A talk by Rosemary Prosser – 11th May 2017
What an entertaining talk by Rosemary about her career in the police force during the 1970’s. She was posted to Evesham and later Malvern, rising through the ranks to the role of an inspector.
She became the first married policewoman to join the constabulary in the 1970’s, when all women police officers had to wear regulation ‘Elbeo’ black stockings. During that time the rules changed and women had to wear trousers, hence the title ‘From Tights to Trousers’!
Rosemary started work on her family’s chicken farm and decided to further her education at Studley Agricultural and Horticultural College which resulted in a job at a Farming Administration Co-operative – a job she found boring and so decided to join the police force.
She had many adventures including saluting her superintendant (but why no uniform?). She soon realised the ‘superintendant’ was in fact a very smartly dressed female fraudster who was handcuffed to a constable and about to be sentenced to a term in prison! She also learnt never to refuse a cup of tea from a ‘suspect’ or one of their family members but never to drink it – the best unused dusty china would be used, wiped clean on a dirty apron and spit into to get rid of the marks!!
Finally, did you know Women PCs never carried batons during the 1970’s? Rosemary, however, found the regulation shoulder bags were very good alternatives when swung at an assailant!
These were just a few of the funnier moments she encountered alongside the more serious issues that she was involved in with her job!
Our next two meetings are:
25th May ‘Ascension Day – Upwards and Onwards’ – Rev’d. Paul Brown
8th June ‘Working for Disability not against it’ – Discover. U (please note that this meeting will be held in St Benedict’s Church due to elections at The Bede)