Wigan Album
Police
10 CommentsPhoto: Rev David Long
Item #: 30993
This is one of three pics showing Inspections in the Grammar School playground.
It is undated, but from the mid-50s - I think 'Big Amy' Holt - WPC 1 - is on the far left of the women officers, but others may know better. I think WPC 3, Dorothy Lavery, who died this January, is probably also in the pic. Her obituary says she left after 9 years service in 1961, to get married - so she was there for most of the 1950s.
This is from the second album of Wigan Police photographs which I bought at a car boot yesterday. Women officers feature in all the pics, leading me to think that it was compiled by Bilsborough's wife. A couple of the captions mention 'Ina' - so that may have been her name.
Rev Long - there was an Ina Duxbury who was a WPC.
The Sergeant in the photo may be Alice Jewell.
The WPC third from right looks like Ivy Russell, later Ivy Brooks,who I remember as an Inspector, from my own police service.
Thanks Mick - that confirms a find I'd made - the obituary of Ina Bilsborough, who died at Ashton aged 83 in 2016. The only mention of family is of her brother - John Duxbury.
Fourth from left and tallest, of the CID officers at the far end of the row, looks very much like Bill Parkinson, who was later Superintendent at Wigan.
Mick you are correct. Alice Jewell, and Ivy. I think Ina is next to Amy. The officers in plain clothes include Bill Parkinson ( the tallest) and ex Supt. Davies nearest to Amy. Again just earlier than the year I joined.
I missed Dorothy Lavery, I think she is the one on Ivy’s right, next to Ina.
Ina Duxbury went on to have the sub-post office at 170 Wallgate Wigan,near Miry Lane.Alice Jewell was the sargeant,and her daughter Lynne was in my class at Notre Dame High School Wigan (the Convent) sadly Lynne died in 1970 age 23.
Damaris - when did Ina have the sub post office? At some stage she became the second wife of JR (Dick) Bilsbury. I've had reports that Bilsborough had moved on from Wigan (to Warrington) by 1963, but that Ina was still serving then.
I think she was in the post office late fifties until it was demolished,but not sure.Damaris.
I joined Wigan Borough as a police cadet in March 1964, Ina Duxbury was still serving then. I became a Constable in June 1966 I think Ina may have still been in the force then but I am not 100% sure of that. She must have taken over the sub post office some time in the mid to late 1960’s.
Ivy Brooks (nee Russell) was my great aunt.