In October 1901, Mr B. Cleal wrote to the Chief Commissioner of Police complaining about the large number of effeminate young men using ‘various conveniences’ for ‘an evil of the most terrible description’. Mr Cleal’s letter is part of a remarkable collection of documents held by Public Record Office Victoria that are valuable to LGBTIQ+ history and heritage in providing unparalleled insight into where and how beats operated in and around the city at that time. By ‘conveniences’ Cleal meant public toilets, and he listed the busiest of them: the corner of Rathdowne and Victoria streets; Lansdowne Street, East Melbourne; under the viaduct opposite the Customs House in Flinders Street; at the rear of the old City Court in Little Collins Street; and under the viaduct at the foot of King Street. Cleal described in detail how these beats worked: ‘One cannot enter but two or three of the above fellows rush in and on pretence of using same will pass some disgusting remark concerning one’s person etc’. The Chief Commissioner despatched one of his officers, Sergeant Canty, to investigate. Canty’s report provides further detail and description of who he encountered at the public toilets. He reported that men ‘known by the term “Pufters” [sic], are generally well dressed, sober, quiet in their manner and some of them very well connected’. Canty further noted about these men: 'it is often very difficult for the police to catch them offending, and if they do at any time make filthy or indecent overtures to any man, they believe him to be similarly inclined, but should they make a mistake the man insulted never thinks of giving any of them in charge [complaining to the police], but sometimes gives the offender a well-deserved blow or kick instead, of which the recipient never complains.' Sergeant Canty admitted that the problem had existed for some time. But, he added, ‘I don’t think the evil complained of is as great as said in attached [Cleal’s letter]’. In reviewing the file, Canty’s supervisor noted that Cleal, ‘appears to have given these resorts considerable attention’. Much of the evidence for same-sex activity in Melbourne in the early twentieth century comes from court cases and sensationalist news reports. With their eyewitness accounts of the use of local beats, these documents in the collection of Public Record Office Victoria provide a more detailed, understated account, making them some of the more unusual and historically significant records in Melbourne’s queer history. Quoted from "A History of LGBTIQ+ Victoria in 100 Places and Objects" by Graham Willett, Angela Bailey, Timothy W. Jones and Sarah Rood.

3rd Regiment of Foot (The Buffs) 1815Black wooden frame - no glass marks on print5/6 rvr, officer's/ sergeant's mess

16th (The Queens) L. D. Lancers 1835-1840Gold wooden frame - no glass marks on print5/6 rvr, officer's / sergeant's mess

Mosqueterd De La Guardia Musketier 1702"Gold wooden frame - no glass Marks on print"5/6 rvr, officer's / sergeant's mess

Husaren Regiment 1837Gold wooden frame - no glass. Marks on print5/6 rvr, officer's / sergeant's mess

Goblet wine with inscription - "SGTS Mess 5th/6th Battalion Royal Victorian Regiment, presented by WO2 D. W. Stevenson 3-9-88" Diameter 80SGTS Mess 5th/6th Battalion Royal Victorian Regiment, presented by WO2 D. W. Stevenson 3-9-885/6 rvr, officer's/sergeant's mess

Regiment Der New York State 1850-60Gold wooden frame - no glass, marks on print5/6 rvr, officer's / sergeant's mess

Goblet - wine think stem to base. Inscribed "6 BN RVR SGT'S Mess". Diameter 756 BN RVR SGT'S Mess5/6 rvr, 6 bn, officer's/sergeant's mess

Kurassier Regiment 1890Gold wooden frame - no glass, marks on print5/6 rvr, officer's / sergeant's mess

Husaren Regiment Rittmeister 1914Gold wooden frame - no glass Marks on print5/6 rvr, officer's / sergeant's mess

The Corps of Marines - Captain 1790Gold Wooden Frame - no glass Marks on print Print falling out of frame5/6 rvr, officer's / sergeant's mess

Portrait of King George VI 1939Silver frame - frame broken on left bottom corner, back of portrait needs attention.Signed By King George VI5/6 rvr, officer's / sergeant's mess

Portrait of Prince Phillip 1984Colour portrait with no fram - badly scratched and marked5/6 rvr, officer's / sergeant's mess

2 x Wine - Mr Vice 5/6 SGT Mess 1 x Port - Mr Vice 5/6 SGT Mess Diameter 655/6 rvr, officer's/sergeant's mess

River KwaiWhite cover - black & green writingMiracle on the River Kwai5/6 rvr, officer's / sergeant's mess

Chindit by Richard Rhodes JamesGreen and white cover - white and yellow writing on frontChindit5/6 rvr, 5/6 rvr officer's mess / sergeant's mess

First hand accounts from the Falklands frontline.Dark blue, light blue cover. Red and black writingAbove All Courage5/6 rvr, officer's mess, sergeant's mess

Blue cover with white and black writingWhite Mouse Nancy Wake5/6 rvr, officer's mess, sergeant's mess

Israel's greatest commandoMostly black cover - white and black writing on frontSecret Soldier5/6 rvr, officer's mess, sergeant's mess

The story of the New Zealand War Hero Captain Charles UphamWhite and blue cover with VC on the front. White yellow and black writing on the front.Mark of the Lion5/6 rvr, officer's mess, sergeant's mess

Battle LeadershipYellow Cover - black writing on front Battle Leadership5/6 rvr, officer's mess, sergeant's mess

True StoryBlue Cover - white and brown writingCarve Her Name With Pride5/6 rvr, officer's mess, sergeant's mess

Grey cover - red/black printing on frontJohnny Gurka5/6 rvr, officer's mess, sergeant's mess