What is a Police Gazette?
Compiled to be distributed amongst the Police Force only, Police Gazettes
contain details and information that can not be found anywhere else. Produced at
regular intervals (usually once a week), it was a way of making information
available to all in the Police Force throughout the whole state.What
information can be found in a New South Wales Police Gazette?
The information contained in the Police Gazettes does vary a little from
year to year, but overall you will find details of any changes within the police
force which are all listed (promotions, demotions, resignations, dismissals,
retirements, deaths etc), information is also given on housebreak-ins,
robberies, arson, murders, lost horses and cattle, deserters, escaped prisoners,
missing friends, and reports on those released, apprehensions, warrants issued,
lost or stolen property and stock (provides the names of victims, together with
descriptions of the items), inquests, prisoners discharged from gaols,
prohibited immigrants. Notices from interstate police gazettes are sometimes
included.
How can this help me?
Anyone researching their family will have a 'lost' family member or two! You
may well find them listed here, being on either side of the law. Or maybe they
were a Policeman who transferred to another department or division, or someone
that was a victim of a crime. You can find the physical details on persons
listed here, missing, wanted or released, which helps to paint a picture of them
(name, aliases used, age, height, colour hair, colour eyes, distinguishing
features, even colour clothing worn).
Far from being just a unique and extremely fascinating resource for local,
family and social historians - they are useful for anyone with an interest in
the history of people and events in New South Wales in 1917.
Example entries taken from the 18 April 1917 issue:
Manslaughter
Paddington.-Mabel Swiney (31), charged with causing the death of Arabella
Robinson, at Paddington, on the 1st February, 1917, has been arrested by
Sergeant 2nd Class Hamilton and Constable Hollis, Sydney Police. Discharged.
Offender subsequently brought before the Central Criminal Court, Sydney, on
ex-officio indictment, charged with causing the abortion of deceased, and
sentenced to six months' light labour.
Bigamy
Wagga Wagga.- Edith Emily Barclay (27), charged that she did, on the 9th
October, 1911, at Lewisham, England, marry one Henry Harry Barclay, and while
so married, did, on the 22nd February 1917, at Wagga Wagga, marry James Owen
Miles, the said Henry Harry Barclay being then alive, has been arrested by
Inspector 3rd Class Duprez, and Sergeant 2nd Class Gallaher, Wagga Wagga
Police. Committed for trial at Albury Circuit Court.
This CD contains all 52 weekly issues that were produced for the year 1917,
and is truly a fascinating read for learning about the social history of the
time, even if you don't have family there.
High quality scanned images of the whole years worth of issues. This CD has
been bookmarked for easynavigation, and pages can be searched, browsed, enlarged
and printed out if required.
