Cheltenham Police Station, Crescent Place

We are looking to celebrate our relationship with the former Cheltenham Central Police Station in Crescent Place Cheltenham which became John Dower House when the Countryside Commission moved in during the 1970s and has recently been redeveloped.

Officer standing on the steps of Cheltenham Police Station, Crescent Place, by the uniform is probably mid 1950s.
(Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 2463)

• Did you serve there?
• Do you have any memories of your time as an officer or member of staff there?
• Do you have any photographs taken inside or outside the Police Station?

If you have information or photos please get in touch.

Central Police Station Crescent Terrace Cheltenham. (Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 653)

From an officer who served there we have had the following information.

Up the steps to the right was reception and the telephone switch board, behind that was the briefing room. Officers were paraded in  the entrance hallway before being marched out to their beat.

Officers on parade in Cheltenham Police Station, Crescent Place.
(Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 2464)

To the left of steps was the CID Office

Down in the cellar were the  cells and the  room used for break times. There were no canteen facilities, the 6 – 2 and 2 -10 shifts  used the Bus Company canteen (known as the bomb and dagger) around the corner.

Jutting out at the rear were garages for patrol cars, car parking for the favoured few and the Police Club on the first floor.

Upstairs was the Magistrates Court, witnesses and defendants stood on the stairway. God help you if you appeared before magistrate Mrs Ingram for assaulting a police officer, automatic 3 months with her words ringing in your ears. ‘I will not have you assaulting my officers.’