Saturday 12th to 20th June

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HAMPSHIRE POLICE CHOIR

In 1941 Portsmouth was subjected to intense attack from the air. Officers of the Portsmouth City Police together with War Reserve and Special Constabulary colleagues were called upon to add civil defence and emergency duties to their conventional police ones. Many hours were spent on stand-by between air-raid alerts and Sgt F T (Tommy) Holland saw a chance, when the men harmonised, of roping in the best of them to form the nucleus of a choir. It gradually improved to such a standard that the Chief Constable approved the formal establishment of the Portsmouth City Police Choir. Its first conductor was Special Sergeant (later Inspector) James Cracknell.

Very soon the choir was in demand to raise morale and for fund-raising activities in the battered city. Many concerts were given with the Band of HM Royal Marines, then, as now based in the city.

Invitations also followed to broadcast on the Home & Overseas programmes of the BBC. This activity continued after the war and included appearances in ’Friday Night is Music Night’.

After the rationalisation of police forces in 1967 the choir became the Hampshire Police Choir. Its size has remained at about 60 with serving and retired police officers, special constables, civilian staff and others associated with the service.

In recent years the choir has sung with choirs from Duisberg and Kiel, Germany, Oslo, Norway, Le Havre, France as well as the Rhos Cwmtawe Choir from South Wales and the St Colomba choir from Cornwall. The choir has exchanged visits with most of them.

Wednesday evening, 16th June 2010