During WW1, women did lots of jobs previously reserved for men. The idea of a female police constable was unheard of until then, when there was a severe shortage of policemen. The Women's Police Volunteers (WPV) was founded in 1914 by Nina Boyle and Margaret Damer Dawson and it was staffed by volunteers.
In 1915 the WPV was renamed the Women’s Police Service with Dawson at the head. Inarrest and a wage of 28 shillings a week (£1.40). Her duties were to deal with cases where women were involved, and she was particularly concerned with trying to reduce the number of prostitutes in Grantham who were attracted there by the nearby army base. In April 1917, her wage rose to £2.10 shillings (£2.50 a week). This was more than the oldest male police constable in the force because her ‘duties were most onerous’ and considered that she was also a qualified nurse.
