These Hertfordshire police vehicles, photos and text by Norman Woollons, are from an article in the members’ magazine of the Police Memorabilia Collectors Club (http://www.pmcc-club.co.uk/), and appear here with the permission of the editor, James Treversh.
1. A horse-drawn Black Maria from 1902 still wearing the royal initials of the Queen, who died on January 22 the previous year.
2. A horse and trap from 1904 with a PC driving the trap, and his Sergeant on his pushbike and the gaffer walking alongside a march of unemployed men at Hemel Hempstead.
3. Although no police are present, this shot is recorded as being the vehicle involved in the first fatal Hertfordshire road accident at Markyate near Luton in 1906.
4. Not a big-name manufacturer of motor cycles, HRD was nevertheless a well-respected machine in its day, the name eventually becoming part of the Vincent company title. This one being ridden by PC White was registered in November 1947.
5. This is a 250cc BSA being used for what seems to be the sectional beat man’s transport. No doubt very welcome after a succession of pushbikes in previous years.
6. This is a 1954 Triumph Speed twin being ridden by PC Ben Neep. The Speed Twin was almost universally used in those days.
7. A line up of highly polished Wolseley 6/80s and 6/90s in 1955 just as the 6/90s came in and the 6/80s were working out their retirement. The last-but-one 6/80 doesn’t seem to be wearing a bell ! The 6/90 was a lovely car.
8. Here is one of the 6/90s from the previous line-up with a Triumph traffic bike from the same year.
9. 1965 fast-forwards us away from the Wolseleys and into the era of a smart estate car, the Humber Super Snipe. Not that many forces used these but they were well liked for their carrying capacity if not their sedate handling.
10. A couple of years later the force bought Jaguar 340’s and this example is seen in 1969 at a road accident.
11. In 1977, here is a P6 Traffic car which I gather was very popular – especially when fitted with Rover’s legendary V8.
12. A BMW R80 seen at a motorcycle accident in 1985.
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Was PC 49 Neep at Hertford during my short career as a Cadet
As a probationer PC in the very early 1970’s I had some very exciting rides in the Western Traffic (North Watford) Mk2 Jaguars. The lads at the base were very sad to lose them when they were replaced by the very unreliable big Vauxhalls
Phto No: 1. This image is of a ‘Black Maria’ discharging a group of prisoners at Wormwood Scrubs circa 1890. Published as image 42 in “Crime and Punishment by Richard Whitmore (Batsford 1978). Also appears on page 161 of “Prisons and Punishments of London” by Richard Byrne. Originated from a 3″ glass slide forming part of a lecture given by a Prison Governor & this lecture, 3″ slides and original notes etc still in my possession.
The backdrop of Wormwood Scrubs is indentifiable.
Photo 9 shows the Humber Accident Tender of the day prior to being replaced by Land Rover, Ford Transit and later Range Rover in 1970/71 I recall
Picture 11 shows the River P6, NRO 157P that was based at North Watford and was my allocated car.
A lovely car to drive, fast responsive and comfortable.
Ian Dowse