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The Waterguard People |
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'Some Ocean Specimens - The Customs Official'
'This inquisitive chap will never take ‘No’ for an answer. He turns up in the most unexpected places all round our coasts. He may be distinguished from the ocean going pirate by the fact that he asks for things instead of taking them. But as he gets them in the end the distinction is perhaps unimportant. Sometimes they seem possessed by a second childhood; they will refuse to believe everything you say and will challenge you to a prolonged game of hide and seek all over the boat. It is best to join them in this for their playful instincts are fully developed and they will route about in a most determined manner. In the course of the game they may alter it to a sort of guessing competition; they will hold up an article and ask what it is and where it was bought and how long ago and why it is such a secret. By your answers the winner of the game is determined. If you lose you pay a forfeit and a pretty stiff one too. When the day’s fun is over you may invite him to celebrate your safe return. Care should be taken in this, as in all you dealings with him, for in the middle of the celebrations he is liable to raise his glass and sniff at it, and revert suddenly to the guessing game again. On these occasions it is best to say that the bottle has been open ever since you started your journey, however unlikely such a statement may sound. Presently he will depart, he will come to no harm; Customs officials never do.' - Nicholas Monsarrat. First published in the 'Yachtsman’ magazine c1951
The Waterguard produced many cartoonists whose insight of the working day brought a smile to many an overworked and stressed officer.
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The DSO's Day - by JAKE (The boarding office at LAP circa 1963) |
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The Swiss Merchant Navy? - by PETE (Boarding a Russian ship) |
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Find it? This lot couldn't find a barber . . . . by DM (A 1970's Rummage Crew) |
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( Click on the images above to see larger versions ) |
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One of best was Pete Shea. Pete's outstanding artistic talent combined with his sharp wit and humour, saw the 'day to day' life of the Waterguard in a refreshingly unique light. His drawings seemed to appear almost daily, reflecting the life at Heathrow - the highs and the lows, the funny and the absurd. A selection of his cartoons - not restricted to his Waterguard days - can be viewed by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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The grade of Inspector General of Waterguard was created in August 1912 following a recommendation by the Committee on the Customs Waterguard Service. The post was filled by the then Inspector of Waterguard at Gravesend, John Irvine Graham, a retired Captain of the Royal Navy. It was not until 1922 that Waterguard Inspector Generals were appointed from the ranks .....
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JOHN IRVINE GRAHAM CBE
post scriptum
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NATHAN THOMPSON CBE
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CHARLES MERLLYN WOODFORD CBE
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JOHN KERR CBE
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WILLIAM HALL CBE
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BERNARD CHARLES REILLY CBE
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CHARLES McINTYRE DOUGLAS CBE
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CECIL MILLAR PORTER CBE
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These lists of initial APO appointments have been compiled by Eric Preedy from various sources.
CURRICULUM VITAE - DATES, RANKS AND PLACES - WITH PHOTOGRAPHS
The CVs of colleagues in these lists have been volunteered by the individuals themselves or gleaned from elsewhere. The periods - which reflect major management changes in the structure of the Waterguard - have their own pages to facilitate faster browsing and ease of maintenance. They can be viewed in the normal way by selecting the appropriate 'button' above.
The names of colleagues who were killed in the two World Wars of 1914-1918 and 1939-1945, which blighted the 20th century, are remembered on their own pages to facilitate faster browsing and ease of maintenance. They can be viewed in the normal way by selecting the appropriate 'button' above.
The obituaries of past colleagues submitted by their 'next of kin' and friends can be viewed in the normal way by selecting the appropriate 'button' above. If you have an Obituary, please send it to Neil Bailey - neilhbailey@gmail.com - who is the ‘point of contact’, managing the liaison with the 'next of kin' and ensuring submissions are accurate and in keeping with the relatives wishes etc.
Over the years many Waterguard officers have responded to emergencies and to people in distress. Some have been rewarded for their bravery, the details of which can be viewed by selecting the appropriate 'button' above.
The names of colleagues who were awarded Military Decorations and Honours by the Sovereign in recognition of their service. They can be viewed in the normal way by selecting the appropriate 'button' above.
The names of colleagues who were injured or killed as a result of armed conflict with 'terrorist forces' or as the result of 'natural disasters'. They can be viewed in the normal way by selecting the appropriate 'button' above.
These lists contain the names, ranks and places of employment of colleagues in post for the years indicated. They are available here in chronological order as PDF copies of the relevant pages of the source document. They can be viewed in the normal way by selecting the appropriate 'button'.
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The Waterguard staff's sports and pastimes have their own pages to facilitate faster browsing and for ease of maintenance. The page can be viewed in the normal way by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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The HMC&E Preventive Staff Sports Club sought to encourage all sports, games and social events within the Preventive Service and to organise and arrange interport and national competitions. A copy of the 1938 'Rules' of the Preventive Staff Sports Club can be viewed by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
The HMC&E Sports Club catered for sports and pastimes throughout the department and held an annual sports day. Club blazer badges were available and were often worn at events.
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C&E Sports Club - Blazer Badge pre 1952 |
C&E Sports Club - Blazer Badge post 1952 |
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C&E Sports Club - Blazer Badge pre 1980 |
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C&E Sports Club - Blazer Badge Awarded to members who had represented the C&E Sports Club on more than three ocasions - Introduced during the 1980s |
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The HMC&E Sports Club had sections covering an Art Club, Association Football, Athletics, Badminton, Bowls, a Camera Club, a Chamber Music Group, Chess, Contract Bridge, evening and weekend Cricket, Fencing, Films, Golf, Hockey, a Horticultural Society, Judo, Lawn Tennis, Philatelics, a Rifle Club, Rugby Football, Sailing, a Social Club, Squash Rackets, the St. James's Singers, Swimming, Table Tennis, Ten-Pin Bowling, Tug-of-War and Weight Training.
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The HMC&E Sports Club produced a monthly magazine called the Customs & Excise Sports Magazine, a copy of which can be seen by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
Staff Associations were formed within the Waterguard to protect and improve the pay and conditions of the grades they were formed to represent - they were Trade Unions. Operating within Whitley, the Civil Service's bargaining and dispute resolution system, they were finally absorbed into mainstream trade unions of the Civil Service post re-organisation in 1972.
The earliest Waterguard association and a forerunner of the Preventive Staff Association with which it became amalgamated.
At a meeting held at West Hartlepool on the 24th February 1896, the following resolution was passed 'That we the undersigned do assist in the formation of a Preventive Officers' Association on the lines laid down by "Preventive" in The Civilian of the 1st February 1896 - or on such other lines as may to the majority of the Preventive Officers of the United Kingdom be found most expedient'.
In May 1896, a draft of the Rules of the Waterguard Federation (Preventive Officer's Branch), was read and discussed. At that stage an amalgamation with the Boatmen's Association must have been envisaged and it is quoted that there were 16 Districts, 134 Ports, 324 POs and 1138 Boatmen. Suggested subscriptions were POs 3/- per year and Boatmen 1/6 per year.
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An article entitled 'An item from the past' in the August 1967 edition of the Customs Journal gives more detail and can be seen selecting the 'button' on the right. |
The first Conference of the newly formed Preventive Officers' Association was held in June of 1896. Although two delegates from the Boatmen's Association were allowed to attend on the last day, it was apparent that amalgamation with them was out of the question as 'the bond of Federation' had been severed by them on 9 December 1897.
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The Preventive Staff Association - PSA - was formed by the amalgamation of The Boatmen's Association and The Preventive Officers' Association in 1919, covering the APO, PO and, at times, the CPO grades. It amalgamated with the C&E Group at the time of Reorganisation in 1972. It has its own page to facilitate faster browsing and for ease of maintenance. The page can be viewed in the normal way by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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The original Chief Preventive Officers' Association merged with the PSA in the early 1930's to form an Association that represented all three uniformed grades but in the early 1960's, members of the CPO grade became dissatisfied when they were linked for pay and conditions to the HEO Treasury grade with a pay advantage of £25 at the maximum. They re-formed their own Chief Preventive Officers' Association - CPOA - and the new association immediately secured an improvement over the HEO grade of 7.5% at all stages.
The CPOA joined the C&E Group at the time of Reorganisation in 1972.
The Waterguard Controlling Grades Association covered the interests of all the grades above that of the CPO - Waterguard Surveyor through to the Inspector General of Waterguard. It is assumed the WCGA merged with The First Division Association at the time of Reorganisation in 1972.
The various Waterguard Staff Associations sought to achieve their aims by negotiation with the Board of HMC&E from the outset.
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In January 1919, the Waterguard Federation's outstanding claims were countered in a statement by the Board, a draft of which can be seen by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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On 21 January 1919, the Preventive Officers' and Preventive Men's' Pay and Allowances claims before the Civil Service Arbitration Board, were countered in a statement by the Board, a draft of which can be seen by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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On 24 January 1923 a Deputation of staff from the Associations met the 'Official Side' to discuss their grievances over pay and conditions. Their report back to their members can be seen by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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