General Monthly Meeting
Fair Deeds and Foul: The History of the Justice and Police Museum and Policing in New South Wales.
Ms Margot Bray, Curator of the Justice and Police Museum, Sydney
Date: Wednesday, 7th August, 2002
Time: 6:00 for 6:30 pm
Venue: The Barnett Court of the Justice and Police Museum,
corner of Phillip and Albert Streets, Sydney
Report on the General Monthly Meeting
by David Craddock
A most interesting evening was enjoyed by those members of the Society, who attended this talk and tour of the Justice and Police Museum. The Curator, Margot Bray, held court in the Barnett Room, providing the story of the building and Museum, with some of the intriguing and infamous characters from the past. The building was originally the Water Police Court, built in 1856. Together with the Blackett Court, which was completed in 1886, they became Traffic Courts 1 and 2 in 1924. Barnett Court has been restored, as it would have appeared in the 1890s, when 50 to 60 cases per day were prosecuted. The defendants were apparently loaded into the dock, 15 at a time!
The Police Museum was created in 1910, as a means of providing some education to trainee police about the weapons they may encounter. Indeed, those weapons still appeared daunting to this group of visitors. The Museum was closed in 1938, although the artefacts were displayed at the Royal Easter Show for many years. The present Museum was opened in 1991.
Modern criminals ensure they procure the fastest means of transport, and that was also the case in the days of bushranging. The thoroughbred horse and weapons were the choice items of theft by the bushrangers. The audience was assured that the young Dan Kelly was indeed deceased at Glenrowan, and did not escape to Queensland.
A number of fascinating cases were discussed during the evening, from the last female to be executed in New South Wales to the mysterious Pyjama Girl and the Graham Thorne murder. Louisa Collins was hanged in 1887, after the demise of 2 husbands and 1 child to arsenic poisoning. Amazingly it took 4 trials to decide her fate. The Pyjama Girl was a mystery for 10 years and may have remained unsolved had it not been for the perpetrator owning up to the "accidental" death of his wife. The solving of the murder of Graham Thorne was a great test and triumph of forensic science.
Members were then treated to a tour of the exhibits held in the Museum. The President thanked Margot Bray for her fascinating presentation, which was well appreciated by all.