Prison Rank Insignia - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

jermil · #1 27-09-16, 11:17 AM

Over the last weekend I acquired a complete uniform for a prison officer that was based at Newgate Street Prison in Jersey. Later moving to HMP La Moye.

Can someone tell me what rank this uniform is please? It dates from the 1960/70's

The uniform consists of a tunic with Jersey Prison KC buttons and HMP shoulder titles with a single chromed bar and a crown above it, there is evidence of the tunic having had two bars prior to the crown being fitted.

It came with matching epaulettes and a cap with KC badge and a silver braid instead of the chinstrap and a black edge to the peak (same as a police inspectors).

A photograph accompanying the uniform is titled Jersey Prison Staff 1963. Also included was whistle, keychain and a key from one of the corridor doors in Newgate Street.

Thanks

Bantam · #2 27-09-16, 01:28 PM

Hi Jermil,
Is there any chance you could post some photo's ? There are a lot of discrepancies with mainland prison service. Your description of one chrome bar a star would seem to indicate maybe a senior officer but that rank was not established until following the Mountbatten report of 1966 and the bar was y/m anodised aluminium. The silver braid on the hat could possibly be chief officer but then you would expect the laurel leaves surrounding it, all in all a bit of an enigma at the moment but I 'm sure we will sort it out in the end.
Hwyl,
Bantam

jermil · #3 27-09-16, 03:04 PM

This is the epaulette, tunic has the same insignia apart from HMP, crown and bar are chrome plated

jermil · #4 27-09-16, 03:08 PM

And the cap

jermil · #5 27-09-16, 03:10 PM

Tunic

jermil · #6 27-09-16, 03:12 PM

Door key

jermil · #7 27-09-16, 03:15 PM

Newgate Street photo. In 1963 my man was in the back row presumably as a basic prison officer

altcar73 · #8 27-09-16, 06:11 PM

You may find that the Jersey rank structure did not equate with that which was used in England & Wales at the time. The obvious difference from an appearance point of view is that HM Prison Service (England & Wales) used brass/anodised badges and buttons, whereas Jersey were using chrome/white metal. In effect a "mish mash". KC "Crown" cap badge with QC (police version) rank insignia. 1963 is a little late to be wearing KC badges, even Jersey Police had adopted the QC by that time. Looking at a 1956 edition of "Police & Constabulary Almanac", the "Governor" was the Government Secretary and the head guy at the prison was titled "The Gaoler". However, by the time the photo was taken this had obviously changed. Looking at the photo the "Principal Officer" appears to have a white cap cord. Unfortunately you can't quite see (at least I can't), what the Chief Officer has on his cap.

Dave.

jermil · #9 27-09-16, 07:19 PM

All uniformed staff that are holding caps have kings crowns. As the officer whose uniform I have served until the early 1970's he most probably changed caps to suit his higher rank and changed his badge to a QC version. He has since passed away so I cannot get information from the family. The CI have always been different and do not always follow the rules. Guernsey Police still use a KC on their helmet plates now.

Hopefully I will find some info on the archives

altcar73 · #10 27-09-16, 07:30 PM

I wonder what the badges are that the Chief Officer has on his lapels? Also interesting to see that not one single prison officer has medal ribbons. Very unusual given the date of the photo.

Dave.

altcar73 · #11 27-09-16, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jermil

All uniformed staff that are holding caps have kings crowns. As the officer whose uniform I have served until the early 1970's he most probably changed caps to suit his higher rank and changed his badge to a QC version. He has since passed away so I cannot get information from the family. The CI have always been different and do not always follow the rules. Guernsey Police still use a KC on their helmet plates now.

Hopefully I will find some info on the archives

Guernsey Police are not alone! The Hertfordshire Constabulary still wear a QVC cap badge.

Dave.

HMPbadges · #12 27-09-16, 08:55 PM

Looking at the uniform it appears the same in parts to that of the NIPS (Northern Ireland Prison Service), especially the cap and the metal rank bars too. I have examples of these from The Maze and apparently they were always chrome. The black braiding design on the peak is the same as well and also comes in chrome (for higher ranks) so it was obviously obtained from the same manufacturer.

Judging by the size of each prison establishment used over the years would dictate how many ranks there were in the Jersey Prison Service. My guess is that unlike prisons on the mainland, where each prison, depending on it's size, would have 3/4 Chief Officers I & II, Jersey would probably only have one Chief Officer I. Maybe there was a secondary Class II, or Assistant Chief Officer, I don't know, but I would bet that they had both Senior and Principal Officers. But as Jermil asks, what rank was this in question? Personally I'd guess at some form of secondary/Assistant C.O with the single C.O.I being the only rank above him. The evidence of holes in the tunic for two bars could have been for when he was the previous rank of Principal Officer before possible Chief Officer?

I have a great black and white photo of a staff parade outside the front of HMP La Moye taken in he early to mid 1980's by a local newspaper with a lot of staff formed up in ranks. I have a new laptop now and it is not saved in my pictures so once I find the memory stick it is on I will post it on here.

Bantam · #13 28-09-16, 09:19 AM

Hi Jermil,
Great to see the response to the post and I concur with all the contributors. Looking at the epaulettes can you confirm the bar is chromed and not woven as the weave is the same as the HMP title ? In agreement with HMPbadges for the reasoning he gives I believe your man was a principal officer and the chief officer would have had two bars.
Hwyl,
Bantam

jermil · #14 28-09-16, 10:48 AM

The epaulettes have a woven HMP and woven bar with a chrome / red crown.

The tunic has chrome plated HMP, chrome bar and chrome / red crown

The tunic also has holes where a second bar would have been prior to the crown being put on.

jermil · #15 28-09-16, 11:23 AM

What I have managed to establish so far is he started as a basic prison officer wearing HMP's as shown in the 1963 photograph

In a later photo also taken outside Newgate Street he is in the front row wearing two bars on the tunic epaulettes and the cap with the silver braid across the front and the black 'inspectors' peak (still with KC) .

There appears to be one officer wearing 1 bar , he is wearing a normal issue cap chinstrap. Is he the Principle Officer? or was there something in between?

My man is one of two officers wearing 2 bars and a cap with the silver braid strap. are these two 'assistant' Chief Officers or Principle Officers?

The officer in between these two is wearing a cap with KC badge and a silver peak trim but unfortunately I cant make out what is on his epaulettes - I assume he is the Chief Officer.

None of this helps to explain what a Crown over 1 bar is

I need another pic of him outside either Newgate Street or La Moye. If he is then wearing a QC badge with silver braid and these epaulettes then things may get a bit clearer