Glamorgan Police horse curb bit

Description

At times, the horse was a main form of transport for the police. Most forces had policemen who were usually former military Cavalry men who were called upon from time to time perform mounted duties at times of civil unrest or attending events where crowd control was possibly required.

Those officers were often signified as such by a 'Spur' badge which was fitted to the upper part of the tunic right sleeve.

This bit was recently acquired from a collection of 'bits' in Herefordshire. Written on a leather tag is 'Glam Police Mounted 1902 Bit'. Glam refers to Glamorgan.

The badges on either side of the bit have Victorian Crowns and scrolled VR central motifs, so are actually pre 1901.

Glamorgan initially had a short lived mounted section that was raised in 1897 and disbanded in 1912. In 1926, the unit was resurrected for a very short period of time. Glamorgan, (like many forces) did not own their own horses, but hired them from the locality as and when the need required.

The Ross Mather Police Memorabilia of Wales Collection.

• www.britishpolicehelmet.co.uk (link opens in new window)