PC 1652 George Burgess
George William Burgess was born on the 9th January 1909 in Southfleet, Kent, and served in the Police War Reserve between 12th July 1940 and 30th March 1947. George joined the Kent County Constabulary on the 24th November 1947, and retired on the 10th May 1964, having served at Darenth.
Darenth, during the second World War, was a relatively small village before the completion of Ladywood Road in the 1950s. George, with his wife Minnie, moved to a council house at 37 Ladywood Road, and later, in 1953, to Hallside, Ladywood Road. This property was a newly built police house with office and garage.
George was a village policeman through and through. He would undertake any task asked of him by residents, whether on or off duty.
A past resident of Darenth, who was ten years old when George was the village policeman, remembers,
“PC Burgess once caught and prosecuted my brother and me for scrumping apples from the orchard alongside the Plain, (which I believe no longer exists). We were just little boys. Mum had to pay a fine of five shillings each plus two shillings costs each. PC Burgess had a son who was my friend. To rub salt into the wound, he told me they enjoyed the apples confiscated from us. What justice is that. We still stayed friends. I give PC Burgess his due, he didn't only go for the children. George almost lost his life tackling a vicious thug who buried a bag hook into his shoulder having aimed for his head. George was still able to overpower him and make an arrest. There were two public houses in Darenth at that time. The Ship, and the Fox and Hounds. The Fox was his favourite. George related the story of this arrest to the publican, and rounded it off in his usual modest manner by saying, “The trouble was Les, they tore my uniform.”
There was an apple orchard to the rear of the police house which ran the length of the rear of Ladywood Road. Many of the recollections of George related to children being caught scrumping, and either being caught at the orchard, or George waiting at the child’s home to be scolded in front of their parents. He was often seen riding his bicycle around the village wearing his police cape.
Darenth Woods is located at the top end of Ladywood Road. At one time it was used by travellers who would, on occasion, take apples from the woods. George would lay in wait during the night in attempt to arrest them.
This is another memory of George from a past resident.
“My mum was the lollipop lady in the 60s. She used to take our dog, Snooker, to the crossing. Back in those days we didn't have a six feet fence surrounding our gardens, so everyone knew everyone. On occasions Snooker would escape. Mum would phone PC Burgess, who even if he had just sat down would go and find Snooker and bring him home.’
On retirement, George took the role of cleaner and barman at Dartford Police Station in Highfield Road.
Memories of George that have been posted on the Kent Police (Retired Old Codgers) Facebook Group include his sayings:
“Yah, yah. Oh god yah” when agreeing with someone.
“Yus John”, to everyone, when he couldn’t remember a name.
‘For gawds sake. Name ya flavour.’ when someone is buying a bag of crisps at the police bar.
George is fondly remembered by those that knew him as someone who had a story to tell, and someone to be respected.
As a consequence of the announcement of the sale of George’s Police ‘Long Service and Good Conduct’ medal on eBay during December 2021, a large number of currently serving and retired officers engaged in a bidding war with another persistent bidder. The bidding rose above £100. The other bidder was found to be the former Darenth resident who was mentioned earlier regarding scrumping apples. Contact was made with him, and when it was explained that police officers were bidding for the medal so that it could be returned to the ’police family’, he withdrew from bidding. The final cost was £150.
The medal, awarded to George on the 11th August 1962, together with the presentation box, and photograph of George, obtained from his son, was framed by a retired member of the Kent Police.
The framed medal, presentation box and photograph of George, now takes pride of place in the Kent Police Dartford Community Support Office at Dartford Civic Centre.
Inspector Trevor Jenner, who led the Dartford Community Support Unit said: ‘PC Burgess spent seven years as a police war reserve before he joined the force. He was well regarded by local residents and known to so many people in the community.
‘It’s nice to have the medal back in the ‘police family’, and in Dartford where PC Burgess made such a positive impact’.
George passed away peacefully at his home, 14 Ladywood Road, in February 1992.
