Edinburgh City Police in the Victorian Reign
Unknown Edinburgh City Police Sergeant. Note he is before the first helmet plate in the early 1870s. The style of collar number can be seen below. According to Tom Archibald's book, the ECP belt clasp came in about 1870.
This is a Victorian Edinburgh City Police collar number of the style worn by the PS above. (Picture courtesy of David Fraser).
Rear view of the collar number showing fixings. (Picture courtesy of David Fraser).
Unknown PC taken between 1874 - 1880 at 29 St Patrick Square, Edinburgh. Note the 'Coxcomb helmet' in the same style as the Metropolitan Police in London at this time.
Rear of CdV of unknown Victorian PC above.
PC 380 C Edinburgh City Police between 1874 - 1880. Picture taken at 29 St Patrick Square, Edinburgh.
These CdVs are quite interesting in that one of them shows an Edinburgh City Police officer
wearing a 'Coxcomb helmet'. I have never ever seen such an image anywhere. It looks similar to that in use in the Metropolitan Police to the 1870s.
The picture was taken by William Towert & Son of 29 St Patrick Square,
Edinburgh.
Towert & Son operated out of 31 St Patrick Square until 1874 when they moved to No. 29. In
1880, they moved out of No. 29 into No. 42 and remained there into the early 20th century.
So, that dates the Coxcomb picture between 1874 - 1880. I cannot see his collar numbers but the
lad with the truncheon is '380' which at that time, makes him 'C' Division.
The guy with the medal is a mystery as the photographer 'Fairbairn', does not appear in the
Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory at the Tollcross address. The helmet style is much later than the 1880s. The medal ribbon looks similar to that used on the 1914 -1918 Edinburgh Corporation
Special Constabulary medal but I have no idea what the medal is?
Edinburgh City Police PC very late Victorian period. Unknown medal - please contact us if you can suggest which it might be. Thank you. Picture taken by James Fairbairn, Tollcross, Edinburgh around 1882..
Rear of picture of unknown Edinburgh City Police PC wearing unknown medal.
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