 |
IN MEMORIAM ARTHUR
TROOP, BEM
|
|
It
is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we announce the death of
our esteemed Founder, Arthur Troop, who died peacefully at the
Sue Ryder Hospice, Peterborough, on Thursday 30th
November 2000 at
4.50 p.m., following a brave fight against cancer.
He was 85 years old. Arthur
is survived by Marjorie, sons Barry and Kevin, and daughter Susan.
Our thoughts and condolences go out to the Troop family, who have
supported and cared for Arthur so magnificently, during his illness over
the past 18 months. Arthur
Troop was born on the 15th December 1914 in Lincoln, England
where he spent his childhood and attended local schools.
His working life began as a mechanic but quickly he found
interest in other things.
He studied at Ruskin College, Oxford for a diploma in Economics
and Social Sciences.
During this time he also made a 3-year study of Russian History.
He was awarded a bursary to visit Moscow and Leningrad in 1934.
Thereafter, followed a two-year study of agriculture at Avoncroft
Agricultural College in the Vale of Evesham, Worcestershire.
On 19th June 1936 Arthur joined the Lincolnshire
Police where he performed duties in various departments but specialised
in traffic.
Shortly
after the Second World War, Arthur set about the enormous task of
founding a World Friendship Organisation for police officers.
He had always had a great faith in people talking to each other,
rather than fighting and always believed in the positive qualities of
friendship.
At that time, however, he was regarded as an eccentric and
experienced considerable opposition from his Police Chief and the Home
Office.
In
the years 1948–49 contact was made with police friends at home and
abroad.
In 1949 an article was published in the British Police Review under the pseudonym of ‘Aytee’.
Following an amazing response, Arthur was convinced he should
proceed.
The
IPA was founded on 1 January 1950 under the Esperanto motto SERVO
PER AMIKECO (Service Through Friendship) and Arthur Troop became
the first Secretary General of the British Section.
At the same time, with the help of early pioneers he worked
untiringly to encourage the founding of other National Sections.
In 1955, at the first International Executive Committee meeting
in Paris, he became the first International Secretary General, a post he
held until he stood down in 1966 for
personal
reasons. Following
Arthur Troop’s achievement in creating what was to become the Worlds Largest Police Organisation, there was a change in the
Authorities’ view towards the International Police Association.
In the Queen’s Birthday Honours List of 1965 Arthur Troop was
awarded the British Empire Medal for his work in Founding the IPA.
He was later to receive many high awards from abroad. These
included: an Honorary Doctorate from Canada; the Cross of Honour from
the President of the Republic of Austria; and following the unveiling of
the Arthur Troop statue on the great Plain of Hungary in 1998, he was
presented with the ‘Golden Sword of Hungary’ by the State.
On
retiring from the police service in 1966, Arthur Troop’s desire to
help others continued.
He took up another career with the Lincolnshire Social Service
Department, as a Home Visitor for the Blind and again achieved National
recognition for his charity work in providing Guide Dogs.
Even during his illness Arthur and Marjorie continued to run the
Stamford Blind Club. As
an ex-officio member of the International Committee (Permanent Executive
Bureau), our Founder regularly attended international meetings, where
his advice was heeded and respected.
At the XIth World Congress in 1985, he became the
first recipient of the Association's Gold Medal.
At the 26th IEC Conference in Vienna, in 1995, Arthur
was awarded the IPA World Police Prize.
Our
Founder’s death has come as a terrible shock to us all, especially as
his good health and physical ability to deal with all situations was
legendary.
In spite of his serious ill-health Arthur prepared himself well
for the 50th Anniversary of his
IPA. He
was determined that he and Marjorie would be present in Bournemouth from
the 8th to the 14th May for the XVI World Congress
and the Anniversary celebrations.
No-one present will ever forget the courage and tenacity shown by
our Founder, who remarkably attended the arduous plenary sessions as
well as taking part in the social programme. In
his address before HRH Princess Anne in the opening ceremony, Arthur
made a big impression on us all.
In her reply the Princess paid tribute to “the
man from Lincolnshire, for ruthlessly pursuing the arduous task of
establishing the International Police Association by SERVICE THROUGH
FRIENDSHIP”.
Her Royal Highness went on to say “Arthur Troop came through
much adversity, isolation and disinterest from further up the ladder
than we can ever realise”.
It was this tenacity and sense of purpose that kept Arthur
positive and determined right up to the day of his death. But
another anniversary was yet to come – on the 22nd June
Arthur and Marjorie were able to celebrate 60 years of marriage, their
Diamond Wedding Anniversary.
Family, friends, neighbours and the IPA world had remembered
their special day.
At an early hour greeting cards, telephone messages and flowers
started to arrive at their home. The
year 2000, and especially the 50th Anniversary in Bournemouth,
gave us all the opportunity to celebrate the founding of the IPA with
Arthur.
Now in the same year we mourn for him with heavy hearts.
However, our Association as it grows and flourishes will be an
eternal memory to Arthur – an ordinary British policeman with a dream
who achieved his goals by founding the world’s largest police
organisation.
Alan
F Carter E-mail: isg@ipa-iac.org |
