Robert Kidd Commemoration, 29th September 2021

On the 126th anniversary of the murder of Detective Sergeant Robert Kidd in the LNWR Goods Yard at Wigan, a plaque was unveiled at Wigan North Western Station by T/Chief Superintendent Glen Alderson, the BTP Divisional Commander.  The event was attended by members of the BTPHG, serving officers, railway staff, members of DS Kidd’s family and the Force Chaplain.  This was followed by a short commemoration, led by the Chaplain, Phil Bawn, at the cemetery in Salford where the officer is buried.  A wreath was laid on behalf of the BTPHG.

These events would have taken place last year but had to be cancelled because of the pandemic.

The arrangements for the installation of the plaque, the ceremony at Wigan North Western and for the commemoration were undertaken by Viv Head and Ed Thompson to whom we are most grateful.  All who attended commented on how well organised the events were.  We are also grateful for the support given to the project by the Force , the chaplaincy, Salford Council and by Avanti West Coast.

The BTPHG is determined that the sacrifice of RDC officers will not be forgotten.

Philip Trendall
Chair

BTP Journals Project

Journal Front Cover

 

The British Transport Police Journals 1948 – 1990

The BTP History Group have now completed the project of scanning all the 157 Journals and making them available in PDF format on disc.

Those that took part in the initial fund-raising exercise and donated £20 or more should have received their DVD set.

Read more about Project on the BTP Journal page.

The DVD’s are available to purchase from the DVD Sales page.

The BTP Census Project

by Viv Head

Once again the Force is embracing a major change in its structure – from seven, already large Areas, to four enormous Divisions. Whether you think this decision is based on a money saving exercise or an attempt to improve efficiency is largely irrelevant in the context of the effect it has on the staff and the way the force is administered. It is a major step in the history of the force and recognising that history does not have to be old to be worth recording. BTPHG has embarked upon a major project to make a record of the force in its seven Area form. We are taking a census of the force. Much useful information can be gleaned from the latest Annual Report but there is so much more that can be done.

We would like to record details such as:

  • The location of departments and staff establishments.
  • Photographs and details of police stations from Aberdeen to Penzance.
  • Photos and placements of police vehicles.
  • Details of police dogs and their handlers and functions.

If you live near an existing BTP police post would you think about taking pictures of the outside and of any police vehicles there?

Please send photos of medium or high resolution to census.project@btphg.org.uk .

Cambridge BTP

 

This is a photo of the recently closed BTP police station at Cambridge that we were fortunate to secure. The building is about to be demolished if indeed it has not already been erased*. It would a shame if we did not do something to preserve such images as this. Think about all the thousands of men and women that passed through Tadworth over a period of more than fifty years, yet we are still trying to secure decent photos of the buildings and grounds.
Can you do your bit to help?

Project Managers: John Owen & Ed Thompson

Updates will be published on the BTP Census project profile page.

Go to the BTPHG Projects page for details of other projects.

 

*CORRECTION: Thanks to a Comment from Paul Gray, we are pleased to report that Cambridge BTP office building is still open and operational. Unfortunately this is only a temporary situation as it is due for demolition within the next six months. The Officers will, however, be moved to new accommodation and BTP’s presence at Cambridge will remain.

Update June 2014
We can now confirm that the old Cambridge office building was finally closed this Friday (27/6/14). Officers, staff and blue light have been re-located nearby.

Project Update: Keith Winter Cup

Following on from last month’s good news (below) about the intention to re-instate the presentation of the Keith Winter Cup, Project Manager Colin Sinclair has now completed an interim report on the history of the award.

This includes a full listing of recipients and the background to the award. There are, however, still some items that Colin could do some help with.

Please go to: Keith Winter Cup.

Project Update: Whitbread Shield

The Whitbread Shield
The Whitbread Shield

 

Colin Sinclair advises me that the Whitbread Shield part of his Project is almost complete. In the meantime he has prepared an extensive report from his endeavours so far.

See the update on the Whitbread Shield / Keith Winter Cup Project Profile page.

It comes complete with news of the Shield itself and a description of the merits that led to the granting of the awards.

For more information on other current BTPHG Projects go to the Projects page.

UPDATE: September 2012

And the good news is:-
I have just been advised by the Chief Constable’s Office that the Keith Winter Cup and the Whitbread Shield have been reunited at FHQ and that said office is working on a procedure to re-instate these awards for outstanding police work by a probationer and an established officer respectively. My personal thanks go to everybody who has helped to uncover these items, bring them into the daylight and back into the consciousness of the powers that be!

In the meantime the Project continues on the remaining goals to achieved.

Colin Sinclair

Yet More Progress Stuff…

2011 moves on and so does BTPHG, albeit not quite so quickly. Where does the time go?
Our second AGM was held in April, chaired in style by Glyn Thomas, not bad for an up and coming youngster. And we have a committee meeting due in a couple of weeks.
The Group’s first Year Book was launched at the AGM and you should by now have received your copy. If not, use the Contact page to let me know.
The Police Service Record (PSR) project has also been launched and we look forward to receiving yours. Have a look at the PSR page to do it on line. In fact, have a browse around the site, there’s more new stuff on there including a new ‘Police History, Short Papers’ page with some good articles to read and there will be more to come.
Steve Beamon, who is managing the research of census returns project has turned up a huge amount of stuff.
All in all, not a bad half year!!  Have a good summer.

2011 Update Stuff

The 2011 AGM is almost upon us – Tuesday 29th March at 1130 at Eddy’s Club, Birmingham. Sadly though, (or gleefully?) the Chairman is stuck in the shaky city of Christchurch, New Zealand. Membership Secretary, Glyn Thomas will be taking the chair. The first edition of the BTPHG Year Book will be distributed at the AGM with the remainder being posted out soon afterwards.
Other progress includes work being done on identifying railway and dock police officers from census records and the almost complete Police Service Record forms. Life-saving and other meritorious awards have now been added to the Honours, Decorations & Medals page on the web site.
Several people have volunteered to do some transcribing following my plea in the Retired Lines newsletter- good news all round.

This logo appears on the front cover of the Year Book and is based on a wall sculpture in the tiny town of Hokitika on the west coast of the South Island New Zealand.  I’m sure the artist would be pleased to see it put to such good use.    VH