Looking east to Brisbane City from the Windmill Observatory, c1880

The case of Susan McGowan was extraordinary – even for Brisbane of the late 1800s with its prolific and unremitting petty crime. 

As today, the nineteenth-century Brisbane city centre hosted an array of public houses, shops, hotels. Pugh’s Queensland Almanac listed an extraordinary number of businesses in the district. As early as 1864, a number of areas most susceptible to disorderly conduct and assaults begin to appear, with the city centre being one of them. Queen-Street, North Quay and their immediate vicinity stand out for the number of drunkenness and petty assaults charges. Along with the latter, this central commercial district of the city was extremely inviting to street urchins, thieves, and prostitutes. According to the daily police court proceedings, a noteworthy number of cases originated from this area of Brisbane.

The case of Susan McGowan, a lady of negotiable affections, is a particularly striking example of the more or less routine cases borne out of this vicinity. She first made her appearance in January, 1885:

“Joshua Stead, a larrikin, pleaded guilty to assaulting a girl of ill-fame named Susan M’Gowan. It appears he knocked the girl down and kicked her two or three times. The bench sentenced the prisoner to two months’ imprisonment with hard labour.” [Brisbane Courier, 13 January 1885]

From the evidence for the prosecution it appears that Susan M’Gowan was standing in Margaret-street when the accused came out of a yard and threw a piece of road metal at her, striking in the head and knocking her down; he then went up to her and kicked her once in a face and once in the leg. [Brisbane Courier, 19 March 1885]

Ms McGowan’s second assailant appeared on three separate charges that day. Apart from assaulting Susan McGowan, Patrick Brittain was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Albert Street and with destroying Police uniform value of 21l. [City Police Court Minutes, 1885].

Hardly two months passed before McGowan appeared in the Police Court once again, in which she was assaulted by Margaret Corkery, in the same location, in Margaret-Street.

‘From the evidence it appeared that the complainant was severely beaten by the accused. The assault arose out of some ill-feeling created by a recent case. The bench found the prisoner guilty, and sentenced her to two months’ imprisonment. [Brisbane Courier, 8 May 1885]

Overall, Ms McGowan was assaulted at least five times within six months, as she made two more cameo appearances in the courts in the coming months of June and July; both times assaults took place on Albert-Street. [Brisbane Courier, 5 June 1885 and 4 July 1885]

Though the central streets of Brisbane were notorious for petty crime, Susan McGowan’s astounding example of bad luck was undoubtedly out of the ordinary.

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the 2012 PHD thesis “Crime and Policing in Dublin, Brisbane and London c1850-1900” with the kind approval of the author Dr Anastasia Dukova.

The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM THE VAULT: A Story of One Unlucky Susan M’Gowan” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →

Last Sunday of the Month – April 28 – Free Entry

Snippets… from a Baby Boomers Diary

Speaker: Dr James Lergessner, Author & Historian

April 28 - 11:00 to 12.30

Between 1946 and 1964, practically four million baby boomers were born in Australia. Brisbane’s baby boomers experienced the conservative decades of the 1950s; the action-packed swinging 1960s; political upheaval in the 1970s and the ‘greed is good’ agendas of the 1980s.

Dr. James Lergessner is one of Queensland’s distinguished historians, biographers and memoir writers.  In this presentation, entitled Snippets … from a Baby Boomer’s Diary, he will recall his deep connection with Brisbane and his fondness for the city’s people and communities. Dr Lergessner will also speak about his personal experiences of the major events of Brisbane’s history.

The 90 minute presentation will begin at 11.00am on Sunday, April 28 and will provide educational content suitable for all audiences.

The Museum opens its doors to the public on the last Sunday of each month from 10am to 3pm from February to November in addition to the standard Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm opening hours. Monthly Sunday openings feature guest speakers from across the historical and crime-solving spectrums.

PLEASE NOTE: The Police Museum will open Sunday, April 28 from 10am to 3pm, and is located on the ground floor of Police Headquarters, 200 Roma Street, Brisbane.

“QPM Sunday Lecture Series – April 28”  by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →

Bicycles were first introduced to the Queensland Police in 1896. In this 1896 studio shot, Constable Patrick Duffy sits astride his police bicycle.

Before motorcars or the motorcycles were in general use, police officers employed other means of getting from A to B.

Walking the beat was part of a Police Officer’s rostered duty. The 1869 Rules and Regulations for the Guidance of the Queensland Police Force outlines what was expected of a Constable out on his beat. “It is indispensably necessary that he should make himself perfectly acquainted with all the parts of his beat or section, with streets, thoroughfares, courts and houses” and goes on to say “He will pay particular attention to all public-houses within his beat, reporting the hour at which each is closed, and whether they appear to be conducted in an orderly manner”. The 1876 Manual of Police Regulations was even more specific and instructed police to remove pieces of orange peel whenever they were seen on the pavement because of the frequent accidents which occurred when people slipped on the offending peel!

Constable Vincent Rafter on a police camel at Bedourie, 1930.

In 1886 camels were introduced as an excellent transport option for stations such as Birdsville and Bedourie. They continued to be used into the 1930s.

In 1896 Police Commissioner Parry-Okeden introduced the bicycle as a legitimate means of police transport. Bicycles were most useful in regional towns which were too busy for horses but which were too large for walking to be the most efficient way of getting around. Although we are not exactly sure of the first used, later manufacturers were Massey Harris, B.S.A and Allday & Onions. Bicycles as a means of transport went out of favour in the late 1940s.

Horses remained as a popular transport choice in the smaller and more remote country areas well into the 1960s.

A police officer walking his beat crosses Queen Street, Brisbane, c1900

Citizens and police escorting “Lord Chelmsford” (His Excellency the Governor) into Cloncurry on July 21, 1908. Inspector McGrath (middle of photo); Lord Chelmsford (on wagon with pith helmet on); Constables Howard, Kelly and R.J. Ryan

Constable Charles Taylor and troop horse “Hawthorn” in front of the Gatton police station, March 17, 1934.

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum
Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov)

“FROM THE VAULT – Foot, Hoof and Wheel” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →

The isolated Yo Yo Creek Native Police barracks, in far north Queensland, sat on a high bank above the creek (middle right of the image), c1864. This is one of the earliest images in the Police Museum collection.

Policing outback Queensland in the 19th and early 20th centuries was a rough job. Isolation was the norm with some stations located in places far flung from the comforts of larger towns. With not much more than tent canvas, policemen were sent west to built their own police station under canvas.

Aramac’s first Police Station, 1872

Necessity being the mother of invention, they came up with novel ways to restrain prisoners, like nailing handcuffs to a tree stump or log in an attempt to prevent escape. A night out in the cold was enough to sober anyone up! In 1874 “portable” police stations which included a lock-up, were introduced, transported to a site by dray and then erected by one or two men.

An unknown police camp , c1912.

The mostly wooden police stations were prone to drafts, leaks and white ant attack and were cramp as they often included accommodation space, cells and the courthouse. Well into the 20th century travelling long distances by horse was still standard practice. Everything you would need for a couple of weeks away went with you and had to be unpacked every night and repacked every morning.

Duchess Police Station under canvas, 1912. Note the handcuffs fixed to the tree, which acted as a lock-up (look just above the dog’s tail)

Plan of the Arrilalah Police Station,1890. The building included an office, Constable’s room, two bedrooms, a kitchen and two cells. Arrilalah Police Station Opened in1884 and closed on September 30, 1925.

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum -
Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane.

“FROM THE VAULT – Roughing it” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →

The photograph shows Constable 1/c Leslie Atherton seated in his police ute in Roma in September 1944. We are trying to identify the vehicle so we can accurately describe it in our image database. Thank you in advance, for any assistance you may be able give us.

Constable 1/c Leslie Atherton in Police ute, Roma, September 1944.

… Continue reading →

The Stallion “Libertine” was sent by rail from the Woodford Stud to Rewan as one of the initial breeding stock, 1910.

At the turn of the 20th century the Queensland Police obtained its horses by purchase. In 1904 after Police Commissioner Parry-Okeden urged that the Police Department should breed its own horses, a stud farm with an area of 8.6 km2 at Woodford was established. It was used for police mares and for growing feed. Stallions were hired for £30 and between them sired 26 foals. However, this small reserve was found to be both unsuitable and inadequate and so with the cost of buying horses ever rising, the Department looked elsewhere for a larger breeding establishment.

Four policemen (not in uniform) sitting beside a small river at Rewan near Rolleston. These men were sent to the stud farm to build houses and stables, 1909.

In 1908-9 Police Commissioner Cahill reported that he had obtained “a very fine reserve at Carnarvon (now called “Rewan”) of 78 000 acres (318 km2), resumed from the Consuelo leasehold.” The Woodford mares and foals as well as two purchased stallions, ‘Libertine’ and ‘Mack’, were sent by rail to Roma and then over the range to Rewan. Improvements to the property were also carried out to make it a habitable police station and breeding establishment. Rewan was proclaimed as a stud farm for breeding police horses in April 1909.

Rewan station buildings and garden, 1910.

By 1912 the first 69 Rewan bred remounts were ready for police work. At that time the property was running 400 horses and over 200 head of cattle, under the control of Senior Sergeant John Campbell, two Constables and three Indigenous Trackers. The staff were also carrying out various improvements, erecting stables, stalls, fences and yards, and cutting out prickly pear.

Rewan cattle on Bluegum Flat, 1910.

For the 1915 – 1916 year, only 20 foals were born from 124 breeding mares, due to the lack of grass from a two year drought. By the end of the decade, however, the situation had improved and the authorities were expressing satisfaction with the experiment. For the 1919 – 1920 year, Rewan ran five stallions, 177 mares with 70 foals at foot, and 445 other horses, worth a total of £9104. There were also over 1000 head of cattle valued at £9735.

The horse named “Brisbane”, selected from Rewan stock, was sent to London in the charge of Constable Fenwick Wilson (the office astride the horse) as a gift from the Queensland Government to King George V. in July, 1911.

Rewan was plagued by a series of droughts between 1926 and 1932 and in one of these years only two foals were born. Even the successful cattle section of the station was badly affected by the dry conditions of 1931, which killed 1046 head including 38 out of 44 bulls. Apart from the droughts and fires, it was also felt that breeding practices had deteriorated. The best mares were being sent away for remounts so that stallions were being put with poor mares.

The press attacked Rewan for its cost in this time of depression and the Police Union asserted that a better type of horse could be purchased outside more cheaply. In 1933, Home Secretary Hanlon finally admitted that Rewan was a “distinct failure”. The property having made an overall loss of £27 000. The government decided to close it down, giving its reasons as inaccessibility and the unsuitability of Rewan horses for the work in the north. In 1933 the Rewan stud farm for breeding police horses was closed.

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum -
Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov)

“From the Vault – Rewan: A Stud Farm for Breeding Police Horses” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →

Police Museum Sunday Lecture
May 26
9.30am – 12.30am (includes break)
QPS Headquarters, 200 Roma Street

In the early hours of 1 May 2000 then-Sergeant Christopher Mulhall and then-Constables Daryl Green and Sharnelle Cole responded to a complaint about an armed man. Very soon after arriving at the job in Hanbury Street, West Chermside, all three officers were ambushed and shot at close range by the gunman. All the officers survived but it’s been a long journey for each of them.

Six years after this incident which left Senior Sergeant Green with extensive injuries, he was asked to speak on resilience and with recovery on his mind, and he focused on personal lessons which helped him cope with adversity.

It’s been a long journey for Senior Sergeant Green, but he said the lectures had provided a cathartic outlet to talk about the incident as well as an opportunity to reach out to others who have experienced traumatic events. “From this one single event I ran into a whole lot of issues I never expected to encounter—depression, anger, anxiety.”

On experiencing the multimedia components of the lecture, it would be difficult for most of us to imagine how comfort could be derived from reliving the event. The confronting Triple Zero phone call from the scene of the shooting provides a harrowing introduction to the session. But Senior Sergeant Green believes the lessons learnt, the times he stumbled, the physical pain and the mental anguish are there to be discussed in an open forum; to be laid out on the table for us all to benefit from.

The 3 hour presentation (including a break) will begin at 9.30am on Sunday, May 26 and will provide insights on persisting in the face of challenges and to recover from setbacks and adversity. The lecture topic is only suitable for high school aged children and adults.

The Museum opens its doors to the public on the last Sunday of each month from 10am to 3pm from February to November in addition to the standard Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm opening hours. Monthly Sunday openings feature guest speakers from across the historical and crime-solving spectrums.

PLEASE NOTE: The Police Museum will open Sunday, May 26 from 9.30am to 3pm, and is located on the ground floor of Police Headquarters, 200 Roma Street, Brisbane.

Please pass on this information to your family, friends and other networks. We look forward to welcoming you on Sunday, May 26.… Continue reading →

Plywood cut-out motorcycle police officer used as part of a joint road safety campaign by the Gold Coast Bulletin and the Gold Coast Police Traffic Branch, 1983.

This road safety idea came about in 1983, as part of a joint road safety campaign by the Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper and the Gold Coast Police Traffic Branch. These life like renditions of both a police car and motorbike, complete with police officer, were manufactured by staff from the Gold Coast Bulletin. The plywood cut-outs were placed on busy Gold Coast roads. We are not sure how effective they were at slowing people down but they certainly look very life like.

The plywood renditions of both the police car and motorcycle were made at the Gold Coast Bulletin workshop, 1983.

Plywood cut-out police car used as part of a joint road safety campaign by the Gold Coast Bulletin and the Gold Coast Police Traffic Branch. Bulletin art director Ian Anderson (middle) and Inspector Jim Sommer (right) check the car’s authenticity, 1983

A rear view of the plywood motorcycle, 1983.

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum – Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane.

“FROM THE VAULT: A life like road safety idea” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →

LEST WE FORGET

Constable William Dwyer, c1877

Constable William Dwyer was sworn in on December 11, 1877 and was then transferred to Taroom in central Queensland. During his time there, a notorious aboriginal known as Wild Toby roamed the district. Toby was a big, powerful aboriginal, an elusive, fearless and daring scoundrel, with no respect whatever for white man’s law or property. For many years he caused great trouble and fear in the district. In September 1882, Wild Toby was arrested by Constable Edwards for kidnapping a grazier’s daughter. He was interred for the night in the station storeroom and chained to a log but still managed to escape. On September 25, 1882, a warrant was issued for Toby’s arrest on a charge of attempted murder of one James Anderson of Wandoan.

On January 24, 1883, Senior Constable Wright, Constable Dwyer and a tracker left the Taroom Police Station in pursuit of Toby who was reportedly camped at Juandah Station (about 2 days ride from Taroom). Late on January 25 the patrol saw a fire coming from what they believed to be Toby’s camp but due to the late hour they stopped to camp for the night. At daylight on the 26th, the patrol made its way towards the camp and when closer, saw Wild Toby. The patrol rode single file into the camp with Wright in the lead.

Without warning to his colleagues, Dwyer got off his horse and charged at Toby, grabbed him by the neck and put a revolver to his head. But Toby had no intention of surrendering and Dwyer could not hold onto him as he was covered in pig fat and was slippery. As Toby leapt to his feet with his tomahawk, Dwyer’s gun was knocked out of his hands and Toby lunged at Dwyer with his tomahawk. Wright got off his horse and fired two shots at Toby but that did not stop him from hitting Dwyer in the head with the tomahawk. Wright then managed to shoot and kill Wild Toby.

Constable William Dwyer died half an hour after the attack from his massive head wound. He is buried in the Juandah cemetery.

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing.

The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“The murder of Constable William Dwyer, 1883” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →

Bundaberg District police staff, 1908

This photograph was taken in early 1908 and shows a group of uniformed and plain clothed police staff, posing outside the front of the Bundaberg Police Station. When the photographer said relax and look natural, none of them seem to have listened to him…

Some of the police officers appearing in the image are named as:
Standing behind the seats: Far left – Sergeant Don Griffin; 2nd left – Constable Roderick Dingwall (South Bundaberg Station); 3rd left – Constable Michael Dunn; 5th left – Senior Sergeant O’Connor; 7th left – Constable Jack Galligan; standing extreme right – Acting Sergeant Cornelius Dwyer.

On verandah: 4th left – Constable Jack Rice (East Bundaberg Station), 3rd left – Constable 1/c Martin Slattery (North Bundaberg Station), 2nd left – Constable Jack Logan.

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing.

The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM THE VAULT – Relax & Look Natural…” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →

LEST WE FORGET

Constable James Sangster, c1890

James Sangster was sworn in as a Queensland Police Constable on August 8, 1890, he served in Brisbane before being transferred to Ipswich in November 1890.

In 1893, the people of Ipswich were moved by the selfless efforts of Constable James Sangster who lost his life in a gallant rescue attempt. Early on February 4, the Jackson family awoke to find that the Bremer River had risen several metres during the night and was now threatening their home. Mrs Jackson and five of her children set out in a small boat for higher ground. This left her eldest daughter and a farm worker in the house to await its return. However, before the boat reached dry land, it hit an underwater snag and overturned, drowning four of the children.

Sangster arrived at the river bank to see the house lifted up and carried downstream in the raging torrent. Grave fears were held for the two left stranded within the building and several unsuccessful attempts were made to rescue them. Although Sangster could not swim, he decided to try again to save the pair but this attempt ended in tragedy. He was washed downstream and although managing to cling for several hours to a flimsy sappling, no one could reach him. Onlookers were powerless to help when the sappling finally broke and the young police officer disappeared beneath the water. By the next morning the river had fallen several metres and the two left stranded in the house were brought safely to shore.

Monument to James Sangster who drowned in the Bremer River on February 4, 1893. The monument is in Browns Park, Ipswich.

Citizens of Ipswich erected a memorial fountain to commemorate Sangster’s devotion to duty which still stands on the Down Street side of Brown’s Park.

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing.

The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM THE VAULT – The death of Constable James Sangster, 1893” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →

This cast iron Queensland Police Station Badge was use as a station identifier between 1911 and 1958.

During the 19th century, police stations were not identified in any way, so if you wanted to find one you needed some luck or local knowledge.

In 1907, Police Commissioner William Cahill and the Deputy Queensland Government Architect, designed the Queensland Police Station Badge based on the police cap badge of the time.

In 1911, 300 cast iron badges, each weighing 17 pounds (7kgs) and costing 4 shillings and 10 pence, were manufactured for the Police Department by Harvey & Son, Globe Iron Works, Brisbane and distributed as identification badges to every Police Station in the State.

On November 11, 1958 because of complaints that police stations were not readily identifiable, the Department of Works was asked to supply conspicuous illuminated signs showing POLICE in black letters on a white background. On May 5, 1959, a sample illuminated sign was erected at Holland Park Police Station and with that success, an order was placed with Albert Smith and Son to manufacture these signs.

Blackbutt Police Station, 1912. Note the station badge attached to the peak of the right hand tent.

Over the next decade the illuminated signs were progressively installed at stations and the old style cast iron badges were returned to the Police Depot. Sometime in the late 1960s the illuminated word POLICE, was produced in white letters on a black background, and in the mid 1980s a blue light was added to the top for more effect.

Cairns Police Station, 1948. Note the station badge above and to the left of the entry.

Mundubbera Police Station, c1985. Note the illuminated sign with blue light.

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing.

The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane.Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM THE VAULT – Police Station Identification: a sign of the times” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →

The snared crocodile, thought to be the one that took the little Betty Doherty, is trapped and taken to Halifax by motor lorry so that its stomach contents can be examined for remains of the child. Constable George Schnitzerling stands at the crocodile’s head and Constable Jens Fredericksen stands at the tail, January 17, 1932.

On Tuesday January 5, 1932, four-year-old Betty Doherty was taken by 4 meter crocodile as she and her four siblings were playing near their home on the banks of the Seymour River, about 12 kilometers east of Halifax.

Newspaper accounts say that the Doherty children were playing on the banks of the river near their home, when the crocodile suddenly appeared. 12 year old John Doherty carried one child to safety, and was carrying Betty from the danger zone when the reptile grasped the child’s legs in its jaws, and tore her from her brother’s grasp. John ran after Betty and caught her by the shoulders and bravely tried to save her, but the crocodile was too strong and hauled the baby into the water and took her beneath the surface. The distraught boy ran home and to tell his father of the terrible event.

Mr. Doherty immediately informed the Halifax police of the tragedy, and officers Acting Sergeant Frank Conaty along with Constables George Schnitzerling; Jens Fredericksen and Arnold Still, made an extensive search of the water and banks on the day of the crocodile attack and for several days afterwards, but failed to find any trace of the child.

The hunters who snared the crocodile, demonstrate the size of the beast, January 17, 1932.

A week after the attack, hunters Arthur Shaw, Bertie Carr and Jack Taylor, were hired to lay three snares along the river bank. On January 17, the crocodile believed to have taken Betty Doherty, was trapped about 100 yards south of the scene of the tragedy. Three Halifax police officers and the hunters took the crocodile by motor lorry to Halifax so that the stomach contents could be examined. No human remains were found in the crocodile’s stomach and the body of Betty Doherty was never found.

Constable George Schnitzerling, 2nd from left, with the three hunters, Arthur Shaw (1st left), Bertie Carr (3rd left) and Jack Taylor (right), whose snares captured the crocodile, January 17, 1932.

In June 1932, John Patrick Doherty received a Bronze Medal for bravery from the Royal Humane Society of Australia, for trying to save the life of his sister.

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the ground floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street.

“FROM THE VAULT: Crocodile Attack, 1932”, by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →

Gold Rushes: Between 1861 and 1867 there were a number of gold discoveries at Clermont; Cloncurry; Cape River; Nanango, Gympie and Kilkivan. Later in the 19th century gold was also found at Normanton Georgetown and a host of other places across Queensland. In 1867 in a sensational criminal case, Gold Commissioner Thomas Griffin murdered two Gold Escort Troopers in his quest to steal the £4000 that the group was carrying back to Clermont.

Gold Escort about to leave Georgetown in North Queensland, c1890

Gold Escort Duty: As gold was discovered across Queensland the police presence in these areas increased due to the large influx of miners, their families and others involved with banks, stores and pubs. The death and crime rate in these towns and around the diggings was high. Gold escort duty in these early days involved the movement of gold nuggets from the diggings to the bank at a main centre for exchange into bank notes which were then back to the gold fields. Only a couple of men would have been in charge of the bullion. Later in the 1890s when large amounts of gold were being discovered and moved, a gold carriage with up to 6 mounted men and a Sub-Inspector would have been expected to accompany the cargo.

An extract from the 1876 Police Manual that outlines the rules by which gold was to be escorted between gold fields and the banks.

Gold escort group photograph at Normanton. The “G” on their collar denoted “Gold Escort”, c1895

Gold Escort waiting to load seven boxes of bullion at the Bank Of New South Wales, Croydon, 1905

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing.

The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM THE VAULT – Gold Escort Duty” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →

A project undertaken by a small group of volunteers will make an important contribution to the history of the Queensland Police Service and in the process will reinforce its commitment to solving and preventing some of the most serious and major crimes.

Following the successful restoration in 2010 of the grave of Senior Constable William Considine (a police officer who died in a horse riding accident in 1887) the Friends of the Queensland Police Museum (FQPM) initiated a project to research and identify the location of the graves of Queensland Police Service officers who have died in the course of their service.

During this project, the grave of Inspector of Detectives Thomas Slattery was identified at ToowongCemetery. Thomas Slattery died in 1878 having served in the Queensland Police and previously the Victoria Police Service and most likely the Royal Irish Constabulary, prior to his immigration to Australia. His grave was paid for with contributions from 136 of his fellow police officers and colleagues.

The FQPM were alerted to the grave by the Friends of the ToowongCemetery. In a state of disrepair, with its headstone lying in three broken pieces after having toppled some 25 years ago and his son (who is buried in the same gravesite) remaining unacknowledged on the headstone, the group commenced a project to restore the gravesite.

“During research into the background it was identified that Thomas Slattery may well have been the first Inspector of Detectives (Brisbane).

“While this project is not about singling out any particular rank or role, it is certainly worth highlighting the importance of this find. Detectives certainly play an important role in investigating some of the state’s most serious and significant crimes,” Commissioner of Police Ian Stewart said.

With the support and assistance of the Queensland Police Service, the Queensland Police Commissioned Officer’s Union and the Queensland Police Union of Employees, the grave has been fully restored and was this morning, rededicated by the Queensland Police Service’s Roman Catholic Padre, Graeme Ramsden OAM.

The grave is located at: Portion 7, Section 9 (Grave 4) of the Toowong Cemetery, Brisbane (see attached map)

More information on how to become involved or to lend your support to the Friends of the Queensland Police Museum can be found on their website at www.friendsqpmuseum.com.au

Anyone with information which could assist with this matter should contact Crime Stoppers anonymously via 1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.com.au 24hrs a day.

For all non-urgent police reporting or general police inquiries contact Policelink on 131 444 or www.Policelink.qld.gov.au 24hrs a day.

Crime Stoppers is a registered charity and community volunteer organisation working in partnership with the Queensland Police Service.… Continue reading →

On April 13, 1978, Senior Constable Fred Richards had finished his shift and had arrived at the Sandgate RSL to join his off duty police mates for a well earned drink. He did not get very far into the club before he heard the siren of a passing fire engine. Once outside he could see smoke and guessed that the fire was not far from the Sandgate Police Citizens Youth Club, housed within the old Sandgate Beach Theatre. Fred and his mates, ran towards the smoke and flames to discover the PCYC building fully alight.

Firemen fighting the Sandgate Police Citizens Youth Club building fire on 13 April 13,1978.

Richards assisted with the evacuation of residents from the neighbouring flats and after a member of the assembled crowd voiced concern that there were still two children in the burning building, he along with several firemen, tried to enter it. Just as Fred tried to make his way into the building, the theatre roof collapsed pinning him to the ground. Fourteen firemen and police officers were needed to pull him free from the wreckage. Fred’s injuries were very severe: two of his fingers were so badly injured they had to be amputated, his skull was fractured on both sides, many of his ribs were broken, his pelvis fractured, his right arm and right leg severely burnt and broken. Senior Constable Richards spent a considerable amount of time fighting for his life in the Royal Brisbane Hospital.

Senior Constable Fred Richards lies on a stretcher after being pulled from the wreckage of the Sandgate Police Citizens Youth Club housed in the old Sandgate Beach Theatre. He had entered the burning building on April 13, 1978 to search for two children who may have still been in the building when the roof collapsed on him.

Two seven year old boys admitted to accidentally starting the fire while playing with matches. Luckily no one else was injured and no one was killed.

Fred was interviewed sometime after the event and told the journalist that he could not remember anything about the incident or the following three weeks spent in hospital. He was most insistent that no one call him a hero and said “It was just part of the job. All the others did the same. Quite a few were off duty, too, and anyone could have been hurt”.

Fred Richards returns to work after 375 days of sick leave, as a Sergeant at the Police Communications Centre.

Senior Constable Fred Richards spent 375 days off work recovering from his injuries. He returned in 1979 as a Sergeant within the Police Communications Centre. In July 1981, Sergeant Richards, was presented with a Commissioner’s Favourable Record for dedication to duty, initiative and resource for his actions on the night of April 13, 1978. Fred retired on March 24, 1986 to try his hand at prospecting and fossicking for gold, sapphires and opals. He passed away in 2006 at the age of 74.

Sergeant Frederick Richards retired on March 24, 1986 to try his hand at prospecting and fossicking for gold, sapphires and opals and is pictured here with his gold pan and 4 wheel drive, ready for his next big adventure.

At the time Fred Richards was injured, police officers received no compensation for injuries sustained on duty. His case was a significant factor in bringing about State Cabinet’s decision of September 1982, to extend provision of the Worker’s Compensation Act to members of the Queensland Police.
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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing.

The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM THE VAULT – Just part of the job…” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →

These two plain clothed police officers from the Brisbane CIB (PC Constable Francis Voigt on the left) are disguised as “hobos” so they could ‘jump the rattler’ to detect breaches of the railway laws, 1926.

Throughout the early twentieth century, and not just at the time of the 1930s depression, police were called upon to act as relief agents for the unemployed and destitute. In some areas police acted as labour agents, where there was no clerk of petty sessions. From 1926 onwards police registered the unemployed and issued sustenance allowances. Police also issued train tickets to the destitute. Between 1905 and 1925 police gave rations only if the applicant worked – one day’s rations for one day’s work clearing noxious weeds from police paddocks, cutting wood and so on.

Through the 1930s the police continued these earlier tasks of issuing rations and travel cards and of helping to find relief work. If in the opinion of a policeman a person was destitute and in need of assistance ration relief could be immediately given to an unemployed person. A particular problem arose in the case of unemployed who in moving from one centre to another in search of work or rations ‘jumped the rattler’ (without paying the fare).

“Hobos” carrying swags and others camping out in Paramatta Park at Cairns during the Depression, 1932.

The vagrants legislation provided for the police to take action against these people, with the penalty of a fine or imprisonment. Such punishment aroused considerable comment, with calls being made for the police to have the right to issue free passes to people seeking work. The police were inclined not to be so liberal or tolerant in giving rations or work to known dissidents, such as Communists, anarchists or strike trouble-makers.

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing.

The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM THE VAULT – Jumping the Rattler” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →

Since 1864, the writing and typing of official crime reports has been an essential but frustrating aspect of the job for many police officers. Report writing kept officers from hours of patrolling for 106 years, before new technologies lightened the load.

Ansaphone service operators type recorded incident reports, 1978.

In November 1970, in an effort to save officers from crime report writing, the “Ansafone” tape service recording system became active in the Brisbane Metropolitan area. This service allowed night patrol police crews to dictate by telephone, criminal offence reports received by them during the course of their patrols. The taped criminal offence reports were then typed at the Police Communication Centre and distributed in accordance with a pre-arranged process. In the first seven months of the Ansafone service a total of 700 criminal offence reports were recorded and typed.

The Ansaphone section of the Information Bureau, which was located in old Queensland Police Headquarters in Makerston Street, 1986.

By 1978 some 15,251 incident reports were handled by the four Ansafone service operators, which saved about 5,000 hours for active police patrolling. In 1981 Ansafone operators processed 394 reports per week and the service was extended to Beenleigh, Ipswich and Redcliffe. By June 1986 operators were typing 630 incident reports per week but in subsequent years the number of reports being made this way decreased. This was probably due to the outdating of equipment and the difficulty posed when trying to access filed crime reports.

In 1992, a pilot version of the database product called the Crime Reporting Information System for Police (CRISP) was successfully trialled. A modern version of ‘Ansafone”, CRISP provided quick access to crime details to all police through a central data collection system. The centralised database also allowed regional and local police to access up to date and comprehensive profiles of reported crime in their own areas. In 1993, the Information Management Section was established and by June 1994 CRISP was fully implemented in the Metropolitan South, South Eastern and Metropolitan North regions and in the State Crime Operations and Operations Support commands.

A CRISP operator enters a crime report into the system, 1995.

CRISP was touted as a system that would save police officers 213,000 hours of typing per annum. Between June 1993 and June 1994 the CRISP system processed an average of 575 crimes per day. By 1995, CRISP had been implemented state-wide and was staffed by 46 operators. Over the next 15 years staffing levels grew to 140 to cope with the work load. The section changed its name to the Police Assistance Centre in 2007. In that year CRISP was replaced by the next generation Queensland Police Records and Information Management Exchange system (QPrime) and the section boasted 200 skilled operators.

Police Assistance operators are highly skilled and need to be able to adapt to a constantly changing informational environment, 2010.

In 2010, the Policelink Unit took over the functionality of the Police Assistance Centre and transitioned PAC staff members to Policelink. 370 Policelink Client Service Officers now use the specifically designed Customer Relationship Management database to enter occurrences from police and take non-urgent property crime reports from community members.

Policelink introduced the national non-urgent phone number for police – 131 444 – into Queensland. Policelink handles up to two million calls per year, answering 80% in 30 seconds. http://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/policelink

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing.

The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

“FROM THE VAULT – Crime Reporting” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →

 Queensland Police Museum
Sunday Lecture Series
 
 Photography to Detect Bloodstains in Crime Scenes
Sergeant Melissa Bell & Senior Constable Kathryn Denny

July 28 – Free Entry
Ground Floor, QPS HQ, 200 Roma Street

11am to 12.30pm

Infrared photography is a method of optical enhancement that can be used for forensic purposes. It enables a person to see by means of an image, what they would not be able to see with the naked eye. There are many forensic applications for infrared photography including fingerprint analysis, the detection and analysis of gunshot residue, document examination and bloodstain pattern analysis.

Sergeant Melissa Bell of the Scientific Section and, Senior Constable Kathryn Denny of the Photographic Section will present “Photography to Detect Bloodstains in Crime Scenes”, to discuss how blood is crucial evidence for obtaining DNA and reconstructing bloodletting events at crime scenes. When blood is deposited

on dark coloured clothing and items it cannot be seen with the naked eye which significantly hinders forensic examinations.

During the talk Sergeant Bell and Senior Con

stable Denny, will outline the basics of infrared photography, how it is used to image bloodstains on dark coloured surfaces and items and the benefits of infrared photograph to forensic examinations. They will also speak about recent research that has been conducted in infrared photography, by the Photographic Section and Major Crime Unit.

The one-and-a-half hour presentation will begin at 11am on Sunday, July 28 and will provide educational and up-to-date content only suitable for high school aged youth and adults.

The Museum opens its doors to the public on the last Sunday of each month from 10am to 3pm from February to November in addition to the standard Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm opening hours. Monthly Sunday openings feature guest speakers from across the historical and crime-solving spectrums.

PLEASE NOTE: The Police Museum will open Sunday, July 28 from 10am to 3pm, and islocated on the ground floor of Police Headquarters, 200 Roma Street, Brisbane.… Continue reading →

Sergeant Edward Creedy on his horse outside Newmarket State School, 1930.

From time to time we find images in the Queensland Police Museum collection which peak our interest. A number of such images were donated to us in 1988 and have in common a particular police officer by the name of Edward Michael Creedy.

Newmarket Police Station, 1938.

Constable Edward Creedy was born at Grandchester in the Laidley Valley in 1881. Between 1901 and 1902 he served as a member of the Imperial Bushmen during the Boer war before joining the Queensland police on December 13, 1902. Creedy served at eight police stations and travelled as far afield as Thargomindah. In 1906, while serving in Charleville, he met and married Ethel Nethercote, the daughter of Inspector Nethercote. They had two sons James and John. Acting Sergeant Creedy was transferred to the Newmarket Police Station in March 1921 and remained at this station until his retirement as a Sergeant in November 1940, just shy of his 60th birthday.

Ethel Creedy, wife of Sergeant Edward Creedy stands on the front stairs of the Newmarket Police Station, May 1937. As the daughter of Inspector Nethercote, who served for 32 years, Ethel would have been quite used to moving from town to town with her husband as he was transferred around the state.

This selection of images gives you some idea of the varied policing duties encountered by Edward Creedy during his 19 years in the Newmarket District.

The first tram to the Grange, c1940. Sergeant Edward Creedy watches the festivities, he is facing away from camera in the bottom right hand corner of the image. These people are on the back of the tram: Mr Muirhead, President of the Progress Association; Alderman Lanham, Brisbane City Council; William Jolly, Lord Mayor; James Kerr MLA.

…3 – Sergeant Edward Creedy, on right, poses with another member of the Australian Rocket Society at Enoggera Rifle Range with the rocket to be tested in the launch demonstration held on September 24, 1936.

… 2 – Sergeant Edward Creedy, on right, with a member of the Australian Rocket Society ready to launch the rocket at the Enoggera Rifle Range on September 24,1936.

… 1 – Sergeant Edward Creedy, on left, stands alongside a member of the Australian Rocket Society at the landing site of the launched rocket which travelled 300 yards along the Enoggera Rifle Range, on September 24, 1936.

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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing.

The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au

FROM THE VAULT: 3…2…1 Lift Off!by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode… Continue reading →