Aylott, Ernest George, 323, Police Constable.

Early Life.

Ernest George Aylott was born on the 24th January 1891 at Hitchin.

His father, Arthur Aylott a Tailor, married his first wife, Elizabeth Collenbeck, on the 28th February 1876 at Hitchin. She died in 1877 at Hitchin, possibly as a result of childbirth as they had a daughter, Florence Elizabeth, born in 1877 and who sadly died as well in 1879 at Hitchin.

Ernest’s father then married his mother, Emily Phoebe Judge, in 1882 at Hitchin. They had three sons all born in Hitchin:
1. Herbert Arthur born in 1883.
2. Walter Amos born in 1884.
3. Ernest George.

During the 1891 census the family were living at 15, Old Park Road, Hitchin. By the time of the 1901 census they had moved and were living at 14, Lancaster Road, Hitchin.

Ernest’s father died on the 15th January 1911 at Hitchin. At the time of the 1911 census the family were still living at Lancaster Road, Hitchin although Ernest’s mother was visiting the Kingston family at 21, Clarendon Road, Luton. Ernest was recorded as being employed as a house painter.

Nothing further is known about Ernest’s life over the next three years until he applied to join the Hertford County Constabulary.

Police Service.

Ernest’s Police Service Record has not survived but from other sources we know that he was Appointed as Constable 323 probably on the 22nd July 1914 based on the anniversary date for his pay increases and the rate of pay he was put on when he re-joined the Police after the war. His Probationer training would have been carried out at Police Headquarters at Hatfield at the end of which he was posted to C Division at Watford.

Resignation.

General Order 57 of the 6th April 1915 announced three resignations: The undermentioned Police Constables having submitted applications to resign their appointments as Constables in the Hertfordshire County Constabulary for the purposes of enlisting in H.M. Army, the resignations are accepted to take effect on 5th April 1915,
PC 90 White G.E.
PC 323 Aylott E.G.
PC 308 Medcalf W.J.
The three Constables will be paid up to and including 5th April 1915 and will be struck off the strength of the establishment as from that date.

General Order 118 of the 21st July 1915 is a list of 96 officers which included the Chief Constable, 43 Constables who were Army reservists who were recalled and 50 Constables and 2 Sergeants who volunteered for military service. Ernest is shown as PC 323 Aylott E.G. C Division who enlisted into the Royal Horse Artillery on the 6th April 1915 with PC’s 308 William Medcalf and 90 Ernest White.

Army Service During The War.

Ernest’s Army Service Record has not survived but from his Medal Roll Index Card and Medal Roll we know he enlisted as Gunner 99376 in the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery. Ernest White and William Medcalf were Gunners 99377 and 99378 respectively.

William Medcalf’s Army Service Record has survived and shows he enlisted on the 3rd April 1915 at Watford and while it is safe to assume the other two enlisted at the same time, it is very unlikely that following their training they remained together. Ernest was finally discharged from the Army on the 31st March 1920.
He was awarded the British War and Victory medals.

Marriage.

Ernest married Dorothy Mary Mead in 1918 at Hitchin. They had three sons:
1. Jack born in 1919 at Watford.
2. William George born and died in 1928 at Berkhamsted.
3. Richard Edward born in 1936 at Berkhamsted.

Like every soldier Ernest would have been granted 28 days leave when he was demobilised. He would have used this time to rearrange his re-joining of the Police. Part of that process would have involved him undergoing a medical examination with the Force Surgeon to determine whether he was still fit enough for Police duties. The end of his leave period would have coincided with the date of his re-Appointment.

Whilst waiting to re-join George was listed in the 1919 Electoral Roll as living at 14, Lancaster Road, Hitchin.

Re-joining The Police.

General Order 57 of 1st March 1919 proclaimed that ten men, having been released from H.M. Army, would be re-appointed to the Force with effect from the dates shown. Ernest was shown as PC 323 Aylott E.G. posted to C Division at Watford on the 13th March 1919 on £2/7/0 per week. Each officer had to be formally re-attested and the Superintendents concerned had to report to the Chief Constable when, where and before whom this had been done.

General Order 180 of the 11th August 1919 informed Ernest that he would receive an increased rate of pay from £3/18/0 to £4/0/0 per week from the 22nd July 1919.

Transferred.

General Order 87 of the 12th May 1920 instructed Ernest that from the 17th May 1920 he was being transferred from C Division at Watford to C Division at Rickmansworth, to occupy the cottage house being vacated by Acting Sergeant Huckle at Parsonage Road, Rickmansworth.

The 1921 census shows Police Constable Ernest George Aylott, his wife Dorothy and son Jack living at Brighton Cottage, Parsonage Road, Rickmansworth. The Electoral Rolls of 1920 to 1925 list them as living at the same address.

The following four General Orders all informed Ernest that on the 22nd July of each year he would receive the increased rate of pay as shown:
General Order 125 of the 23rd July 1921 from £4/2/0 to £4/4/0 per week.
General Order 95 of the 31st July 1922 from £4/4/0 to £4/6/0 per week.
General Order 143 of the 11th August 1923 from £4/6/0 to £4/8/0 per week.
General Order 149 of the 1st September 1924 from £4/8/0 to £4/10/0 per week.

Transferred Again.

General Order 32 of the 3rd March 1925 instructed Ernest that from the 18th March 1925 he was being transferred from C Division at Rickmansworth to D Division at Little Gaddesden. The Electoral Rolls of 1925 to 1929 list Ernest and Dorothy Aylott as living at 21, High Street, Little Gaddesden.

The General Strike.

General Order 62 of the 4th May 1926 concerned the Emergency Regulations of 1926 and instructions for 50 Hertfordshire Police Officers, made up of three Inspectors, seven Sergeants and 40 Constables, to be on standby should the Secretary of State call upon the County Force to draft men elsewhere at short notice. These included officers from A,B,C, D and E Divisions. Orders for equipment and clothing would be issued if and when necessary, but the men were advised that they would require some sort of haversack. Ernest was one of the Constables named in the list.

General Order 117 of 29th August 1926 concerned the Emergency Regulations 1926 and instructions for 50 Hertfordshire Police Officers to be on standby should the Secretary of State call upon the County Force to draft men elsewhere. The first 20 named would be required to proceed at 8 hours’ notice or less. These included officers from A,B,C and D Divisions and it would appear to qualify to be amongst the 20 you needed to have a motor bicycle available. Ernest was on the list but not named amongst the 20.

Called Out.

General Order 140 of 18th October 1926 declared:
EMERGENCY REGULATIONS 1926.
The following detachment of the Hertford County Constabulary is detailed for duty in the County of Derby as from 19th October 1926, inclusive:
There then follows a list of one Inspector, three Sergeants and 47 Constables which included PC 323 Aylott, E. of D Division at Great Gaddesden.
The detachment will proceed by nearest railway route to St Pancras, London Midland & Scottish Railway, reporting on the main departure platform at 2 p.m., when Inspector Digby will parade the party and call the roll. The detachment will proceed by the 2.25 p.m. train to Derby. On arrival at Derby, Inspector Digby will report to the representative of the Chief Constable of the Derby County Constabulary who will meet the train and provide omnibus transport to Ripley about 10 miles distant.
Dress: Greatcoats, cape, cloth jacket, 2nd cloth trousers, 1925 issue helmet, leggings, truncheons and handcuffs, woollen gloves, lamps, whistles and chains.
Divisional Superintendents will advance Railway fares if required and an account for same will be rendered to Headquarters Office for repayment. Inspector Digby will render a daily report direct to the Chief Constable’s Office each day, showing state of health of all members of the detachment and any matters of interest which may occur.

General Order 157 of 14th November 1926 THE EMERGENCY POWERS ACT, 1926.
THE EMERGENCY REGULATIONS, 1926.
COAL STRIKE
The Chief Constable is gratified to learn that the services of the detachment of the Hertford County Constabulary added temporarily to the Derby County Constabulary, were satisfactory, and he has much pleasure in publishing the following extract from a letter received from the Chief Constable of Derbyshire, under date 11th November 1926:
Begins: “The detachment has done very good work and I will be grateful if you will be kind enough to convey to them my warm thanks for their services. I may say that Inspector Digby did very good work indeed and was of great assistance to my Ilkeston Superintendent. Will you also give him my personal thanks”. Ends.

If this letter from the Derbyshire Chief Constable seems a bit luke warm it transpires 10 of the Hertfordshire Constables suffered food poisoning after eating food which was supplied to them on behalf of the Derbyshire Police Authority. The Hertfordshire Force Surgeon said that their illness should be classed as an injury on duty and the Chief Constable agreed and said no one should suffer any stoppages from their pay.

Resignation And Life After The Police.

Ernest resigned his Appointment on the 18th March 1931.

In the 1939 Register Ernest, who was recorded as a Painter and House Decorator and ARP Warden in Little Gaddesden, Dorothy and family are listed as living at 4, Council Cottages, Hudnall, Berkhamsted.

Ernest George Aylott died in 1966 at Hemel Hempstead.