Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Police Sergeant W. J. Tonkin, 4th (H.M. Dockyard Chatham) and 2nd (H.M. Dockyard Portsmouth) Divisions, Metropolitan Police

Jubilee 1887, 1 clasp, 1897, Metropolitan Police (PC, W. Tonkin. 4th. Div:); Coronation 1902, Metropolitan Police, bronze (P.S. W. Tonkin. 2nd. Div.) very fine (2) £60-£80

William James Tonkin was born in Redruth, Cornwall, on 15 November 1858, and joined the Metropolitan Police in London on 9 August 1880. He joined the 4th (Chatham) Division on 20 July 1881, before transferring to the 2nd (Portsmouth) Division in the rank of Sergeant on 1 October 1891. He resigned on 1 October 1906, and was subsequently employed by Admiralty at H.M. Dockyard, Portsmouth.

Note: From 1860 to 1922, the Metropolitan Police were responsible for policing Woolwich Arsenal (1st Division), as well as H.M. Dockyards Portsmouth (2nd Division), Devonport (3rd Division), Chatham (4th Division), Pembroke (5th Division), and, from 1916, Rosyth (6th Division).