Former Dundee City Police officer Peter Griggs, who was honoured by the Queen for his charitable work, has died aged 96.
He joined the force in 1951 and went on to serve through the formation of Tayside Police before retiring in 1981.
Peter was born in Lincoln but arrived in wartime Dundee as a Royal Navy sailor, where he met and fell in love with Margaret Mitchell.
He will be remembered in Lochee in particular for the huge efforts he made along with fellow officer Alex Mackenzie to collect waste paper.
It is estimated they gathered 40 tonnes of paper, which was exchanged for cash to buy wheelchairs.
Tribute
Matt Hamilton, president of the Retired Police Officers’ Association, said: “In the 1970s, Peter and Alex embarked on a fantastic and selfless project to collect funds for people who needed wheelchairs.
“Storage of the paper was going to be a problem but that was solved by commandeering cell space at Lochee police station.
“I have learnt from Peter’s grandson, also now a retired police officer, that he was approached by an ex colleague in Perth who was eternally grateful when one of these chairs was supplied to his son.”
Arrival
Peter was just 20 when his ship docked in Dundee for maintenance in January 1945.
The sailors were invited to an art college ball where he met Margaret Mitchell, 19, a secretary at greeting card manufacturer Valentine of Dundee.
Margaret and Peter hit it off. They were engaged by May and married in Lincoln on September 8 1945, six days after VJ Day and the official end of the Second World War.
Police career
Peter was 26 when he joined Dundee City Police He served in Kirkton for a few years before joining CID as a detective constable in 1953.
Even from an early age, Peter was involved in charitable worked within the force. After promotion to sergeant and, a further period on the streets, he was moved to the community involvement department.
Mr Hamilton said: “Peter was embedded in the community and went round retirement homes for many years with other colleagues entertaining residents with mini concerts.
“Without doubt, he will have helped so many other along the way. In 1977 Peter was presented with his British Empire Medal by then Lord Provost Vaughan in the presence of the then Chief Constable John Little.
Charity work
“He retired from Tayside Police in 1981 but continued his charitable work well into retirement.”
In 2020, Peter and Margaret, who had daughters Dianne and Hilary, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary.