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From: "Susie Zada" <>
Subject: Re: [GEELONG] Early (pre separation) Constables
Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 22:56:53 +1000
References: <BCC70458.2FB0%grthom@bigpond.com>


Hi Judy,

If you do some searches on the PRO Vic site you'll find heaps of useful
information ........

===================================================
VF10 Police
Description
Background

The first police force in Victoria comprised the constabulary attached to
the Police Magistrates, the first District Constable being appointed in
September 1836 (New South Wales Government Gazette 14 September 1836). From
1837 to 1853, in addition to the local District and Rural Constabulary,
there were a number of separate police forces, including the Melbourne City
Police, Border Police, Mounted Police, Water Police, Native Police, Gold
Escort and Goldfields Police.

District Constabulary and Melbourne City Police

On 9 September 1836 the Governor of New South Wales proclaimed the official
settlement of the Port Phillip District and Captain William Lonsdale was
appointed Police Magistrate of the District on 14 September (see VRG 7). As
well as taking responsibility for the general superintendence of the
District, he also undertook the duties of a New South Wales District Police
Magistrate, including administration of justice and supervision of the local
constabulary. Following the appointment of a Superintendent of the District
in 1839, the duties of the Police Magistrate were restricted to
responsibility for the local constabulary and local magisterial functions in
Melbourne and the position was retitled Police Magistrate, Melbourne. In the
meantime Police Magistrates were being appointed in other localities,
Captain Foster Fyans taking up duty in Geelong in late 1837 (see New South
Wales Government Gazette, 13 September 1837, on appointment of constables).
The Police Magistrates continued to be responsible for the constabulary
within their Districts until 1853 when responsibility for all police matters
was vested in the Chief Commissioner of Police (VA 724).

In Melbourne and Geelong Districts, quite large police forces existed by
1853, the Melbourne City Police including a Detective Force (established in
1844). By 1850 constables assigned to rural areas outside Police
Magistrates' Districts were referred to as the Rural Bench Constabulary. In
1850 the Chief Constable of the Melbourne and County of Bourke Constabulary
was titled Superintendent.

A number of New South Wales Acts regulated police in the Port Phillip
District, including the Act which regulated police activities in towns and
was extended by proclamation in November 1838 to cover Melbourne as well as
Sydney (see the New South Wales Acts 2 Vic., No.2, 11 Vic., No.44, 14 Vic.,
No.38). The Melbourne Corporation Act of 1842 (New South Wales Act 6 Vic.,
No.7) included special provisions for the Melbourne City Police.

The constabulary's responsibilities included law enforcement, arrest of
offenders, gaol keeping, patrol and escort duties, the serving of summons
and execution of warrants. The Melbourne force also had a criminal detection
role.

Other Police Forces 1837 - 1853

From 1838 a number of separate special purpose police forces were
established including the:

Border Police (from 1838)
Mounted Police (from 1838)
Water Police (from 1841)
Native Police (established 1842 after several earlier unsuccessful attempts)
Gold Escort Police (from 1851)
Goldfields Police (from 1852).

The Border Police were attached to Commissioners of Crown Lands and assisted
in the regulation of the use and occupation of Crown lands (see also VRG 27
District Lands Offices). Detachments of Mounted Police were drawn from
infantry regiments stationed in New South Wales. They were posted on
overland routes and attached to Police Magistrates' Districts to assist in
general police duties. They also served with the Gold Escort and Goldfields
forces attached to the Goldfields Commissioners (see also VRG 25 Mining
Districts). As well as escorting gold being transported to Melbourne and
maintaining law and order on the diggings, these forces policed the use of
miners' rights. The Water Police assisted the Harbour Master to enforce
ports and harbours regulations, regulate and control shipping and seamen.
The Native Police Corps was set up to maintain order between aborigines and
settlers.

Development 1836 - 1853

Administrative responsibility for the police establishment prior to 1853
rested with the Police Magistrate 1836-1839 (VRG 7), Superintendent
1839-1851 (VRG 11) and Colonial Secretary (VRG 16). By 1842 when police
strength outside Melbourne numbered 135, including all independent forces
and the local District constabulary, police stations had been established at
Geelong, Williamstown, Portland, Hamilton, Port Fairy, the Goulburn and
Broken Rivers, the Grampians and the Pyrenees. By 1847 there were also
stations at Sale, Horsham, Mt. Macedon, Pearson's Station and Colac, by 1850
at Kilmore, and by 1851 at Dandenong and Bacchus Marsh.

The Gold Rush precipitated a crisis for Victoria's police forces with many
men deserting to join the Rush in a time of increased demands for their
services.

A Legislative Council Select Committee on Police reported in 1852 that the
existing police forces were "insufficient in numerical strength - deficient
in organisation and arrangement - and utterly inadequate to meet the present
requirements of the country." It recommended their replacement with a single
unified force and the division of the colony into a number of uniformly
administered police districts (see Report from the Select Committee on
Police to the Legislative Council 1852, Votes and Proceedings 1852-3, Volume
2).

Formation and Operation of the Victoria Police Force From 1853

Following the recommendations of the Select Committee, a single integrated
Victoria Police Force (VA 724) was formed by the Police Regulation Act 1853
(16 Victoria 24) and placed under the control of a Chief Commissioner of
Police. The existing forces, with the exception of the Water Police and the
Detective Force, which continued to function within the Victoria Police
Force, were disbanded, but many of their members were absorbed into the new
Force. From 1853 a Victoria Police Gazette has been published weekly and in
1856 the first Manual of Police Regulations was issued.

In regard to its general law enforcement and policing duties the Victoria
Police has operated since 1853 on a District basis with the Colony, and
later the State, divided into a number of metropolitan and country Districts
with further sub-divisions down to local police station and police office
level. These regional arrangements have gone through a number of
restructures. Initially there were 9 police Districts, but these were
increased to 11 following the 1881 Royal Commission. By 1971 there were 19
Districts, 7 metropolitan and 12 country, further divided into Divisions,
then Sub-Districts. Recent restructures have resulted in the formation of
large Regional Offices. District boundaries are detailed in the Gazettes.
The position of Chief Commissioner was also established by the 1853 Police
Regulation Act. The Office of the Chief Commissioner provides central
control, supervision, administration and coordination for the Victoria
Police Force, its members and its operations. The Chief Commissioner has
been responsible to the Colonial Secretary 1853-1855 (VRG 16), the Chief
Secretary 1855-1979 (VRG 26) and most recently the Minister for Police and
Emergency Services (VRG 73). Administrative assistance has been provided to
the Force by Victoria Police and Public Service officers. Prior to the
establishment of the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services (VA 421),
the public servants belonged to the Police Branch or Police Department of
the Chief Secretary's Department (VA 475). They now belong to an
Administration section within the Office of the Chief Commissioner.
Currently (1989) the Chief Commissioner's central police administration is
divided into the following sections, each headed by an Assistant
Commissioner - Crime, Operations, Traffic, Services, Personnel, and Research
and Development. In addition to these regional and central management
structures, a number of specialist areas have developed within the Force.

Criminal Investigation

Criminal detection or investigation was from the beginning the
responsibility of the Detective Force which was reorganised into the
Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) following the 1881 Royal Commission. The
Special Branch was formed within the CIB in 1931 with close links to the
then Commonwealth Security Service (later Australian Security and
Intelligence Organisation - ASIO), while in 1953 an Information
Section/Bureau and in 1936 a Fingerprint Branch/Bureau were added. Until
1936 the CIB operated from the Melbourne District, but thereafter it was
decentralised into 8 Metropolitan Divisions. In 1948 it was further
regionalised into 24 Metropolitan and 15 Country CIB Divisions. Other
specialised sections and squads were added to it over the years - the
Victorian Police Scientific Section and Detective Training School in 1938,
the Homicide Squad in 1943, and more recently the Company Fraud Squad, Armed
Robbery Squad, Arson Squad and so on.

Other Specialist Sections

Other special purpose units have also emerged, including the Licensing and
Gaming Squads, Public Relations Office (1946), the Forensic Science
Laboratory (established in 1955), the Police Surgeon (1947), the Motor
Boating Squad (1964), the Dog Squad, Police Air Wing and Community Policing
Squad. D24 was established in 1939 as the Force's Communication Control
Centre.

Role in Times of Emergency

During the World Wars, the Force took on extra functions under wartime
emergency legislation. In 1939-1945 D24 became a vital civil defence
communications and air raid warnings centre with close ties to the military
police organisations. Police also controlled lighthouses and the Special
Branch took on responsibilities for enforcing national security regulations.
After World War II the police continued to be responsible for coordinating
emergency services in an emergency until this role was assumed directly by
the Minister for Police and Emergency Services following the 1982 Ash
Wednesday bushfires. D24 continues to provide the State coordinating centre
in an emergency.

Royal Commissions and Inquiries

A series of inquiries and Royal Commissions have been held into police
administration and operations (see also VRG 14 Royal Commissions and Boards
of Inquiry). These have included a Commission of Inquiry appointed after the
Eureka incident in 1854, a Parliamentary Select Committee in 1862, a Royal
Commission following the Kelly Outbreak in 1881, further Royal Commissions
in 1906, 1923 (following the Police Strike) and 1936, the Abortion Inquiry
in 1970 and the Beach Inquiry in 1975 (see the bibliography "Victoria Police
Reading and Study Guide" in Police Life, November-December 1982, for a
listing of published reports). The recommendations of these inquiries and
Commissions - and of Colonel Sir Eric St. Johnston in his 1971 Report -
resulted in various organisational changes, restructuring, reforms and
innovations, for example formal training for recruits was introduced
following the 1906 Royal Commission; significant pension reforms after 1923;
a major restructure, establishment of the Internal Investigations Unit, and
an opening up of career opportunities for women after the St. Johnston
Report in 1971.

Women in the Victoria Police

Women first joined the Victoria Police Force in 1917 when two women were
appointed as "agents" - they received half the pay of policemen and did not
have the constable's power of arrest. In 1924 the four women police agents
were reappointed with full constabulary powers, the same wages, hours and
pension rights as policemen. By 1942 there were 12 policewomen and by 1950
18. Their work tended to be restricted to law enforcement in areas such as
neglected children, control of prostitution and abortion. In 1950 the first
woman was appointed to the Criminal Investigation Branch, and in 1954 the
first woman was appointed to the rank of sergeant. By 1956 there were 43
policewomen and by the early 1970's 185.

From the 1960's the traditional roles of policewomen were challenged and
from the beginning of the 1970's policewomen began to be integrated into all
aspects of policing and specialist duties.

Traffic Control, Motor Registration and Driver Licensing

From the early 1900's, police duties included traffic control at
intersections. The Motor Police, equipped with bicycles, was formed in 1912
with duties including motor registration and driver licensing. By 1921 the
Traffic Control Branch (from 1971 Traffic Department) and Motor Registration
Branch (VA 488) had been established. The role of the police in road safety
and traffic operations, and of the Motor Registration Branch were set down
in a series of Transport, Transport Regulation, Road Traffic and Motor
Registration Acts. From the mid 1950's their responsibilities for road
safety and traffic control were greatly increased and a prevention and
educational role emerged. The Road Courtesy and Accident
Appreciation/Investigation Squads date from this period. In 1978 the
operational wing of the Traffic Department, the Traffic Operations Group
(formerly the Mobile Traffic Section) was regionalised.

Further research is needed to establish the varying roles of Victoria Police
units and the Transport agencies involved in traffic management, and the
type of coordination mechanisms in place. (See also VRG 49 Transport.)

Responsibility for motor registration and driver licensing passed to the
Minister of Transport (VRG 49) and Transport Regulation Board (VA 2738) in
1981 under the Motor Registration Act 1980.

Neglected and Abused Children

Under the provisions of the Infant Life Protection Act 1890 the Chief
Commissioner of Police was vested in 1890 with responsibility for the
registration of homes used for the purpose of nursing, maintaining and
adopting infants. This function was previously undertaken by local councils
in their capacity as Local Boards of Health (see VRG 8 Health and Welfare
Agencies and VRG 12 Municipalities). In 1907 a subsequent Infant Life
Protection Act 1907 transferred responsibility for this function to the
Department for Neglected Children, later known as the Children's Welfare
Department (VA 1467) in the Chief Secretary's Department (see also VRG 26
and VA 475).

In addition to its related law enforcement and criminal investigation
responsibilities, the Victoria Police Force has continued to play a support
role to the agencies with responsibilities for neglected and abused
children, increasingly in community education and preventive programs.

Sources

Sources used in compiling this description include the official Victoria
Police Force history: Police in Victoria 1836 - 1980 (Victoria Police Force
1980). A useful bibliography, titled "Victoria Police: Reading and Study
Guide", was published in the Victoria Police Force magazine Police Life,
November-December 1982.

Location of Records

Significant records are held by the Public Record Office. Researchers should
also consult sections of the Summary Guide on the related Groups and
Agencies referred to above.

See List of Holdings 2nd Edition 1985, section 12.0.0.
====================================================
I know the first two "police" in Port Phillip were actually seconded from
Van Diemans Land - one stationed at Williamstown and one at Point Henry.

The information you're looking for will probably be in correspondence for
the Superintendent, Port Phillip District (1839-1851).

There would also be corresponding / similar correspondence in State Records
NSW as everything that breathed or moved down here was reported to NSW as
this was part of that colony.

As you're in Queensland it's probably worth looking at the series of books
"Historic Records of Victoria" - they certainly cover early police duties
etc. and should be available in Qld at State Library or similar.

Hope that helps ......... Susie Z

> on 11/5/04 6:42 AM, Judy Meibusch at wrote:
>
> Can anyone tell me who appointed constables in Port Phillip pre separation
and
> where records might be?
>
> Would a constable be appointed specifically to a district?
>
> I have found records of the appointment of another constable ancestor in
NSW,
> in Colonial Sec Correspondence, but I suspect local (Port Phillip)
constables
> may have been appointed by a magistrate.Any experts out there?
>
> I am looking particularly for the appointment of Donald (Daniel) MULLOWNEY
a
> constable at his marriage in 1842 and perhaps more importantly, the
> appointment of a replacement in the event of his demise a couple of years
> later! ( I can't find any death record for this chap and his wife Jane
MURRAY
> remarried in 1844)
>
> Any help appreciated!
> Judy
> Qld

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