Edinburgh Mechanised Specials, Leith

Category

Library Item

Item no

38153

Title

Page from Leith Miscellany, volume XI, Edinburgh Mechanised Specials, Queen Charlotte Street, Leith

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1923

Type

Photograph; Reproduction

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

The history of the formal Special Constabulary in Edinburgh goes back to 1914, although there are records of special constables being appointed as needed as early as 1868. Throughout World War One three sections of Specials operated - the foot, the mounted (who provided their own horses) and the motorised unit (who provided their own cars or motorcycles). The Specials disbanded in 1919 as members of the regular police force had returned from the war, but a register of those who had served and those willing to serve again was kept. The special constables had carried out about 300,000 hours of duties during the war years and in recognition of this were given a Civic Reception, a medal, souvenir batons and the right in perpetuity to wear uniform buttons with the coat of arms of the City embossed upon them.

The Special Constabulary was called on again in the General Strike in 1926. Several thousand joined up very quickly and were widely used, again in the same three units. After this attempts were made to formalise the Specials into a permanent unit but these were unsuccessful, with only the mounted unit remaining, appearing mostly on ceremonial occasions. The Special Constabulary was not re-formed until 1936, with formal establishment of a mechanised unit in 1938.

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Emergency services and rescue work > Emergency services and rescue work > Police

Events > Celebrations > Parades and Processions

People > Entertainment and sports > Spectators

Places > Edinburgh areas > Leith

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Transport > Infrastructure > Cobbled streets

Transport > Land > Cars

Transport > Land > Motorcycles