Tracing the history of the Sunderland Borough Police from 1837 to 1967, until the amalgamation with Durham Constabulary ended a proud force.

My name is Harry Wynne and I am a Police Historian. My project is to produce a comprehensive history of Sunderland Borough Police from 1837 until the Borough Force was amalgamated with Durham Constabulary in 1967. This will take the form of research from original documents such as nominal roles, watch committee reports and extentive use of photographic material. I always wanted to do this project but almost all images were held by my friend John Yearnshire who in the past had produced a pictorial record in a book called 'Back on the Borough Beat' and always said he would liked to have produced a follow up of the history of the Force. Suddenly out of the blue John contacted me and said that he was moving to a smaller house and would I like to have his complete collection relating to the Borough Force. Of course I accepted the offer immediately despite my wife throwing up her arms in amazement (but she did let me go ahead). The image in the background in which I am showing some of the photographs from the collection is the oldest known photograph of a North Eastern policeman, then in 1858. It is of my wife's cousins Great Great Grandfather who joined Sunderland Borough Police in 1858 and served his full time and retired on Pension, quite unique for a Victorian officer when you think of the many dismissed over the years for drunkness. borobeat 14/08/07

'Back on the Borough Beat'