Fascinating exhibition in Chichester tells the history of West Sussex Constabulary

More than 260 people have so far visited the exhibition in The Old Court Room at The Council House in Chichester.

Alan said: “The retired people who have come here have loved it, chatting and reminiscing.”

He has been collecting police memorabilia for years but his serious research began four or five years ago. He has collected pictures from ebay and auctions, as well as receiving some direct contributions, and has gathered 800 pages of information. This is his first exhibition – his dream is to have a small museum.

Alan joined Sussex Police in 1968 at Worthing Police Station, where his grandparents were both working, Frederick Hoare as a police constable and Ethel in the canteen. Alan went on to work in Horsham and Midhurst before settling as a village policeman under Arundel.

Ethel used to clean in the morning and was then busy in the canteen at lunchtime, working there into her 80s.

Alan recalled: “When I was a cadet, we used to pick her up in the panda car, because of her age.”

One of his greatest finds came from a small article he spotted in a newspaper, which led him to a stained glass window at St Mary’s Church in Fittleworth. This is dedicated to Captain Frederick Butler Montgomerie, the first Chief Constable of West Sussex Constabulary, but its historical significance had been forgotten.

“Nobody knew about it,” said Alan.

He and his partner Mary Dixon, a former Fittleworth resident, met with the Rev David Crook in autumn 2020. Alan was thrilled to be able to explain his findings and between the three of them, they were able to locate the family grave in the churchyard.

Captain Montgomerie, who lived in Upper Street, Fittleworth, was Chief Constable from 1857 to 1879. There had been a shortlist of three candidates and Captain Montgomerie scored 39 votes compared to a combined total of 12 for the other two.

Alan said: “The first Chief Constable had served as Captain in the 99th Regiment in India and had become a ‘half-pay’ army man. He had also lived and worked in Australia as an officer in the New South Wales Police, and it was his police experience which greatly influenced the decision of the magistrates.

“In total, Captain Montgomerie led the West Sussex Constabulary for 22 years and oversaw the establishment of the force for the western half of Sussex, taking responsibility for the recruitment and training of officers and constables. He was a strict disciplinarian and rapidly dismissed recruits not meeting the required standards.

“The respect in which he was held by his men was demonstrated after his sudden death, aged 56, on Sunday, October 12, 1879. The memorial stained-glass window on the south side of the sanctuary was commissioned and installed in Fittleworth Church by his colleagues.”

The county justices of West Sussex had begun the process of establishing a professional constabulary for the county in January 1857 and the police headquarters was opened in Petworth in April that year.

Chichester Police Station was completed in March 1860, Steyning in 1861, Bognor in 1863 and Littlehampton in January 1868. Horsham Police Station opened in 1894 and in 1897, the headquarters relocated there from Petworth. Then in 1922, the headquarters was relocated again, this time to Chichester.

The first policewoman to be appointed to the constabulary was Miss Gladys Moss, who was stationed at Worthing from July 1919 until she retired in May 1941 aged 57.

When the constabulary was formed, Worthing Police had consisted of one sergeant and three constables, supervised by Arundel Rural Division.

West Sussex County Council approved a police sub station at Lancing in July 1937 and Worthing Police Station, in Union Place, was completed in August 1939 at a cost of £18,000.

As well as the history of the force the exhibition details interesting cases and fascinating facts, like the time the Chief Constable requested permission for members of the constabulary to grow beards.

The final day of the exhibition will be tomorrow, Friday, April 22, from 10am to 1pm.

Also in the news: Gentle giant from the West Sussex Constabulary remembered

See also: Tales of bravery recalled by former Worthing policeman