Corps Security Timeline

2009

2009 -

The Corps of Commissionaires’ 150th birthday was hosted in the presence of the Chief Life Governor, Her Majesty The Queen. The event, held at St James’s Palace in London on 9th June saw The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh join staff and customers from The Corps of Commissionaires’ offices all over the world.
2008

2008 -

The Corps of Commissionaires rebrands to Corps Security, invests in a state of the art CCTV monitoring station which achieves the NSI Gold Award.
1997

1997 -

The Corps of Commissionaires Papua New Guinea was established employing nationals in security related roles. The company was sold in 2013.
1991

1991 -

The new, and existing, head quarters of the company was purchased in Farringdon in 1991.
1986
- 1989

1986 - 1989 -

By 1986, over 1000 officers were being placed into permanent roles every year by the company. As the business evolved offices were relocated and a computer system installed to assist future expansion plans.
1984

1984 -

The Corps of Commissionaires was reorganised dramatically in 1984 in order to ensure its survival. Individual officer’s skills were capitalised.
1975

1975 -

Commandant Lieutenant Colonel Reginald Walter retired, thus ending an unbroken line of Walter family running the company.
1973

1973 -

The Corps of Commissionaires became a limited company.
1969

1969 -

Membership was opened to all the armed and emergency services.
1930
- 1939

1930 - 1939 -

The Corps of Commissionaires weathered the depression in the 1930’s and numbers continued to grow to 5100 colleagues by 1939, however, once again 1355 colleagues left to join the services during World War II.
1925

1925 -

The Canadian Corps of Commissionaires was established under the same principles as the UK operation. Today the Commissionaires, as they are now known, operates through 15 divisions across all three Canadian territories with over 21,000 members.
1914

1914 -

The Corps of Commissionaires ranks swelled to 4750, however , the advent of the Great War meant 2145 members left to join the services.
1901

1901 -

His Majesty King Edward VII consented to head the list of Governors. The reigning sovereign has held the office of Chief of Life Governors ever since.
1885

1885 -

Captain Edward Walter was knighted.
1884

1884 -

Australian division formed in Sydney in 1884 and based in Victoria in 1946. Currently an ex-service, welfare and philanthropic organization covering all Australian states.
1873
- 1919

1873 - 1919 -

The Barracks were established in London. The Corps of Commissionaires continued to expand across the UK with Divisions in Belfast in 1876 , and Liverpool in 1880, and Glasgow in 1881, Edinburgh and Manchester 1882, Birmingham 1890, Newcastle 1895, Bristol 1901 and Nottingham 1919.
1865

1865 -

With the support of HRH Duke of Cambridge, Captain Edward Walter secured the services of a number of distinguished officers as Governors. This body became The Corps of Commissionaires management and remained in place until his death in 1904.
1859

1859 -

The Corps of Commissionaires established. Captain Edward Walter marched with seven soldiers and one sailor to Westminster Abbey to give thanks to the early success of the movement.

20092008199719911986 - 198919841975197319691930 - 1939192519141901188518841873 - 191918651859

Our Social Values

We protect more than you think

There’s a lot more to Corps Security than you might expect. Yes, we are experts in security and we have over 166 years of experience. But we’re also experts in how to put sustainability and diversity at the heart of everything we do.

We are a Social Enterprise

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