A pre-War M.V.O. group of five awarded to Police Superintendent J. W. Carter, Portsmouth Division, Metropolitan Police

The Royal Victorian Order, M.V.O., Member’s 5th Class breast badge, silver and enamel, unnumbered; Jubilee 1897, silver, unnamed as issued; Jubilee 1887, 1 clasp, 1897, Metropolitan Police, bronze (Inspr. J. W. Carter. 1st. Div:); Coronation 1902, silver, unnamed as issued; Coronation 1902, Metropolitan Police, silver (Supt. J. W. Carter. 2nd. Div.) mounted for display in this order, good very fine (5) £500-£700

M.V.O. London Gazette 17 August 1906: Superintendent James William Carter, Portsmouth Division, Metropolitan Police.

James William Carter was born at Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, on 4 July 1845 and joined the Metropolitan Police on 10 July 1865. He served for his entire career at the various Naval Dockyards (which between 1860 and 1922 were policed by the Metropolitan Police), initially at Woolwich Arsenal (1st Division), before transferring to Chatham (4th Division) on 3 July 1866. He returned to Woolwich Arsenal on 11 October 1869, and served there for he next 24 years, being promoted Police Sergeant on 17 July 1873, and Inspector on 15 May 1878, before transferring to Chatham with the rank of Chief Inspector on 4 February 1893. Transferring once more to Pembroke (5th Division) on 5 October 1893, he was promoted Superintendent of Police on 31 October 1894, and then transferred to Portsmouth (2nd Division) on 1 February 1895.

Serving as Superintendent in Charge of the Metropolitan Police at Portsmouth Dockyard, Carter was invested with the insignia of the Royal Victorian Order in August 1906 on the occasion of H.M. King Edward VII arriving in Portsmouth from Cowes. ‘The Order has been conferred in recognition of Mr. Carter’s services on the several occasions that his Majesty has visited Portsmouth’ The Illustrated London News, 25 August 1906 refers). He retired to pension on 1 May 1907, after 41 years and 295 days’ service.

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Note: From the date of his appointment in Portsmouth Dockyard in 1895, Carter was also employed on Ordinary Duty by the Admiralty, which presumably accounts for the double issue of both the 1897 Jubilee Medal and the 1902 Coronation Medal.