Duty Collection (#23)

Woman police officer K M Boyd in uniform, London
Woman police officer Kathleen Mary Boyd (joined October 1931) in uniform, London, 22 October 1934. Date: 1934

Woman police officer posing in uniform, London
Woman police officer Ivy Cook (joined December 1930) posing in the recently updated Stanley uniform. A white shirt and tie were introduced, the jacket had four buttons and a matching material belt

Woman police officer posing in uniform, London, WW2
Woman police officer Sergeant Ivy Cook (joined December 1930) posing in uniform, 18 June 1940. Date: 1940

Woman police officer chatting to a pedestrian, London
Woman police officer chatting to a pedestrian on a London street. Date: circa 1930s

Woman police officer holding hands with children, London
Woman police officer holding hands with a girl and a boy on a London street -- perhaps she has just guided them across the road. Date: circa 1930s

Woman police officer in studio photo
Woman police officer in a studio photo, wearing double-breasted overcoat (for winter wear), white shirt and tie, helmet with badge and duty armband. Date: circa 1931

Male and female police officer on a street, London
A male and a female police officer on a street in London, reading something in a notebook. Date: circa 1930s

Woman police officer guiding little girl across the road and holding up her hand to an oncoming car, on the corner of Vincent Square, London SW1. Date: circa 1930s

Three women police officers in uniform, London
Three female Metropolitan Police officers pose in their uniforms (winter dress, with overcoats) -- an inspector, a sergeant and a constable

Woman police officer on duty for a parade
Woman police officer on duty with military men on horseback in a parade, and spectators behind a fence. Probably during the 1929 Met Police centenary celebrations in Hyde Park, London

Woman police officer, Elsie G Hutchinson, London
An early woman police officer, Inspector Elsie G Hutchinson, who joined the Metropolitan Police in 1919. Date: 1919-1920

Woman police officer Elsie Houghton, London, WW2
Woman police officer Elsie Houghton (married name Makin, joined November 1939), on duty in London during the Second World War

Two women police officers and a policeman, London
Two early women police officers and a policeman, London. They are (left) Beatrice Wills (nee Wakefield), (right) Alice Foscoe (nee Wills) both wearing the Stanley Uniform introduced in 1919

Woman police officer on duty, London
Woman police officer in London, wearing a helmet, a double-breasted coat and a duty armband. Date: circa 1920s

Woman police officer with small boys, London
Woman police officer on duty in London, tying the shoelace of a small boy as his friends look on. Date: circa 1920s

Two women police officers, Bow Street, London
Two women police officers outside Bow Street Police Station, London. They are WPC Ivy Ellis (left) and Inspector Alice Bertha Clayden (right)

Woman police officer Beatrice Wills on duty, London
Beatrice Wills (nee Wakefield), an early woman police officer, seen here on duty in a London street. She joined the force in January 1919, and is wearing the Stanley Uniform, introduced in that year

Leisure time
Firefighters off duty in the messing hall.. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF)

George V and Queen Mary official visit, WW1
King George V and Queen Mary on an official visit to a munitions factory during the First World War. On the left behind a rope is a large group of women munitions workers

Group photo, women police officers in uniform, WW1
Group photo, women police officers in uniform, Women Police Service (WPS), on security duty at a Munitions Factory during the First World War. Also included are a military officer and a terrier dog

George V and Queen Mary visit munitions factory, WW1
King George V and Queen Mary visiting a munitions factory during the First World War. With them is an early woman police officer, Chief Inspector Reinhold (right)

Ats Girl Cleans Up
An Auxilliary Territorial Services (A.T.S.) girl making do with a tin of paraffin and sawdust to remove grease from her hands when she comes off duty Date: 1940s

Aylesbury Inebriate Reformatory - Corridor of Cells
Aylesbury Inebriate Reformatory - uniformed staff on duty in a corridor of cells. Date: 1908

HMS Resolution in rough seas. Launched in January 1915. From 1916 to 1919, she served in the 1st Battle Squadron (United Kingdom) of the Grand Fleet

Trafalgar Square - Victory Loan Campaign 1919
Crowds at Trafalgar Square, decked for the Victory Loan Campaign, after signing of the Treaty at Versailles. 1919

On Night Duty - Tom Nelson
Promotional postcard for On Night Duty, a music hall sketch performed by Tom Nelson, pictured here as a policeman looking up at his namesake in Trafalgar Square

Christening 1918 Tree Planting Soldiers Group
Christopher Powell-Cotton (1918-2006) was christenend at All Saints Church, Birchington on 20 April 1918. Afterwards a tree was planted in the grounds of Quex Park

Drawing of an MTC member, Britannia and Eve, 1940
The line drawing depicts a member of the Mechanised Transport Corps, a voluntary civilian organisation for women who were unable to offer their services to the full-time womens auxiliary services

Two soldiers at a camp in winter. Date: circa 1940s

WW1 - German troops leave for front
WW1 - A photograph of German troops leaving for the front line. German citizens, as well as the troops families, friends, wives and children stand by the train to wave them goodbye at their send-off

Prominent Cambridge sportsmen during WW1
Portraits of some prominent Cambridge University sportsmen fighting for their country during the First World War. Top row right is the New Zealand tennis player and four-times Wimbledon champion

Six brothers fighting in France for Great Britain, Crisps
The six brothers Crisp, all fighting at the front. Three of them fought in the Boer War and were attached to various regiments - the R.F.A

Special Constables in tin hats, Illustrated War News, WW1
Ready for air raid duty, three special constables on the home front pose for a photograph in " tin hats." Date: 1917

Women ambulance attendants and drivers, WW1
Women acting as attendants and drivers at the new London County Council Ambulance station in Bloomsbury, wearing a special uniform adapted to the special needs of their employment when on duty

Early WW1 trenches in the Aisne district, October 1914
Interior view of a trench constructed by the British in the Aisne district, an early example of the trench system which would come to dominate warfare on the Western Front during the First World War

A French Sentry and his War Dog on Duty
An outpost on duty in France with a French war dog, which acted as an extra pair of ears while on sentry duty. Date: 1915

Sheepdog guarding French trench, WW1
A sheepdog guarding a French trench, seen here at the entrance to a dugout. Date: 1915

View from the Sea, Port Royal, Saint Andrew Parish
View from the Sea, Port Royal, near Morgans Harbour, Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica. Taken from the duty boat out at sea. Date: 1910s

WW2 Christmas card, Victorys Signal. The flaghoist signal used by Admiral Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), England expects that every man will do his duty

An Airedale sentry dog supplied to Navy by Major Richardson
A dog trained and supplied by Major Edwin Richardson for duty with the Navy at the Rock of Gibraltar and at points all around the coast

WW2 Christmas card, guard duty
WW2 Christmas card, soldier on guard duty with factories in the distance. Date: 1939

Smoking nursemaid or nanny with charge
A nursemaid, in charge of a toddler in a pram, sits and enjoys a smoke from a cigarette in a holder. Date: 1928

Cartoon, Return to the Front, WW1
Cartoon, Return to the Front, showing a group of French soldiers sharing stories about how they spent their four days of leave. Date: 1915

Duty Before Pleasure, by Bairnsfather
Duty Before Pleasure " Well, if yer thinks yer ought to, I ll lend yer this bit o mistletoe o mine" A cartoon by Captain Bruce Bairnsfather in The Bystander Date: 1916

WWI Poster, Go! Its Your Duty Lad, Join Today
Go! Its your duty lad. Join today. British WWI recruitment poster depicting a mother persuading her son to join the war effort. Date: 1915

His Initiation, by Bairnsfather
His Initiation No 99988 Private Blobs (on sentry-go) feels that he has at last stumbled across the true explanation of that somewhat cryptic expression

WWI Poster, Join Under the Group System
WWI Parliamentary Recruiting Committee Poster, Join Under the Group System, It Is Simple and Fair, It Relieves You of Responsibility

WWI Poster, Are you doing your duty today?
WWI Parliamentary Recruiting Committee Poster, England Expects, 1805, 1915. Are you doing your duty today? With the figure of Admiral Lord Nelson. Date: 1915

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Duty: A timeless commitment that transcends boundaries and eras. From the mighty HMS Victory, proudly flying its flags as a symbol to protect our shores, to the valiant words of Admiral Nelson echoing through history: 'England expects that every man will do his duty. ' In the bustling streets of London, a police officer stands tall, embodying the essence of duty. Whether it be safeguarding our city during a football match or countering German propaganda in World War I, their unwavering dedication shines bright. Amidst the chaos of war, love and duty intertwine in poignant ways. The year 1914 witnessed countless hearts torn between loyalty and affection in 'Twixt Love and Duty, ' capturing the emotional turmoil faced by many. Even on traffic duty, Metropolitan Police officers exemplify their sense of responsibility with utmost professionalism. Their presence ensures order amidst the hustle and bustle of city life. As Christmas approaches, Coldstream Guards grace us with their presence on festive cards – a reminder that even during joyful times, they remain committed to protecting our nation's peace. Breaking barriers and challenging norms, women step forward into roles traditionally held by men. In World War I uniforms alongside their male counterparts or as early female police officers patrolling London's streets – these trailblazers redefine what it means to serve one's community. From carousel music covers to children admiring Mr Bobby the Policeman on Kay Snap postcards – society cherishes those who uphold their duties with integrity while becoming symbols themselves. Through snow-covered landscapes in Bough Beech or navigating busy urban streets - like dedicated postmen delivering mail - individuals across time have embraced their obligations without hesitation. Duty is not just an obligation; it is an honor bestowed upon those willing to put others before themselves, and is an eternal flame burning within us all.