Philip Lane
Encyclopedia
Sir Harry Philip Parnell Lane CBE
MVO
KPM
(c.1870–24 April 1927), known as Philip Lane, was a British
police
officer who served as Chief Constable
of Lancashire County Constabulary from April 1912 until his death in 1927.
Lane came from a military family. His father was a Major
in the Royal Marine Light Infantry, his grandfather was an Army
Captain
, and his great-grandfather was a Royal Navy
officer. All had at some point served as prison
governors. Lane was also intended for the Army, but instead joined the Essex County Constabulary as a Constable
in 1887, a very unusual career move for a gentleman at the time. He served as a clerk in the Chief Constable's office. In 1896 he transferred to the Devon County Constabulary
as a Superintendent
. He served as Deputy Chief Constable
of Kent County Constabulary from 1900 to 1902, Assistant Head Constable
of Liverpool City Police from 1902 to 1909, and Assistant Chief Constable
of Lancashire from 1909 to 1912.
Lane was appointed Member of the Royal Victorian Order 4th Class
(MVO) in 1913 for organising royal visits to Lancashire
, Commander of the Order of the British Empire
(CBE) in the 1918 civilian war honours for policing the many munitions factories in the county during the First World War, and knighted
in the 1925 New Year Honours. He was awarded the King's Police Medal (KPM) in the 1921 New Year Honours.
He was one of the first Chief Constables in the country to introduce motorcycle combination patrols and wireless
communications. He was also one of the few county constabulary
Chief Constables before the latter half of the 20th century to be a career policeman and not a military officer or lawyer.
Lane was taken ill suddenly after organising the policing of the 1927 Grand National
, having only recently got over influenza
. He was moved to a nursing home in Malvern
, but died shortly afterwards.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
MVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
KPM
Queen's Police Medal
The Queen's Police Medal is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for gallantry or distinguished service. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters "QPM", although the right to use these was only granted officially on 20 July 1969...
(c.1870–24 April 1927), known as Philip Lane, was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
officer who served as Chief Constable
Chief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
of Lancashire County Constabulary from April 1912 until his death in 1927.
Lane came from a military family. His father was a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the Royal Marine Light Infantry, his grandfather was an Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
, and his great-grandfather was a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer. All had at some point served as prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
governors. Lane was also intended for the Army, but instead joined the Essex County Constabulary as a Constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
in 1887, a very unusual career move for a gentleman at the time. He served as a clerk in the Chief Constable's office. In 1896 he transferred to the Devon County Constabulary
Devon County Constabulary
Devon County Constabulary was the Home Office police force for the county of Devon, England, until 1966.The force was formed in 1856. It absorbed Tavistock Borough Police in 1856, Wolborough Borough Police in 1859, Okehampton Borough Police in 1860, Bradninch Borough Police in 1865, Torquay Borough...
as a Superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
. He served as Deputy Chief Constable
Deputy Chief Constable
Deputy chief constable is the second highest rank in all territorial police forces in the United Kingdom , as well as the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and Civil Nuclear...
of Kent County Constabulary from 1900 to 1902, Assistant Head Constable
Head Constable
Head constable was a rank used in some British and British colonial police forces, and is still used in the Indian police.-England:In the Liverpool City Police and a few very small borough police forces in the United Kingdom, the head constable was the chief officer, equivalent to the chief...
of Liverpool City Police from 1902 to 1909, and Assistant Chief Constable
Assistant Chief Constable
Assistant chief constable is the third highest rank in all British territorial police forces , as well as the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and...
of Lancashire from 1909 to 1912.
Lane was appointed Member of the Royal Victorian Order 4th Class
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(MVO) in 1913 for organising royal visits to Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(CBE) in the 1918 civilian war honours for policing the many munitions factories in the county during the First World War, and knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in the 1925 New Year Honours. He was awarded the King's Police Medal (KPM) in the 1921 New Year Honours.
He was one of the first Chief Constables in the country to introduce motorcycle combination patrols and wireless
Wireless
Wireless telecommunications is the transfer of information between two or more points that are not physically connected. Distances can be short, such as a few meters for television remote control, or as far as thousands or even millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications...
communications. He was also one of the few county constabulary
Constabulary
Constabulary may have several definitions.*A civil, non-paramilitary force consisting of police officers called constables. This is the usual definition in Britain, in which all county police forces once bore the title...
Chief Constables before the latter half of the 20th century to be a career policeman and not a military officer or lawyer.
Lane was taken ill suddenly after organising the policing of the 1927 Grand National
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
, having only recently got over influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
. He was moved to a nursing home in Malvern
Malvern, Worcestershire
Malvern is a town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, governed by Malvern Town Council. As of the 2001 census it has a population of 28,749, and includes the historical settlement and commercial centre of Great Malvern on the steep eastern flank of the Malvern Hills, and the former...
, but died shortly afterwards.