Service: From 27 June 1899to? ? 1925 ( resigned ) = 26 years Service
Awards: ?
Born: 2 October 1865 – son of John Ross McLennan & Jessie ( nee McIntyre )
Died on: 6 November 1932
Age: 67
Cause: ?
Funeral date: ?
Funeral location: ?
Buried at: ?
Memorial at: ?
Ref:168/97 George McLennan First NSW Police Motor Cyclist [On AJS Motorcycle. Outside Art Gallery Of New South Wales, Sydney] c1915. Silver gelatin photograph, captioned and annotated in ink on image lower right and verso, 14.1 x 19.4cm. Slight tear to right edge of image, minor stains, scuffs and silvering to image, laid down on old backing. Annotations include “Born 2-10-1865, son of John Ross McLennan and Jessie (nee McIntyre). George died Photographed outside NSW Art Gallery. Old Kiosk in background. It was later demolished to make way for the Cahall [sic] expressway.” NSW Registration number 11255 Uniform number possible 800
NSW Registration number 11255 Wearing the 1915 NSW Police Cap Badge. Possible Uniform number 500 on left collar. Not able to see Alpha letter on right collar. The Alpha letter on right collar depicted, in those days, the District that the Constable was assigned to. i.e. ‘A’ District was Sydney. ‘I’ District was Liverpool etc.
NSWPF 1915 CAP BADGE
George McLennan Uniform number A 500 – indicating that he worked from ‘A’ District ( Sydney )
[alert_yellow]GEORGE is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_yellow] *NEED MORE INFO
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Funeral location: ?
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FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.
First NSW Police Motor Cyclist [On AJS Motorcycle. Outside Art Gallery Of New South Wales, Sydney] c1915.
Silver gelatin photograph, captioned and annotated in ink on image lower right and verso, 14.1 x 19.4cm. Slight tear to right edge of image, minor stains, scuffs and silvering to image, laid down on old backing.
Annotations include “Born 2-10-1865, son of John Ross McLennan and Jessie (nee McIntyre). George died 6-11-1932, aged 67. He resigned from police force in 1925.
Photographed outside NSW Art Gallery. Old Kiosk in background. It was later demolished to make way for the Cahall [sic] expressway.”
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NSW State Records
Service # 7378 Native of NSW Reel 3043 Item [ 8/3253 ]
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The Sydney Morning Herald Monday 7 November 1932 p8
McLENNAN – November 6, 1932, at his residence, 17 Wynchbury avenue, Croydon. George McLennan ( ex -sergeant of police ) dearly loved husband of Grace and loving father of Jessie, Ross and Heather. aged 67 years.
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NSWBDM
Birth: 181008/2005
Death: 19485/1932 – Burwood
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Carl Maxwell GOTCH
| 30/11/2016
Carl Maxwell GOTCH – husband of Julie who was also in “the job”
aka Maxwell
New South Wales Police Force
[alert_yellow]Regd. # 6743[/alert_yellow]
Rank: Probationary Constable – appointed 14 August 1950
Biz (Fairfield, NSW : 1928 – 1972), Thursday 11 April 1968, page 1
Mayor injured in car collision
The Mayor of Fairfield, Ald. H. Schofield, is recovering in St. Joseph’s Hospital, Auburn,’ after being involved in a car accident last Saturday night.
A spokesman for Auburn Police Traffic Branch, Sergeant C. Gotch, said the accident occurred at about 6.45 p.m. on the corner of Edgar Street and Chisholm Road, Auburn. Sgt. Gotch said Ald. Schofield was travelling in a car with three other men when the accident occurred. ” The driver of the car in which the mayor was travelling, Mr. Robert (Bernie) Feltham, of Fairfield, only suffered slight abrasions in the accident. ” ” Ald. Schofield and the two other passengers, Mr. P. Bowtell and Mr. J. Reid, were all taken to hospital. ” Ald. Schofield suffered a fractured frontal bone of the head. ” Mr. Bowtell suffered a fractured skull and Mr. Reid suffered a fractured collarbone,” Sgt. Gotch said. Mr. Bowtell Is the president of Fairfield Bowling Club. Sgt. Gotch said two cars were involved in the accident. ” There were two men in the other car; the driver suffered slight abrasions but the passenger, Warwick Lacy, suffered injuries to the head.
Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995), Saturday 2 February 1957, page 5
Court Dismisses Charge Against Constable
SYDNEY, Friday. -Charges against Constable Carl Maxwell Gotch for the alleged assault of a man at Waverley Police Station on December 29, were dismissed in Paddington Court to-day.
Mr.Harvey, discharged Gotch, a former police constable, after ruling there was no case to answer.
Gotch had been charged with assaulting James Kelly, instrument fitter, of Gladesville, in the police station chargeroom.
Mr. Harvey described Kelly as a “most unreliable witness.”
Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995), Tuesday 26 March 1957, page 6
Former Police Officer Cleared Of Allegations
SYDNEY, Monday. -A magistrate to-day accepted the withdrawal of a charge of assault against a former police constable when the magistrate said he left the court without a blemish or stain on his character.
Before Paddington Court was Carl Maxwell Gotch, former police constable, against whom the police prosecutor asked permission to withdraw a charge of unlawful assault.
Mr. Harvey, S.M., told Gotch “You have come before this court on two charges which have not been substantiated in any way.”
Previously, a charge against Gotch of having assaulted James Kelly at Waverley Police Station on December 29, causing grievous bodily harm, was dismissed.
Inspector Milne, police prosecutor, said to-day the Commissioner of Police had been advised by the Crown Solicitor that no evidence could be offered against Gotch on a second charge of unlawful assault against Kelly.
Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954), Tuesday 21 December 1954, page 7
LAW REPORTS
Constable Slapped His Face: Radio Man’s Claim
A radio script writer claimed at Paddington Court of Petty Sessions yesterday that a constable slapped his face in Waverley police station last month.
Don Anthony Haring, 32, of Moore Street, Bondi, pleaded not guilty to a charge of having driven a car in Bennett Street, Waverley, on November 11 while under the influence of liquor.
He also denied charges of having used insulting words to Sergeant Ronald Albert Newman and having used indecent language in Bennett Street.
Mr. E. R. Harvey, S.M., said he was satisfied that Haring was under the influence of liquor. He released him on his entering into a £20 bond to be of good behaviour for two years.
On the other two charges, Mr Harvey fined him a total of £8.
WAITED IN CAR
Haring said in evidence he was an American-born freelance writer and script writer. On November 6 he went to Canterbury races and there had two glasses of beer both smaller than middies “.
That was all he had to drink that day.
After the races he drove-his daughter, aged 10, to a friend’s house in Bennett street. He was parked outside for a few minutes waiting for her to come out, when a
police car pulled up and Sergeant Newman and a Constable Shiels spoke to him.
He alleged that after a short conversation with the police he was pushed against the police car.
The police refused to tell him what he had done. He was then arrested. He was taken to Waverley police station in the police car, leaving his coat and wallet in his own car.
At the station Constable Shiels had insulted him.
HIS MONEY
Haring said that after Constable Gotch arrived at the station with his coat and wallet, and had counted out from the wallet £11 and a few shillings, he pointed out to Sergeant Newman three times that there had been £21 in the wallet.
Sergeant Newman eventually replied: ” You wouldn’t know how much you had in your wallet. ”
Questioned by his solicitor, Mr. J. P. Sharah, Haring alleged that Constable Gotch turned round and said: ” Are you accusing me of taking your money? ”
He had answered: “ I am not accusing anyone at this stage, but it didn’t fly away. ”
Haring claimed that Constable Gotch had then slapped him in the face.
Before he left the station, he signed a receipt for his belongings and money, ” under protest. ”
Barrier Daily Truth (Broken Hill, NSW : 1908; 1941 – 1954), Monday 22 December 1952, page 1
Crowd Attacks Police
Sydney, December 21. — A crowd yesterday attacked a constable as he was making an arrest near a hotel at Bondi Junction. Two other men the constable had arrested earlier escaped as the constable and sergeant ( Off Duty Sgt Ronald Albert Newman of Waverley Police ) fought off attackers. Constable Gotch ( Waverley ) arrested the two men for drunkenness about 6.15 p.m. at the corner of Grosvenor and Oxford Streets, Bondi Junction.
He put them in a taxi to take them to Waverley Police Station. As the cab drove away a man in the crowd of 200 at the corner called out; ” Mug copper ….. ”
The cab swung back, and Constable Gotch got out to arrest the man. As he snapped handcuffs on the man a group of men surged around him. Later at Waverley Police Station a man was charged with having used insulting words, resisted arrest, and assaulting police.
Three men were charged at Waverley police station last night after a struggle with two constables who had gone to a house in Bronte Road in answer to a phone call.
One, aged 64, was accused of indecent language and resisting arrest. The second, aged 30, was charged with assaulting a constable. The third, aged 45, was charged with inciting to resist arrest.
Constable A. Cunningham, of Waverley, went to the house first. He later alleged that a man who met him outside used indecent language and then ran in.
The constable said he followed him upstairs. There were two other men there, and a struggle took place in which he was knocked down. Then Constable C. Gotch arrived, and between them they arrested all the men.
Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 – 1954), Friday 4 April 1952, page 8
Taxi driver drank, fined £15
Stanley Cyril Bailey, 42, taxi-driver, of George St., Rose Bay, was fined £15 in Paddington Court to-day for driving while under the influence of liquor yesterday. Constable Gotch ( Waverley ) told Mr. Harvey, SM, that at about 4.20 pm yesterday Bailey’s taxi collided with the front offside mudguard of a stationary bus in Oxford St Bondi Junction. Bailey was “very much under the influence.”
G’day Cal, very, very sad news about Mark. A real good bloke and straight shooting copper.
Mark had the best kept peaked cap for a front line copper that I ever saw. Always in pristine condition and not battered like ours were. We used to put the caps under our armpits to make them look like we were more operational than we really were. Mark didn’t have to do that of course, but I’ll never forget how good his hat was!
I met Mark when I was sent to the old Riverwood call box in early 1976. In those days 31 Division’s head station was at Hurstville, then there was Kingsgrove and the 2 call boxes, Mortdale and Riverwood. BTW I saw Bob May’s name here recently. He was a Senior Constable at the time at Hurstville and, as expected was a great bloke to have with you in any sort of blue.
The guys at the 2 call boxes had a close affinity probably because of that reason.
The other guys that Mark worked with, Dick Treverrow, Brian Bernardi, Gordon Lewis and Sergeant Ted Freeman were salt of the earth guys and great coppers.
Riverwood had its fair share of terrific guys as well, Bob McCloskey (whose name appeared here recently unfortunately), Bill Bullock, Sergeants Doug Robertson and Bill Lavette.
The call boxes in those days only worked 0700 to 2300 normally which meant that we worked nightshift at either Hurstville or Kingsgrove.
The incident that is the point of this email happened when Mark and I were working nightwork (I think for some reason out of Hurstville).
In those days we did 7 days of night shift from 2300 to 0700. Around 0530, just as the dawn was starting to show up, it was that misty grey time, we knew that we didn’t have long to go before we headed back to knock off.
Anyway being the junior man I was at the wheel of the F100 truck, we drove down King Georges Rd, just to kill some time because it was too early to go back.
I turned left into Edgbaston Rd and drove along the street and at the first cross intersection we came to (I think it was Melville Street, not sure) looming through the early morning mist, the whole intersection was COVERED in garden gnomes!!!
It was just so funny. We stopped and looked at the scene-there were aborigines with spears, elves with pipes, kangaroos you name it they were there and they covered the whole intersection.
The first thought we had was what the hell do we do now. I’m sure whoever did this was nearby watching and having a good laugh at seeing a couple of coppers loading all the gnomes into the back of the F100.
We ended up taking them to Hurstville, alerted the media for people to come and collect their gnomes and that was it.
You had to be there to see it.
Last saw Mark at Mortdale Railway Station probably 2002. We were both going to the first Police cadets reunion at the US Club at Sutherland. He hadn’t changed much, just older like all of us.
Anyway mate, gain very sad to hear that Mark has died. A thorough gentleman, straight shooter and good copper.
Someone you could rely on.
Cheers
Mick McGann
No.16758 / Cadet 2948
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Good morning
I recently received my copy of the Police News and noticed the death of Mark Allman in November 2016. I was in the Police Cadets with Mark and kept in touch with him from time to time throughout our service. He used to send me emails from time to time but then early last year they stopped and I guessed he was too busy doing other things he loved, his family and riding motorcycles .
I was saddened to learn of his passing . I was searching the web and came across your web page . Congratulations to you and those who have pioneered this information for Police and their families.
I was not aware it existed but as I looked down the list of members who have passed on some of them I remember well and the good times we had in the ‘police family’.
Best wishes and many thanks for your dedication…
Regards, Ron McSporran..
Regd.No.9067
Ex Cadet 1301.
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Robert James MAY
| 30/11/2016
Robert James MAY
aka Camel or Bob
*NOT TO BE MISTAKEN FOR Robert Sidney MAY aka Ajax who is alive and well.
New South Wales Police Force
[alert_yellow]Regd. # 10495[/alert_yellow]
Rank: Probationary Constable – appointed 29 October 1962
Senior Constable – appointed 29 October 1971
Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed 2 April 1988
Stations: ?, Hurstville ( 1970’s ), Sutherland ( Sgt in 1980’s ), Miranda – resignation
Service: From? ? pre October 1962? to 2 February 1991=28+years Service
Awards: National Medal – granted 17 March 1989
1st Clasp to National Medal – granted 17 March 1989
Born: 1 February 1936
Died on: Sunday 20 November 2016
Age: 80
Cause: ?
Funeral date: Monday 28 November 2016 @ 1pm
Funeral location: South Chapel, Woronora Cemetery, Linden St, Sutherland
Buried at: ?TBA
Memorial at: ?
[alert_yellow]ROBERT is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_yellow] *NEED MORE INFO
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Funeral location:
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FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.
Trevor ” Boe ” Cullen is a current serving member of NSWPF.
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Trevor was also a qualified commercial pilot and possibly ferried planes across the Pacific Ocean from the USA to Australia.
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PASSING OF TREVOR JOHN CULLEN – GOLD COAST BRANCH STALWART:
Trevor John CULLEN was a member of the Gold Coast Branch of Retired Police Association ( R.P.A. ) for some sixteen years and was held in high esteem by all who knew him and enjoyed his company over many years. Trevor had always been a most regular attendee at our Branch meetings for many years – but due to serious ill health had not been in attendance for a considerable time.
Trevor Cullen was a Detective for most of his service and enjoyed a reputation as an investigator of some renown, whose ability and analytical skills resulted in numerous criminal convictions including for the horrendous crime of murder. I had the pleasure of working with Trevor Cullen as the junior detective on several murder cases and I admired both his investigative skills and his tenacious commitment in bringing criminals to justice.
Trevor ultimately passed away on the 10 November and was subsequently laid to rest on the 18th November. At his funeral John KING, Bob COOLEY and Brian LANDON most honourably represented our Branch – with the floral tribute and eulogy being delivered by his former workmate and close friend Graeme ROSS.
The sincere condolences of all branch members are extended to his dear wife Laurel and his family.
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Graeme David FARRELL
| 30/11/2016
Graeme David FARRELL
aka Spook
New South Wales Police Force
[alert_yellow]Regd. # 14174[/alert_yellow]
Rank: Probationary Constable – appointed 22 June 1970
Constable 1st Class – appointed 22 June 1975
Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed 27 April 1986 – retirement
Fred may have also have lived, as a lad, at 19 Atchison St, Wollongong and worked at Wollongong Police Station or the Wollongong Police Boys Club.
In the South Coast Times & Wollongong Argus, dated Monday 4 October 1954, page 5, Constable Fred Pitchford is mentioned at a dance at Wollongong Police Boys’ Club Ball as having decorated the hall and attending the Ball with his wife ( no Christian name mentioned for her ).
In Illawarra Daily Mercury on Wednesday 11 April 1951, page 9, Mr & Mrs Fred Pitchford of Fernhill ( Wollongong ) are mentioned having a son & heir born at the Bulli Hospital on Friday – being named Keith Frederick Pitchford.
In the Illawarra Daily Mercury ( Wollongong ) on Monday 28 August 1950, page 12, a Fred Pitchford is mentioned ( no age ) as playing baseball at Stuart Park for Woonona.
A Fred Pitchford is also mentioned as an Usher at the wedding of a sister – Dorothea May Pitchford – of 19 Atchison St, Wollongong. Parents being Mr & Mrs. W. J. Pitchford of that address. This appears in the South Coast Times & Wollongong Argus on Friday 10 September 1943, page 9.
15 year old Fred was mentioned in the South Coast Times @ Wollongong Argus on Friday 17 May 1940 as being a 15 year old who fractured his left collarbone and sustained head injuries & a sprained left wrist, when he fell from a bicycle in Crown St, and being admitted to hospital.
From 1970 – 1993, Frederick William Pitchford of various addresses around Tathra, is mentioned in Government Gazette of NSW under the Fisheries and Oyster Farms Act, 1935, as owner of various oyster leases.
BIRTHDAY BOY: Sue Cotterill and Wendy Dunn help long-time Tathra resident Fred Pitchford celebrate his 92nd birthday on October 28 with family and friends.
A TATHRA man has been awarded the 20-year Police Medal, 28 years after he qualified.
Fred Pitchford was presented with his medal by Inspector Jason Edmunds at his home in Tathra last week.
The award was made after the New South Wales police decided to retrospectively recognise former sworn officers for their “diligent and ethical service”.
The medal is not given by virtue of long service, but on merit.
After working in Bega between 1968 and 1977 as a Second Class Sergeant (comparable to today’s Senior Sergeant) Mr Pitchford was discharged medically unfit from the force in 1980 and retired to Tathra.
Mr Pitchford had suffered severe ankle injuries that came from an accident after “arresting a couple of blokes” but mainly from kick-starting the old police Triumph motorbikes he rode.
Eventually, after nine operations on his ankle, doctors decided there was nothing further they could do and with complications arising, amputated his right leg below the knee.
At the presentation with family and friends, Mr Pitchford told of his experiences in Bega and the way policing then was completely different to today.
Mr Pitchford was in charge of the highway patrol and had 13 officers who were on the roads from Batemans Bay to the Victorian border.
There was one motorbike officer who was in Eden and lived in Wyndham, but the others were in cars and driving was not what it is now.
“For instance some of the roads were unmade and even the highways were nowhere near as good,” Mr Pitchford said.
“We drove Studebaker cars and then the Mini Cooper S, which really handled well on the winding roads.”
According to Mr Pitchford, the four men in Bega were very conscientious and drivers were certainly aware of their presence.
“They gave out between 200-250 tickets a month each,” he said.
Inspector Edmunds said it was an “absolute pleasure” to present Mr Pitchford with the medal.
“It is really important we don’t forget our history,” he said.
“And that we recognise the importance of all those years Fred served on behalf of the local community.”
After receiving the medal Mr Pitchford said it didn’t matter that it came 28 years after retirement, it was “just good to have it”.
“I always worked as well as I could so I am absolutely thrilled,” he said.
“It’s good to know they still think about the old fellas.”
Yet another wedding anniversary, their 54th, for Fred and Raynor Pitchford of Tathra and they celebrated it together at the Harbourmaster on a balmy evening.
Fred has a broken foot, but it is not as bad as it sounds!
With a “gammy” leg made partly of a plaster compound, Fred has to go downstairs backwards!
As he was performing this ritual recently he missed a step and broke his foot – the “gammy” one!
So it is not as bad as it sounds and Fred is still laughing.
For the record, before joining the police force from which, of course, he is retired, Fred was a menswear salesman with the Sykes family at Wollongong.
Legs on show
Talking of legs, there we were three of us blocking the footpath of Carp Street with only four legs between us!
How come, you ask?
Well, there was Fred Pitchford minus most of one leg, Chrissy Farrow minus more than half of one leg and resplendent in her comfy scooter and yours truly, fortunately with two legs!
And all as happy as sandpipers as pedestrians weaved around us, all with happy greetings.
Truth (Sydney, NSW : 1894 – 1954), Sunday 25 April 1954, page 2
Police swoop on Mascot
A squad of Commonwealth Security men and police swooped on the overseas passengers’ terminal at Mascot airport last night 40 minutes before the Qantas airliner left for London.
It is presumed they were tipped off that Russian Embassy members, or the missing Tass agency correspondent, Mr. Antonov, and his wife, might be leaving — but there was no sign of the Russians. Police Inspector Denton, followed by a Crown Sergeant, walked across the waiting room, followed by Security men, who followed in pairs. The Security men took up positions at the rail and gate leading on to the tarmac, and the inspector walked alone to the plane’s gangway and spoke with two constables and an air ways official.
Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 – 2001), Friday 21 November 1952 (No.250), page 4174
APPOINTMENTS.
Premier’s Department
HIS Excellency the Governor, with the advice of the Executive Council, has approved of the appointment of Sergeant 1st Class William James Denton to the rank of Inspector 3rd Class, on and from the 14th October, 1952.
J. J. CAHILL, Premier. Department pf the Attorney-General and of Justice.
![Ref:168/97 George McLennan First NSW Police Motor Cyclist [On AJS Motorcycle. Outside Art Gallery Of New South Wales, Sydney] c1915. Silver gelatin photograph, captioned and annotated in ink on image lower right and verso, 14.1 x 19.4cm. Slight tear to right edge of image, minor stains, scuffs and silvering to image, laid down on old backing. Annotations include "Born 2-10-1865, son of John Ross McLennan and Jessie (nee McIntyre). George died 6-11-1932, aged 67. He resigned from police force in 1925. Photographed outside NSW Art Gallery. Old Kiosk in background. It was later demolished to make way for the Cahall [sic] expressway."](https://police.freom.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/George-McLENNAN-NSWPF-Died-6-November-1932.jpg "http://aaada.org.au/items/?item=5775")
