We had a handbag, we didn’t have a truncheon – well, we did actually, it was a little tiny one, which was ridiculous, it was hardly worth having it: the handbag was heavier, as it had the radio in it – that was better, that was more sort of useful than the truncheon. And we didn’t have trousers until the early 80s, and when we had trousers we couldn’t wear them on their own with a jumper, we had to wear them with our greatcoat, which was a sort of very smart, double breasted coat. The uniform when I first joined was lovely, it was very good quality – if you look at it now it wouldn’t be practical now, in fact the uniform has got to be more practical because of what the officers I think are expected to do. At the time, you know when I joined, it was just skirts, we could wear boots, obviously flat shoes, court (?) shoes, with a little bit of a heel perhaps if we were going to court. (36.04) Edit yeahs out Belinda 37.02 I always wear my handbag when it’s on my right shoulder, but at training school I had to wear it on my left because you saluted with the right hand, so when I came back from training school I put my bag back on my right side. I remember once, I was out with another officer under instruction, and as we were walking along the street an Inspector came up. Well, I don’t know if they do it now but in those days you saluted an Inspector. And of course my handbag was on my right shoulder, hers was on her left, we both saluted, my hands got caught through her strap, her hands got caught through mine, and we’ve sort of banged heads in the middle of the street – he’s just absolutely burst out laughing at us thinking it’s highly funny (which it was), but that was a sort of funny little story. (37.46)
Press A toListen to Belinda Harding talk about her women’s uniform in the 1970s Press B to hear about uniforms today Press C to find out why the police don’t wear uniforms when travelling to work