Shirley Becke
Encyclopedia
Shirley Cameron Becke OBE
QPM
(29 April 1917 – 25 October 2011), née Jennings, was a British
police
officer. She was the fourth and last commander of the London
Metropolitan Police
's A4 Branch (Women Police), from 1966 to 1973, and the first woman officer in the United Kingdom
to reach Chief Officer rank when she was promoted to Commander
in 1969.
Becke was born in Chiswick
, London
, the daughter of a gas
engineer. She was educated at Ealing Grammar School for Girls and followed in her father's footsteps, training as a gas engineer at Westminster Polytechnic from 1935, and in 1939 became the first woman to pass the Higher Grade Examination of the Institution of Gas Engineers. She worked as a gas engineer for two years and then joined the Metropolitan Police as a Constable
in 1941, intending her service to be purely for the duration of the Second World War, but stayed in the force after the war. In 1946 she became a Detective Constable at West End Central Police Station, working with Barbara Kelley
, later to become Britain's first Detective Chief Superintendent, and staying there until 1959, when she was posted to Scotland Yard
as a uniformed officer.
In 1954, as a Detective Sergeant, she was called to the headquarters of an oil company in Mayfair
by the company's accountant
to investigate a theft
. She later married the accountant, Justin Becke, who was later ordained and became Church of England
vicar
of South Merstham, Surrey
. She thus became the first head of London's policewomen to be married.
Becke took command of A4 Branch with the rank of Chief Superintendent
on 26 May 1966, 25 years to the day after she joined the force. She was awarded the Queen's Police Medal
(QPM) in 1972.
In 1973 A4 Branch was disbanded and women police officers integrated with the general establishment. Commander Becke was appointed to the Force Inspectorate. She retired on 29 April 1974 and took up a position as Regional Administrator for London of the Women's Royal Voluntary Service. She retired from this post in 1979, but also served as vice-chairman of the WRVS from 1976 to 1983. She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1974.
Shirley Becke died in Chichester, West Sussex on 25 October 2011. Her funeral was held in the Lady Chapel of Chichester Cathedral on 14 November 2011.
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...
QPM
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...
(29 April 1917 – 25 October 2011), née Jennings, 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. She was the fourth and last commander of the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
's A4 Branch (Women Police), from 1966 to 1973, and the first woman officer in the United Kingdom
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...
to reach Chief Officer rank when she was promoted to Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in 1969.
Becke was born in Chiswick
Chiswick
Chiswick is a large suburb of west London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located on a meander of the River Thames, west of Charing Cross and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, with...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the daughter of a gas
Gas
Gas is one of the three classical states of matter . Near absolute zero, a substance exists as a solid. As heat is added to this substance it melts into a liquid at its melting point , boils into a gas at its boiling point, and if heated high enough would enter a plasma state in which the electrons...
engineer. She was educated at Ealing Grammar School for Girls and followed in her father's footsteps, training as a gas engineer at Westminster Polytechnic from 1935, and in 1939 became the first woman to pass the Higher Grade Examination of the Institution of Gas Engineers. She worked as a gas engineer for two years and then joined the Metropolitan Police 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 1941, intending her service to be purely for the duration of the Second World War, but stayed in the force after the war. In 1946 she became a Detective Constable at West End Central Police Station, working with Barbara Kelley
Barbara Kelley
Barbara Lilian Kelley MBE was a British police officer with the London Metropolitan Police. She was the first woman in the country to be promoted to the rank of Detective Chief Superintendent....
, later to become Britain's first Detective Chief Superintendent, and staying there until 1959, when she was posted to Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
as a uniformed officer.
In 1954, as a Detective Sergeant, she was called to the headquarters of an oil company in Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
by the company's accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
to investigate a theft
Theft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
. She later married the accountant, Justin Becke, who was later ordained and became Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of South Merstham, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. She thus became the first head of London's policewomen to be married.
Becke took command of A4 Branch with the rank of Chief Superintendent
Chief Superintendent
Chief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces organised on the British model.- United Kingdom :In the British police, a chief superintendent is senior to a superintendent and junior to an assistant chief constable .The highest rank below Chief Officer level, chief...
on 26 May 1966, 25 years to the day after she joined the force. She was awarded the Queen's Police Medal
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...
(QPM) in 1972.
In 1973 A4 Branch was disbanded and women police officers integrated with the general establishment. Commander Becke was appointed to the Force Inspectorate. She retired on 29 April 1974 and took up a position as Regional Administrator for London of the Women's Royal Voluntary Service. She retired from this post in 1979, but also served as vice-chairman of the WRVS from 1976 to 1983. She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1974.
Shirley Becke died in Chichester, West Sussex on 25 October 2011. Her funeral was held in the Lady Chapel of Chichester Cathedral on 14 November 2011.