Differences between City and Met PC uniforms?

[Trench_Raider]

Greetings all!
Long time reader/lurker, and first time poster. (well, that is not entirely true. I posted briefly in the late '90s under a different screen name) I'll try to get around to writing up a proper introduction post in the near future. For now I have a quick question for the LVP police buffs out there: what were the visible differences between the uniforms worn by PCs of the City and those of the Met?

When I say "visible differences" I'm talking about highly noticable things that your typical man on the street could look at and say "Ok, I've wandered into the City".

Looking at the various photos of City and Met PCs on this site and elsewere the most glaring difference would seem to be the very different helmet plates used by the two forces. In addition, it looks as if the actual helmets used by the two organizations were of different designs and had an entirely different shape. Finally I recall reading somewere (Perhaps in "Scotland Yard Investiagtes"...I'm not at home right now, so I can't check my book shelf) that the "on duty" arm bands of the City had red and white stripes as opposed to black and white. Is this true?

So are there any other major differences that I am missing? I'm sure that there are smallish things like different buttons and the like, but am I missing anything major, such as the overall cut of the uniform, color of the cloth, etc?

Thanks all!

Martin

[lynn cates]

"Whistle, and I'll come to you."

Hello Martin. Welcome back to the boards.

One minor difference, which may not have been obvious upon external inspection, is that, during the period in question, the C of L lads carried clickers instead of whistles.

Neil Bell or Rob Clack may be able to confirm this.

Cheers.
LC

[Monty]

City carried rattles until the late 80s though not all the time. Some relied on the 'Hue and cry' system.

You've mentioned the major differences Martin.

Armlets were blue and white on Met side, red and white City. Helmets were cockcomb on the City side whereas the Met had the rose tops. Helmet plates on the Met helmets were dark brassed Brunswick star (the chrome coming into efect in the 1920s due to an accident in Brighton so legend has it) with Victoria's crown whereas City had the dark brass and gold copper City of London arms on their helmets.

The buttons on the City tunics had the City arms again, Met had the Victoria crown. The Met tunic had a special pocket for whistles whereas the City didn't.

Monty

[Trench_Raider]

Thanks, Monty.
That's exactly the sort of thing I was looking for.

I suspect that in the dimly lit streets of the era were the color of the duty band might go unoticed, the differences in the helmets might be the surest way of telling the officers apart. The Met's helmet is similar in it's shape to that of the "Foreign Service Helmet"* of the British Army of the time, while the City headgear has the "comb" type crest and looks to have a more pronounced brim. So the two have very distinctive silhouettes.

Thanks again.

Martin

*: It actually looks closer in shape to the Home Service Helmet, sans the spike, but the Foreign Service Helmet has the same sort of vent cover that the police helmet does. Thus my comparison.

[Monty]

Hey Martin,

They use to mark up the white parts of the armlets with chalk prior to going out on duty.

The old City armlets had horizontal stripes and not vertical ones initially. An interesting fact no one cares about.

Anyway, yes the shapes were different, and I do believe it was to differenciate between the two forces however not that it matter to the public.

Cheers
Monty

[PC Roadnight]

City carried rattles until the late 80s though not all the time. Some relied on the 'Hue and cry' system.

You've mentioned the major differences Martin.

Armlets were blue and white on Met side, red and white City. Helmets were cockcomb on the City side whereas the Met had the rose tops. Helmet plates on the Met helmets were dark brassed Brunswick star (the chrome coming into efect in the 1920s due to an accident in Brighton so legend has it) with Victoria's crown whereas City had the dark brass and gold copper City of London arms on their helmets.

The buttons on the City tunics had the City arms again, Met had the Victoria crown. The Met tunic had a special pocket for whistles whereas the City didn't.

Monty

Interestingly in 1966, when I joined the Met, we were amongst the last to be issued with two helmets, one with chrome fittings, the other with black for night duty. My first helmet, which I sadly don't still have, was exactly to the pattern of the 1890s British Army Home Service Helmet. (I have several Army versions in my collection) The replacement, which I do still have, was changed in appearance, though not as awful as the 'pudding basins' which PCs wear today!

[Monty]

Good to see you here Pete,

The story I heard dated back to a young PC in the Brighton Force in the 1920s.

Apparently his beat passed a metal works and he stopped in there for a tea break. One of the workers spotted his dull helmet badge and managed to cajole the Bobby to let him place it in the degreaser tank. The PC didn't think it would do much damage. He was wrong. The result was an impressive shiny helmet plate.

However the PC soon realised that he'd be for the high jump should his superiors note it. Anyway, a day or so later they were called to muster before a special visitor, the Met Commissioner. All hell broke loose when his Super noted the helmet badge just as he was passing his VIP through the parade.

However, the Commissioner was very impressed with the shiny helmet plate that he passed an order for all Met plates to follow suit.

Monty


PS, can I message you at some stage?

[Cogidubnus]

Hi Monty

As an aside did you know about the Brighton force's Summer Helmets? When I was a kid they (or a cunning cover for them) were white...something else lost to the consolidations of the mid sixties!

All the best

Dave

[Bridewell]

Hi Monty

As an aside did you know about the Brighton force's Summer Helmets? When I was a kid they (or a cunning cover for them) were white...something else lost to the consolidations of the mid sixties!

All the best

Dave

Hi Dave,

In the 1970's, in Nottinghamshire anyway, white helmet covers were used by officers on point duty. Somewhere deep in the archives of the Nottingham Evening Post there is probably still a picture of me, thus attired, talking to the late great Fred Trueman outside the entrance to the Trent Bridge cricket ground!

[Steve S]

White covers still in use in Essex(well,Southend,anyway) in the 1960's......

[Monty]

Brightop Police Helmet

Here you go.

Monty

[Steve S]

Pretty...............

[Cogidubnus]

Thanks Monty

Nice to see one again...complete (like my school blazer) with dolphins and martlets... certainly takes me back

All the best

Dave

[PC Roadnight]

Yes, no problem Monty. Away next week but I'll check in when I return on 26th August