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 South Australian 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, discharges, resignations,
deaths), information is also given on housebreak-ins, robberies, arson, murders,
lost horses and cattle, stolen cars and motorbikes, deserters from services and
from families, escaped prisoners, missing friends, lost and found items, and
reports on those released. Notices from interstate police gazettes are usually
included if it was felt that the person may be heading towards that state. A
number of photographs are included showing those missing, wanted or released.
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) ... or even a photograph.
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
South Australia in the early 1930s.
Example entry taken from the 29 July 1936 issue:
Prisoners to be Discharged from Yatala Labor Prison
James Henry Tester, native of England, labourer, born 1857, 5ft. 7 3/4in.
high, slight build, fresh complexion, grey hair, blue eyes (left eye missing),
scar below chin, scar on right ankle and knee, horseshoe and wreath on back of
right hand, crown and wreath on back of left hand. Vide Police Gazette, 1929,
page 256. "Discharges". Tried at Supreme Court, Adelaide, on 2nd December,
1935, for indecent assault; 12 months. Freedom due 10th August, 1936.
This CD contains high quality scanned images of the whole of the year's
issues. It has been bookmarked for easy navigation. and pages can be searched,
browsed, enlarged and printed out if required.
