Sir Edward (Ted) Crew joined the Metropolitan Police as a Cadet age 16 in 1962.   In 1965, he met Lady Crew, a Staff Nurse at St Helier Hospital and they married in 1967.   In 1969 on the birth of their daughter, Gillian became a full time Mum and  spent her life bringing up the family and supporting her husband as he rose   through the ranks. He was appointed to Kent County Constabulary in 1984 where he served as an Assistant and the Deputy Chief Constable.  During their time in Kent, Sir Edward was the choir’s chairman and both he and Lady Gillian were keen supporters of the choir.  In 1988 Sir Edward attended the Royal College of Defence Studies.  In 1993 he was appointed Chief Constable of Northamptonshire and, in 1996, Chief Constable for the West Midlands.  He was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 1990 and was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant in 1997.  He was knighted in 2001 and in the same year awarded an honorary doctorate of laws at Birmingham University. 

 

Both Ted and Gillian are committed Christians, remain very happily married and are proud that their two children have followed Ted into the police service.  His son, Duncan is a serving inspector in the Metropolitan Police and his daughter, Dame Lynne Owens, DCB, CBE, QPM is the Deputy Commissioner  of the Metropolitan Police.  They now live in Surrey.