Police Minstrels

They also performed comedy sketches, originally written for them by the popular music hall artiste and pantomime dame Clarkson Rose.

Commissioners Sir William Horwood and Lord Byng both objected to this, as did the Police Federation, claiming that people may feel intimidated into buying tickets and that it detracted from the dignity of the rank.

However, Lord Trenchard discovered that ticket sales were entirely dependent on this method of selling and felt that this was a form of blackmail.

The Minstrels attempted to continue by selling tickets from theatre box offices and police stations, but were disbanded the following year.

Trenchard set up the Commissioner's Fund to replace this vital source of income for these police charities.