From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 4 March 1950.

The Sergeant Takes a Pub.

WHITSTABLE POLICE OFFICER TO BECOME "NOAR'S ARK" LICENSEE.

By the retirement which takes place on March 12th, of Sergeant William Arthur Harrington, of 13, Linden Avenue, Whitstable, the town will lose a popular police officer. But it will at the same time gain a publican, for three days after he takes off his uniform for the last time, Sergeant Harrington is to become "Mine Host" at the "Noah’s Ark," Canterbury Road.

A native of Chatham, "Bill" Harrington joined the Royal Artillery in 1914 and served with distinction at the Somme, Paschendale and the final German retreat. He was demobilised in 1919 with the rank of sergeant signal instructor.

He joined the Kent County Constabulary in 1920 and after his initial training was stationed for five years at Dartford where for a time the activities of the Sinn Fein movement made life hectic to say the least of it.

Leaving Dartford, he was sent to Wren's Cross, the Maidstone headquarters of the County Police, becoming clerk and lockup keeper to the Bearsted Division. Here, under his daily care, came criminals of all types and during World World II, large numbers of German prisoners-of-war.

GUARDED AIR ACE.

One of the latter, he recalls, was the noted German air ace, Barron Von Werra who was shot down at Marden. Von Werra was later sent to Canada where he escaped and making his way back to Germany, returned to the air war only to be shot down over the Russian front — and this time killed.

"Bill" Harrington was at Wren’s Cross until 1941, when he was transferred in the same capacity to the new police headquarters, at Sutton Road, Maidstone. In 1943 he was given an appointment in the office of the newly-formed Traffic Department, one of his main duties being the routing of military convoys passing through Kent.

Promoted to the rank of Sergeant, in 1944, he came to Whitstable where, during the last six of his thirty years’ service, he has created a host of friends.

Apart from his normal police duties. "Bill" Harrington has always been keenly interested in Police Federation work. For 22 years he was a representative on the Kent Federation, holding at various periods the offices of Chairman of the Constables’ Board and Vice-Chairman of the Sergeants’ Board. On several occasions he has served as delegate to London conferences.

It is of interest to record also that he has served under no less than five Chief Constables — Colonel Warde, Major Chapman, Captain Davidson, Sir Percy Sillitoe and Major Ferguson.

KEEN SPORTSMAN.

A keen sportsman, Mr. Harrington played in his younger days for the County Police cricket team and for his Divisional football team. That his enthusiasm still remains, is evidenced by the continued interest that he takes in the fortunes of Whitstable F.C. and the Whitstabie and Tankerton C.C.

Mr. and Mrs. Harrington, who have a son — a student at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art — and a daughter of school age, hope to take over the "Noah's Ark" on March 15th.

"I hope my old friends will drop in and see me occasionally," says Mr. Harrington — and we hope so as well. If "Bill" Harrington’s popularity as a police officer is emulated by his success as a publican, then the "Noah’s Ark" seems destined to become one of Whitstable’s most crowded licensed houses.