The Thin Blue Line

CovSoc member, Peter James, had a grandfather who was a member of the Coventry Police Force in 1919, which put him onto this story from the period after the end of the First World War. Peter writes….

Although hostilities in the First World War ended in 1918 the Treaty of Versailles was not signed until 28^th June 1919. The 19^th July 1919 was chosen for a Victory Parade in London. Other cities around the country celebrated Peace Day on the same date. Coventry decided to host a Godiva Pageant with a procession led by Lady Godiva and an entourage of 150 historical characters followed by 20000 schoolchildren. There was also a service in the afternoon at the cathedral attended by 4000 people relayed to another 4000 outside. The day ended with rioting in the city centre with a mob throwing stones, smashing windows and looting. The disturbances continued for three days with 100 people being injured and an estimated 7000 people involved at times. 19 shops in Broadgate, Hertford Street, Smithford Street and Cross Cheaping were damaged. Many reasons for the riots were put forward. But the fact that soldiers and factory workers involved in the war effort were not invited to march was resented. A housing shortage and lack of work opportunities just added to the feelings of frustration and discontent at the time. On Peace Day in Luton a mob burnt down the town hall suggesting that the problems were widespread and not just local.

PC Langford who was present wrote in 1951 “I was one of the Police Officers on duty and we had a tough job to prevent further damage. Truncheons were drawn but we were ordered not to use them. Nonetheless a section of police in Hertford Street led by a sergeant didn’t hear this order and they moved forward against the mob…… The crowd turned and fled with the police chasing them and the street was soon cleared. In Broadgate the police were reinforced and after a severe struggle were able to force back the crowd but they had to face a hail of stones brick ends and bottles.”

Part of an article in the Midland Daily Telegraph on Tuesday 22^nd July noted “Order was restored with the greatest difficulty and only by splendid work of the city police force, the members of which have since Friday last undergone a terribly trying time in which rest has been practically impossible.”

In the Coventry Police paybook for 1919 there is an entry dated 7^th August 1919 with  the following entry for police officers :-  £2- 6s- 8d  for extra duties during disorder in the city from 19^th to 27^th July inclusive. This amount was almost the equivalent of a weeks basic pay.