Diary of a Heritage Manager – #WeAre50 Blog 1: The force of a thousand macs
At the museum we celebrate the past 200 years of policing, often focusing on older heritage, rather than more recent history. This year we are using the 50th Anniversary of West Midlands Police as a chance to shine a spotlight on the past 50 years. I recently met with a small group of retired and …
#WeAre50 | Policing the Parks in Birmingham
Guest Blog: Lindsey Ballinger During the 19th and very early 20th century, the parks in Birmingham were patrolled by the Birmingham City Police. The parks were not always a safe place for families and in the 1880’s and 1890’s “several cases of indecent and immoral conduct” were reported, with a number of sexual assaults on …
The Police History Society – 38th Conference
Each year our Heritage Manager Corinne joins the Police History Society conference, of which she is a member…. This year, I was lucky enough to accompany her and enjoy a weekend of thought-provoking talks by experts in their field, along with meeting some of the most well-versed people when it comes to police heritage. Corinne …
Charles Haughton Rafter’s pace stick We had a search through our collection to find something inspired by the festive spirit and were delighted to come across a Christmas gift from Sir Charles Haughton Rafter himself! In 1926 Rafter was gifted an engraved pace stick by his Superintendents, “as an expression of their loyalty and esteem.” …
Unlocked Stories: Detective Top Cat
It is always a fulfilling moment for us when we are able to add missing puzzle pieces to a visitors history through our genealogical research – however, sometimes we are lucky enough to be sent personal histories by visitors who have more to add to our story! Meet Detective Superintendent Trevor Cerdin Thomas; fondly known …
The medals of Sgt. Kenneth William Green Sgt. Kenneth William Green served as part of the Coventry Police, before joining the Army as a Glider Pilot during WW2. Kenneth flew during Operation ‘Market Garden’; this allied military operation took place in the German-occupied Netherlands in September of 1944. The objective was to create a route …
“Kill The Black One First”: A Memoir This Black History Month our chosen object is the memoir of Michael Fuller; Britain’s first and only Black Chief Constable, and the highest ranking black officer in the UK before his retirement. Michael Fuller was born to Windrush-generation Jamaican immigrants in 1959, whom, for reasons emotionally detailed in …
Safer Students event at West Midlands Police Museum helps create warm welcome
We’ve been welcoming lots of new and returning university students to the West Midlands throughout this month and have hosted a number of events to help keep them safe while they study. This includes our first ever Safer Student event which was held at the Lock-up. The students were given a free guided tour around the …
We had great fun hosting our first Macabre Museum and getting the chance to showcase some of the darker stories in our collection! This event was put together by our creative Engagement Officer Archie, who has a soft spot for the macabre and true crime. After browsing our collection she realised there was plenty hidden …
Object of the Month, September
Our object of the month is inspired by our upcoming talk; Police Drones! When we think of drones flying above we may assume it’s a professional photographer, or just people having fun with their new tech, but rarely do we consider that that drone is being utilised to keep us safe. Since the early 2000s, …
Writing Wrongs: Using Language Analysis to Improve Justice
*This event is free and funded by Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)* Venue: West Midlands Police Museum, Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham Host: Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics Tickets This immersive event will feature acted scenes, accessible talks, and practical hands-on activities which will give participants the opportunity to explore some of the ways in which …
Beyond the Mask; Poisons, Police, and Punishment
…..would you keep poison in the pantry ? As part of Heritage Open weekend we are excited to welcome Howard, a retired Coventry West Midlands Police Officer who will be taking us on a journey of crime in the 18th and 19th century. When, in 1849 , Mary Ball was sentenced for the arsenic poisoning …
The return of Roger the Safety Car has inspired our Terrific Transport summer, so it’s only right he is our object of the month! Roger, and other safety cars like him, were part of a safety initiative in the 1990’s which aimed to teach school children about road safety. Travelling to schools across Birmingham and …
This guest blog post comes from our work experience placement Zainab. This is her experience with us, in her own words Throughout my time doing work experience at the museum, I have learnt a lot not only about the history of policing, but I’ve also acquired a set of skills that will benefit me greatly …
Our favourite object this month is this West Midlands Police body armour. An early example, from the 1990s, designed to protect officers in dangerous situations. Stored at police stations or in police cars, this type of body armour was available for police officers to use, if needed. Today body armour is personal issue, every police …
