George Albert Manning - Essex County Constabulary.
Served from 23rd August 1946. Died 26th December 1976.
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 Chief
Inspector George Manning was a Welshman, born in Glamorgan. He was educated
at the London Choir School. He served with the 6th Airborne Division throughout
the Second World War, and was wounded twice. Joining the force after demobilization,
he worked mainly in the south of the county, in Hornchurch, Rainham, Purfleet,
and Grays before going to Stansted on promotion to sergeant.
He was subsequently posted to Clacton and South Benfleet where he was
promoted to inspector. He then served as Inspector at Romford for three
years and in 1960 moved to Billericay as Chief Inspector and sub Divisional
Commander. George Manning received the Queen's Commendation for Bravery
on two occasions.
In September 1970 the Romford Express carried the following report on
the Welshman;
THE POLICE HERO WITH A ‘SILVER TONGUE’
A MODEST hero- that's former Romford policeman Chief Inspector George
Manning, now in charge of Billericay police who has twice talked unbalanced
gunmen into laying down their arms and coming along quietly. But while
he puts his triumphs down to a distinct flair for Welsh rhetoric, we
would prefer to describe his actions as sheer guts.
The first occasion was at Benfleet in 1956, when the fifty-year-old Swansea-born
Inspector was still a sergeant. A chap with a shotgun was wildly threatening
people's lives out on the downs. But together with a police possee, George
dedicated five-and-a-half hours to talking him out of his melancholy and
getting his gun safely away. For this he earned the Queen's Commendation
for Bravery, presented to him by the Lord Lieutenant of Essex at Orsett
Hall.
 Left:
Chief Inspector Manning receiving the first of his two Queen's Commendation
for Bravery from the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Sir John Ruggles-Brise.
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Then history repeated itself in August at the famous "Farmhouse Siege"
at Hammerstones, Coxes Farm Road, Billericay.
SMUGGLE
Fifty - seven - year - old Frederick Street had barricaded himself in
a room in the house armed with a 12 bore and a .410 shotgun, firing around
seventy shots at everyone who attempted to come into range. Chief Insp.
Manning and Insp. John Clark arrived from Billericay Police Station and
managed to smuggle the man's wife and a third man away. Then started the
long vigil, while the Welshman, who used to sing soprano with the London
Choir School, armed only with his silver tongue, tried to coax the man
into surrender.
He talked to Street about the war-they had both seen a lot of action;
Manning was wounded twice while stationed with the Sixth Airborne Division
- and then they discussed the man's heart condition and general health.
Within two-and-a half hours, George and his colleague had both come out
of hiding to talk to Street openly. His guns went down behind bolted windows.
Then his GP arrived to give him sedation and hand the shotguns out to
the waiting police. "I must admit I do a lot of public speaking - especially
with the local Rotary," George Manning confessed. Will he receive another
citation for the Billericay incident? "I honestly can't say," he shrugged.
But I later heard the matter is under review by the Chief Constable of
Essex.
PSYCHOLOGY
Is he a psychologist. of sorts with a real insight into people's minds?
At this the Chief Inspector grinned infectiously: "Like I said before,
I put it down mostly to the Welsh gift of the gab. But I am taking a course
in social studies at Thurrock. So you can definitely say I am very interested
in people and psychology".
On 14th May 1971 George Manning attended the Shire Hall in Chelmsford
to receive his second commendation. The June 1971 edition of the Essex
Police newspaper. 'The Law' reported he had received the commendation
'after an incident at Billericay last year when a man fired shotguns out
of the windows of his house at passers-by. With Inspector John Clark of
Laindon Traffic he calmed the man down until he could be disarmed'. George
Manning also worked on police helicopters at the time when they were hired
form the army.
Right: Chief Inspector Manning pictured (2nd from
right) while working with the pioneering police helicopter unit.
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He loved sport and during his time in the police he played football,
cricket, bowls and golf for police teams, and also for the police college
at Ryton- on-Dunsmore. Locally, he worked tirelessly for charities, was
a past president of the Billericay Rotary Club, and Honorary Life Vice
President of the Billericay Motor Club.
On one of the last days of 30 years' service, George Manning was out
on mobile patrol with a young officer when their vehicle was sent to a
suspected burglary in progress at Hutton. The police vehicle was involved
in a road accident en route, and George Manning and the constable were
badly injured. George Manning tried to release the trapped driver but
collapsed in the process. Six weeks later, on Boxing Day 1976, he died
from his injuries. The 7th January 1977 edition of the Standard Recorder
contained the following report of George Manning's funeral:
Hundreds mourn town's police chief
FINAL TRIBUTE TO A HERO
PEOPLE TURNED out, in their hundreds on Wednesday to pay a final tribute
to Billericay police chief George Manning, whose Boxing Day death shocked
the town.
The hero's farewell came after the funeral cortege passed down the High
Street. Mourners watched in silence as double ranks of regular and special
police formed a guard of honour as the cortege made its way to Christ
Church. It was a fitting end to a police officer who was twice decorated
for bravery and who died as a result of answering a 999 emergency call
three days before he was due to retire.
A standard bearer from the Billericay branch of the Royal British Legion
lowered his flag to half-mast in silent tribute to the man who won the
hearts of the townspeople with his courageous exploits and cheerful manner.
Chief Insp. Manning, who served the town for 16 years, was a long-standing
member and former president of Billericay Rotary Club, and the entire
membership turned out to pay last respects. Sir John Nightingale, Chief
Constable of Essex, and many other high-ranking police officers came to
pay tribute. A special all-ranks group escorted the coffin into the church.
It was led by Billericay's new chief inspector, Mr. Les Brewer, and his
second-in-command, Insp. Tony Tomlinson.
The Vicar of Billericay, the Rev. David Greaves, also a Rotarian, took
the service: In a moving address he told the mourners: "It is wonderful
on an occasion such as this to see such a big church so full that people
are having to stand. All who knew George Manning knew him as a different
person - some as a colleague-some as the governor, some as a good friend.
In these lawless days I am grateful for the job George and all the other
police do."
Sir John Nightingale said after the service: "He was a good policeman
and a very good colleague."
People representing virtually every organisation in the town attended
the funeral, including publicans and solicitors. Tragically, the 999 emergency
call which led to Mr. Manning's death was a false alarm. The accident
happened in November when a police car Mr. Manning was travelling in crashed.
After appearing to be on the way to recovery, Mr. Manning had a relapse
and died on Boxing, Day.
He will be buried in the village of Bramford near Ipswich. Mr. Manning
and his, wife Joyce were due to move there on his retirement and he was
joining the legal department of Suffolk Council. He also leaves a daughter
Heather.
Chief Inspector. Serial Number 3913.
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