Christine Jean Muspratt.

Colonial Police Medal for Meritorious Service

Long Service Medal.

Chris Muspratt was born on the 25th October 1936 the anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt and the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War.  Her birthplace being London, her passport of 1966 gives her height as 5ft 5ins her hair brown and her eyes as blue in colour.  This is the story of Chris and her career as a Policewoman in England, Bermuda and at the times of the troubles, Northern Ireland.

Between 1952 and 1957 she was employed as a kennel maid with a veterinary surgery at Northwood, Middlesex. In 1954 she was promoted to Manageress in charge of the hospital, kennels and cattery and responsible for staff training.

In 1957 Chris joined Hertfordshire Constabulary as a Woman Police Constable stationed at Watford, Hertford and St. Albans.  As a member of the Women's Police Department being responsible for matters related to women and children, this also included work with the Criminal Investigation Department and Social Services working closely with the Children's Department, Senior Citizens' Department, Education Department, Probation Department and N.S.P.C.C.

In 1963 Chris was employed by the Bermuda Government as a Woman Police Constable to assist with the inauguration of a Police Women's Department and the training of local staff.  In addition to these duties, as an experienced officer, was involved in all major crimes and due to work with juvenile offenders also became responsible for the opening of a residential home for offenders.  Whilst in Bermuda, Chris was involved in the Bermuda Electric and Lighting Company (BELCO) riots.

In 1965, Bermuda suffered a riot, when workers at BELCO went out on strike.  Eighteen police officers were injured, some of them seriously.  Chris was the only policewoman at the scene of the strike when the riot actually occurred.  She most courageously remained at the scene, getting knocked down on one occasion by rioters, finally helping her male colleagues to arrest some of the rioters.  On the days following the riot, she assisted in some very difficult interviews with suspects and culprits.

For her courage in the riot, she was one of several officers, and the only woman, to receive an award from the Governor of Bermuda; this was the Colonial Police Medal for Meritorious Service.
(The medal, shown on the left, can be also be seen in the photograph at the bottom of this page of Chris taken after the presentation.)

Upon completion of the Bermuda contract Chris returned to Hertfordshire Constabulary and worked in an administrative capacity with the Regional Crime Squad.  In 1967 Chris transferred to West Mercia Police and assisted in the re-organisation of the Criminal Records Department.  In 1969 Chris joined the Staffordshire Police and was stationed at Lichfield in the Women's Police Department attending to general police duties and the training of recruits.  Chris worked from all stations of the Lichfield Division including Aldridge, Brownhills, Chasetown and Tamworth.  In 1972 Chris transferred to Cannock Criminal Investigation Department.  In April 1979 to April 1980 at the height of the troubles Chris was seconded to the Royal Ulster Constabulary and attached to the Belfast Criminal Investigation Department as an operational Detective Constable serving two six month attachments.

Midway through 1980 Chris was back with the Staffordshire Force in the County Drug Squad as an operational Detective working throughout the County.  Between 1981 and 1987 Chris returned to Lichfield Division on general police duties and foreign force enquiries.

Between 1987 and 1990 Chris transferred to Tamworth to implement a Multi Agency Scheme.  This Agency was formed to deal with crime and social conditions on two housing estates namely Glascote Heath and Belgrave.  At the commencement of this scheme assistance was given by four civilians and responsibility for their training in community work for a period of six months formed part of her duties.  Later a senior Social Worker together with a Youth and Community Worker joined the scheme which was based at 'The Hut' Glascote Heath.

The object was to appraise the problems of the areas and address them as a team using local personnel and financial resources.  During this time Chris was responsible for setting up two Senior Citizens' Clubs within High Schools and the formation of women's clubs.  During this time liaison with a number of departments previously mentioned also including the P.T.A., NACRO. WRVS., etc resulted in Chris becoming a member of the Community Education Forum.

In 1990 on completion of the term with the Agency Chris was appointed as Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator with the brief of re-organising and restructuring the Tamworth Area Watches.

In October 1991 Chris retired from the Staffordshire Police after 35 years service.  In that time apart from attending Scenes of Crimes training, Junior and Senior C.I.D. courses at Wakefield and Birmingham.  A Drugs course at Bristol followed, and Chris also learned to drive both a motor cycle and car.  Chris, apart from the previous award whilst serving in Bermuda, was awarded the Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.  Chris received commendations whilst in the service of three Police Forces.  Chris is a member of the International Police Association and the National Association of Retired Police Officers.

In retirement Chris has been involved with South East Staffs Health Authority as a Non-Executive Director, helped set up Age Concern in Tamworth and of more significance became Chairman of the Tamworth Ladies Guild and guided it through to becoming a Branch of the Royal National Lifeboat Association.  This Branch now has a membership of 240 and Chris although no longer Chairman still contributes to the Lifeboats by organising whist drives, coach trips and holidays.

Chris was the driving force in getting the R.N.L.I. to agreeing to allow a committee to be formed to purchase a plot at the National Memorial Arboretum to commemorate those men that gave their lives in saving others.

Chris gave me her medals, photographs and the commendations that were awarded to her in a very illustrious career as I and my wife had became very good friends of Chris.