South Australian Police Gazette 1879-80

Cat No.:   AU5103-1879:

No of pages in original: 518pp

Year published: (1879-80)

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, 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.

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 South Australia in the 1870s. The CD contains the 1879 and 1880 South Australian Police Gazettes on one CD.

Example entry taken from the 3 September 1879 issue:

Inquests

On the 29th ultimo, by Thomas Ward, J.P., City Coroner, at the Yatala Labor Prison, on the body of a convict named James Williams. Verdict - 'died from consumption'.

On the 25th ultimo, by Thomas Ward, J.P., City Coroner, at the Adelaide Hospital, on the body of Charles Richards. Verdict - 'Died from peritonitis, the result of being kicked by a horse'.

No. of CDs is:  1 ;   Format is:  PDF ;   Searchable?:  YES;

FastFind:  Yes;  ISBN No.:   9781921371974;