"I've turned boys into men and policemen into coppers," said the Sergeant. "Policemen have got brains, but coppers, they've got brains and common sense." No two days were ever the same for bobby-on-the-beat Martyn Johnson. Come rain or come shine, he patrolled his patch with a sharp eye for troublemakers and a kind word for those in need of a friend. Whether he was pursuing unlikely coal thieves, tracking down peacocks gone AWOL or investigating mysterious flying saucers over Sheffield, PC Johnson faced every new challenge with a smile and a healthy dose of his copper's common sense. In his charming and funny memoir, Martyn Johnson recalls the rogues, cheats and scoundrels—as well as the many friends—who made his life on the beat so unforgettable.

What's Tha Up To?: Memories of a Yorkshire Bobby

Biographies & Memoirs

Johnson, Martyn

Professionals & Academics

Little, Brown Book Group

'Many times I heard people say that you'll have no friends if you're a policeman. How wrong they were. If you were right with them, they were right with you.'
 PC Martyn Johnson is back on the beat with more hilarious and heart-warming stories from the golden age of policing.
With his nose for trouble and a knack for mischief, there's no such thing as a quiet shift for the friendly Yorkshire bobby - from drunken dogs and runaway horses to high-speed chases after Burglar Bill, there's always something to keep him busy and always another troublemaker to put to rights. 
And with a cuppa-tea stop and a familiar face on every corner of his beat, he's never far from a friend.

What's Tha Up To Nah?

Politics & Social Sciences

Social Sciences

SPHERE

Martyn Johnson's What's Tha Up To This Time? continues his wonderful stories about policing during the 1960s and 1970s. As with his previous two volumes, the best selling What's Tha Up to? and What's Tha Up to Nah?, this book is written from the heart, not so much nostalgia as a genuine feeling for the people, animals, places and history of Sheffield.From naked young ladies at Wentworth Woodhouse to suspicious scrap yards and secondhand shops, shoplifters, burglars and pickpockets, Martyn takes you on an amazing journey through an almost lost world of crime and characters. Meet George and Albert Bloggs, Sadistic Sid, Mr Cellarman, Twirls the key man, Mr Furnaceman, Mr Handcuff-man; and not forgetting Big Ginge and the most glamorous of all, 'Diana Dors'. Why not let Martyn tell you about his hilarious 'contemporaneous' court experience and the day he became Lester Piggot and a very reluctant sea fisherman. Whether it's the story of the dodgy unisex haircut, the mystery of the lost fingers or insights into the Dog and Partridge characters or Banners Department Store, there's something of interest for everyone inside this book. Humor apart, Martyn's empathy and feeling for the people of Sheffield and South Yorkshire shines through the pages, including some sad and difficult cases and times.

What’s Tha Up To This Time?: More Memories of a Sheffield Bobby

Historical

Wharncliffe

Welcome to What's Tha Playing At Nah?, the fourth volume of Martyn Johnson's acclaimed series of stories about policing during the 1960s and 1970s. Whether 'on the beat' or 'as CID', once again Martyn enthralls, surprises and shocks his readers with tales set in an almost forgotten era: a veritable Lost World of people, places and phrases in his beloved Sheffield. Steven Spielberg please note. Who will you meet on the journey? Well, there's the usual myriad of lovable characters, from Big Derek the doorman and Mr Dar the tailor to 'Caribbean-singing Henry' and cross-dressing 'Doreen'; and not forgetting Cecil the resident barman at 'Mucky Mary's'; Marlene the prostitute, and 'old Fred' the tramp. Among the less savory are Mr. Dirty Bastard, Mr. Car Thief, Mr. Money-grabber aka Nasty Pimp, Mr. Sticky Fingers the burglar and Mr. Nasty the rapist; and several 'perverts' of the worst kind. As usual, Martyn's down-to-earth honesty and humor shines through the pages; but he never loses sight of the human condition in all its forms: good, bad, sad and happy.

What’s Tha Playing at Nah?

Pen and Sword History

The fifth volume of Martyn Johnson's acclaimed series of stories about policing during the 1960s and 1970s. Whether 'on the beat' or 'as CID', once again Martyn enthrals, surprises and shocks his readers with tales set in an almost forgotten era: a veritable Lost World of people, places and phrases in his beloved Sheffield. Steven Spielberg please note. This book will focus on Martyn's final years as a beat bobby, with more unbelievable true life tales told with Martyn's wicked sense of humour and candour. As usual, Martyn's down-to-earth honesty and humour shines through the pages; but he never loses sight of the human condition in all its forms: good, bad, sad and happy.

What's Tha Up To Next?: More Memories of a Yorkshire Bobby

Pen and Sword True Crime