What a difference a few weeks makes.

After all the contact with people being via email and phone it has been good to get back to seeing people in person and sharing their stories even though we have to do it in a wild and wet office with the window and door open . The wind always blows the heavy rain straight into the Chester Master Room so things have to be kept away from the window.

The weather during the last lockdown has not been great, as I am sure I don’t have to tell you, so there has been no working outside which is such a shame but things can only get better. Despite this or perhaps because of this the volunteers have been very prolific and diligent in their research and lots of information has been added to the archives. Just as well really as we have had over 70 queries ranging from:

Do you know who lived here while it was a police station?

(We had very little information so if you do know anyone who lived in the station at Sharpness please get in touch).

To can you help me to research crime in a certain area over the last 180 years?

Talks are being re booked and fingers crossed that this time they will take place. People are also visiting the office to look at documents that they have only been able to see in photographs.

I have also had time to go out to various police stations and collect ‘stuff’ including the books from the room next to the court at Stow police station. I think that next time I buy a new vehicle it ought to be a van!

I also have plans to go and visit several people who are unable to get to the Heritage Hub and we have also had requests from people to become Police Archive volunteers so life is getting very busy, and bit more like normal but still keeping safe.

Sue Webb - Gloucestershire Constabulary Archives

Communications and Engagement Department, Gloucestershire Constabulary

Visit www.gloucestershirepolicearchives.org.uk/ to find out more