Tom Rounsley helps with family photos from the past

Many Thanks to retired Durham Sgt, Tom Rounsley who has sent an email with some more info re photographs that appears on the last page of the 2016 winter edition of the Durham Peeler titled Thornley Police Station.

The officer in the doorway is my great, great grandfather Sergeant 34 Thomas Sampson. He started his police career in Plymouth transferring to Durham I believe in 1872. He was promoted to sergeant in February 1882 and was stationed at Thornley until his retirement from the force in 1901. The officer in the doorway is my great, great grandfather Sergeant 34 Thomas Sampson. He started his police career in Plymouth transferring to Durham I believe in 1872. He was promoted to sergeant in February 1882 and was stationed at Thornley until his retirement from the force in 1901. The constable in the photo I believe to be a PC Cummings and the woman Annie Barker but I have no other information on them.

Sgt Samson's daughter married my great grandfather Police Constable 382 Samuel N Rounsley who I believe spent a lot of his service in the Spennymoor area. He died not long before his retirement. At that time any pension for the widow was at the discretion of the Chief Constable The Chief Constables report on the 28th April 1919 reads - PC Samuel Rounsley No 382 died at Tudhoe on 28th February, 1919, after completing 25 years 282 days. The maximum amount of gratuity which may be granted under section 2 (2) of the Police Act is £294  3s  4d.

My family then skipped two generations with Durham Constabulary before I joined in 1976 retiring in 2006
If I've got the technology right there should be attached three pics - the original from the peeler , a photocopy of a photocopy of  Sgt Sampson, the other is two pics of PC Rounsley one near the start of his service and the other towards the end.
I find the change in the uniforms interesting.

PS. keep up the good work - I moved to Worcester over 2 years ago to be nearer family so the NARPO web site with all it's information and publications are a real tonic.
Please pass on my regards to all the team.