Stuck in the middle of a Portsmouth dockyard out-muster | Nostalgia
The photograph of dockyard men on their cycles, which I published on Friday, January 24, was seen by Alan Crockford and it brought back many memories for him, as it probably did for many more of you.
Alan says he joined Portsmouth City Police in 1950 and was posted to the Central Division, a patch which covered the south-western corner of Portsea Island.
He recalls: ‘In those days there were regular point duty policemen at the Guildhall Square, Edinburgh Road, Lake Road and Commercial Road junctions for ordinary traffic control.’
However, he adds: 'At out-muster times for the dockyard workers, other police officers were engaged on point duty at Stanhope Road, Commercial Road and Arundel Street.’
But this job could be fraught with danger.
Alan adds: ‘You had to beware, for there would be hell to pay if you kept the dockies waiting too long.
‘They would all start ringing their bicycle bells making a hell of racket!
‘Happy days.”