Miss Marjorie Swift Secretary West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police
The Story The medal and certificate awarded to Miss Marjorie Swift were acquired in June 2021 and initially of interest as they loosely fitted within the collecting sphere of Police Officers who had been awarded the Silver Jubilee Medal 1977.
Marjorie was Police Staff and listed in the 1977 Jubilee Medal roll as a Secretary, West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police. However the reverse of her certificate, possibly written for presentation of the medal, read – ‘Chief Constable’s Secretary Miss M Swift Millgarth Police Station.’
No details could be found on Ancestry.UK as there were simply too many Marjorie Swift’s living in Yorkshire, to be able to make a link. However, further research revealed that in 1977 Marjorie would have been secretary to Ronald Gregory, the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police, he, being in overall command of the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper from the Headquarters at Millgarth Station.
1977 was in the approximate centre of the enquiry, 1975-1980 and Marjorie would no doubt have seen many important documents passing to and from the Chief.
Whilst there are no biographical detail of Marjorie, it is important that her role in one of the UK’s most horrific murder sprees and subsequent enquiries are recorded for posterity.
Also within this collection are the medals to Chief Inspector Roy James GORE who also served during this unsavoury time.
Marjorie was Police Staff and listed in the 1977 Jubilee Medal roll as a Secretary, West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police. However the reverse of her certificate, possibly written for presentation of the medal, read – ‘Chief Constable’s Secretary Miss M Swift Millgarth Police Station.’
No details could be found on Ancestry.UK as there were simply too many Marjorie Swift’s living in Yorkshire, to be able to make a link. However, further research revealed that in 1977 Marjorie would have been secretary to Ronald Gregory, the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police, he, being in overall command of the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper from the Headquarters at Millgarth Station.
1977 was in the approximate centre of the enquiry, 1975-1980 and Marjorie would no doubt have seen many important documents passing to and from the Chief.
Whilst there are no biographical detail of Marjorie, it is important that her role in one of the UK’s most horrific murder sprees and subsequent enquiries are recorded for posterity.
Also within this collection are the medals to Chief Inspector Roy James GORE who also served during this unsavoury time.
Silver Jubilee Medal award certificate
Medal Details:
- Silver Jubilee Medal 1977: Unnamed as awarded.
This page last updated 10 Jun 21
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