British Police History

Mr. Alexander Anderson, the Chief Constable of Tynemouth

Mr. Alexander Anderson was a Northumbrian, a native of Shilbottle, near Alnwick. He was born on June 21st, 1838, and entered the Police Force on July 21st, 1862, at the age of 21 years.

Unaided by family influence, and relying only on close attention to duty, he made, step after step in an honourable career; was made a Sergeant after a few years' service, and became one of the two Inspectors on February 2nd, 1871. The Tynemouth Force had no Superintendents, and consequently in little more than eight years and a-half, Mr. Anderson had risen to the highest position in the Force, except that of Chief or Head Constable. In this rank he remained for seven years, until on January 24th, 1878, after he had enjoyed the confidence of the authorities uninterruptedly for 16 years, the Watch Committee selected him for the position of Head Constable. Mr. Alexander Anderson was the Chief Constable of Tynemouth from 1878 until his death in 1893 in an accident during a Fire Brigade trial drill with a new fire-escape.

Annual Inspection by HM Inspector of Constabulary Lieutenant Colonel F Brook at King Edward Schools, North Shields, c1939 (Submitted by Ray Ricketts)

Chief Constable Tom Blackburn

On 21 August 1943, Mr Tom Blackburn, Chief Constable of Tynemouth, completed 50 years' service with the Force he joined as a youth of 19. He possessed a police record unique in Britain at the time as he was the longest serving Police Officer and had been more than 23 years Chief Constable.

A native of Ingleby Greenhow, in the Cleveland district of Yorkshire, Mr Blackburn joined the Tynemouth Police on 15 August 1893. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on 17 November 1906 and was appointed Chief Clerk on 3 April 1910. On 7 March 1912, he gained further promotion to the rank of Inspector. Still further advancement followed eight years later when Mr J H Haish resigned the position of Chief Constable.

Sergeant James Cowie

Mr James Cowie was a native of Swarland, Felton. He joined the Tynemouth Borough Police in 1877, aged 27. During his service he was a member of the Tynemouth Borough Police Cricket Club.

On 17 August 1881, while on duty, Constable Cowie encountered James Noon in a drunken condition creating a disturbance and ordered him to be quiet. Two other men, Francis McGuire and James Percival then came up and savagely assaulted Constable Cowie by striking him on the head with their belts. Constable Cowie had to use his baton to defend himself. The three men were soldiers of the 103rd regiment stationed at Tynemouth and were charged with assaulting Police Constable Cowie. They were each committed to prison for one month.