John Frederick Shrimplin
Served with Essex County Constabulary from May 14, 1964 and died on March 2, 1970.
Police constable John Shrimplin was a Chelmsford man who worked at Marconi's before becoming a policeman. Motor cycles were one of his passions, and after being stationed at Harlow he transferred to Harlow Traffic, soon becoming a first class advanced Traffic motor cyclist; he was also qualified in firearms.
John Shrimplin had three sons and a daughter, and actively encouraged his children to share his motor cycling interests, even to the extent of building a miniature motor cycle in the loft at home during his spare time.
Peter became a care worker looking after people with difficulties. Paul is a self-employed plumber, and Sarah lives in Hong Kong where she is a marketing manager.
On 2nd March 1970 John Shrimplin was patrolling on his motor cycle at Epping, when he was struck and killed by a car which swerved into him from the opposite carriageway.
The Law - the newspaper of the Essex and Southend-on-Sea Joint Constabulary
Tragic accident at Epping
It is with regret that we record that Constable John Shrimplin of the Harlow traffic sub-division, was tragically killed in a road accident on Monday, March 2, 1970. He had been on motor cycle patrol duty on the A11 near Epping when his machine and a mini car were in collision. The driver of the car was also killed.
John was featured in an earlier edition of The Law when we reported that he had made a miniature motor cycle for his sons to ride. This attracted the attention of national newspapers and several subsequently published photographs of John and Alan, his eldest son, on their machines.
With the consent of Mrs' Shrimplin we are able to reproduce one of the photographs.
The motor cycle, a perfectly finished working machine, had been made up from old pedal cycle and moped parts with painstaking care. Mrs' Shrimplin has agreed to the suggestion of Chief Superintendent H. F. Smith, Commander of the Traffic Division, that it should be displayed in the model room at the Force driving school until such time as the family desire its return - which is particularly appropriate for on an advanced motor cycle course in 1968 her husband achieved one of the highest markings to be obtained by any student.
Constable Shrimplin, who hailed from Ulting, was 32 years of age. He joined the Force in 1964 and had been stationed at DHQ Harlow before transferring to the traffic division.
He leaves a wife and four children aged 18 months to seven years. We offer our deepest sympathy of their dad loss. The funeral which was held at Parndon Wood Crematorium, Harlow, was attended by about 150 police officers, who included the Chief and Deputy Chief.
November 1969 edition number 8
Just like Dad
Like most boys, Alan Shrimplin wants to be just like the "old man" and when it comes to riding a motor bike the urge to imitate is even stronger.PC John Shrimplin got hold of an old moped 49cc engine and after a great deal of work got it working.
He decided to make Alan a small motor bike He used an old cycle frame cut down to size and by shopping around a bit found all the other small-sized fittings to go with the frame he had made.
The finished bike is a perfect working model and goes quite fast. It has an automatic clutch, hub brakes front and rear, footrests and a stand.
John takes his son to a Harlow park where the boy rides over all sorts of terrain and is becoming quite an expert. He has had one or two tumbles but only through putting the front brake on too sharply.