General 'A' Pics (6) Continued

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'1Q' pictured near Prince Albert Memorial, Kensington Gardens 1938

TEXT BY GEORGE HIMSELF:

"With regard to the 2 'Q' car images.
In the following article I make mention
of the fact that I rarely left 'A' Div.
throughout the whole of my service.
The photo of '1Q' is the "B 'Div 'Q' Car
taken in 1938. I am at the drivers door. The other 2
Officers were CID whose names now elude me. The
other photo '5Q' is the 'C' Div 'Q' car that was
taken in October 1956 (one month prior to my
retirement). taken outside 'C' Div. 'Savile Row'
I was the driver by the drivers door. Both cars
patrolled 'A' Div."

'5Q' October 1956

"You have a photo of myself somewhere on
file (see below) working the Victoria Embankment/Bridge
Street Point. This was the most difficult point
to work for a single pointsman as it involved
walking from one position to another with
traffic from 3 directions. A probationer was not
allowed to work this point.

On parade time when being posted to your
particular point which was a monthly posting, you
also made sure that you had your rubber traffic
suit (obtainable from the uniform room in the
basement of AD) with you. Failure to do this if
it rained meant you were going to get very wet.
Relief when on point duty (call of nature
etc) came from the man on the beat when he came
round. It was recognised that he never passed the
pointsman without first stopping and drawing the
attention of the pointsman, it was was nearly
always taken up, if only to partake of the usual
'Spit and a Draw'.

In those days before the introduction of
the 999 system, and with the telephone not so
accessible and numerous as it is today, the
public always knew the position of the nearest
traffic pointsman, and it was to him they ran in
times of trouble. If you finished your relief
without a job of some kind, you were fortunate."

George on point at Bridge Street j/w Victoria Embankment

"With regard to the 'Cab Shelter' at the
Victoruia Embankment/ Northumberland Avenue
point, this was not in the position shown in the
photograph in my time, as it would clearly have
obstructed a pointsmans view of approaching
traffic and as far as I can remember, it had
been moved over onto the Embankment Gardens.
This was also an unpleasant and exposed point to
work as you were standing out in the centre of a busy
4 lane traffic flow in the midlle of Victoria
Embankment, but did not involve so much walking
as the Victoria Embankment/ Bridge Street Point.

With regard to the 'Cab Shelter' at the
Victoruia Embankment/ Northumberland Avenue
point, this was not in the position shown in the
photograph in my time, as it would clearly have
obstructed a Poinbtsmans view of approaching
Traffic and as far as I can remember, it had
been moved over onto the Embankment Gardens.
This was also an unpleasant and exposed Point to
work as it n standing out in the Centre of a busy
4 lane Traffic flow in the midlle of Victorioa
Embankment, but did not involved so much walking
as the Victoria Embankment/ Bridge Street Point.

Hyde Park Corner did not worry us as it
was controlled by 'AW' officers (Wellington Arch) but sometimes we had the
occasional relieving duty at 'AW' when they
were short handed.

This duty at AW was a 'Chore', there was
a small Mess Room downstairs, no Canteen, and we
had to carry our own Milk Sugar etc. with us in
the usual small black bag suspended from the belt
when en route from AD.

General 'A' Pictures (6) Continued
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	GENERAL 'A' PICTURES (6) CONTINUED
	Home Page \| General 'A' Pictures (6) \| C.R.O.P.P.E.R.S. \| Victorian and Edwardian AD (1) \| Victorian and Edwardian AD (2) \| Victorian and Edwardian AD (3) \| Victorian and Edwardian AD (4) \| Victorian and Edwardian AD (5) \| General 'A' Pics (6) Continued

Once again we have had to expand our pages to accommodate more images and information presented by Ex 'A' officers We continue General 'A' Pictures (6) with three excellent images presented by our most 'senior' contributor Ex PC. 149 'A' / 121517 GEORGE SHARP now in his 95th year and residing in New Zealand. George has also added further comments and memories of the 'old days' at AD.
'1Q' pictured near Prince Albert Memorial, Kensington Gardens 1938 TEXT BY GEORGE HIMSELF: "With regard to the 2 'Q' car images. In the following article I make mention of the fact that I rarely left 'A' Div. throughout the whole of my service. The photo of '1Q' is the "B 'Div 'Q' Car taken in 1938. I am at the drivers door. The other 2 Officers were CID whose names now elude me. The other photo '5Q' is the 'C' Div 'Q' car that was taken in October 1956 (one month prior to my retirement). taken outside 'C' Div. 'Savile Row' I was the driver by the drivers door. Both cars patrolled 'A' Div."			LOCKERS AND BOXING "Now I really must comment on those photo's sent in under General A Pictures by Pcs Bob Holden , Harry Slipper and others. They most certainly take me back. Those photo's of the 'Locker' belonging to Jimmy Titimus was an identical issue to each of us residing in the Section House. We each had one allotted for our personal belongings, into which we had to cram everything, for no other articles were allowed to be laying around the cubicle, A suit of clothes were permitted on a 'coat hanger' behind the cubicle door, with perhaps a photograph and clock on top of the locker. I knew Jimmy Titmus well, and his locker was in the Gym containing his boxing paraphernalia. We had a very good gymnasium at AD with a full size boxing ring, and the Gym size permitted some very nice competitions to be held, also a small arms rifle range. The Gym was also able to hold a large number of' 'Reserve Aids' to AD when any political crowd demonstrations were in full swing."
TOILETS AND TRAFFIC POINTS "The photo of those Whitehall Toilets sent in by Len Bentley. These are of great surprise to me. As you know, I joined AD on 14th September 1931 and as far as the toilets in Whitehall outside the ;Scottish Office' are concerned, I was completely unaware that they had ever existed, and there was not the slightest sign of these. The Westminter CC had made a very good job of filling them in. The photo of the pointsman at 'Morleys' Hill takes me back. I had worked this point a number of times from about March 1932 but I cannot remember meeting that particular Pc. Do I detect solid tires on that omnibus?? these went out about 1927, perhaps this photo is older than we think. In my day, there were no traffic point numbers. All traffic points were known by their locality names, and this particular point was known as 'Morleys'. The building in the background was clearly known as 'South Africa House', with its name clearly shown over the 'Portico', I had never known It as 'Morleys 'although I have no doubt that 'Morleys House' was its original name. The one thing that was a bit 'Dicey' about Morleys Point was that it was on a 'down' gradient. The road surface was laid with the familiar 'Lignum Vitae' wood blocks, very hard, oily, and a slippery surface when wet. This surface was covered with a 'Bitumin' and Gravel coated surface, but when in need of maintenance and worn, it was dangerous in the wet, and care was necessary not to pull up traffic too quickly other wise one could find an omnibus sliding down on top off you, in addition horse traffic had to receive priority. A horse going down could be a disaster and we always kept traffic running if a 'Horse and Cart' were on the incline. The 'Morley's' Pointsman worked in conjunction with the Strand Pointsman who was 'E ' Div (Bow Street). Everything was one way (Clock Wise) around Trafalgar Square. and there were 6 Pointsmen controllling traffic, two were engaged at the N/E.Corner, One at Morleys, one at the Strand, one at Northumberland Avenue, and one was at the intersection with Whitehall. There were 11 other Traffic Points on AD ground, I worked them all in turn. On one occasion when working the Northumberland Avenue Point, another Pc (125A 'Yorky Hayes') was working Morleys. 'Yorky' as his nickname implies was a Yorkshire man was senior to me by about 6 months, also an inmate of AD Section House. Having stopped my Northumberland Avenue Traffic to allow Morleys to proceed, 'Yorky Hayes' released his traffic and standing back onto the center refuge he began a violent 'come on' signal to traffic to hurry up. This signal was given by a violent movement of swinging the arms in a beckoning movement, and this so caused the white rubber traffic gauntlet to fly off his forearm high into the air to settle onto the open deck of a passing Omnibus, with the embarrassed 'Yorky Hayes' observing the bus containing his gauntlet disappearing down Whitehall. Doubling up with laughter I then observed 'Yorky' standing on the running board of a commandered passing Taxicab also disappearing down Whitehall in 'Hot Pursuit', The Omnibus apparently did not stop until reaching Parliament Street, when 'Yorkey' was able to retrieve his gaunlet. We had 11 Traffic Pointsmen on AD, working 8am-4pm- 12 midnight' Two worked Whitehall/Parliament Sqare, One at the intersection of Whitehall/Derby Gate (This was mainly to facilitate traffic emerging from the 'Yard' and terminated at 8pm) One at 'Horse Guards Avenue' (he finished at 8pm). One at the intersection of Whitehall and Trafalfar Square , Two at the North East Corner of Trafalgar Square and Charing Cross Road. One at 'Morleys, and one at Northumberland Ave. and Trafalgar Square. `One pointsman worked Victoria Embankment and Northumerland Avenue, and One worked Victoria Embenkment and Bridge Steet, with finally one Pointsman at Marlborough Road and the Mall." CLICK HERE FOR 'SIGNPOST' (Express Navigation) The 'Y' FACTOR ETC "Generally speaking I never really left AD throughout the whole of my 25 years service. In April 1934 after transfer to 'C' Division with the introduction of the 999 System, with Information Room and the Area Car scheme, I worked as W/T Operator on both the 'C' and 'B' Div. Area Car and 'Q Cars both of which also patrolled 'A' Div' and we frequently took our refreshment breaks at either 'AD' or 'AR' canteens. 'Savile Row' (CD) had not been built, 'Vine Street' was CD at that time. Because of its low density residential population 'A' Div did not have either Area or Q Car. this was covered by both 'C' and 'B' Div cars. I then moved over to 'C.O. Squad' and when Barnes District Garage opened in 1941 I transferred to D/T/5/ with the 'Transport Section' subsequently becoming both M/car and Traffic Patrol, all of the time still working either 'A' or 'B' Div or 'Central'. At the termination of the War in 1945 with the Transport Section back on the road I subsequently found myself back onto the 'Q' Cars again working 'A' then being a good boy on the Hendon Advanced M/Cycle course became an original member of the 'Special M/Cycle Escort Group' and we always assembled at 'AH' so I was again with 'A'Div'. The only break away was from about 1942 to 1945 when my knowledge as W/T Operator enabled me to become more involved into the War effort as a W/T Operator at a 'Y' (Enemy Interceptor) station. Yep, the 'Y' Station was run by the 'Met' but little is known about it. But that us another story. After the war, I returned to D.T.5." G.T. Sharp Ex 149A.'C' 'B' 'D.T.5.' 'CO' Wt. No. 121517 email: geosharp@xtra.co.nz CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO 'SIGNPOST' (Express Navigation)			'5Q' October 1956 "You have a photo of myself somewhere on file (see below) working the Victoria Embankment/Bridge Street Point. This was the most difficult point to work for a single pointsman as it involved walking from one position to another with traffic from 3 directions. A probationer was not allowed to work this point. On parade time when being posted to your particular point which was a monthly posting, you also made sure that you had your rubber traffic suit (obtainable from the uniform room in the basement of AD) with you. Failure to do this if it rained meant you were going to get very wet. Relief when on point duty (call of nature etc) came from the man on the beat when he came round. It was recognised that he never passed the pointsman without first stopping and drawing the attention of the pointsman, it was was nearly always taken up, if only to partake of the usual 'Spit and a Draw'. In those days before the introduction of the 999 system, and with the telephone not so accessible and numerous as it is today, the public always knew the position of the nearest traffic pointsman, and it was to him they ran in times of trouble. If you finished your relief without a job of some kind, you were fortunate."
			George on point at Bridge Street j/w Victoria Embankment "With regard to the 'Cab Shelter' at the Victoruia Embankment/ Northumberland Avenue point, this was not in the position shown in the photograph in my time, as it would clearly have obstructed a pointsmans view of approaching traffic and as far as I can remember, it had been moved over onto the Embankment Gardens. This was also an unpleasant and exposed point to work as you were standing out in the centre of a busy 4 lane traffic flow in the midlle of Victoria Embankment, but did not involve so much walking as the Victoria Embankment/ Bridge Street Point. With regard to the 'Cab Shelter' at the Victoruia Embankment/ Northumberland Avenue point, this was not in the position shown in the photograph in my time, as it would clearly have obstructed a Poinbtsmans view of approaching Traffic and as far as I can remember, it had been moved over onto the Embankment Gardens. This was also an unpleasant and exposed Point to work as it n standing out in the Centre of a busy 4 lane Traffic flow in the midlle of Victorioa Embankment, but did not involved so much walking as the Victoria Embankment/ Bridge Street Point. Hyde Park Corner did not worry us as it was controlled by 'AW' officers (Wellington Arch) but sometimes we had the occasional relieving duty at 'AW' when they were short handed. This duty at AW was a 'Chore', there was a small Mess Room downstairs, no Canteen, and we had to carry our own Milk Sugar etc. with us in the usual small black bag suspended from the belt when en route from AD.