In the very earliest days of properly regulated Home Office policing, Carlisle, like many other towns and cities, had in fact had a police force for ten years or so by 1837, funded by public subscription, and in the appointment of a black constable in that year — Britain's first — it was truly a trail-blazing city.

Prior to his appointment as a constable John Kent had worked for the Carlisle City Corporation laying pavements around the city, attracting crowds of onlookers who had mostly never before seen people of African origin, other than the few who might have come into contact with victims of slavery or their descendants.

John Kent was the son of Thomas Kent, who had found himself in Cumberland (via the county of Kent) when he was brought to work on the estate of a local landowner returning from a post with the colonial civil service in the West Indies. John was born near Carlisle around 1795.

The historically important story of John Kent came to light when Bob Lowther, a former detective, traced him through police records while researching the old Carlisle City Constabulary. He first appears as a 'supernumerary constable', joining on August 17 1837. He was made a permanent constable on October 26 the same year.

In 1841, he was involved in an incident in which a fellow constable was murdered by a blow to the head as an election crowd got out of hand in the city centre, overwhelming the Chief Constable and about eight of his officers. Constable Kent gave evidence against the accused at Carlisle Assizes.

The officer was known across the city as 'Black Kent' and he was clearly valued by his colleagues and superiors. Obituaries report he was so well known that a generation of Carlisle children were brought up to fear him!

Despite this, PC Kent's career did not end with honour. After seven years' service he was sacked for being drunk on duty — not an uncommon occurrence at the time. He is reported to have been late coming on duty on a few occasions, but then a new Chief Constable decreed that lapses of discipline would result in severe punishment.

On December 6 1844 PC Kent came in intoxicated and was taken before the watch committee. He was duly disciplined and his services were dispensed with forthwith.

Yet, for all that, we reckon John Kent must have been a very special kind of man, and a brave and determined copper!