GROUP OF EIGHT  -  PARISH CONSTABLES

 

We thought this was  a group of real characters in this "Group of Eight"! We wanted to know they, where and when was it taken, and what did they all have in common at that time?

We are awaiting confirmation of some of the details but they were all serving at the time of this photo as Parish Constables, and have been correctly identified as Howard "Stumpy" Kirkham, Ron Beech, Wilbur McLean, Barbara Clarke, Bernie Joinville, Dai James, Erskine "Choe" Trott and Bob Anthony.

We are still compiling information and waiting for more details to pin down exactly when this photo was taken in the main hall at the PRC.  Some thought it was probably taken in the mid to late 1970's but I believe it was probably taken sometime in 1982 although that date is by no means definite.  On checking our ExPo  records we I see that "Stumpy" Kirkham was appointed as Pembroke West Parish P.C. in March 1980 and remained there until June 1982r\. There is nothing else in Stumpy's record to indicate that he served as a Parish P.C. either before or after that time period.  

Dai James worked for several years as Southampton Parish P.C. starting in 1974, but in March 1980 he became the Paget Parish P.C.

Bernie Joinville was appointed as a Parish Constable in Central Parishes in February 1982 and spent approximately 3 years in Parishes.

Unfortunately I don't have copies of the orher files at hand, but based on the above information it appears that this photo was likely taken sometime after Bernie joined Central Parishes in February 1982, and before Stumpy was transferred out of Parishes in June 1982 because Dai James was also a Parish Constable at that time.  

We will definitely receive more information about this photo and will post it to the article as we receive it.  

Eight Parish Constables - circa 1982
Standing (l-r) Howard "Stumpy" Kirkham, Ron Beech, Wilbur McLean, Barbara Clarke,
Seated -  Bernie Joinville, Dai James, Erskine "Choe" Trott and Bob Anthony.