We came across this article published in Brisbane’s premier broadsheet newspaper on 30 March 1936 and it’s so politically incorrect we had to share; imagine having your dimensions broadcast for a city to read?! Titled “GIANTS” OF THE POLICE – Queensland Has Some Big Men – England’s Champion: Policemen are nearly always big men – so much the better for the peace and order of the community – but amongst big policemen can occasionally be found a giant dwarfing his fellows in blue. Such was the case of Sergeant G. Hankinson, of the Leicester constabulary, who retired early this year from the force, and so is no longer “England’s biggest policeman.”
Sergeant Hankinson has a number of relatives in Queensland, amongst them three cousins, Messrs. W. Hankinson of Clayfield, W. Farley, chairman of the Boonah Shire Council, and J. Farley, builder and contractor, of Boonah, and they proudly boast that even Queensland, noted for the fine physical proportions of its officers, cannot produce one to equal their cousin’s record. For Sergeant Hankinson is 6ft 10in in height and weighs 25 stone. From 1912 until his retirement, with the exception of his years of war service, he was physical training instructor to the police force at Leicester, and during a long athletic career won more than 130 cups and medals for his prowess in field games.
Image is of Sub-Inspector Patrick Howard, later promoted to Inspector. Originally serving in the Dublin Metropolitan Police Force between 1908 and 1909, he emigrated to Australia later that year and joined the Queensland Police Force. Promotions from Constable to the rank of Inspector occurred during service at Roma Street, Gympie, Kangaroo Point, South Townsville, Cloncurry and Brisbane police stations. Inspector Howard was granted a medical retirement in 1943, due to failing eyesight, after 34 years dedicated police service. He passed away in 1965.
Article and image by the “Courier Mail”, 30 March 1936 edition.
Image description from Queensland Police Museum sources.
The Queensland police force however, has nothing to lose by way of comparison with Sergeant Hankinson. One of the biggest men, and certainly the tallest at present in the force, is Sub-inspector “Pat” Howard, of Cloncurry. He is 6ft 6in high, and weighs about 17 stone. He was originally a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and he claims that in the morning roll call, at which the men are graded from the tallest down, he was at the bottom of a line of 25 men until two “midgets” of 6ft 5in were sworn in. The next tallest present member of the Queensland force is Constable Albert Jentz, of Taringa, who is 6ft 5½in and weighs 19 stone. Other “giants” are Sub-inspector B. McGrath, of South Brisbane, and Senior Sergeant Jim Roach, of the C.I. Branch, who are each 6ft 4in. Actually the tallest man ever in the force was Constable Andy Cummings, who retired about 12 months ago. Cummings was 6ft 8in in height, but did not carry proportionate weight.”
The virtual weigh in continues with… “SOME HEAVY MEN As far as heavy policemen are concerned the Queensland “champion” is at present Acting Sergeant Clancy, of Townsville, who weighs 22½ stone and is still growing. At Tully is stationed Sergeant Selby, who weighs 20 stone, but both men are under 6ft in height. Another 20-stone policeman is Constable W. Weise, who is shortly to take up a position in the Brisbane watchhouse on transfer from North Queensland. Weise was anchor man in the all-conquering Northern police tug-o-war team, and is also a champion “scratch puller.” The police tug-o-war team of 10 men weighed exactly one ton.
So, it can be seen that while Queensland is unable to approach Sergeant Hankinson’s 25 stone and 6ft 10in, we are not without big men.”
Queensland Police Tug-O-War Team in action, Sydney, March 1938. Pictured left to right: Constables Andrew Vogel, Henry Von Hoff, John Cashel, James O’Mara, Vince Cumming, Charlie Knust, James McNamara, William Weise. Image from “The Sydney Morning Herald” or “Sydney Mail”.
Queensland Police Museum staff have questions: Did the named policemen offer their own statistics, or did colleagues nominate their giant friends?
Would you chuck your hat in for a transparent weigh-in?
Was does the scratch puller do in tug-o-war? Even Google couldn’t provide us this answer!
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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 Thursday 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. Email: museum@police.qld.gov.au
“FROM the VAULT- “GIANTS” Of The Police” 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