News Tributes paid to former police chief
Tributes have been pouring in for a former Goole police chief hailed as the 'bobby's bobby'.
Stanley Powis died aged 88 on July 7, leaving behind three daughters.
He had been suffering from myeloma, a type of blood-cell cancer, and had been receiving treatment at Goole & District Hospital before being transferred to Scunthorpe, where he died.
His wife Mavis - who was one of the first women in the country to become a police officer - died a few months ago.
Mr Powis, who served as Chief Superintendent at Goole when the town had its own police division, was a highly-esteemed officer who served in the town up until the mid-1970s.
Friends and family say that, after the death of his wife - whom he nursed through illness while he being unwell himself - Mr Powis's health went rapidly downhill.
Mr Powis's daughter Kathryn, who now lives in Hyde, Greater Manchester, said: "Dad was a very ethically-driven person; he was so protective of his daughters and so very caring and loyal. He was one of the last of the old breed in many ways."
She added: "His focus was on caring for mum, and, as soon as mum died, the symptoms came out and he didn't last very long.
"It was a partnership that lasted 60 years and they stuck through thick and thin. He wanted to be there for her but once mum had gone there wasn't the same fight because he didn't think he had this overwhelming job to do to take care of mum."
A service attended by family and close friends was held at Haltemprice Crematorium last Thursday, July 17. Mr Powis lived on Western Road in Goole.
Little more than two months ago Mrs Powis was cremated at the same place.
The Rev Ken Sargeantson, who took the service, said: "He was a proper man's man, a bobby's bobby. He knew their problems because he knew what being an ordinary bobby was. He came through the ranks himself, so he understood what ordinary bobbies faced, and he could empathise with them.
"He would go out on the beat with them because that's what he'd done. He taught by example."
Mr Sargeantson, who is now retired but still helps with the Goole team ministry, also took the funeral service for Mrs Powis in May.
"He (Mr Powis) spent his time just caring for his wife at home," said Mr Sargeantson. "He may already have had it (cancer) but he kept it to himself.
"It was only when she died that he agreed to go to the doctor, and he found he had cancer. He didn't live long after that. We believe he kept himself alive to keep his wife alive."
He added: "He was a nice guy and he did a lot of good for Goole in the time that he was here.
"People like him should not be forgotten - there's too much of that nowadays. He was much-respected by the officers who worked under him."
Mr Powis, who lived in Goole for over 40 years, was educated at Tadcaster Grammar School. When he left he enlisted with the Royal Navy and, during the war, served on destroyers in the south Atlantic and Indian Ocean.
Mr Powis ended up with a mystery bug and spent time in the infamous River Kwai Hospital in the Far East.
After returning from active service he joined the former West Riding Police Force and it was during his time as a probationer in Morley that he met his wife-to-be, who had been in the Land Army during the war years.
Mrs Powis was WPC 25, her serial number indicating that she was the 25th female police officer in the county.
The couple were married in Dewsbury and went on to have three daughters - Kathryn, Elizabeth and Diane. The obligations of motherhood saw Mrs Powis retire early from the police force.
Mr Powis rose through the ranks until he became chief superintendent at Goole before it was a part of the Humberside force.
During his time in Goole he had a superintendent, two chief inspectors, two inspectors and numerous sergeants and police constables under him.
After retiring from the force Mr Powis went on to work for Taylor Broomer Solicitors in Goole, where he put to further use his vast knowledge of criminal law.
Published on 24th July 2008 in News.
Add to: Digg | del.icio.us | Reddit
Comments
There are currently no comments
Comment
All comments are subject to moderation (during normal office hours) and may be amended.
Email addresses are required for administration purposes only.
By contributing your comments, you accept our terms and conditions.