What is a Police Gazette?
The Police Gazettes were compiled to be distributed amongst the Police Force only,
and therefore 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 Queensland Police Gazette?
The information contained the Police Gazettes does vary a little from year
to year, but overall you will find details of court lists, lists of warrants
issued, appointments and changes in the Police Service, lists of arrests and
discharges and descriptions, lost or stolen items, missing
horses and cattle, escaped prisoners and deaths that have been reported to the
police. Notices from Police
Gazettes from other states are also often included if it was felt that the
person in question might be heading to that state.
A unique feature of the Queensland Police Gazette for 1889 is that you
will also find lists of registered medical practitioners in the state, as well
as registered pharmacists, ministers of religion able to perform marriages, and
a whole host of those holding licences for things like: auctioneers, billiards,
winesellers, spirit dealers, hawkers, victuallers and more.
How can this help me?
All genealogists have those 'lost' family members? You may well find them
listed here, being on the wrong side of the law. Or maybe they were a Policeman,
or even a licencee holder. There is details of thousands of people listed in
every year of the Police Gazette. 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, 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
Victoria is the 1890s.
Example entry taken from the 2 March 1889 issue
Miscellaneous
Bundaberg - John McCann is charged, on warrant issued by the Bundaberg
Bench, with refusing to pay £13 2s. wages due to Bernard George, care of
Bundaberg police, on the 24th ultimo. Description:- An Irishman, a
carpenter, 32 years of age, 5 feet 7 inches high, medium build, sallow
complexion, black hair whiskers and moustache; addicted to drink; wore tweed
suit, hard dark hat. 26th February, 1889.
