Detective Inspector Robert Louis Stevenson McKinstray Royal Navy, City of Glasgow and Strathclyde Police
The Man Robert Louis Stevenson McKinstray was born on Wednesday 2nd December 1925 in Anderston, Glasgow, Scotland, son of Robert A Dixon McKinstray, a Police Constable and Elsie May nee Stevenson. He had one sister; Patricia May born in in 1923.
Following his education Robert enlisted into the Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm during June 1945 as a Mechanic and with service number FX749132. He served in the RN until March 1947 and was awarded the War Medal 1939-45, qualifying as this was awarded until 2nd September 1945. On 4th March 1947 aged 22 he joined the City of Glasgow Police as a Probationary Constable on 105 /- (£1.05p) a week, he was well suited at 6’.1” tall. However, on 6th April he resigned and joined the Merchant Navy as an Engineering Officer serving in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Ships Green Ranger and Brown Ranger during the early part of the Korean War and awarded the United Nations Service Medal Korea. During 1948 Robert’s address was listed as 18 Dorchester Avenue, Hillhead, Glasgow and he was shown living with his sister and parents, a year later the family had moved to 191 Wilton Street and in 1950 he married Elsie Duncan Grant Dey, a College Secretary, subsequently having three children, Steve, Karen and Ronnie. On 27th February 1951 Robert re-joined the City of Glasgow Police with collar number K256 and on a salary of £330.00 per annum, serving on the E and G Divisions in the city. By 1955 he and Elsie were living at 34 Galdenoch Street, Provan, and by 1958 at 68 Kirkton Avenue. In 1956 Robert together with Constable J Kahern formed the City of Glasgow Police Underwater Unit and he was involved in many dives gathering evidence to solve crime. On 1st June 1960 Robert was appointed Detective Constable on E Division, and on 30th October 1967 promoted to Detective Sergeant.
Following his education Robert enlisted into the Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm during June 1945 as a Mechanic and with service number FX749132. He served in the RN until March 1947 and was awarded the War Medal 1939-45, qualifying as this was awarded until 2nd September 1945. On 4th March 1947 aged 22 he joined the City of Glasgow Police as a Probationary Constable on 105 /- (£1.05p) a week, he was well suited at 6’.1” tall. However, on 6th April he resigned and joined the Merchant Navy as an Engineering Officer serving in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Ships Green Ranger and Brown Ranger during the early part of the Korean War and awarded the United Nations Service Medal Korea. During 1948 Robert’s address was listed as 18 Dorchester Avenue, Hillhead, Glasgow and he was shown living with his sister and parents, a year later the family had moved to 191 Wilton Street and in 1950 he married Elsie Duncan Grant Dey, a College Secretary, subsequently having three children, Steve, Karen and Ronnie. On 27th February 1951 Robert re-joined the City of Glasgow Police with collar number K256 and on a salary of £330.00 per annum, serving on the E and G Divisions in the city. By 1955 he and Elsie were living at 34 Galdenoch Street, Provan, and by 1958 at 68 Kirkton Avenue. In 1956 Robert together with Constable J Kahern formed the City of Glasgow Police Underwater Unit and he was involved in many dives gathering evidence to solve crime. On 1st June 1960 Robert was appointed Detective Constable on E Division, and on 30th October 1967 promoted to Detective Sergeant.
He was awarded the Police Exemplary Service Medal in about 1972 and on 15th June 1973 promoted to Detective Inspector on the Scottish Crime Squad, moving on 2nd April 1974 to the Fraud Squad. In 1975, the City of Glasgow Police, Lanarkshire Constabulary, Renfrew and Bute Constabulary, Dunbartonshire Constabulary, Argyll County Police, Ayrshire Constabulary and a small portion of Stirling and Clackmannan Police, were amalgamated to create Strathclyde Police. In 2013 Police Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Poileas Alba; Scots: Polis Scotland) – legally named the Police Service of Scotland – the national police force of Scotland - was formed with the merger of the eight regional police forces. In 1977 Robert was awarded the Silver Jubilee Medal 1977 and retired the same year aged 52, having been commended by the Chief Constable a total of six times during his career. He became a National Security Manager until his final retirement aged 65 in 1990. He seems to have had a long retirement and passed away on 7th May 2012 at 1555h in The Ayrshire Hospice, Ayr of Metatastic Prostatic Carcinoma (prostate cancer) aged 86. Elsie lived a further eight years and died in 2020 aged 94.
The Story The group of medals awarded to Robert Louis Stevenson McKinstray were acquired from the Dix Noonan Webb online auction in April 2020. They were interesting because of the unusual combination coupled with pictures of Robert, the Silver Jubilee Medal award certificate and other minor research detail. Ancestry.UK and Scotland’s People together with the research included, allowed a brief biography to be built up and remember a man who was born and served in arguably one of the most difficult cities in the United Kingdom during the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
Letter confirming award of War Medal 1939-45 and United Nations Korea Medal and award certificate for the Silver Jubilee Medal 1977
Medal Details:
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- United Nations Service Medal Korea: Unnamed as awarded.
- Silver Jubilee Medal 1977: Unnamed as awarded.
- Police Exemplary Service Medal: SERGT ROBERT STEVENSON
This page last updated 29 Apr 20