We’re pleased to announce a new addition to the Bradford Police Museum’s permanent collection - a striking display of 27 restored police cutlasses, now exhibited in their original scabbards.

In June 1888, a tragic and disturbing incident occurred on Grosvenor Street in the Manningham district of Bradford, shocking the local community. Esther Neale, the wife of Francis Neale, a local draper, was found dead under violent and suspicious circumstances.

his month’s Curator’s Corner dives into the history of one of the most recognisable symbols of British policing: the custodian helmet. For over a century, it’s not only been an iconic part of the uniform but a badge of authority and a connection to policing tradition. But where did it come from, and how has it changed over time?