Derbyshire Police History & Research

Are you looking for an ancestor who served in any of the 4 Police Forces in Derbyshire?

Before you start researching your Derbyshire police ancestor you need to know which force he may have worked for. I can help with this. Please e mail me derbys28@aol.co.uk  Now read on………

During the 19th and 20th Century the County and Boroughs of Derbyshire have been policed by four different Police Forces. The towns of Derby and Chesterfield had the first paid police in 1836 with the County or rural police beginning 20 years later. Glossop broke away and created its own police in 1867. Each force had its own Chief or Head Constable and were all controlled by different authorities. Chesterfield & Glossop were absorbed by the Derbyshire Constabulary in 1947 with Derby lasting until 1967 when on amalgamation the force became the Derby County & Borough Constabulary eventually reverting back to the title Derbyshire Constabulary in 1974.

 STOP PRESS **** To read about the County Police Officers who died whilst serving their King & Country during the First World War please click this link.  http://www.derbysnarpo.co.uk/uploads/1/0/5/3/10539...

Whilst there is a large amount of searchable information held on various social history web sites on the internet there are few if any dedicated to the policing history of Derbyshire. During the constabulary’s 160 years 1000’s of men and women have served in its ranks, some a few days others 40+ years. As far as I am aware this web site is the only one in existence where you can obtain a few details of any regular officer who served in the County between 1857  to 1930 and the Victorian Derby, Chesterfield & Glossop Borough Police. Whilst there are good descriptive registers giving details of officers in the Derbyshire Constabulary few have survived from the Borough forces. In fact most of my information for these organisations has been obtained from Watch Committee records.

The fact that your relative may have been a policeman in Derbyshire doesn’t mean to say that he served in the county, and a photograph of the officer taken in Derby, Chesterfield or Glossop doesn’t necessarily mean he was stationed in a Borough Police Force. He could even have been a Midland Railway policeman.

In order to help you all I need is a name, approximate age and possibly a few details like their location or rank. Ideally a good scanned photo of the officer in uniform would be excellent but not essential. I can’t guarantee success but I will try my best and as this is a hobby I don’t charge for any information I may be able to provide. I do not hold any information on ex-officers who may still be alive. Unfortunately due to copyright reasons I cannot send you pictures of their record in the register but I will provide all details available. Should you wish to view the original record book or scanned image of the books I will identify the relevant record office and reference for you to pay a personal visit or make contact with them.

The main source for County Policemen and a few Borough officers is the Derbyshire Records Office at Matlock but for the most Borough officers it will be the local records office.

Derbyshire Records Office,                                                                        New Street                                                                                                  Matlock.                                                                                                      Derbyshire                                                                                                      DE4 3FG

Enquiries Tel: 01629 538347.                                                                     Web: http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/leisure/record_office      E mail: record.office@derbyshire.gov.uk

Chesterfield Local Studies Library                                                            New Beetwell Street                                                                                 Chesterfield                                                                                                    S40 1QN

Tel: 01629 533400                   Web:https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/leisure/local_studie...     E mail: chesterfield.library@ derbyshire.gov.uk

Derby Local Studies & Family History Library                                   Riverside Chambers                                                                                     Derby                                                                                                                  DE1 3AF

Tel: 01332 642240                                                                                      Limited opening times in afternoons                                                        Web: http://www.derby.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/librar...   E mail: localstudies.library@derby.gov.uk

Derby Police Collection                                                                           Buxton Museum & Art Gallery                                                                    Terrace Road                                                                                                      Buxton                                                                                                            SK17 6DA

Tel: 01629 533540                                                                                       Web: http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/leisure/buxton_museum...        

E mail: buxton.museum@derbyshire.gov.uk

To view photos held in the Buxton Museum & Art Gallery Police Collection and from other sources please see: http://www.picturethepast.org.uk/

Glossop Heritage Centre (CLOSED IN 2010)                                           Henry Street                                                                                                 Glossop                                                                                                 Derbyshire                                                                                                             SK13 8BW

Web: http://www.glossopheritage.co.uk/                                           Family History Research E Mail: lynda.history@btinternet.com                                                    History & Heritage E Mail: mike.history@btinternet.com

Constable 221 James Baker, pictured in 1888 whilst stationed at Ilkeston.
Before joining the police James served as a soldier in the 3rd Regiment of Foot ‘The Buffs’ in South Africa and wears his campaign medal.
Whilst not exactly a page from the Derbyshire Descriptive Register held at the Counties Record Office this shows the sort of set up and information provided for Pc Baker
Worn as a cap badge from 1907 & summer helmet plate from 1920 when caps were withdrawn.

To see what can be achieved with a little information provided from this web site, and a lot of hard work carried out by someone researching their police ancestor, please click on this link kindly provided by John Clifford GG Grandson of Pc 180 Thomas Clifford.  

 https://www.dfhs.org.uk/filestore/PC_Thomas_Cliffo...