Philip Margetson

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Major Sir Philip Reginald Margetson KCVO MC QPM (2 January 1894–5 December 1985) was an Assistant Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police.

Contents

[edit] Military service

Margetson was educated at Marlborough College and then went on to Sandhurst. In 1915 he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Scots Fusiliers. He was promoted Lieutenant on 25 December 1915, and temporary Captain on 20 February 1916.[1] He reverted to Lieutenant on 27 April 1916.[2] In the 1916 King's Birthday Honours he was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in action.[3] In January 1918 he became an instructor with an officer cadet unit as an Acting Captain. In 1919 he became Second-in-Command of the 1/4th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers (Territorial Force) (which was then part of the Army of Occupation) in the rank of Acting Major.[4] On 1 January 1923 he was finally promoted to the substantive rank of Captain,[5][6] while serving as a regimental adjutant. On 1 October 1928 he became Staff Captain of the 54th (East Anglian) Division,[7][8] an appointment he held until 1 October 1932.[9] On 1 January 1933 he became a Brevet Major.[10]

[edit] Police career

On 31 December 1933, Margetson retired from the Army, transferring to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers.[11][12] He joined the Metropolitan Police, entering directly as a Chief Inspector and taking the position of senior administrative officer at No.4 District (South London) headquarters on 1 December 1933. He was later promoted to Superintendent and took command of "R" Division (Blackheath). In August 1936 he was promoted to Chief Constable and became deputy commander of No.2 District (North London). In February 1938 he was transferred to the same post in No.1 District (West Central London), and in October 1938 to the same post in No.3 District (East London). In 1940 he was promoted to Deputy Assistant Commissioner and given command of No.1 District. In March 1946 he received the new rank of Commander.

In August 1946, he was promoted to Assistant Commissioner "A", in charge of administration and uniformed policing, having been acting in the post since June of that year. In 1947 he was made an Officer of the Venerable Order of Saint John.[13] He was created a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 1948 New Year Honours[14] and raised to Knight Commander (KCVO) in the 1953 Coronation Honours.[15] In 1955 he was promoted to Commander of the Venerable Order of Saint John.[16] He received the Queen's Police Medal (QPM) for Distinguished Service in the 1956 Queen's Birthday Honours.[17]

[edit] Later life

He retired on 2 January 1957 (his 63rd birthday) and joined the board of Securicor, serving as chairman from 1960 to 1973, when he became honorary president. He was instrumental in the disarming of cash in transit security guards in 1964, having always disliked the idea of private guards carrying firearms.

In 1918, Margetson married Diana Thorneycroft, elder daughter of Sir John Thorneycroft. They had two sons; the elder was killed in action in 1943.

Police appointments
Preceded by
Unknown		 Chief Constable, No.2 District, Metropolitan Police
1936–1938		 Succeeded by
Henry Dalton
Preceded by
J. Goldie		 Chief Constable, No.1 District, Metropolitan Police
1938		 Succeeded by
Arthur Conyers-Baker
Preceded by
Unknown		 Chief Constable, No.3 District, Metropolitan Police
1938–1940		 Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by
Unknown		 Deputy Assistant Commissioner, No.1 District, Metropolitan Police
1940–1946		 Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by
First incumbent		 Commander, No.1 District, Metropolitan Police
1946		 Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by
John Ferguson		 Assistant Commissioner "A", Metropolitan Police
1946–1957		 Succeeded by
Alexander Robertson

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ London Gazette: no. 29568, page 4455, 5 May 1916. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  2. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29814, page 10730, 3 November 1916. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  3. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29608, pages 5570–5575, 2 June 1916. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  4. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31964, page 7216, 2 July 1920. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  5. ^ London Gazette: no. 32818, page 3050, 27 April 1923. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  6. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 32838, page 4519, 29 June 1923. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  7. ^ London Gazette: no. 33427, page 6415, 5 October 1928. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  8. ^ London Gazette: no. 33431, page 6702, 19 October 1928. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  9. ^ London Gazette: no. 33871, page 6336, 7 October 1932. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  10. ^ London Gazette: no. 33899, page 51, 3 January 1933. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  11. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 34011, pages 54–140, 29 December 1944. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  12. ^ London Gazette: no. 36870, page 56, 2 January 1934. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  13. ^ London Gazette: no. 37842, page 122, 3 January 1947. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  14. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 38161, page 9, 30 December 1947. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  15. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39863, page 2946, 26 May 1953. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  16. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 40378, page 158, 7 January 1955. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  17. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 40787, page 3136, 25 May 1956. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.

[edit] References