|
 |
Home
 Museum & Gallery Profiles |
 
|
|
Left: Come in and try your detective skills in our simulated crime scene. The Queensland Police Museum is located on the Ground Floor of QPS Headquarters at 200 Roma Street.
Queensland Police Museum Image Collection.
|
In 1907, Police Commissioner William Cahill and the Deputy Government Architect designed the Queensland Police Station Badge that would be used to identify a premise as a police station. In 1911, 300 of the cast iron badges, each weighing 17 pounds, were manufactured by Harvey and Son, Globe Iron Works in Brisbane for a total cost of £72. Badges were distributed to every station in the state. In 1959, the cast iron badges were progressively replaced by illuminated 'Police' signs. The use of station badges was the first attempt since the inauguration of the Queensland Police in 1864, to properly identify police stations. Six original station badges remain in the Police Museum collection.
Left: These painted, cast iron badges identified police stations across Queensland between 1907 and 1959. Their original colours of red, white and black were often lost when a station was repainted. This badge was removed from the Emerald Police Station in 1981.
Queensland Police Museum Image Collection.
Peter the dog
Pieces of evidence can be gathered from a crime scene or through a criminal investigation. Anything that connects a murderer to their victim, identifies the sequence of events or the murder weapon, is evidence, and is coveted by police investigators. Evidence can take any form - even a stuffed dog. Athol Henry McCowan, a 23 year old taxidriver of Southport, was murdered on 22 May 1952. Peter was the murderer's dog and a silent witness to the crime. Police obtained descriptions from witnesses of the suspect, his motor vehicle and his dog. After an intensive Australia-wide investigation, Arthur Ernest Halliday was arrested in Sydney on 13 November 1952 and then extradited to Brisbane to face charges for the wilful murder of McCowan. Halliday's dog Peter had been left with his sister and died of a tick infection before Police found him. As he was an important part of the prosecution's case, Peter was mounted by a taxidermist for his court appearance. By using Peter as evidence, the prosecution effectively linked Halliday to the murder of Athol McCowan. Peter has been continuously on public display in the Police Museum since 1979.
|
The gift of Illuminated Addresses to Queensland police officers was a ready practice in the early part of the 20th century. Communities that treasured and respected their police offices often made the gift when an officer of long standing, was transferred out of town. This address is different as it was made as a gift for Inspector 1/c John Warren White by other police officers, on his retirement in 1911 (he joined the police in 1882 and served for 29 years in some of the more remote areas of Queensland). It is not as elaborate as other Illuminated Addresses in the Museum's collection, but it has more pages than most. The leather cover shows a gilt pattern with a central brass symbol of a closed hand holding flowers. The first two pages include an image of John White and the title page. Other pages in the book outline John White's police service and show images of places where he was stationed. While illuminated addresses are usually signed by members of the community, this one is signed by the Commissioner of the day William Cahill, and eight high ranking police officers. An illuminated address has the potential to help us understand the relationship between police officers and may also indicate the link between community and the police family, at a specific time in the history of the Queensland Police.
|
Left and above: Illuminated Address (front cover and first 2 pages) given to Inspector 1/c John Warren White after his retirement from the Queensland Police in 1911 by Commissioner Cahill and other high ranking police officers.
Queensland Police Museum Image Collection.
|
| 'Did You Know' - Intriguing Facts about the Museum and its collection. | |
The Queensland Police Museum houses a fake gold nugget dating back to 1884. Collections have been in existence since 27 November 1893 but very little of those first collection items remain. We have documentation of this nugget which places it in the collection in 1894.
The collection includes a land ballot box with 200 numbered balls. It was used as an equitable way to parcel out land to those who wanted to purchase it. The process was overseen by a police officer.
That welded coins can tell such a tragic tale. On 30 March 1902 Station Manager Albert Dahlke & Constable George Doyle were shot and killed by the horse stealing Kenniff brothers. These two coins were welded together by the heat of the fire used to burn the bodies of Doyle and Dahlke. The coins are believed to have been in Dahlke’s pocket when he was killed.
The Museum has a collection of Police station badges (1911 – 1958). Prior to 1907 police stations were not identified by a sign. In 1907, Police Commissioner Cahill and the Deputy Government Architect designed the Queensland Police Station Badge. The design was similar to the uniform Cap Badge. In 1911, 300 cast iron badges, each weighing 17 pounds (7 kgs) and costing 4 shillings and 10 pence were manufactured by Harvey & Son, Globe Iron Works, Brisbane and distributed as identification badges to every Police Station in the state. Cast Iron station badges were replaced with illuminated signs in 1958.
The collection includes awards given to Ivan Adams, an off duty police diver. On the evening of September 18, 1964, the 3000 tonne Danish dredge Kaptajn Nielsen capsized without warning in Moreton Bay. Ivan Adams was one of the first on the scene and helped to save 12 of 21 sailors from drowning.
Queensland Police Museum can source and produce the service history for any Queensland Police officer who served between 1864 and 1940 in less than 48 hours?
Queensland Police Museum has a large collection of police uniform, accessories and related images and information which illustrate the majority of uniform changes since 1864, both for male and female police officers?
Queensland Police Museum opens its doors to the public on the last Sunday of each month (January to November) from 10am to 3pm in addition to standard Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm opening hours and that these Sunday openings feature guest speakers from across the crime-solving spectrum?
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
