International Women’s Day: The Dockyard’s Female Police Force
International Women’s Day: The Dockyard’s Female Police Force
As a part of the Police Section House’s transformation into Docking Station, researchers have set about discovering the history and stories of the Dockyard’s police or the Royal Navy Regulating Branch, as they were known then.
Researcher Alan took on the task of documenting the history of female “Regulators”. He was surprised by how few women were employed by the Dockyard.
It was not until the 1970s that women were employed in the Regulating Branch, and even then, they were met with suspicion and some hostility. The local press even described them as “dockyard lovelies.”
As a part of his research, Alan made a call out for anyone with information or accounts that would help the project. Alan was delighted when Ann Kelly answered his call. She was one of the first of the policewomen recruited at Chatham.
Ann was determined that she and her female colleagues would be treated seriously and has provided a summary of her time working at Chatham Dockyard.
Ann Kelly’s Account
“Growing up, the Dockyard was a predominantly male workforce throughout the generations. It was thought to be a guaranteed job for life.
As a woman, I was interested in becoming a MOD policewoman, and I applied for a job.
There were three men behind a big table asking why I wanted to become a police officer, to which I replied this role runs in my family, with my older brother already a police officer. I thought it would be an interesting job and help the community.
I was previously in a deskbound job and seeking a more outdoorsy career. I was offered a role and was the only woman in my section.
There were three women (Sharon, Dianne, and me) while I worked there, but we were all in different sections.
I was treated very well and accepted into the team. I felt supported and respected in my role. In the control room, I was often asked by the CID to help plot the fastest route to the call-outs as I knew the shortcuts, having grown up in Gillingham.
There were two break rooms for ‘male’ and ‘female’. As we were the only females on our watch, we often joined the male officers for lunch instead of sitting alone. We would have a laugh and share our stories and experiences throughout the shift.
When there were incidents of women needing to be searched, I was always in attendance to support this.
Unfortunately, life has other plans sometimes, and I recall the moment we were advised of the closure of the Dockyard by Margaret Thatcher. This was a life-changing moment for my husband and me, as we were both employed by the MOD. We made a tough decision to leave our homeland to emigrate to New Zealand.
As a woman who fought to work in a male-dominated workforce, I am so grateful to have achieved my dream of being a MOD policewoman.
Happy International Women’s Day. Keep chasing your dreams, you never know where it will take you.”
Thank you
A huge thank you to Ann for supporting our research and taking the time to share her experiences.
Thank you to Alan for your research into these pioneering women.
