Mystery of 1910 black policeman solved - he was white

It was just an old black-and-white photograph but it posed an intriguing question: did the Metropolitan Police have black officers almost a century ago?

The picture, from Chislehurst, Kent, in 1910, seemed to suggest it did. If true, it would upset most people's preconceptions about the recruitment of black officers.

The records say the first black policeman in Britain was Astley Lloyd Blair, who joined the Gloucestershire force in 1964.

Norwell Roberts became the Met's first black officer in 1967.

Now the Evening Standard - with the help of a local historian - may have solved the mystery.

On the left is another photo of the same scene, taken moments apart on that same day in September 1910. It shows the same constable. Only this time he appears to be white.

Roy Hopper, of The Chislehurst Society, believes he appeared to be black in the first photo because he moved. Ex-librarian Mr Hopper who owns the second picture, says: "Film speeds were slow in those days, and the shutter speed may have been insufficient to freeze this movement.

"I think the photographic evidenceis insufficient to prove him definitely to have been black."

Leroy Logan, head of the Met's Black Police Association (BPA), said: "It looks like the two police officers are the same. I am not disappointed. We have had dozens of calls about the appeal [to name him]. Normally we only get negative feedback to some of the critical issues that we deal with."

And the hunt isn't over. A black officer in Manchester told the BPA his mother spoke of a relative in the Met in about 1900. Chief Inspector Logan said: "I am still keeping my options open."