Police Ribbons
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BRITISH POLICE RIBBONS

Prior to the introduction of the National Police L.S.&G.C. medal in 1951 many local authorities/boroughs/cities  issued awards to their own Police Forces for Long Service and sometimes for Bravery. The warrant for the Police L.S.&.G.C. laid down that,  ‘…unofficial or local long service medals, if already awarded, shall not be  worn by a recipient of Our Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal,’ and so local awards fell into disuse. There does not seem to be much information about these ribbons in the literature; most of the identifications in these notes come from the Faulconbridge article and from the collections of the late Charles Tozer, Ted Lundberg & John Conway and from Derek Richardson’s collection. These Notes list those ribbons which we know about. Where there are differences in attribution I have tended to go for the identification given to me by C.W.T.  Doubtless there are gaps and errors in these Notes but I hope collectors will add to this list any other information on the subject which they have so that we can develop a standard reference for the future, otherwise what little we know will likely become lost.   Grateful thanks to Fred Reid for his advice, support and additional information.

NOTES:

1. Ribbons are nominally 1¼” (32mm) wide unless otherwise stated.
2. The numbers in the left margin refer to the ribbon numbers on the attached chart
3. For ease of reference the Police Forces are listed in alphabetical order.
4. The Liverpool Police ribbons 24 & 26 and 25 & 27  are reversible, i.e.  the ribbon for the silver medal, when reversed,
    becomes the ribbon for the bronze medal in each case.
5. It is quite possible that ribbons used for 7 & 18 were, in fact, the same design.
6. The ribbon for the Glasgow Bravery Medal (9) came from Ted Lundberg’s collection.
     I have also seen a this medal with a China 1857 (Type I) ribbon.
     It is possible that these were replacement ribbons, the recipients using what was available or what took their eye.
7. Faulconbridge transposes ribbons 33 & 34.
8. Faulconbridge states that the 1911 ribbon (38) was used for both Windsor Medals but in OMRS Circular Number 48 the colours
     given for these ribbons are as shown in these notes.

Mike Shepherd

REFERENCES
Faulconbridge  B.G. ‘Local Authority Police Awards’ published in Spink’s Numismatic Circular, 1978
Jocelyn A. Awards of Honour, 1956
OMRS Circulars 46 & 48
Richardson Collection
Tapprel Dorling H. Ribbons & Medals, 1974 Edn.
© M.J. SHEPHERD, 2006


COUNTY/CITY/BOROUGH POLICE FORCES
1    Aberdeen Police Medal  (Royal blue)
2    Birkenhead Borough Police Good Service Medal (Blue/white/blue/white/blue<<)
3    Birkenhead Borough Police Jubilee Medal 1897  (Red/blue/red<<)
4    Birmingham Waterguard Medal WW I  (very pale blue)
5    Birmingham Special Constabulary Medal 1916  (Blue/white/red/yellow<<)
6    Bolton Borough Police Medal 1913  (Blue/red/blue<<)
7    Bootle Police Good Conduct Medal5  (Dk. blue/white/dk. blue<<)
1    Brighton Borough Police Service Medal  (Royal blue)
8    Bristol City Police Medal 1926  (Red/green/red)
9    Cambridge Borough Police Medal 1913  (Red/blue/red)
10  Cardiff City Police Medal (Yellow with 1 chevron on with 3 red chevrons on the suspension ribbon), worn the ribbon bar (11)
12  Cardiff City Special Constabulary Medal (Red/dk. blue/yellow/<<)
13  Coventry City Special Constabulary Medal  (Green/yellow/red)
14  Dorset Constabulary Service Medal (Black/white)
15  Dumbartonshire County Constabulary Coronation Medal 1902  (Dark blue)
14  Edinburgh City Special Constabulary Medal (Black/white)
16  Exeter City Police Medal (White/green/white<<)
17  Glasgow Corporation Bravery Medal  (Red/green/red)
9    Glasgow Police Bravery Medal6  (Red/blue/red)
18  Grantham Borough Police Medal5 (Blue/off-white/blue<<)
19 Greenock Special Constabulary Medal (1” (25mm) wide) (Royal blue)
19  Dundee Special Constabulary Medal (30mm) (Royal blue)
20  Grimsby Borough Good Service Medal 1914  (Maroon/dk. blue/maroon<<)
15  Hartlepool  Special Constabulary Medal WW I  (Dark blue)
15  Blackpool Borough Special Constabulary  (Dark blue)
21  Leamington Spa Police Coronation Medal 1902 (Pale grey blue)
22  Leith Borough Police Medal  (White/black/white)
8    Lincoln City Police Good Service Medal  (Red/green/red)
20  Liverpool Police Order of Merit 1851 (35mm wide) (Maroon/dk.blue/maroon<<)
23  Liverpool City Police Medal (for QV’s visit)1852  (Red/blue/red)
24  Liverpool City Police Silver Medal 18974 (Red with a diagonal blue stripe)
25  Liverpool City Police Silver Medal 19004 (Red/white/blue<<)
26  Liverpool City Police Bronze Medal 18974 (Blue with a diagonal red stripe)
27  Liverpool City Police Bronze Medal 19004 (Blue/white/red<<)
28  Manchester City Police Bravery Medal 1906 (1” (25mm) wide) (Maroon)
29  Plymouth City Police Medal (red/blue/red/blue<<)
30  Reading Borough Police Bravery Medal (38mm wide) (Blue/white/blue)
31  Reigate Borough Police Medal (40mm wide) (Blue)
32  Rochdale Borough Police Bravery Medal (Maroon)
33  Rochdale Borough Police Long Service Silver Medal7  (Red/blue/red<<)
34  Rochdale Borough Police Long Service Bronze Medal7 (Blue/red/blue)
35  Rochester Special Constabulary Medal (Red/yellow)
36  Southend Police Good Service Medal (Blue/silver white/blue<<)
37  Wigan Police Good Service Medal (Dk. blue/dk. red/dk. blue)
38  Windsor Borough Coronation Medal 19028  (Green/red/green)
39  Windsor Borough Coronation Medal 19118 (Red/green/red)