A former police women who quit the force for a career as a private investigator has spoken out about her “unusual” professional life ahead of International Women’s Day.
Helen Wilson, 84, left her home in a Fife village to join the police force in Glasgow after her 18th birthday.
She recalled that at the time it was “quite unusual” for women to join the police, but added she found it “exciting” working in the marine division.
But she later left Strathclyde Police, where she had served as a Women Police Constable (WPC) to join a private investigation agency.
The 84-year-old, who now lives in Renaissance Care’s Jesmond care home in Aberdeen, said: “It wasn’t common for young women to work in crime in general in the 60s, never mind as a private detective, but that didn’t stop me.
With the theme of this International Women’s Day being #BreakTheBias, she spoke out about her career choices.
She said: “It was still quite unusual for women to be a part of the Police force back then, but it was something I had always wanted to do.
“I never had much fear and always enjoyed the faster side of life so after my 18th birthday I took myself out of Upper Largo in Fife and moved to the big city, Glasgow.
“I loved being a policewoman, it was exciting working in the marine division and I met my husband-to-be during that time, but my interest in the criminal side of the job had been well and truly piqued and I knew it was something I wanted to try something new.”
Speaking about her work as a private detective she added: “No job was the same, and I met some amazingly interesting people – good and bad, but always with a story to tell.
“From shoplifting to more serious crimes such as assault, I helped solve many crimes for both the defence and the prosecution at the time.
“Still to this day most detectives you see on the TV and in films are men, but that’s outdated. It was skills such as my attention to detail, my ability to speak to anyone and a keen intuition that set me apart in my private detective days.
“And although I don’t use my investigating skills much anymore, I still think I can sniff out a dodgy character from a mile off.”
Jade McGowan, activities co-ordinator at the Jesmond care home praised their very own private detective, hailing her as a “great example of breaking boundaries and bias within gender”.
Ms McGowan added: “She is so inspiring and is a fantastic role model to young women today who still face similar challenges in their own lives.
“We are always sharing life stories and having open and engaging conversations in the home, and International Women’s Day poses a great chance for us to explore more about the residents’ experiences and discuss how things have, and haven’t, changed over generations.”
