Hertford County Constabulary Assist With Quelling Rioters

In July 1919 the Hertford County Constabulary sent a detachment of Officers to assist the Luton Borough Police regarding rioting.

The original General Order announcing the deployment has not survived but a photograph, taken after the event, shows that one Inspector, three Sergeants and 42 Constables were sent. Of the 49 men in the photograph 46 have been identified as follows:

Back or 8th row left to right 5 officers: PC 58C William Clark Couper, PC 166F Arthur Smith, PC 241G Ferdinand Whittaker Lilley, PC 152 John David Robinson (possible only), PC 27C William Edward Wand.

7th row left to right 6 officers: PC 9A Albert Charles Emery, PC 314D Archie William Corne, PC 304F James Thomas Powell, PC 122E John Robert Rogers, PC 287C George Webster, PC 55G Benjamin Wright.

6th row left to right 5 officers: PC 32D Alfred Turner, PC 92C Frederick Walter Currell, PC 313C Harold Hardie Quarrie, PC 277E Clement Richard Brackley, PC 328C Sidney Smith.

5th row left to right 7 officers: PC 38D Cyril Freeman, PC 82D John Gregory, unknown C Division PC, PC 123C Harry Watson, PC 162C Joshua Medcalf, unknown G Division PC, PC 73F Horace William Human.

4th row left to right 7 officers: PC 107A Edward Albert Payne, PC 288D George John William Rolls, PC 298F George Smith, PC 246D Samuel Baker, PC 156F James Lee, PC 30E Cyril John Easton, PC 112E William Henry Dickinson.

3rd row left to right 8 officers: PC 19D Horace William Carder, PC 47E Frank Catlin, PC 261C Edwin Ward, PC 147C John Jackson, PC 175E Herbert James Woolmore, PC 275C Albert John Dunk, PC 137C Frederick William Dowty, PC 40A Edward Bradbury.

2nd row left to right 7 officers: PS 15D Herbert Lawrence, possible Luton Borough Police Inspector, Luton Borough Police Head Constable Charles Griffin, Inspector Harry Wright (Herts), St. Albans City Police Head Constable John Harrison, PS 143A Thomas Henry Herring, PS 144C John William Turner Downing.

Front or 1st row 4 officers: PC 56E Herbert William Thompson, PC 108G Albert Charles Killeen, PC 310E Arthur Ernest Hedges, PC 312A Daniel Ernest Cattermole.

A full account of the riot is included in Susan Hall’s article Death Of Mr. H. Wright.

General Order 177 of the 9^th August 1919 announced that the following extract from a letter received from the Head Constable of the Luton Borough Police under date 4th August 1919 is published for information.

“I desire to express to you my high appreciation of the members of your Force on detached duty here for the riot. They proved to be excellent fellows in every way, gave a splendid account of themselves when need arose and conducted themselves in a manner which was credit to any Police Force.”

The Chief Constable is very gratified to have such a good account of the services of the detachment and congratulates Inspector Wright and the Sergeants and Constables. An entry of service on Riot Duty will be made in each man’s record sheet.

Of the 46 Hertfordshire Officers ten have been found to have an entry on their Police Service Record to that effect. Most showed that they performed duty on 19^th and 20^th July but others showed it extended up to the 5^th August 1919.