A CAREER FOR MEN IN CUSTOMS & EXCISE

PATRONAGE

EXAMINATIONS

In earlier times, obtaining a salaried position with a pension in HM Customs or HM Excise, or indeed any Government Department, relied on patronage or the ability to purchase such a position. This situation led to a certain amount of corruption and the quality of staff often left much to be desired. During the 18th and 19th centuries the problem was addressed and Examinations and the testing of qualifications were introduced. These measures were extended to the selection of candidates for promotion and were an accepted part of working life in the Waterguard.

QUALIFICATIONS & THE OPEN EXAMINATION

In 1906 appointment to the grade of Preventive Man in Customs & Excise required that a candidate be examined by the Civil Service Commissioners in Reading, Writing from dictation, the first four rules of Arithmetic and a working knowledge of the various Weights and Measures. The age limits were 17 to 20 and the candidates were to be within the prescribed limits on the day of the examination by the Civil Service Commissioners. Candidates were also subjected to a rigid Medical examination as to health and constitution. No candidates were eligible for appointment if they were less than 5ft 4in in height, and any candidate whose measurement around the chest fell short of the normal standard corresponding to his height was liable to rejection. Defective vision was regarded as a disqualification, and a candidate who had not been satisfactorily vaccinated within the last seven years could not be appointed without re-vaccination. Some practical experience in the management of Boats was insisted on and candidates were subjected to practical tests.

In the 1950/60's Open Competitions to the Assistant Preventive Officer grade was held occasionally on behalf of HM Customs and Excise by the Civil Service Commission. These Competitions, which were for men only aged between 19 and 21, consisted of four examination papers covering written English, Arithmetic and two general papers covering General Knowledge and matters of Topical Interest, and powers of Reasoning and interpretation of statistics. This was followed by an interview with a panel of four senior serving Waterguard Officers and, if necessary, a medical examination.

Open Competitions were announced in the press and a 'prospectus' was issued by the Civil Service Commission to those who applied. Copies of various prospectuses are reproduced below as PDFs:

Candidates were 'called' to the examination by letter and had to produce a 'paper' at the place of examination. Copies of these 'papers' are reproduced below as PDFs.

The Examination Papers for these Open Competitions were published after the competition as pamphlets by the Civil Service Commission as examples and sold. Copies of some of these pamphlets are reproduced below as PDFs:

The results of these Open Examination completions were published to the candidates in table form. Copies of various tables are reproduced below as PDFs:

Several 'special' recruiting exercises were held in the 1960's to recruit ex servicemen and candidates from the general civil service. The age limits for these special exercises were from 22 to 26 in 1965.

GENERAL CERTIFICATE of EDUCATION (GCE)

Recruitment to the Assistant Preventive Officer grade was also available to candidates who were exempted from Open Examination completions by holding suitable General Certificates of Education, or corresponding Certificates.

COMMISSIONS

RECRUITMENT OF CPMs

RECRUITMENT OF PREVENTIVE MEN - DISCHARGED SAILORS & SOLDIERS

RECONSTRUCTION

There had been no recruitment to the Waterguard during the hostilities of WWI or WWII. To re-build the Service after both wars there were periods of Reconstruction. Some staff from the post WWI Reconstruction were still in service into the 1960's.

For the post WWII challenges of Exchange Control, new Import and Export Controls and Purchase Tax, there had to be a rapid growth in both staffing and staff training. To provide for these challenges a series of special recruitment exercises were implemented which took the form of :

• Examinations for New Entrant Assistant Preventive Officers - the normal age restriction of 19 to 21 being waived.

• Examinations for promotion to Preventive Officer of pre-war entrant Assistant Preventive Officers who had been away in the forces for the duration.

Seniority within the WWII Reconstruction groups was by age for everything except call-up for the Preventive Officer examination. For this, length of service was the deciding factor. Once successful at the PO exam, age seniority kicked in again, for promotion off the list and for all subsequent purposes, including call-up for Chief Preventive Officer.

Open Competitive Examinations recommenced in the early 1950's.

 

THE MEDICAL EXAMINATION

NB.  Arthur Sinclair Lupton, who at the time was part of the Secretaries' Office, later gave his name to The Lupton Cup, a football trophy that was competed for by the various Waterguard Divisions between 1937 and 1972.