With these words, Dr G Borlase Childs, surgeon to the City of London Police, addressed the Police Committee on 27th November of 1861 in his report on the dress of the police. It was his considered opinion that the hat then worn by the City of London Police was not useful to the wearer. It afforded no protection in a struggle, as it immediately fell off or was struck off resulting in the thoughts of the Officer turning from the job at hand to ones of self defence, conscious his head was exposed to danger. It was also heavy, weighing fourteen ounces, even when dry and, not being arched, did not protect the head from a blow when it did manage not to tumble from the Officer's head.

In its place, he proposed what he called the "Britannia hat". The presumed advantages of which were that it sat firmly on the head, had the proper strength due to an arch utilised in its form, protected the eye, neck, and, if needful, the ears, admitted ventilation, and was elegant, in keeping with the semi-military style of the City of London Police dress.

Dr Childs considered the top hats which were then worn, or stove pipes, as they were facetiously called, neither ornamental nor useful. He apparently found no solace in the utility that came from them being reinforced with cane for use as a step.

Despite his informed assessment of the headdress, the City Police did not immediately act on his recommendation with respect to the helmet although they did take up some of the other improvements to uniform he put forth in his report.

The question of the inadequacy of the headdress of the City of London Police lay dormant for some time until the firm of Hall, Brothers, and Co., London-wall, produced at least two sample helmets fitting the requirements of the surgeon for consideration by the City of London in February of 1863. Each of the two variations of the helmet was complete with a helmet plate. One version of the helmet had a brim bound with brass, a leather band and the Officer number on the helmet plate also in brass. The other helmet, with plain black binding, had an ordinary hat strap or band and the Officer number instead in white metal. An example of a white metal version of the helmet plate for the City of London Police is shown in Figure 1.

There are several fine museums located throughout England that focus on preserving our policing history. One of many such museums is located in the heart of London and is dedicated to the history of the City of London Police. The City of London Police Museum opened 7 November 2016 and is the result of a collaboration between the City of London Police and the City of London Corporation's Guildhall Library, funded through a grant of £90,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Museum, like the square mile the City of London Police has served and protected since 1839, is small but it is purpose-built with many stand-out exhibits and is situated next to the museum at Guildhall, the historic headquarters of the City of London Police.

The system of using key boxes was also in practice with the City of London Police. The oak boxes were finely crafted, with half-blind dovetail joinery and brass hardware. The City of London key boxes were slightly smaller than their counterparts used in Edinburgh, measuring 7 3/8" long, 2

The summer of 1900 featured especially hot weather resulting in broiling London streets. Temperatures in the shade reached 29 Celsius. Considerable sympathy was evoked during that summer on behalf of the police, whose helmets appeared unsuited to men on duty by day in the sun.

To help them to tolerate the heat of that summer in London, horses were protected with a myriad variety of sun bonnets. Similar comfort was afforded to the City of London Police on 'point' duty with the very latest device against the heat being light khaki canvas screens or 'aprons' placed at the back of their helmets to protect the neck from the sun.