Is this a Police Uniform?

[Loupy]

Good afternoon
Can anyone tell me please whether this is a Police Uniform and, if so, what era.  The person in question is Horace Jealous Pratt b1883 Godmanchester (father Benjamin Pratt and mother Emma Jealous).

If it is Police can anyone tell me where I can find out about his Prison Service.

Many thanks.

Loupy

[Hollander]

Definitley a Police uniform, Loupy.

Difficult to pinpoint the era as uniform style varied from force to force, and by and large there were very few changes in the general appearance between the start of the 20th century, and the late 1940s/early 1950s.

I would hazard a guess at this photo having been taken in the 1920s.

[Loupy]

Thanks Finbar - any ideas where I can find out about his Police Service?

Loupy

[Hollander]

The first thing to do is identify the force he served with, Loupy.
Do you know where this man was living? The uniform does not appear to be that of the Huntingdonshire Constabulary.

[fifer1947]

I thought the force would be identified on the hat badge if you can scan that bit at high resolution you might be able to read it. 

[fifer1947]

Very similar to the met 19th century uniform.

[Hollander]

The Met didn't have a spiked helmet though, Fifer.

[fifer1947]

Best site I could find - http://www.britishpolicehelmet.co.uk/

Have a search on there for hat badges etc

[Hollander]

Hi Loupy.

On the index for the 1911 Census, Horace Jealous Pratt is shown as living in Northampton, so it's possible he served in either the Northampton Borough Police, the Northamptonshire Constabulary, or perhaps one of the other borough forces in the county.

I've been unable to find any old images to compare the uniforms of likely forces.