Harold Greenwood (1893–1949)

Private

Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)   16th Battalion
North Staffordshire Regiment   1st Battalion

Photo courtesy Sylvia Winson

Harold Greenwood

Biography
Harold Greenwood was born on 3 March 1893 at Chapeltown, Yorkshire. He was a Wesleyan with grey eyes and auburn hair who was working as a blast furnaceman before joining the police force in 1914 aged twenty-one. He was posted to Crich as PC 480 in September 1914, where he served before joining the Sherwood Foresters in July 1915. He served in France and Belgium with the Foresters before being transferred to the North Staffordshire Regiment. He rejoined the police after his demob in January 1919 when he was again posted to Crich.
After serving as a police officer in Crich, Ilkeston and Thorpe he moved to Belper where he served for over twenty-years before retirement in 1946. Harold died in January 1949, aged fifty-six.

Derbyshire Record Office
Descriptive Register c1879-1930 (D3376/ Box 23)
In the Register there is an entry for Harold Greenwood. This confirms that he first joined Derbyshire Constabulary on 1 September 1914, but resigned to join the Army on 30 June 1915. He was subsequently re-appointed on 1 January 1919. It also gives details of his life before joining the Police, for example that his place of origin was Chapeltown, Yorkshire and that he had been employed as a Blast Furnaceman. His age on appointment in 1914 was 21 years and a personal description of him is given, but, unfortunately, no photograph. There are also details of his promotions, favourable records, sickness and transfers.
Next staff checked the Vacancies and Appointments Book 1862-1948 (D3376/Box 14/4) and found several entries relating to Harold. The first appointment is dated 1 September 1915 (this date should be 1914 and has been corrected on the subsequent page). It gives his police number as 480 and that he was allocated to Crich. The vacancy entry confirms his resignation as 30 June 1915 to enlist. The second appointment is dated 1 January 1919 and is his re-appointment on leaving the Army. You will notice that his police number has changed to 154 and again he was allocated to Crich. There were no entries relating to his promotions.

Photo of Harold Greenwood in police uniform

Studio photo of Harold

Newspaper reports

Derbyshire Courier 1 April 1919
After three and a half years service in the Army Cpl Harold Greenwood, North Staffs, has received his discharge and returned to Crich. Before joining up he was a police officer at Crich, and he expects changing the khaki uniforms for that are blue at an early date. Cpl Greenwood, who is a native of Chapeltown Barnsley has had three years service in France.

Derby Daily Telegraph 16 January 1946
Stationed at Belper for more than 22 years, Police-constable Harold GREENWOOD retired yesterday. A native of Sheffield, he joined the Derbyshire County Police in 1914, and served in France and Belgium from 1915-18 with the Sherwood Foresters and the North Staffordshire Regiment. On demobilisation he was stationed as a constable at Crich, Ilkeston, and Thorpe, before going to Belper in September 1923. He has been commended on several occasions by the chief Constable. His home is at Kilburn-road, Belper.

Derby Daily Telegraph Tuesday February 1, 1949
Former Belper Policeman's Death
A funeral Service will be held at Christ Church, Belper, on Thursday at 3 p.m. for Mr Harold Greenwood, a former member of Derbyshire County Constabulary, who died at his home, 118 Kilburn Road, Belper, aged 56. Internment will follow at Belper Cemetery.
Mr Greenwood, whilst in the Police was stationed at Belper for more than 20 years. He had been in poor health since his retirement in 1946.
A native of Sheffield he joined the County Police in 1914 and then served in France and Belgium from 1915 to 1918 with the Sherwood Foresters and then the North Staffordshire Regiment.
On demobilisation he was stationed as constable at Crich, Ilkeston and Thorpe, before moving to Belper in September 1923. He was commended on nine occasions by the Chief Constable.
He leaves a widow, a son and a daughter.

CENSUS INFORMATION

1901: Ecclesfield

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Edward Greenwood Head 32 Brick burner Attercliffe
Alive M Greenwood wife 28   Ecclesfield
Harold Greenwood son 8   Chapeltown
Gertrude Greenwood daughter 6   Ecclesfield
Constance Greenwood daughter 3   Ecclesfield
Selena M Greenwood daughter 5 mo   Ecclesfield

RG13 piece 4332 folio 10 page 12

1911: Chapeltown

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Edward Greenwood Head 42 Blast Furnace worker Attercliffe
Alive Maud Greenwood wife 38   Ecclesfield
Harold Greenwood son 18 Coal miner Chapeltown
Gertrude Greenwood daughter 16 Servant Ecclesfield
Constance A E Greenwood daughter 13   Ecclesfield
Selena May Greenwood daughter 10   Ecclesfield
Edward Greenwood son 7   Ecclesfield
Freda Maisie Greenwood daughter 2   Chapeltown

RG14PN27671 RG78PN1585 RD508B SD2 ED7 SN220

1939 Register: Kilburn Road, Belper
Harold Greenwood b.3 March 1893; police constable
Emily L Greenwood b.19 October 1888
two closed records