Fay Allen

Sislin Fay Allen (née Patterson; – 4 July 2021), known as Fay Allen, was a British and Jamaican police officer who was the first black woman police constable in the United Kingdom, serving in the Metropolitan Police in London from 1968 to 1972. She also worked for the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

Early life and family Allen was born in Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica, as the youngest of ten children to Frances (née Ogilve) and Ebenezer Patterson. Her mother died when Allen was 13, after which she was raised by her aunt, who was a judge. She left school to care for her ill father, who died in 1962.

Allen moved to the United Kingdom in 1961 or 1962. She lived in Thornton Heath, Croydon. She qualified as a State enrolled nurse in October 1963, having trained at Queen's Hospital, Croydon with placements at the Purley War Memorial Hospital and Waddon Hospital, Croydon. She then worked at Queen's Hospital, Croydon, a geriatric facility in south London. She was married to a fellow Jamaican immigrant and had two children.

After training at Peel House for 13 weeks, she was posted to Fell Road police station in Croydon, where she lived, on 29 April 1968, aged 29. She experienced more prejudice from the black community than from her colleagues or from white people in Croydon, After a year in Croydon, she was posted to the Missing Persons Bureau at Scotland Yard for a while before being transferred back to the beat at Norbury police station. There she joined the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

She died in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, on 4 July 2021, aged 83. Her death was announced the following day.

Legacy Allen has been an inspiration to women wanting to join the police and especially for black women police officers such as Commander Alison Heydari.

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