Even today, the British Police helmet is still going strong. No doubt over time it's use will become increasingly ceremonial rather that operational. It's such a iconic part of British Policing it will be sad to see it completely withdrawn. However, I think British Policing will become increasingly generic with less Regional identities, similar to Police Scotland. It will be a shame to see so much tradition wiped away, but it does make economical sense for the future. Hopefully this won't happen anytime soon.
Traditional Police helmets are covered with either wool or cotton fabric. This is usually made from one or two pieces sewn together, usually leaving a seam across the centre. Some older examples are made using up to six pieces of cloth sewn together, known as six panel helmets. Although most of the early helmets were made of cork, some were made from stiffened felt and even straw!. The felt helmets originated from the hat making towns of Northern England like Atherstone in Warwickshire. They inevitably supplied some of the Police forces of that region with the Coxcomb design of helmet.
Daily Mirror - Tuesday 14 June 1904
Police helmet sizes are typically between 56cm and 60cm with 58cm and 59cm probably the most common for modern helmets. Earlier cork helmet sizes were marked using inches. Generally speaking, the older the helmet, the smaller the size.
The external appearance has hardly changed for over one hundred years. I believe that Bristol Constabulary issued helmets for the first time in 1865. Sheffield Police were issued with their first 'helmets' in 1868. The City of London Police were issued with their helmets in 1881. As with many things over the years, materials have been replaced with cheaper alternatives. Leather is no longer used in helmet liners, except for chin straps used by some Police forces like Avon & Somerset. The earliest cork helmets were lined with black material which changed to green from around the 1940's.
New helmet for the Metropolitan Police - South London Chronicle - Saturday 09 April 1870
New helmet for City of London Police - Western Daily Mercury - Friday 03 June 1881
Hackney and Kingsland Gazette - Wednesday 28 April 1897
Here's an interesting cross-section of a helmet although the description with this photograph is incorrect. This is clearly a cross-section of a cork helmet and not ABS.
This next Coxcomb helmet dates from the beginning of the 20th century (1900's). It was one of several found in storage at a building occupied by a felt hat maker in Atherstone, Warwickshire. These have trickled onto the collectors market in recent years. Atherstone was one of the centres of hat making in the early 1900's. Helmets made before this time would typically have a slightly rolled up rim.
It's possible this particular example was made by Everitt W. Vero & Co. Ltd. , who were one of the principal hat makers of Atherstone and supplied the Police with helmets (see my section on Police helmet makers for more information). This helmet is made of stiffened felt and not cork. The material would have been placed over a mould and steamed into shape. Some of the Police forces in Northern England who used a similar helmet in the early 1900's include Manchester City and City of Liverpool. Others include the City of London Police. The advantage of felt is that it’s very light and strong enough to maintain it’s shape.
Whilst it's not possible to accurately date this helmet, there are characteristics which help identify the period. I believe this example was kept in storage and never issued. The liner was either never fitted or later removed. There are no holes for the helmet plate and no chin strap. Inside the helmet liner traces of chalk numbers are still visible. Although now ineligible, one of the numbers was probably the hat size, which is small. This helmet is tall and narrow with a distinctive profile. The helmet is likely to be at least 100 years old. The leather band around the helmet and rim has become brittle with age and cracked. There's evidence of brown packing paper which has become bonded to the leather band around the centre.
Considering it's age, this helmet is in remarkable condition. Although helmets of this age are very rare, collectors are less interested if the helmet 'furniture' and lining are missing. However, this is still of great historical interest considering how few helmets of this era still exist. The value of this helmet is £30-£50. If it did have the original helmet plate (badge) and liner it could be worth considerably more.
Early 1900s Coxcomb Police helmet
Remnants of brown packing paper and signs of ageing
This next photograph shows Manchester City Police at the turn of the last century using helmets similar to the helmet shown above. The helmets worn by these policemen are tall, narrow, have a distinctive comb and wide leather band around the outside.
Manchester City Police
This next image is a press photograph from 1966 of a Derbyshire Police officer. No, this wasn't April 1st.
The reason for changes to the construction of helmets over the years is primarily safety and secondly cost. Growing public disorder on a large scale in the late 1970's called for greater protection for Police Officers. In response to this, makers produced an identical looking version but with the shell made of ABS plastic. The London Metropolitan Police were the first to start issuing these in the summer of 1977. Some of these helmets were in use during what became known as the 'Battle of Lewisham' in which the police used riot shields for the first time in England. Although these helmets were externally identical, they can be identified by their webbing harness style chin strap. The cork helmets were only fitted with a thin leather chinstrap as seen in the comparison photograph below.
This was the biggest change to the Police helmet for over a century. Initially these helmets were used for public order duties but later became standard issue. The first versions of this were made from green coloured ABS plastic to resemble the interior of the traditional cork helmet. They also used a cork ‘insert’ for increased protection (later made of white/black foam). The interior used a white cotton webbing harness secured with a piece of cord. In practice many officers removed the cord to achieve a more comfortable fit. The traditional leather chin strap was supplemented by a nylon or cotton web harness chin strap. Some Police Forces in Northern England adopted a plastic 'chin cup' fitted to the harness type of chin strap.The harness chin strap would be used during public disorder to ensure the helmet was held on more securely.
Here’s an example of one of the first ABS helmets issued by Gloucestershire Constabulary. They also issued plastic chrome helmet plates for this version of helmet. The main difference with this and an Avon & Somerset Constabulary helmet is the inside liner head sweatband which is made of plastic in this example. Avon & Somerset helmets of this time used the red satin type of liner.
Gloucestershire Constabulary ABS helmet liner c. late 1970's/early 1980's
These new helmets used a variety of materials for the head 'sweatband' including leather, vinyl and red 'satin'. The London Met Police used a soft leather sweatband in their helmets whilst Avon & Somerset adopted a version of this which had a red ‘satin’ type headband. Avon & Somerset Constabulary took the opportunity to adopt a new plastic version of their helmet plate for this helmet. These were made from red or white chrome plated plastic. It also changed from the traditional 'lug' fitting to a single plastic screw thread. Around 1990 they reverted to a metal version which featured a colour Wyvern shield in the centre. The Wyvern was first used by Somerset Constabulary in the early 20th century.
By 1985 helmets were being produced with an ABS shell made from black plastic with a black foam sweatband and white foam liner 'insert'. At the end of the 1980's the liner insert was changed from white to black. By the 1990's the foam sweatband was improved with a more durable and comfortable type of foam. The early type of foam used would deteriorate over time and gradually crumble away after exposure to moisture and heat, leaving just the thin piece of nylon material it was bonded to. Early examples with the original foam intact are now rare.
1980's ABS helmet white foam 'insert' with makers label
London Metropolitan Police helmet 1980's
Next we have a Metropolitan Police helmet from the late 1980's. It has the old style
metal enamel badge which was originally only used by the rank of
Sergeant and above. Other ranks had a plain chrome metal helmet plate. Unlike the majority, the Metropolitan Police use three 'prong' fixings on their helmet plates for securing to the helmet.
The maker is Helmets Ltd of Wheathampstead.
A
label inside is stamped with the British Standard 5240. British
Standard 5240 was replaced in 1987 so that would date the helmet to the
mid/late 1980's. This particular helmet was found in an attic of a house
used by students. It's believed to have been taken as a 'trophy' during
the London Poll tax riots of 1991. This date ties in with the helmet. The overall condition is consistent with a helmet which was probably only used a few years.
Metropolitan Police Sergeant's helmet 1980's
The
'rippling' effect seen here is because the wool covering has separated
from the ABS shell. This doesn't usually happen on helmets,
especially not from other makers. It could be that not enough glue was
applied to the shell when it was made, or the type of glue used has lost it's
adhesive qualities over time. Despite this the overall condition is very
good for the age.
Cotton webbing harness chin strap
The helmet size is stamped into the foam liner insert and makers label
This version has a smooth glossy black ABS surface on the inside
The dust seen here is actually all that remains from the foam which was attached to this liner
The foam liners used on these earlier ABS helmets would deteriorate over time when exposed to heat and moisture.
Makers label
British Standard BS5240 was replaced in 1987
1990's
In 1998 there were plans to develop a modern alternative Police helmet. One of the proposed designs was two or three inches shorter than the existing custodian helmet. Another prototype was based on a hardened baseball cap design (see Fig. 1 under 'Other Helmets' below). A third version for Humberside Police was adopted in 2002 and still used today. A number of Police Forces including Devon & Cornwall were allocated some off the shorter helmets on a trial basis. The trials were unsuccessful and the helmets were not taken into service (with the exception of Humberside). Some examples of this trail version subsequently appeared on eBay for as little as £30 as below. Some dealers were trying to sell these for £100 without a helmet plate.
Shorter trial police helmet c.2002
In September 2021, this example of a Dorset Police prototype helmet sold on eBay for £45.60. These helmets proved unpopular during the trail and Dorset opted to retain their traditional coxcombe helmets. This makes the trial helmets in this condition with helmet plate rare.
Dorset Police prototype helmet
Distinctive plain blue helmet liner of a prototype helmet
The new Humberside helmet has a ‘soft brush’ velour texture on the outside and a liner made from polystyrene with velcro pads, similar to that found on cycle helmets. This type of helmet construction is also used by South Yorkshire and Hertfordshire. No doubt cost was a factor since they lack the quality of the Custodian helmets used by Avon & Somerset Constabulary and the Metropolitan Police.
This next photographs offer a comparison between the old Humberside helmet and the new shorter version which was introduced in 2002. This new version has a similar shape to an old 1920's Bristol Constabulary helmet.
Helmet comparison 1
Humberside Police helmet old and new
Old style liner
New style liner
A Humberside Police officer with the current issue helmet
'Tis cold up North'
Helmet comparison 2
The next comparison is between the old South Yorkshire helmet (left) and the new version (right) which uses a similar type of construction as the new Humberside helmet.
South Yorkshire helmet old (left) and new (right)
South Yorkshire helmet liner old and new
The new style of liner made by Columbus of Gloucester
A South Yorkshire Police officer wearing the helmet made by Columbus
Helmet comparison 3
Here are two Hertfordshire Police helmets. The one on the left is a 1960's period cork night helmet and the other a current issue helmet made by Hobsons. The new version uses a similar style of liner to that used by Humberside and South Yorkshire Police. Helmet bands usually remain unchanged over the years but in this case the change has been made from black to chrome. The same change has happened with the Avon & Somerset Constabulary helmet.
Hertfordshire Police helmets old and new
Both helmets above have a separate ER centre on the helmet plate which can be removed. The new version shown here was made in 2007. The new helmet plate is held on with one screw while the older version uses the traditional brass lugs secured with wooden pegs.
Helmet plate fixings old and new
Helmet liner sweatband old and new
Velcro is used to hold the liner sweatband in place on the types of helmets shown above. Velcro is now widely used for a number of applications including attaching Police badges. No doubt this is viewed as more cost effective.
On closer inspection the difference in material used to cover the helmet becomes apparent. The traditional wool covering is much more durable than the new type of 'velour'. The newer style helmets also have a plastic moulded rim whilst the the more traditional version has plastic piping sewn onto the rim as seen below. Cork helmets were using leather piping sewn onto the rim up until the 1950's.
New synthetic coating used by Columbus and Hobsons
Natural wool covering used on the old style Humberside Police helmet
Other helmets
Fig 1. First Base 3 Police bump cap by Scott Safety 2012
The cap shown above was developed as an alternative to the Custodian helmet or Traffic officer cap and uses a re-inforced shell.
In May 2016, Cheshire Police announced adoption of the baseball cap to replace the custodian helmet and flat cap. Clearly here is a Police force that thinks it's moving forward with the times. But is it moving in the right direction? Critics claim that it's too 'American' and looks unprofessional. Lets hope we don't see all the more traditional elements of British Policing slowly eroded away. It would be a shame to see the Police in England and Wales losing regional identities like Police Scotland, although this may well happen one day.
Cheshire Police issued with new baseball caps 2016
In July 2019 Gloucestershire Constabulary became the latest Police Force to stop issuing the Custodian helmet in favour of the new style baseball cap.
In the late 1970's a new type of helmet was introduced for dealing with public order incidents. These 'riot' helmets were usually issued during instances of sustained public disorder such as during the minors strike in 1984. These are often referred to as the 'NATO' helmets. Avon & Somerset versions have 'QP' on the back/and or front. These often appear on eBay but those which retain the original Police decals are harder to find since the decals are removed on disposal. Avon & Somerset 'QP' versions are rarely found for sale. Without the original Police insignia they're of little or no interest to a collector.
The next example from my personal collection is a Devon & Cornwall Police issue version probably from the 1990's.
Avon & Somerset mounted section
Avon & Somerset mounted section ceremonial helmet
The ornate ceremonial helmet shown above uses the standard issue helmet plate. These helmets are rare but occasionally appear in collecting circles or even on eBay with a price tag of around £500-£800.
This next helmet is the only other ceremonial variant still in use today. It's used at formal ceremonies such as providing a Police escort for the Bristol Lord Mayor. The construction is similar to the version used by the mounted Police but has a 'ball top' fitting to the top. Note that they still use the standard helmet plate rather than any specially made version. It's very similar to the helmet used by Bristol Constabulary during the Edwardian period.
An unissued and badged bicycle helmet c.2000
Avon & Somerset Police issue bicycle helmet
Here's a video showing how the modern Custodian Police helmets are made:
I threw my bump cap into a bin, no way was I gonna it in my last year in Cheshire Police.
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