Katherine Mabbs

For this month's Curator’s Corner, we will be exploring the fascinating history of fingerprinting. The introduction of fingerprinting as a means of identifying criminals was a revolution in forensics with Bradford playing a central role in its story.

In this month’s Curator’s Corner, we shine a spotlight on a remarkable object from our collection: the conductor’s baton of the Bradford City Police Band, presented to Conductor A. H. Chapman in 1902.

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?