Outside of work Goronwy pursued his great interest in rugby, playing for the Portsmouth City Police Team for many years and captaining the team during his time at Southsea. As well as the police team he also played for the fledgling Havant Rugby Club, then starting up with only a rough pitch and old wooden club house to its name. The strength of character and self-confidence that the hard knocks of the rugby field instilled in him, equipped Goronwy well to cope with conflict within the police, even if it was a disagreement with the Assistant Chief Constable.
The dispute with the A.C.C. started when Goronwy was assigned to point duty in the High Street at Old Portsmouth. A service was being held at the cathedral, attended by numerous local dignitaries. Goronwy was told not to allow any vehicles past his point, so when the Assistant Chief Constable’s car approached he indicated to it to divert.
The driver however, just drove straight past ignoring his signal. No doubt his annoyance showed on his face and he was summoned to the A.C.C.’s office. The Assistant Chief Constable’s initial criticism was countered when Goronwy explained his instructions. Not happy with this he then criticised Goronwy for being improperly dressed, by not having his George Medal ribbon on his tunic. This was again countered by the reply that the Force had not had the courtesy to sew it on his uniform. He was then ordered to report to the tailor who was instructed to sew it on!
His last three and a half years at “C’ Division were some of the most enjoyable of his service. He was assigned to cycle duties and was responsible for patrolling all of Southsea and Eastney, without being confined to a specific beat he had more freedom. One of his main priorities as a cycle beat man was to check all the unoccupied houses on the Division during each tour of duty, quite a sizeable task. The 1st November 1954 saw him leaving Southsea for the final time.
He swapped the pleasant residential areas of Southsea for the rougher, more rugged areas of “A” Division Central, incorporating areas like Portsea, with the notorious Queen Street.
Shortly after arriving at “A” Division he joined other Portsmouth City officers drafted to London for the 1955 railway strike. He served with a detachment under the charge of a famous Portsmouth City character called Jonah Williams. The detachment was accommodated in the Chelsea Section House. Goronwy recalls two particular incidents clearly. On one occasion P.S. Jonah Williams formed the men up in single file and marched them smartly out of the section house, following on behind the detachment.
Their Metropolitan Police colleagues stood by quite surprised at the sight of a tradition, which had not been seen In London for many years. Whilst stationed in London the Portsmouth officer continued to perform routine police work dealing with motoring and cycling offences, whilst assigned to strike duties. This dedication earned the praise of a senior Metropolitan Police Officer who extolled his own men to follow the excellent example of the Portsmouth officers, a suggestion which did not go down very well with his own officers.
The 5th January 1959 saw him moving on again to “B’ Division where he was stationed at Fratton and Kingston Crescent Police Stations. This completed his “tour’ of all the Divisions in the city during his service. Nineteen months after moving he was awarded the Police Long Service Medal in August 1960, in recognition of 22 years exemplary service.
His final move was to be on the 7th January 1963 when he moved to Cosham, “D” Division. Whilst stationed at Cosham he alternated between beat duties and area car duties, patrolling the northern boundaries of the city. It was during this period that police communications passed a major landmark with the introduction of the personal radio. Goronwy recalls however, that they were of limited value. If you were on patrol in Farlington you could not maintain contact with Cosham Police Station a couple of miles away!
The 10th of January 1966 saw him take up the post of Station Duty Officer at Cosham. Fifteen months after moving into the station one more event, perhaps the most significant ever, in the history of the Portsmouth City Police was to be witnessed by Goronwy, the amalgamation with Hampshire.
As midnight came on the 31st March 1967 Goronwy and his colleagues of the City Force, joined together with the men of the County Force under the new title of Hampshire Constabulary. By the summer of 1968 with 30 years service to his credit P.C. 77 Goronwy Wynne Evans G.M. finally hung his tunic and helmet upon the peg for the last time, Only just fifty years of age he took a position with the education authority as an Education Welfare Officer working in Portsmouth. It was to be a further 15 years before he retired for good in 1983.
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