Constable Donald Edward Griffin Royal Navy and Metropolitan Police
The Man Donald Edward Griffin was born on Tuesday 24th January 1928 in Edmonton, London. Son of Albert Edward James, a Saw Shopkeeper and Kathleen Helen nee Gould. He had one sister Doris, born in 1924. Tragically Donald’s mother died during the third quarter of 1929 aged just 29 and Donald only one year old.
At the start of World War II in 1939 Donald, now aged 11 was still at school and living with his Father, Sister and Grandmother, Mary A, at 158 Whittingdon Road, Southgate. As soon as he was old enough aged 16 or 17 in 1944 or 45, Donald enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Boy Seaman and at the end of the conflict was awarded the War Medal 1939-45, although too young to see any active service.
At some time during the late 1940s Donald joined the Metropolitan Police and in 1949 was living in police quarters at 83 Ambrosden House, Ambrosden Avenue, London. In 1952 now aged 24 he married Joan Sturton in Wood Green during the third quarter. In subsequent electoral registers he was shown in 1953 as living at Rochester Row Police Section House, Westminster, number 1211. With Joan at 27 Chapel Street, Knightsbridge in 1956. 32 Loveday Road in 1959 and 75 Wray House, Whitehead’s Grove in 1962. Wray House being specific living quarters built for police officers and their families by the Met’s own architect Gilbert Mackenzie Trench.
Donald was awarded the Police Exemplary Service Medal for 22 years’ service and in 1977, possibly upon his retirement just prior to his 50th Birthday, the Silver Jubilee Medal 1977.
No other detail is known about Donald or Joan except that in later life he lived at 57 Chilmark Road, Norbury in London and it was to this address his War Medal 1939-45 was sent some years after the war.
At the start of World War II in 1939 Donald, now aged 11 was still at school and living with his Father, Sister and Grandmother, Mary A, at 158 Whittingdon Road, Southgate. As soon as he was old enough aged 16 or 17 in 1944 or 45, Donald enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Boy Seaman and at the end of the conflict was awarded the War Medal 1939-45, although too young to see any active service.
At some time during the late 1940s Donald joined the Metropolitan Police and in 1949 was living in police quarters at 83 Ambrosden House, Ambrosden Avenue, London. In 1952 now aged 24 he married Joan Sturton in Wood Green during the third quarter. In subsequent electoral registers he was shown in 1953 as living at Rochester Row Police Section House, Westminster, number 1211. With Joan at 27 Chapel Street, Knightsbridge in 1956. 32 Loveday Road in 1959 and 75 Wray House, Whitehead’s Grove in 1962. Wray House being specific living quarters built for police officers and their families by the Met’s own architect Gilbert Mackenzie Trench.
Donald was awarded the Police Exemplary Service Medal for 22 years’ service and in 1977, possibly upon his retirement just prior to his 50th Birthday, the Silver Jubilee Medal 1977.
No other detail is known about Donald or Joan except that in later life he lived at 57 Chilmark Road, Norbury in London and it was to this address his War Medal 1939-45 was sent some years after the war.
The Story The medals awarded to Donald Edward Griffin were acquired from a private deal via Facebook. They were offered and accepted because of the Silver Jubilee Medal 1977 and Police Exemplary Service combination.
The three Medals were all confirmed, the War Medal 1939-45 as it was in its box of issue from the Principal Director of Accounts (Naval) Branch and addressed to D E Griffin at an address in London, the Silver Jubilee Medal 1977 by the medal roll, also confirming Donald’s middle name and his force as the Metropolitan Police and the Police Exemplary Service Medal which was named to the recipient.
Despite there being a number of Donald E Griffins on Ancestry.UK, some minor detail was found by a mix of cross referencing and deduction. First was to take 18 years off 1945 to establish a birth year of about 1927, assuming Donald had enlisted aged 18 in 1943, possibly later as he had no campaign stars and had not qualified for the Defence Medal.
The three Medals were all confirmed, the War Medal 1939-45 as it was in its box of issue from the Principal Director of Accounts (Naval) Branch and addressed to D E Griffin at an address in London, the Silver Jubilee Medal 1977 by the medal roll, also confirming Donald’s middle name and his force as the Metropolitan Police and the Police Exemplary Service Medal which was named to the recipient.
Despite there being a number of Donald E Griffins on Ancestry.UK, some minor detail was found by a mix of cross referencing and deduction. First was to take 18 years off 1945 to establish a birth year of about 1927, assuming Donald had enlisted aged 18 in 1943, possibly later as he had no campaign stars and had not qualified for the Defence Medal.
There was only one direct match, Donald E Griffin born in January – March 1928 in Edmonton, London with his Mother’s maiden name shown as Gould. This would have meant Donald was not 18 until early 1946, thus must have enlisted as a Boy Seaman aged 16 or 17 which would explain the award of just the single War Medal. This in turn linked to the 1939 census allowing his sisters and parent’s details to be added by tracing back to their marriage - Griffin and Gould in 1922.
Next was to check the electoral registers, one from 1962 showed a Donald E and Joan Griffin living in Wray House, Chelsea. A google search confirmed that Wray House (now Crown Lodge) was once a Police House housing officers and their families. This confirmed Donald’s wife and so his marriage details were then searched and found.
Interestingly all the electoral registers available showed different addresses, but each when googled was found to be a former Metropolitan Police Station and assumed to have living accommodation attached.
A couple of points of interest were firstly, the 1949 electoral register, before Donald’s marriage, showing what appear to be all male police officers in alphabetical order and living in numerically sequenced apartments. Second was the face that Wray House was designed by the Met’s own surveyor and architect Gilbert Mackenzie Trench, responsible for the design of so many police properties, including the blue Police Telephone Box, more famously known as the TARDIS.
At the time of writing no details of Donald’s death could be found, it is possible that it was quite recent and not yet listed on Ancestry.
Next was to check the electoral registers, one from 1962 showed a Donald E and Joan Griffin living in Wray House, Chelsea. A google search confirmed that Wray House (now Crown Lodge) was once a Police House housing officers and their families. This confirmed Donald’s wife and so his marriage details were then searched and found.
Interestingly all the electoral registers available showed different addresses, but each when googled was found to be a former Metropolitan Police Station and assumed to have living accommodation attached.
A couple of points of interest were firstly, the 1949 electoral register, before Donald’s marriage, showing what appear to be all male police officers in alphabetical order and living in numerically sequenced apartments. Second was the face that Wray House was designed by the Met’s own surveyor and architect Gilbert Mackenzie Trench, responsible for the design of so many police properties, including the blue Police Telephone Box, more famously known as the TARDIS.
At the time of writing no details of Donald’s death could be found, it is possible that it was quite recent and not yet listed on Ancestry.
Gilbert MacKenzie-Trench and his famous Police Call Box or TARDIS.
Medal Details:
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Silver Jubilee Medal 1977: Unnamed as awarded.
- Police Exemplary Service Medal: CONST. DONALD E.GRIFFIN
This page last updated 2 Dec 20