Shropshire Constabulary was the territorial police force responsible for policing rural Shropshire in central England from 1840 until 1967, when it became part of

West Mercia Constabulary West Mercia Police (), formerly the West Mercia Constabulary, is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire (including Telford and Wrekin) and Worcestershire in England. The force area cover ...

History

The Shropshre Constabulary was formed along with borough forces in the towns of

Shrewsbury Shrewsbury ( , also ) is a market town, civil parish, and the county town of Shropshire, England, on the River Severn, north-west of London; at the 2021 census, it had a population of 76,782. The town's name can be pronounced as either 'S ...

Bridgnorth Bridgnorth is a town in Shropshire, England. The River Severn splits it into High Town and Low Town, the upper town on the right bank and the lower on the left bank of the River Severn. The population at the 2011 Census was 12,079. Histor ...

Ludlow Ludlow () is a market town in Shropshire, England. The town is significant in the history of the Welsh Marches and in relation to Wales. It is located south of Shrewsbury and north of Hereford, on the A49 road (Great Britain), A49 road which ...

Much Wenlock Much Wenlock is a market town and parish in Shropshire, England, situated on the A458 road between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. Nearby, to the northeast, is the Ironbridge Gorge, and the new town of Telford. The civil parish includes the villa ...

and

Oswestry Oswestry ( ; ) is a market town, civil parish and historic railway town in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483 and A495 roads. The town was the administrative headquarters of the Boroug ...

. In the early years they were known as ‘Paddy Mayne’s grasshoppers’ and rabbits because the first Chief Constable was Irish and the constables wore green uniforms. The headquarters were at 27, Swan Hill, Shrewsbury. In 1947 the Shropshire Constabulary absorbed Shrewsbury Borough Constabulary. On 1 October 1967 the Shropshire Constabulary was amalgamated with the

Worcestershire Constabulary Worcestershire Constabulary was the territorial police force responsible for policing rural Worcestershire in central England from 1839 until 1967, when it became part of West Mercia Constabulary. History The Worcestershire Constabulary was forme ...

Herefordshire Constabulary Herefordshire Constabulary was the Home Office police force for the county of Herefordshire, England, until 1967. The headquarters were at Brockington House, Hafod Road, Hereford. The force was formed in 1857. Following the Police Act 1946 the ...

and Worcester City Police to form the West Mercia Constabulary, later the West Mercia Police.

Chief Constables

* 1840–1859 : Captain Dawson Mayne (first Chief Constable of Shropshire) * 1859–1864 : Captain Philip Henry Crampton * 1864–1866 : Colonel Edward B. Cureton * c.1870 : Colonel R. J. Edgell * 1890–1905 : Captain George Williams Freeman * 1905–1908 : Major

Llewellyn William Atcherley Major-General Sir Llewellyn William Atcherley, (1 March 1871 – 17 February 1954) was a Canadian-born officer in the British Army and Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Constabulary. He was born in Elizabethtown, now Brockville, Ontario to ...

(later Sir Llewellyn Acherley) * 1908–1914 : Gerard Lysley Derriman (killed in action, WW1, 1915) * 1916–1918 : A. Wood-Acton * 1918–1935 : Major Jack Becke * 1935–1946 : Lt Colonel Harold A. Golden **5 February 1946–6 February 1946 :

Anthony Tew Anthony Martin Tew (24 August 1908 – 23 June 1987) was an English first-class cricketer and police officer. The son of E. W. Tew and his wife, Catherine Isabel Hawke (sister of Lord Hawke),Nephew of Lord Hawke Married. '' Leeds Mercury''. 9 ...

New Police Chief Gives Up Post. ''

Derby Telegraph The ''Derby Telegraph'', formerly the ''Derby Evening Telegraph'', is a daily tabloid newspaper distributed in the Derby area of England. Stories produced by the Derby Telegraph team are published online under the Derbyshire Live brand. Histor ...

''. 6 February 1946. p. 8 * 1946–1962 :

Douglas Osmond Sir Douglas Osmond (27 June 1914 – 20 April 2006) was the chief constable of Shropshire Constabulary and later Hampshire Constabulary. Biography Douglas Osmond was born in Bournemouth, the son of a schoolteacher mother and a father who was kil ...

(later Sir Douglas Osmond) * 1962–1967 : Robert George Fenwick * ''1967 : Merged with other forces to form West Mercia Constabulary''

References

{{UK home nations police forces Government agencies established in 1840 Organisations based in Shropshire Defunct police forces of England 1840 establishments in England 1967 disestablishments in England