What have we got here then? Pc's collection up for sale

THE hit TV series Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes may have offered viewers a trip down the memory lane of police chic.

But to get their hands on a West Riding Police helmet, a Leeds City Police whistle, a strap on a gunbelt or an old police bike headlight, the BBC props department need look no further than Yorkshire's John Buck Collection.

For almost all his working life Ministry of Defence policeman John Buck had only one beat. From 1964 to 1989 he patrolled the North York Moors protecting the RAF Fylingdales "golf balls" from trespassers, protesters and, on one occasion, an escaped bear.

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But off-duty, his work with an organisation that promotes ties between police forces around the world brought him into contact with bobbies around the globe – allowing him to amass an astonishing collection of police memorabilia.

Now, following his death 18 months ago, the John Buck Collection is to go under the hammer at Scarborough auctioneers David Duggleby's on Saturday, with an estimated value of 4,000-6,000.

The nearly 100 lots represent a journey through time from the Victorian era, when Peelers were armed with nothing more than an old fashioned truncheon, to more modern riot gear.

He collected badges, buttons, belt buckles, helmets, police motorcycle head gear, riot helmets, tunics, great coats, rain coats, gun belts, holsters, truncheons and batons and even bike lights.

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Pc Buck had a passion for police work from when he got married in 1956, when he was working in Scarborough as a caterer for local bakers Cooplands.

In 1964, aged 35, he fulfilled his ambition and joined the Ministry of Defence Police, although all through his career he continued to bake wedding cakes for people.

Every night he left his wife Joyce, and daughters Janet and Karen at home in Scarborough to go out and "walk the moors all night", Janet recalled.

As well as dealing with security threats, he was always ready to extend the long arm of the law to help a stranded motorist or lost holidaymaker.

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"One night he even came across a bear that was roaming around," Janet recalled. "I think it had escaped from a circus before there were all these animal regulations.

"The International Police Authority promotes ties between police forces all over the world so obviously his collection grew. When we took a holiday in America and he met officers in Los Angeles, San Francisco and the Vegas PD.

"He always had a huge respect for the police even before he went into it."

At first, Pc Buck showed off his finds in his front room. But by the time he retired in 1989 with a long service medal, his collection had grown so much it was lying around all over, as well as in drawers and boxes.

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After he died in 2009 the family did not know what to do with his collection, which was far too big to display in the house, his daughter said, adding: "It is hard to see it go but what do you do with it?"

Now it has now been divided into 94 lots for sale at Duggleby's on Saturday. Lots 41 to 45 feature all Yorkshire material, including badges and helmets.

There are Scarborough badges, before the force was absorbed into the county force. One Scarborough badge is being donated to the resort's Rotunda Museum because Pc Buck wanted it to remain in the town.

The collection also includes a black Victorian truncheon – a Queen Victoria Bingley-crested turned wooden tipstaff – and badges from and equipment from all over the world including the US, Commonwealth, Gibraltar, the former East Germany, and Russia.

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The vast majority of lots are badges from all over the world, ranging from Yorkshire to Naples to the West Indies, New Zealand, Australia and Egypt.

Passion for policing...

The collection includes:

Belgium police helmet badges prior to nationalisation in 1954, in one tray

Insignia from French police and Gendarmerie, French zones of occupation 1945-1952, Austrian cap badge, volunteer fireman – policeman circa 1850

York city and York and North East Yorkshire badges, belt buckle and insignia

Rare Southend-on-Sea constabulary white police helmet

Four Berlin and East German police hats and caps

USA police issue leather full gun rig

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Seven assorted police truncheons and batons and a police bicycle lamp

Elizabeth II turned wood baton and three Tipstaffs – a sort of truncheon – with crown pommels

A 19th century turned ebony and brass capped Tipstaff

A Queen Victoria "Bingley" crested turned wood tipstaff.