thanks to Ed Thompson for his continuing research.
August 2019
StoryBank: Ivor Kerslake’s gallery, Ivor’s family share some of his photos;
June / July 2019
StoryBank: The Hull and Barnsley, in a 1974 Journal article, Inspector Eugene Oliver traces the history of this railway.Added the Railway Dogs Benevolent Fund to the Links page.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
April / May 2019
Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added Detective Inspector George Edward BEYNON B.E.M. and Inspector Thomas FAREY D.C.M. B.E.M. (both 1943) – thanks again to Glyn Thomas for his research;Roll of Honour (Line of Duty): Added Albert Edward PICKEN (d.1911);Police Dogs: PC Wardman commended for rescuing his police dog Jack at Hull Docks, 1926.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
December 2018 / January 2019
Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added PC Jessica Bullough, Q.P.M., William Bryden O.B.E., Richard Gill M.B.E., Alan Smith B.E.M., PCSO Lewis Brown B.E.M., PCSO Jon Morrey, B.E.M., and PC Mark Renshaw, B.E.M. – Congratulations to them all;Roll of Honour (Second World War): Added Sydney Edward STOREY (d.1944). Thanks to Ed Thompson for his continued research;Police Service Records: The forms and guidance have been updated to comply with GDPR. Make sure you are using the latest versions, available to download from the link (left);Together with additional photos in the gallery.
August / September 2018
Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added Hazel DAY M.B.E. and John McGARVIE M.B.E. (both 1994) – thanks again to Glyn Thomas for spotting this omission;Roll of Honour (Line of Duty): There have been significant updates to this page, including a separate ‘In Remembrance’ table, and as a result of further research the number ‘Non-Railway Officers killed on duty on the railway’ table has increased the number of officers recorded from four to eighty-one;BookShelf: Added ‘Policing the West Country: 180 Years of Policing in Devon and Cornwall’ by Mark Rothwell;Research: Robert Samuel Cowles, Steve Beamon examines a railway policeman from the early 20th century…..Together with additional photos in the gallery.
June / July 2018
Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added PC’s Wayne Marques G.M. and Leon McLeod Q.G.M. – Congratulations to them;Storybank: Retired BTP officer receives the Legion d’honneur, William Tavendale, 97, receives his medal from the Consul General…..Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added Special Chief Officer Benjamin Clifford B.E.M. and retired PC Jim Rentell Q.P.M. – Congratulations to them;Research: Policewomen on the Railways 1917 – 2017, a brief history of…..Royal Humane Society: Added PC’s Maya Limbani (see ceremony photo) and Ian Gathercole;StoryBank: The Great War: Peter Zieminski describes placing the BTP plaque at Ypres….. (updated with photographs)Together with additional photos in the gallery.
March / April 2018
Blog Update: The gravestone of Herbert John LAUGHLIN has now been amended, thanks to the work of Ed Thompson;Police Dogs: PD Mojo and Pc Healy receive Humanitarian Award at Crufts 2018;Royal Humane Society: Added PC’s George Carpenter, Hayden Elvidge and Jason Walters;StoryBank: My Day’s Work: Detective Constable John Kightley writes about his work at Grimsby Docks in 1941…..StoryBank: The Great War: Peter Zieminski describes placing the BTP plaque at Ypres…..Together with additional photos in the gallery.
January / February 2018
Year Book: Images of the BTPHG Year Book covers;Policing the Ports: Added Methil Docks in Fife, Scotland. Thanks to Bob Davison for spotting this omission;Royal Humane Society: Added PC’s Steven Williams and James Chatfield;Meritorious First Aid Awards: Added PC Thomas L. Roney (1955), thanks to Ed Thompson for finding this in the staff records;Behind the scenes: Changed website and PayPal to reflect membership fee increase;Together with additional photos in the gallery.
December 2017
Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added Matthew Wratten Q.P.M. – Congratulations to him;Research: House of Commons Library – Briefing Paper, a run down on the current state of the BTP;Research: PC Arthur Tuley – the story behind the picture;Together with additional photos in the gallery.
October / November 2017
Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added Chris Webb M.B.E. (2011) – thanks again to Glyn Thomas for spotting this omission;BookShelf: Added ‘Nineteenth Century Railway Crime and Policing’ by Malcolm Clegg;StoryBank: Glyn Davies recalls, the reminiscences of an ex-Southampton Docks Officer;Newsletter: 100 Years of Women in Policing, John Owen reports on the celebratory event;StoryBank: Eastbourne Police Officer Recalls Storm, Rob Ekins is interviewed by his local newspaper;Behind the scenes: Implemented the HTTPS (Secure) protocol across the website;Behind the scenes: Changed the Guestbook software to a new WordPress plugin – now using Gwolle;Together with additional photos in the gallery.
August / September 2017
Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added Alan Parker Q.P.M. (1994) and Stephen Mannion Q.P.M. (1997) – thanks to Glyn Thomas for spotting these omissions,and Amos Stuart Asquith, K Comm (King’s Commendation for Brave Conduct) (1942);Added four historic entries to the Royal Humane Society Awards page – Paul Kazimierczyk, David Mudd, Julie Marshallsay & Jill Spencer.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
June / July 2017
Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added Alun Thomas Q.P.M. and Steve Greenwood B.E.M. – Congratulations to them both;StoryBank: Manchester Bombing, May 2017.Newsletter: Augustine Conlon Added recent research by Steve Beamon.Behind the scenes: Added Cookie Policy.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
February / March 2017
Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added Walter Wilson M.B.E. (1946), thank you to his family for bringing this to our notice;and DCI Gordon Briggs Q.P.M. (2017), who joined BTP in 2016, having retired from the Metropolitan Police.Research: Port of Achievement Film of Southampton during World War Two.StoryBank: Children’s Christmas Party, 1950.Newsletter: Zero to HeroTogether with additional photos in the gallery.
December 2016 / January 2017
Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added Martin Fry Q.P.M. and Mark Walder B.E.M. – Congratulations to them both.StoryBank: The Bullion Run Brian Gosden recalls the moving of gold bullion by train in the 1970’s…..StoryBank: The Railway Police An article in The Police Review from 1920.Projects: The more detailed Roll of Honour (First World War) PDF document has now been updated to include the amendments shown on November’s entry.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
October / November 2016
Projects: The Roll of Honour (First World War) has been updated. Many thanks to Ed Thompson for the dedication he has put into this project.Research: Montague Edwin Rousham Steve Beamon continues his examination of old photographs and discovers a sad tale…..StoryBank: Lilian Daisy Gale Another sad tale of our only female officer fatality…..Newsletter: The Sands of Time RevisitedTogether with additional photos in the gallery.
May / June 2016
Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added Mark Smith M.B.E. – Congratulations to him.Research: Murder on the Brighton LineStoryBank: The Busiest Level Crossing in BritainTogether with additional photos in the gallery, including three photos of Tadworth in 1995, after the completion of an extension and refurbishment of the main building. These were supplied by Peter Williams, the architect. Then of the GMW Partnership, now of wdpk architects limited.
March / April 2016
StoryBank: Pc Joe Mullins retires from the DocksBTP History Writers: Congratulations to John Owen and Ed Thompson, who have been added to our own Hall of Fame.Geoffrey Lawrence: Legion of Honour – blogpost amended and updated with photos.Research: The Temperance Refreshment Room
January / February 2016
StoryBank: Wartime plane crash hero finally honouredResearch: The Longevity of a Railway Policeman!Together with additional photos in the gallery.
October / November 2015
StoryBank: PC Reuben Miller – the story behind the picture.StoryBank: The Tadworth Plaque unveiling, another BTPHG project completed.Research: 120 Year History of Docks Police to EndNewsletter: The Birmingham BombingsBehind the scenes: Added Google’s reCAPTCHA tool to the Contact forms.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
August / September 2015
Newsletter: Promotion ExamsStoryBank: WPc Janet Barker – the story behind the picture.Behind the scenes: Upgraded website software to WordPress 4.3 ‘Billie’.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
June 2015
Research: The Official Opening of Tadworth (Video)Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added Detective Sergeant Steven SIMMONS Q.P.M. – Congratulations to him.Photos of the original St. Cross boarding school in the Tadworth Collection, which now comprises four sub-albums.There are now sufficient photos of the North Eastern Railway Police to give them their own sub-album within the Constituent Forces album.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
April 2015
New photos of the housing development in the Tadworth gallery.More artistic endeavours added to the Cartoons gallery.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
March 2015
BTP History Writer: Congratulations to Malcolm Clegg, who has been added to our own Hall of Fame.Projects: The BTP Journal Project has been completed and a DVD now available.Projects: The Roll of Honour (First World War) has been updated and the accompanying PDF document has been completely re-written.Projects: The Roll of Honour (Line of Duty) has been updated.Research: The Force Crest
January 2015
StoryBank: Wipers Lines – a History Lines Special EditionStoryBank: Railway Girls in BlueResearch: The Long Service and Good Conduct AwardAdded link to the First Railway Murder in Britain article to the Old Bailey transcript of Franz Muller’s trial.Newsletter: The Great Storm, 1987. Part 2 (as published in HL), now consolidated as a single article.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
December 2014
Research: Safe and Sound – Stories of Emergency Response in the Tees Valley, an appeal for stories and artefacts of policing…..StoryBank: Constable Stabbed in the BackNewsletter: The Great Storm, 1987. Part 1.Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added Chief Superintendent David Charles Wildbore Q.P.M. – Congratulations to him.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
November 2014
StoryBank: Constable on the TrackStoryBank: GWR Police Pocket Book / Warrant Card Holder, donated by Dick Evans.StoryBank: Sherlock Holmes and the railways.Roll of Honour: Added list of Railway War Memorials, together with associated links.Updated: Southampton Docks Police with a note on Harbour Master William Tubbs’ status.Updated: Henry Wreathall’s gallery with two additional items and accompanying text.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
September 2014
Newsletter: Beyond the Angels’ ShareBehind the scenes: Upgraded WordPress software to the latest version (4.0).Together with additional photos in the gallery.
August 2014
StoryBank: The Making of the Barking Bobbies.StoryBank: PC Ronald Thackery – the story behind the pictureNewsletter: The Ash Vale MurdersTogether with additional photos in the gallery.
July 2014
Newsletter: Charles Albert Tyrell – the story behind the picture.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
June 2014
Honours, Decorations & Medals table: Added DCI David Shiperlee Q.P.M. – Congratulations to him.Research: Henry Walter Mustoe – the story behind the picture.Blog Post: Added our support to the Letter to an Unknown Soldier project.Blog post updated: The old Cambridge office finally closes.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
May 2014
A new photo gallery has also been added in conjunction with the ongoing Census Project – featuring officers and staff from around the force. [Update: Oct 2014 – this gallery is now closed]StoryBank: Henry Wreathall’s galleryTogether with additional photos in the gallery.
April 2014
StoryBank: The RespirexNewsletter: Southampton Docks Police (part two) – second instalment (as published in HL), now consolidated as a single article.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
March 2014
Newsletter: Southampton Docks Police (part two) – to tie in with David Caplehorn’s recent research we look back at his 2012 History Lines article.StoryBank: Prosecuting Cases at CourtA new photo sub-album has also been added – Tadworth -The demise of the chapel classroom – watch it come down, together with additional photos in the gallery.
January 2014
The WW1 Roll of Honour has been revised and updated.StoryBank: Photographs of Henry RowthornNewsletter: RemembranceResearch: Honours and Awards (Part II)Together with additional photos in the gallery.
October / November 2013
Two new Project Profile pages have been added: Status & Duties of the early railway policeman and the BTP Census Project.Old Bailey Trials: David Grimwood – features our first example of a constable from the Lea Conservancy.StoryBank: Dock Policeman MissingNewsletter: Working on the Royal TrainResearch: Honours and Awards (Part I)Dock Constable Thomas Flavell added to the Roll of Honour.Together with additional photos in the gallery.
August / September 2013
I love it when a plan comes together* or in this case a Project.A BTPHG Project has come to fruition this month as after two years Ed Thompson has completed his BTP Constituent Forces Project. Congratulations to him on a job well done.Of course, Ed is already preparing to start his next project – more news soon.A new photo gallery has also been added – Sports & Social collects together various extracurricular activities – much more to come.Newsletter: Career MemoriesStoryBank: An Award for PC PatrickTogether with additional photos in the gallery.*Col. John ‘Hannibal’ Smith, The A-Team
July 2013
Newsletter (Southampton Docks Police) Part 2 (as published in HL), now consolidated as a single article.StoryBank (My Day’s Work)Research (Canal Policing after 1948)
June 2013
Newsletter (Southampton Docks Police) Part 1Photo Gallery – replaced photo of Sgt Betty Marshall with a higher resolution image.Behind the scenes:
(1) Updated zoom feature in the photo gallery. This means that any new photographs can be enlarged to their true size by clicking on the image in the gallery. Older lower resolution photos will remain smaller, but where we have a higher resolution photo in the archive they will be replaced over time.
(2) Upgraded WordPress software to the latest version (3.5.2).
(3) Replaced the table management plug-in with the new ‘TablePress’, which should make the process simpler. There are currently 20 tables on the website.
May 2013
Old Bailey trials (William Hooker)Newsletter (Railway Police And The Great War)The Constituent Forces section in the gallery now has a sub-division for Portraits, plus new photographs addedMore news in the updates to The closure of Tadworth?
April 2013
Old Bailey trials (John Harding)Newsletter (Criminal Investigation – Old Style)
February 2013
Old Bailey trials (Joseph Bransgrove, George Juett and John Juson)Newsletter (Wardens)
January 2013
Old Bailey trials (William Simpson)Newsletter (In the Detective a Poet)New sections in the gallery featuring Vehicles and Tadworth
November 2012
Old Bailey trials (Ethel Courtien)Research (The First Railway Murder in Britain)
October 2012
Old Bailey trials (Thomas Cullum)Newsletter (Docks and Canals)Research (Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert)
September 2012
Old Bailey trials (James Johnson)Newsletter (Southern Railway Police Vehicle), and the new owner of Tadworth revealed in updates for The closure of Tadworth?StoryBank (Early Railway Policing)Projects – exciting news on the Whitbread Shield / Keith Winter Cup ProjectTogether with additional photos in the gallery.
July 2012
Old Bailey trials (John Hall)Newsletter (Down Memory Line)StoryBank (Newport Docks Disaster)Research (Arming the BTP)
June 2012