The Leamington Borough Police HQ was housed in what is now the Leamington Polish Centre in High Street, and until 1968 it was the original Leamington Police Station, which then moved to Hamilton Terrace before being incorporated within the Warwickshire Criminal Justice Centre in Newbold Terrace.
Leamington Police had been formed in 1825 and moved in to the basement of what was then the old Town Hall in 1831. In the 1880s they took over the whole building when the Council moved into the new Town Hall on the Parade.
Following the merger of the Borough Police with Warwickshire Constabulary, the HQ was established at Woodcote House, Leek Wootton in 1947 and Warwickshire Constabulary officially became Warwickshire Police in 2001.
In partnership with the Leamington History Group, Warwickshire Constabulary History Society arranged a variety of events and initiatives to commemorate the bicentennial.
An exhibition titled Policing in Royal Leamington Spa ran for three months at Leamington Art Gallery & Museum. The exhibition, offered a fascinating look into the history of policing in the town.
On Sunday 17th August 2025, a reception for invited guests was held at the Leamington Polish Centre to celebrate the 200 years of policing in Royal Leamington Spa.
A number of Leamington History Group members joined over 50 Warwickshire Police staff, officers, local dignitaries and retired friends of the force at the Grade II listed building.
LHG member and former special constable and Commandant Terry Gardner, along with Richard Woodcock, Force Historian and Warwickshire Constabulary History Society Chairman/Archivist and Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith spoke about the life of the building and milestones in the history of policing in the county.
Left: Terry Gardner Right: Alex Franklin-Smith.
Richard Woodcock, Force Historian and Warwickshire Constabulary History Society Chairman/Archivist.
Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith presented a blue plaque to Stas Librowski, Chairman of the Polish Centre, and member of the Leamington History Group, to commemorate the buildings links with policing history in Leamington Spa.
Mayor of Whitnash Town, Councillor Adrian Barton and
Whitnash Councillor Cathy Herbert.
LHG members Alan and Jan Jones certainly enjoyed the props on display at the bicentennial celebration.
Acknowledgements
All photographs are by Allan Jennings with the exception of the exhibition photo which is by Dan Beddow.
Allan Jennings, August 2025