Introduction of the Traffic Act 1905
During the beginning of his tenure as Police Commissioner in 1958, Frank Bischof requested information regarding the history of the Police Force, with special regard to the development of the Traffic Branch. This request proved to be most providential.
Prior to the establishment of the Traffic Branch Station on 25 June 1934, the Traffic Office was attached to Roma Street Station. Searches for information by Bischof’s staff prior to this date, yielded few results. The Commissioner confirmed this when he wrote:
‘I have been unable to locate records of the staff and their duties at the Traffic Branch… or (find) photographs which would be valuable to the Police Department for record purposes.’
Undeterred, the Commissioner found another source of information. In a series of conversations over the summer of 1959, he interviewed retired Inspector of Police and former Superintendent of Traffic, Edward James Blackmore, who worked at the Traffic Office from its inception in 1906, until 1930.
The information gathered by Commissioner Bischof was published in Circular Memorandum dated 10 February 1959 and forms the basis of research for this blog, together with information from the few surviving reports from the earlier era. Had the Commissioner not initiated that request well over 60 years ago, then the early history of the Traffic Office would undoubtedly be lost.
Census of Brisbane in 1900
A census of the population taken on 23 March 1900, showed a population of 121,262 persons, living within a 10-mile radius of the Brisbane General Post Office. Brisbane was little more than a large country town where people cycled, rode horses, or drove a horse and sulky for private transportation. The electrification of the Brisbane Tram Network in 1897 ensured a reliable and efficient means of public transport, especially for the Police who used the service in the course of their duties.
The Traffic Act of 1905
Prior to 1905, traffic was controlled by the Transit Commission under the Comptroller of Traffic, Thomas Finbarr O’Carroll, who was assisted by Frederick Ballinger, both public servants. Queensland’s second Commissioner of Police, Parry-Okeden, set about bringing Queensland traffic police powers in line with the other states.
The Commissioner’s efforts were realised when the Brisbane Traffic Act of 1905 became law in 1906. The Traffic Office was then placed under police administration with Sub-Inspector Taylor as Superintendent of Traffic, but he did not remain long in the job, and was succeeded by Jerimiah Kelly. His staff consisted of Thomas O’Carroll, who remained on as a public servant and was responsible for the issuing of licences and registration of vehicles; Constable Ballinger who transferred to the Police Force; Constable Tom Mohr who was clerk to the Superintendent, and the newly transferred constable, James Blackmore.
The new ‘Traffic Office’
The Traffic Office was originally the ‘drunk’s cell,’ divided into three rooms for the Traffic staff in the old Police Court on Elizabeth Street (possibly on GPO Laneway – then known as ‘Arcade Lane’), opposite St Stephen’s Cathedral. In 1909, staffing increased to six constables with the transfer of Constable Albert Shersby. The office moved to the laneway of the Railway Building at the junction of Adelaide and George Streets, but in 1911, it was moved back to Elizabeth Street, in its former location in the Police Court building.
Ten years later, the Traffic Office moved to the top floor of the Taxation Building where the Main Roads Department was then located. Main Roads would eventually take over the responsibility of the registration of vehicles in 1921, under authority of the Main Roads Act of 1920. In March 1922, Blackmore, then a Sergeant, was first appointed as Acting Superintendent of Traffic.
James Blackmore was promoted to Sub-Inspector of the Traffic Office in May 1928, then, after 24 years of service with the Traffic Branch, he was transferred to Townsville Police District in October 1930. In April 1932 Blackmore was promoted to the rank of full Inspector and wore a crown upon his epaulettes. This was the third highest rank in the Queensland Police Force at the time, after Commissioner and Chief Inspector, respectively.
Implementation of Traffic Act of 1905
Next week Part 2 – Trailblazers of Technology
Information imparted to Commissioner Bischoff by Retired Inspector Blackmore in the summer of 1959, was integral to the writing of this blog, together with information sourced 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, 200 Roma Street, Brisbane.
Email contact: museum@police.qld.gov.au
“FROM the VAULT – History of the Traffic Branch Part 1” 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