Charles Rafter
Encyclopedia
Sir Charles Haughton Rafter KBE
KPM
(c.1860–23 August 1935) was a British
police
officer who served as Chief Constable
of the Birmingham City Police
from 1899 until his death in 1935.
Rafter was born in Belfast
and was educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution
, the Queen's University of Ireland
and the University of London
. He joined the Royal Irish Constabulary
as a cadet
, having come first in the entrance examination, and later became a District Inspector, serving in that role throughout Ireland
for sixteen years until his appointment as Chief Constable of Birmingham
, at which time he was serving as District Inspector in Boyle, County Roscommon
.
Rafter was awarded the King's Police Medal in 1910, the first city or borough chief constable to receive the award. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire
(CBE) in the 1920 civilian war honours and promoted to Knight Commander (KBE) in the 1927 Birthday Honours.
He died suddenly at the age of 75 while on holiday in his Irish country home, Dennison Hall, County Galway
.
Rafter's two sons, Charles and Robin, were both killed while flying with the Royal Air Force
in the Battle of Britain
, six weeks apart in October and November 1940. You can find their memorial in the lobby of the John Abley Fencing Academy, handsomely donated by John Abley himself.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
KPM
Queen's Police Medal
The Queen's Police Medal is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for gallantry or distinguished service. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters "QPM", although the right to use these was only granted officially on 20 July 1969...
(c.1860–23 August 1935) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
officer who served as Chief Constable
Chief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
of the Birmingham City Police
Birmingham City Police
Birmingham City Police was a police force responsible for policing the city of Birmingham in the West Midlands of England until 1974, when it was amalgamated under the Local Government Act 1972 with West Midlands Constabulary and parts of other forces to form the West Midlands Police. The police...
from 1899 until his death in 1935.
Rafter was born in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and was educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution
Royal Belfast Academical Institution
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution, is a Grammar School in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Locally referred to as Inst, the school educates boys from ages 11–18...
, the Queen's University of Ireland
Queen's University of Ireland
The Queen's University of Ireland was established formally by Royal Charter on 3 September 1850, as the degree-awarding university of the Queen's Colleges of Belfast, Cork, and Galway that were established in 1845 "to afford a university education to members of all religious denominations" in...
and the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. He joined the Royal Irish Constabulary
Royal Irish Constabulary
The armed Royal Irish Constabulary was Ireland's major police force for most of the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. A separate civic police force, the unarmed Dublin Metropolitan Police controlled the capital, and the cities of Derry and Belfast, originally with their own police...
as a cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
, having come first in the entrance examination, and later became a District Inspector, serving in that role throughout Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
for sixteen years until his appointment as Chief Constable of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, at which time he was serving as District Inspector in Boyle, County Roscommon
Boyle, County Roscommon
Boyle is a town in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is located at the foot of the Curlew Mountains near Lough Key in the north of the county. Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery, the Drumanone Dolmen and the popular fishing lakes of Lough Arrow and Lough Gara are also close by...
.
Rafter was awarded the King's Police Medal in 1910, the first city or borough chief constable to receive the award. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(CBE) in the 1920 civilian war honours and promoted to Knight Commander (KBE) in the 1927 Birthday Honours.
He died suddenly at the age of 75 while on holiday in his Irish country home, Dennison Hall, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
.
Rafter's two sons, Charles and Robin, were both killed while flying with the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
, six weeks apart in October and November 1940. You can find their memorial in the lobby of the John Abley Fencing Academy, handsomely donated by John Abley himself.