Museum opening times

November 2008

Charity status

The Museum is now a fully registered charity - Charity number 1126935

Museum newsletter published

The New Police Museum

Inside This Issue

1           The New Police Museum

2        Message from the curator

3           Notable dates

4           Stories

5           Logo

6           Funny Laws

Many police forces in England and Wales have police museums and most have limited opening to the public. Until recently Greater Manchester was the only one but now, Cheshire Constabulary thanks to a completely voluntary workforce has formed a new museum of artefacts from its many constituent borough forces and brought them all together in the only remaining Victorian cells.

Apart from the normal Borough town police the county has been policed by many other law enforcers such as MOD police, UKAEA police, British rail police, Manchester Ship canal police, Royal Military Police, RAF police, United States air force police and the newest Civil Nuclear Authority police.

Taking all of these different police forces there was really only one name that we could use to encompass them all

The Museum of Policing in Cheshire

Message from the Curator

The museum has grown from strength to strength over the past 18 months and the many artefacts spread around the county in dust cupboards and storerooms at the old training centre are now draw together in one place. Many of our retired officers have seen what has been achieved and giving to us their own collections of photographs and memorabilia for preservation for the future.

We have a small group of volunteers who have made the museum as you now see it, converting the old female Victorian cells into galleries to display our items.

There is a lot of work still to be done and we are very pleased to have obtained funding from our own Federation, sports club, retired officers association, NBMA bank, British Nuclear Group, Renaissance North West and other private individuals. No money comes from public funds. We do work with and under guidance from Cheshire Constabulary and they are represented on the committee and trustees of the museum.

We are also guided in our museum work by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, (MLA North West) and we have an advisor from the Warrington Museum.

   Notable Dates

Stories

So much history is lost by not recording what we know.

 Maybe you have a story that would interest the museum! If you would like to share it why not forward it to us.
We will certainly keep it, We may even publish it providing we don’t upset someone by naming them. (We can always change the name to protect the guilty). 

If it’s a long story we can arrange for you to come in and record it, just bring your notes.

Logo

The Prince of Wales feathers was the first badge of the Cheshire Constabulary back in 1857, it caused concern at the time but was later given Royal approval. We have carried on this association.

Funny Laws

FUNNY LAWS IN THE UK:

Recently we carried out some brief research with regard to unusual and funny laws.  Below are just a few of the unusual laws that were part of our legal system at one point in history:
 

“Any person found breaking a boiled egg at the sharp end will be sentenced to 24 hours in the village stocks.”
(Edward VI, 1547 - 1553)

“It is illegal to be a drunk in possession of a cow.”
(Elizabeth I, 1558 - 1603)

“Anyone caught trying to commit suicide shall be hanged for such an offence.”
(England, 1845)

“MP’s are not allowed to wear amour in parliament”
(England, 1313)

“No cows may be driven down the roadway between 10 AM and 7 PM unless there is prior approval from the Commissioner of Police.”
(England, 1867)

“Excluding Sundays, it is perfectly legal to shoot a Scotsman with a bow and arrow”
York, ~ (never removed from law but don’t try)

How about the rest of the world: 

“It’s illegal to drive a motor vehicle blindfolded”
(Alabama, U.S.A.)

 “If an elephant is tied to a parking meter the parking fee needs to be paid as if it were a car.”
(Florida, U.S.A.)

“It is illegal to leave your house if you are not wearing underwear”(Thailand)

    What will you find in the museum

The museum is evolving all the time and we rotate items on display. We have items on display at the Police Headquarters at Winsford and we have loaned items to other museums for their displays. We have just completed our lecture room where we hold meetings and from where we can launch our educational programme. 

We have many photographs dating as far back as the 1800’s which due to preservation grant from the Collections Care Development Fund are now available to allow viewing. 

There is a collection of uniforms from the UK and many other countries, handcuffs and shackles, a life on mars CID office, real Victorian cells, prisoner food and equipment that the police have used over the years.  

Many of the items are hands on so you can get the feel of the job.

    About the museum

    We are situated at the main Warrington Police Station situated in Arpley Street, Warrington. 

Visitors are strictly by appointment and only on certain days as operational duties permit. 

There is limited parking at the front of the police station but there are car parks nearby in the town. 

Toilet facilities are not yet available at the museum. 

Eating and drinking is not permitted in the museum but water is provided free of charge 

Our website contains a catalogue of item held at the museum and links to obtain help and research. We have thousands of records of past members of the force and for a small fee we can sent you copies.

Email   museum@cheshire.pnn.police.uk

Telephone
01244 61 5803 / 0124461 3848   Monday and Friday

By Post  
 Museum of Policing in Cheshire
55 Museum Street
 Warrington, WA1 1NE

Website           www.museumofpolicingincheshire.org.uk