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Police officer

Occupation - Police officer
Alford, John Ferris
Armfield, Lillian May
Baker, Maggie
Ball, Thomas
Barrington, George
Bladders, William
Blissett, Ray
Bowden, Frederick Leopold
Bundle
Bungaree, John
Byrne, John F
Caldwell, (Killer)
Dalton, Richard
Delaney, Colin
29 Apr 1919 - 1962
Gore, William
Hayden, Bill
Hogg, James
Horne, Samuel Henry
Howe, John
Howe, William
Jilks, George
Kable, Henry
Larra, James
Luker, Joseph
Lyons, Thomas
Mabbutt, Leslie
MacKay, William John
Macourt, James
McLerie, John
Merrick, Edward
Miles, William Augustus
Miller, Matthew 'Matt'
Oakes, Francis
Pashley, George
Poole, George
Redman, John
Russell, John d.1820
Simmonds, Isaac
Small, John
1809 - 1826
Taylor, Samuel
Thorn, John
Windeyer, Charles
Wood, Mervyn
Position - Police officer of Bridge Street Affray
Alford, John Ferris
Ball, Thomas
Bowden, Frederick Leopold
Lyons, Thomas
Macourt, James
Taylor, Samuel
Position - Police officer of Colonial police
Bladders, William
Luker, Joseph
1796 - 26 Aug 1803
Pashley, George
1811 - 1820
Redman, John
Russell, John d.1820
Simmonds, Isaac
May 1803 - Aug 1803
Position - Police officer of New South Wales Police Force
Armfield, Lillian May
1915 - 02 Dec 1949
Blissett, Ray
1929 - 1969
MacKay, William John
Apr 1910 - 22 Jan 1948

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Police officer

Alford, John Ferris

First Class Constable who was one of several police officers injured, and later commended for bravery, during the Bridge Street Affray in 1894. He had been on duty at the Colonial Secretary's office building nearby when he responded to calls for assistance. He was left an invalid from his injuries and was unable to return to work, eventually being retired as unfit for further duty on a sergeant's pension.

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Armfield, Lillian May

Pioneering Sydney policewoman whose long career spanned the city's razor gang wars. One of the first plain-clothed female detectives in Australia, in 1947 she was also the first woman of The Commonwealth to be awarded the King's Police and Fire Services Medal for outstanding service. After her retirement in 1949 she was awarded the Imperial Services Medal.

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Baker, Maggie

Policewoman who was serving in the police force during the time of Sydney's razor gangs and was described by author Larry Writer as Lillian Armfield's 'right-hand woman'. Baker's true identity is not known as she adopted a pseudonym when describing her memories of the famous gangland figures, Kate Leigh and Tilly Devine.

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Ball, Thomas

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Senior Constable who was one of several police officers commended for bravery and promoted to sergeant due to his actions in the Bridge Street Affray in 1894. He died at the age of 50 at his home in Leichhardt, leaving a widow and five young children.

Barrington, George

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Emancipist who was granted a conditional pardon after his exemplary work at Toongabbie and who was eventually appointed chief constable at Parramatta.

Bladders, William

Former convict who had been transported for burglary but became a constable in Sydney's early police force. He was one of several suspects in the murder of another police officer, Joseph Luker, in August 1803 but was found not guilty due to lack of evidence. He was also known as William Hambridge, Ambridge or Embridge. 

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Blissett, Ray

Policeman nicknamed 'The Blizzard' who started life as a bullock driver at age 14 before joining the police force in Redfern. He worked as a police officer during the violent razor gang wars of the 1930s, spending most of his career policing Glebe. On his retirement he had been superintendent and chief of the Criminal Investigation Branch.

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Bowden, Frederick Leopold

Police constable who was one of several officers injured, and later commended for bravery, during the Bridge Street Affray in 1894.

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Bundle

Aboriginal man who was an elder of the Cowpastures people. As a child he was orphaned soon after the colony was established and is often referred to in early records as 'Young Bundle'. Over four decades he travelled extensively as a guide to coastal explorers, often assisting as interpreter. He also worked as a tracker and native constable. His name was also written in English records as Bondel, Bundil, Bundell. Bon-del, Bundal,or Burreach.

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Bungaree, John

Kamilaroi man brought to Sydney from the Namoi River valley and educated at the Normal Institution in the 1830s.

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Byrne, John F

Policeman stationed at Botany who was involved in the rations and equipment supplied to the Aboriginals at the Botany camp.

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Caldwell, (Killer)

Notorious police inspector in Woolloomooloo and Kings Cross.

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Dalton, Richard

Constable, deputy gaoler and master of the Benevolent Asylum.

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Delaney, Colin

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Commissioner of Police during the 1950s, and the first Catholic to hold the position.

Gore, William

Provost Marshal who became one of the largest landholders in Artarmon.

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Hayden, Bill

Politician who served in two Federal cabinets before becoming 21st Governor General of Australia.

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Hogg, James

Scottish born policeman who was overzealous in his aim to curb illegal drinking hours at Glebe hotels in the 1900s.

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Horne, Samuel Henry

Government overseer and chief constable who received a land grant in the Hornsby area as a reward for his part in the capture of bushrangers Dalton and MacNamara in 1830.

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Howe, John

Early settler at Windsor who was appointed Chief Constable and Coroner for the district, and among his occupations were those of bridge-building, keeper of the ferry, settler, storekeeper and auctioneer. In 1819-1920 he led exploring parties which opened up the Upper Hunter .

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Howe, William

Grazier and superintendent of police at Campbelltown, Howe was a keen supporter of the racing industry and active in his local community.

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Jilks, George

Transported for stealing a copper, he became cheif constable in Sydney and resided in Riley Street into his 80s.

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Kable, Henry

Emancipist who became chief constable before embarking on a commercial career as sealer, shipowner, brewer and farmer.

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Larra, James

Jewish emancipist and merchant who was transported for stealing a tankard. Well regarded by authorities he soon received land grants and established himself as an innkeeper but financial difficulties and scandal lead to his downfall.

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Luker, Joseph

Former convict who joined Sydney's early police force in 1796. He was murdered in 1803, the first police officer killed in the line of duty in New South Wales. 

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Lyons, Thomas

Police constable who was one of several officers injured, and subsequently commended for bravery, during the Bridge Street Affray in 1894. 

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Mabbutt, Leslie

Magistrate and former police prosecutor who was the NSW State Coroner between April-December 2018.

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MacKay, William John

Police officer who migrated to Sydney and became Commissioner of Police in 1935.

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Macourt, James

Senior Constable who was one of the police officers injured, and subsquently commended for bravery, in the Bridge Street Affray in 1894. The revolver which he was issued after the affray was later donated to the Justice and Police Museum by his descendants.

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McLerie, John

Superintendent (later Inspector-General) of Police in Sydney 1850-1874.

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Merrick, Edward

Convict who was tried at the Old Bailey, London on 2 April 1788 for stealing two pounds of tea, seven loaves of refined sugar, 20 pounds of moist sugar and three pounds of rice valued at two pounds and eight shillings. After arriving in Sydney, he married Mary (or Elizabeth) Russell at St Phillips, Sydney. In 1799 he received a grant of 30 acres at Richmond Hill on the Hawkesbury River. In 1809 he received a grant of a further 80 acres at Richmond Hill. He worked as District Constable and Poundkeeper at North Richmond.

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Miles, William Augustus

Police commissioner and magistrate who attempted to model the Sydney police organisation on that of London.

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Miller, Matthew 'Matt'

Convict who became a well respected constable at Windsor. He was convicted of murdering his wife in 1828.

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Oakes, Francis

Chief constable for the Parramatta district from 1805 and convict administrator who also worked as a farmer, baker, shop-keeper, contractor and auctioneer.

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Pashley, George

George Pashley, or Parsley, was a convict who arrived in Sydney in 1791. A tailor by trade he set up business on Cumberland Street in the Rocks. He was also a private in the Sydney Loyal Volunteers and a constable with the Sydney police.

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Poole, George

Popular policeman who organised informal youth club meetings at Balmain Watch House where he served for over 20 years.

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Redman, John

Convict transported on HMS Supply who was granted a conditional pardon in 1794 and appointed Constable in 1800, ultimately becoming Chief Constable of Sydney and later Keeper of the Gaol.

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Russell, John d.1820

Former hatmaker who was convicted of robbery in London in 1799. He arrived in Sydney on the Cormandel in 1802 and soon joined the early Sydney police force. In 1804 Russell was a suspect in the burglary of Mary Breeze's house on Back Row (modern day Phillip Street) and the subsequent murder of an investigating police officer Joseph Luker. He remained a police constable until at least 1817. In 1820 he was found hanged in a house near the Market Wharf and was found to have killed himself while insane.

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Simmonds, Isaac

Former convict who joined Sydney's early police force shortly after his arrival in the colony in 1803. Also known as Ikey, or Hikey, Bull, probably due to his size. He had been convicted of robbery in 1799 and  He was tried for the murder of fellow officer Joseph Luker in 1803, he was found not guilty due to lack of conclusive evidence. His association with criminals and the corrupt behaviour as a police officer that became apparent during the investigation into Luker's death saw Simmonds return to life as a convict however, initially at George's Head, and then the Newcastle penal colony. He was released in 1818 and died in Sydney in 1833.

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Small, John

Convict transported for assault and theft who was eventually granted land at Ryde in 1794. In 1809 he was appointed a district constable.

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Taylor, Samuel

Police constable who was one of several police officers injured, and later commended for bravery, during the Bridge Street Affray in 1894. He had been on duty at the Treasury nearby when he responded to calls for assistance.

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Thorn, John

Police constable granted land as a reward for capturing bushrangers. His grant became the area Thornleigh.

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Windeyer, Charles

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Magistrate and police superintendent. He served as the first Mayor of Sydney in the period between the city's incorporation in August 1842 and the first elections in November.

Wood, Mervyn

Olympic gold medal winning rower, who rose to the top of the New South Wales police force.

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Bridge Street Affray

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Incident on Bridge Street in the early hours of Friday 2 February 1894 in which three men, who had tried to rob the Union Steamship Company's offices, attacked and injured several police officers in the pursuit. Five police officers were seriously injured and two of the robbers were subsequently hanged. As a result of the incident, police in New South Wales were authorised to carry firearms in the line of duty.

Colonial police

In 1796, Governor Hunter reorganised the night watch that had been established in 1789 to maintain law and order in the colony. The new structure of the 'civil police' was more formal than that of the night watch, with each region under the control of local magistrates. Police officers were initially still selected from the best behaved former convicts however. The number of regions was increased at the same time, enabling police jurisdiction to be extended as far as Toongabbie, the Hawkesbury and Parramatta.

In January 1811 the organisation was again restructured with the introduction by Macquarie of the new role of Police Superintendent. Often referred to in secondary sources as the Sydney Foot Police in order to differentiate it from the other specialist police forces that developed like the Mounted Police and Water Police, this does not appear to have ever been an official title of the department. The separate forces were united in 1862 with the Police Regulation Act of 1862 and the establishment of the New South Wales Police Force. 

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New South Wales Police Force

Largest and oldest police organisation in Australia.

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