Source:
File: Margaret Damar Dawson and Mary Allen.jpg, 2015 First World War, British
Home Front, Margaret Damar Dawson. [online] Available at: <http://spartacus-educational.com/Wdawson.htm> [Accessed: 25 January 2015].
Prior to August 1914, the idea
Of a force formed of women,
To assist in the stability and
Public utility - had once been
Thought of as a possibility -
Born from the suffragettes,
And ideas of women’s rights;
To be alongside the police
Men should also be women.
War at first stopped, then
Prompted such a movement.
Damer Dawson the daughter,
Of Lady Walsingham, worked
With Criminal Law Amendment
Committee to cross paths with
Nina Boyle - a campaigner.
Together they combined their
Forces - upon seeing trouble
That faced women refugees.
With Boyle's lead, Dawson
Became her assistant to this
Pioneering policing movement.
With the first month of 1915,
Their organisation still had
No government recognition - but
Was already being established
As Women’s Police Volunteer
Corps - their presence proved
Its value, in London and provinces
And respect of military authorities.
In the previous September the two
Organisers worked in London
With the Vigilance Association.
This time was to coincide with
Refugees’ arrival, in fleeing
Their war torn homes of Belgium.
While not publicly spoken
Of, Belgian women in stations
On arrival were being pressed,
Into making acts of prostitution.
Volunteer and trained women
Emerged, providing assistance
Giving a uniformed presence
At the capital’s station's - to lead
To the formation of their corps.
Official newspaper reporting,
Provided a little more reserved
Approach, for readers to read
Between the lines of their duties
Undertaken - also in reference
To their leader Damer Dawson.
Nina Boyle had believed their force
Should be involved in catching
Criminals - whereas the role
They had begun was to form under
The Defence of the Realm Act.
A body for public decency and growth
Of female workers - the two ladies
Parted in beliefs from an issue
In Grantham - where they were
To enforce a curfew over women,
In purpose of men’s protection,
From temptations of prostitution -
Going against Boyle's beliefs -
Dawson retained a realistic view.
To support these Women Police,
Came by fact in supplies of trained
Police men's forces, occupied
With national defence duties -
Therefore the presence of women,
To undertake particular tasks,
Would be proved of great use -
In time of national emergency,
It was believed how such women
Would be able to do 'unusual'
Tasks, for the whole public interest,
Without causing ‘exciting remarks.’
The proviso of the corps motto,
Was to have, ‘tact Infinite patience
And do too little rather than
Too much.’ The women members
Were recruited by their ability
To deal with problematic situations -
By use of discretion and tact.
With any type of organisation,
There is a need to be organised -
It was decided how women would
Be better managed, by women.
The initial training of the force,
Was held by a sergeant instructor
Of the Police - in undertaking drill
First aid, self-defence, signalling -
Learning the rules for evidence
Within the police-courts - Along
With need of collecting detailed
Information - in referring to
locality
Where their duties were situated.
To further unify the force, a uniform
Was chosen - for practicalities
And to be understated. Made
From navy serge, being a short
Skirt, in two pieces with service
Tunic with pockets, belt, a bowler
Riding hat and knee high boots –
On their tunic shoulder straps,
Were letters formed in brass -
‘W.V.P. -One difference would
Be order of a service cap, for their
Chief officer, Miss Damer Dawson.
With thirty women WVP's based
In the capital - across the provinces,
Within the larger towns, twenty more
Were present - to focus on areas
Where army troops were stationed.
The rules were quickly established,
That the women travelled in pairs -
Patrolling public parks, about busy
Thoroughfares - as well as centres
Such as London railway terminals.
Difficult cases that had involved
Women and girls, were by then,
Taken on by the women’s force -
These volunteers would visit
Their homes to look at evidence,
Any circumstances and resolve
Issues – it was felt that the force
Of women would be more effective
With those who were 'unfortunate,'
More than charity organisations
Of the time - to whom they would
Possibly direct, to gain assistance.
With a given amount of authority
The belief was then stated how
These women police 'always
Gained’ the truth from wayward
People – they were seen to act
As a 'buffer' between police
And any situation – another
Future development for WVP's
Could become a presence
In court when women and girls
Were under court examination.
Women Police Corps had been
Established elsewhere - in America
Was a permanent force of women
It was then felt - in 1915 - such
Positions would be established,
And recognised as a public body
In England - being a voluntary
Body, within each community,
A committee of women formed
For funds to be raised, to train
And equip recruits - the hope was
Public support would be gained.
In recognition a letter was
published,
From a commander of troops based
In a provincial town. He describes
How this innovation had taken.
In address to the Women Police
Volunteers Chief Officer, he writes
To say, how it seems that two women
Volunteers are to be withdrawn
From the town - hoping this wont be
The case, as such services have
Proved of value, in taking sources
Of trouble from troops - by methods
The military police could not take –
He concludes that in work they
Undertake they safeguard morals
And welfare of the towns young girls.
Miss Damer Dawson. Chief Officer.
Stated how proud she was of this
Official recognition - to hold the
letter
As a valuable possession of the
force.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915.
Women Police – A Volunteer Force. The Daily Telegraph,
[online] 25 Jan. P.4.
Col.5. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11358042/Daily-Telegraph-January-25-1915.html
[Accessed: 25 January 2015].
Source:
File: Margaret Damer DawsonWikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available
at: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Damer_Dawson> Accessed: 25 January 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 25 January 2015).
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11358042/Daily-Telegraph-January-25-1915.html
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