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 Victoria 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, inquest verdicts, lost or stolen items, missing
stock animals, escaped prisoners and missing persons. 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.
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
who transferred to another department or division. 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 1880s.
Example entry taken from the 7 April 1886 issue
Miscellaneous
William Sandell is charge, on warrant, with deserting his illegitimate child
by Eliza Whelan, at Prahran, on the 29th ultimo. Description:- 17 years of
age, 5 feet 8 inches high, stout build, fair complexion and hair, no hair on
face, blue eyes, long features; wore dark sac-suit, black boxer hat, and
elastic side boots. His parents live at Fern Tree Gully. - O.2018/ 2nd April
1886.
High quality scanned images of the whole years worth of issues. This CD has
been bookmarked for easy navigation, and pages can be searched, browsed,
enlarged and printed out if required.
