Talk:Shirley Becke

Ranks
According to her Telegraph obituary she was promoted as follows: detective sergeant (1948), detective chief inspector (1963), chief superintendent (1966), commander (1969).

In her Guardian obituary: sergeant (1952), inspector (1957), superintendent (1960), commander (1969)

There is an obvious difference between the Sergeant dates (1948 or 1952). There is also an issue with her supposed promotion to Superintendent before she becomes a Detective Chief Inspector.

Perhaps someone could clear this up? I'm not as sharp with police ranks as I am with military ones; I don't know if there's a central database where notes of these promotions are kept for example. Gaia Octavia Agrippa Talk |Sign 16:33, 15 December 2011 (UTC)
 * The Telegraph obit doesn't specifically say she was promoted to DCI in 1963. It's just badly worded. I think it's fairly clear that she was promoted to DCI in c.1959, when she was transferred to Scotland Yard as the Met's most senior women detective. That being the case, I think I'd go with the Guardian's date for her promotion to sergeant. And no, there's no central database. The Met retains its own records (if it hasn't got rid of personnel records for that long ago). -- Necrothesp (talk) 16:46, 15 December 2011 (UTC)