Not only are Police Gazettes are a unique, useful and extremely fascinating
resource for all historians, as they were compiled to be distributed amongst the
police force only, they contain information that can not be found anywhere else.
Now issued on searchable CD-ROM, this contains all 52 issues that were
released during the year 1889. Each issue is usually 8-10 pages long, and
contains information such as court lists, lists of warrants issued, appointments
and changes in the Police Service, lists of arrests and discharges, escaped prisoners, and
missing persons, house-breakins, murders, arson, deserting wives and families, inquests,
lost and found property, missing friends, rewards and more ... Notices from Police Gazettes from other states are also often included.
The Police Gazettes are an incredibly unique source of information, simply
because they were designed to be distributed amongst the Police Force only, and
the information contained often cannot be found anywhere else.
Example entry taken from the 17 April 1889 issue:
Offences not Otherwise Described
Sydney - A warrant has been issued by the Central Police Bench for the
arrest of William Krause, charged with obtaining from William Werner the sum of
£75 by means of a false pretence, with intent to defraud. Description of
offender:- 32 years of age, 5 feet 7 inches high, stout build, dark hair and
complexion, dark moustache, otherwise clean shaved, round shoulders; a butcher.
Complainant, William Werner, 638, George-street.
Example entry from the 24 April 1889 issue:
Child Abandoned
Vide Police Gazette, 1889, page 129
The Attorney General has declined to file a bill against Peter Murray alias
Peter Morton and Annie Murray alias Morton, committed for trial at Tamworth
Circuit Court for abandoning their infant child.
Not only is this a valuable resource for those researching in New South
Wales, but it makes for fascinating reading even if you don't have family there.
High quality scanned images of each issue throughout 1889. This CD has been
bookmarked for easy navigation, and pages can be searched, browsed, enlarged
and printed out if required.
