HISTORIC | TETBURY POLICE MUSEUM

TETBURY POLICE MUSEUM

THE OLD COURTHOUSE
63 LONG STREET
TETBURY
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
GL8 8AA
UNITED KINGDOM

Tel: 01666 504670

Open
10:00am to 3:00pm
Monday to Friday
(excluding Bank Holidays)

In 1969 the Tetbury Magistrates Court was moved to Cirencester and the Police took over a new building in the London Road. Tetbury Town Council then purchased the Victorian Police Station and Courtroom in Long Street.

The former Police Sergeant’s living quarters currently house The Town Administration offices. The police office, cells and courtroom contain the main Museum. The original Police office and cells contain the most interesting and not to be missed Tetbury Police Museum and also the world renowned Alex Nichols collection of Restrain Equipment.

The museum is mainly dedicated to the history of the Gloucestershire Constabulary, founded in 1839 despite a petition raised by the people of Compton Greenfield against the necessity of forming a police force in Gloucestershire at all! There is a copy of this petition in the museum and a photo of Gloucestershire first Chief Constable Mr. Anthony Thomas Lefroy.

A number of interesting displays of photographs and equipment show the history of policing. Our resident Sergeant is always on duty in the station watching over the prisoners, local troublemakers and the public as he has done for over a hundred years.
'Fred', one of our prisoners, sleeps it off in one of the cells and should not be woken, as he is known to become violent if disturbed. Considering the cells were only for 'short stay' prisoners they are extremely secure, in the past careless visitors have been known to lock themselves in!

In the first floor courtroom there is a complete magistrates court with a display using models and depicting hearing, as it would have been in the late 1940's or early 1950's.

The Alex Nichols Collection of Restraint Equipment was until recently housed at the Galleries of Justice in Nottingham, it was moved to Tetbury Police Museum in 2007. The collection consists of the different restrain equipment used by the police from different countries around the world. Alex Nichols will be giving various demonstrations if you would like further information or to book a group visit with Alex please contact the curator.

Tetbury Police Museum is fast becoming one of the main attractions for all ages of visitors to the town and well worth a visit if you like history.

It is open daily Monday to Friday, from 10am to 3 p.m. and at other times by appointment.