Blue plaque to murdered Brighton police chief unveiled

A Brighton police chief who was murdered on the job will be permanently remembered thanks to a blue plaque.

Henry Solomon was appointed the first chief police officer of Brighton in 1838 – the first Jewish person in the country to be appointed to that prominent role.

However, six years later he was murdered in Brighton Town Hall after being hit on the head when interviewing a man caught stealing carpet.

Thanks to the work of local campaigners, a blue plaque has now been installed on the side of the building as a permanent reminder to the local man.

Averil Older, of the Brighton and Hove Commemorative Plaque Panel, told The Latest: “We wanted to do it on an anniversary of his death.

“People love to know about all the famous people that lived in Brighton and Hove in the past. We’re just continuing that tradition.

“It’s good for the tourists coming down. What we like is that if people haven’t heard of them they will look them up.

“Some of the people are well known, like Charles Dickens, but others are more locally famous. The one thing they do have in common is that they all have fascinating stories.”

Sussex Police and representatives of the Jewish community provided the money for the plaque, which cost about £1,100.

Chief Superintendent Nev Kemp, of Sussex Police, who posted the above picture on Twitter, said: “Henry Solomon was clearly a remarkable and well-respected man who was murdered while on duty and leading the Borough Police Force in Brighton.

“I am delighted, as the current police commander for the city, to know that we have secured this blue plaque in his honour.

“Henry Solomon reminds us of some of the great traditions of policing, which still carries with it an element of risk in order to protect the public.”

Geoffrey Bowden, chairman of Brighton and Hove City Council’s culture committee chairman, said: “This blue plaque marks a tragic event but is an important reminder of someone whose life and work made a difference to the locality.

“Henry Solomon’s good character and standing in Brighton’s community is well documented and this is a further, fitting tribute to his memory.”