A police pioneer and later Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Gladys Howard spent most of her life in dedicated public service. Her posthumously-published memoirs paint a picture of a woman succeeding in an age before equal rights and opportunities had become established.

Gladys always lived in the city of Portsmouth and she describes growing up in Portsea before moving on to the Blitz years, dodging flying lumps of molten shrapnel. Joining Portsmouth City Police in 1947, Gladys went on to became the City’s first police women sergeant and inspector. A remarkable woman. This book is full of interest for those who want to know more about Portsmouth, women policing and civic duty.