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.

Ryan commenced his police career with the Lancashire constabulary and in 1995 was appointed as Chief Commissioner of Police in NSW (following the Royal Commission into police corruption). Ryan resigned his post with the NSW police in 2002.Relevance to law enforcement in NSW. Biographical interest.Paper; book. Front cover: black with an image of Peter Ryan wearing police uniform.Front cover: author name and title.btlc, ballarat trades hall, ballarat trades and labour council, law enforcement, police, policemen, chief commissioner of police - nsw, royal commission into police corruption

COPY OF LETTER TO CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF POLICE WITH REGARD TO QUERY FROM EDWIN TRANTER OF NO. 1 CHRISTCHURCH VILLAS, UNION GROVE, CLAPHAM, SURREY.COPY OF LETTER FROM - EDWIN TRANTER, NEPHEW OF CHARLES GODWIN / GORDONLETTER WRITTEN TO CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF POLICE MELBOURNE, JULY 19TH, 1879local history, document, letter, police force

Girl Guides Association - Australia, Calendar 1951.1 photo for each month with dates along side. Inside font cover area for Greetings to be written for a gift. Sepia photographs and writing. List of Girl Guides Association - Australia State Headquarters. Chief Commissioner: Mrs C O Fairburn, Banongill , Skipton, Victoria. Markings: front cover; Don’t Send Back (in black lead pencil).girl guides association, history, girls guide calendar, girl guides association - australia, calendar 1951.1 photo for each month with dates along side. inside font cover area for greetings to be written for a gift. sepia photographs and writing. list of girl guides association - australia state headquaters. chief commissioner: mrs c o fairburn, banongill , skipton, victoria. markings: front cover; don’t send back (in black lead pencil).

Video - Living, Investing, Growing - Produced by City o Whitehorse, Opening words by Chief Commissioner, Geoff Oscar 1995. Shows aspects of city - Gordon Crescent, Blackburn Lake, Schools, Tally Ho Business Park, major businesses and retailers, Bruce Thompson Managing Director, Hewlett Packard, Simon Ho, Hong Kong Bank, Felicity Mason Lend Lease, Maroondah Transport corridor, Forest Hill Chase, Sport, Box Hill Community Art Space, Alan Stockdale, Treasurer, Victoria.oscar geoff - chief commissioner, gordon crescent blackburn, maroondah transport corridor, blackburn lake, forest hill chase, box hill community art space, tally ho business park, alan stockdale - treasurer of victoria, bruce thjompson - managing director hewlett packard, ho simon hong kong bank, city of whitehorse mason felicity lend lease

Boy Scouts, Girl Guides Official Souvenir Programme, Commemorating the Visit to Victoria of the World Chief Scout Lord Baden Powell of Gilwell and World Chief Guide Lady Baden Powell. April, 1931. Price 1/-. The Boy Scout Movement . . . The Scout's Promise . . . The Scout Law . . . Includes photo of His Excellency, Lord Somers, Chief Scout for Victoria, page 3. Official Programme: Wednesday, 1st April through to 12th April, photo on page 8, C A Hoadley, Esq., Chief Commissioner for Victoria. Photo on page 9 Lady Baden Powell, World Chief Guide. Page 11 photo of Her Excellency, Lady Somers, Chief Guide for Victoria. Advertising in program: State Savings Bank of Victoria, Mercantile Mutual, Insurance Company Limited, Bank of New South Wales, The Union Trustee Company or Australia Limited, Kodak, A.M.P. Society, Commonwealth Savings Bank of Australia. There are 3 copies of this guide numbered 4259a,b,c. Held in Melbourne and Metropolitan area. Cover light card mottley blue grey in colour inside cover plain blue grey, pages off white with olive print. 24 pages plus cover.E.P. Printing & Publishing Co. Cnr. Pelham & Barry Sts, Carltonevent, official, boy scouts girl guides, boy scouts, girl guides official souvenir programme, commemorating the visit to victoria of the world chief scout lord baden powell of gilwell world chief guide lady baden powell. april, 1931. price 1/-. the boy scout movement. the scout's promise. the scout law. photo of his excellency, lord somers, chief scout for victoria, page 3. official programme: wednesday, 1st april through to 12th april, photo c a hoadley, esq., chief commissioner for victoria. photo lady baden powell, world chief guide. photo of her excellency, lady somers, chief guide for victoria. advertising in program: state savings bank of victoria, mercantile mutual, insurance company limited, bank of new south wales, the union trustee company or australia limited, kodak, a.m.p. society, commonwealth savings bank of australia. held in melbourne and metropolitan area.

Framed certificate, under glass, cream vellum, black print light brown wooden frame, gold trim. Certificate of Participation, Sixth World Town Crier Championships City of Ballarat, 5 - 11 Nov, 1995, presented to Syd Cuffe.Front: Signed by Vernon Robson, Chief Commissioner

In 1942, a National Registration Identity Card was introduced under security regulations during World War 11. Stapled to the booklet is a small photo of Alice Elphick in her St Vincent's hospital uniform wearing a nurses veil. The document is signed by AM Duncan, Chief Commisioner of Police. Government of Victoria on front cover and back is stamped Number 1777. No date is recorded on the date of issue line. alice n. alphick, st vincent's hospital melbourne, manpower regulations 1942, government of victoria identification card 1942, am duncan chief commissioner of police

Whitehorse council's Chief Commissioner, Geoff Oscar opens mural at Bennettswood Kindergarten. with photoWhitehorse council's Chief Commissioner, Geoff Oscar opens mural at Bennettswood Kindergarten.preschools, bennettswood kindergarten, city of whitehorse, oscar, geoff, mccool, dianne, karayami, lyn, ornum-breigh, jen

Whitehorse Council's Chief Executive Office, Dr Shirley Randall and Chief Commissioner, Geoff Oscar inspect the new boundary signs.Whitehorse Council's Chief Executive Office, Dr Shirley Randall and Chief Commissioner, Geoff Oscar inspect the new boundary signs.city of whitehorse, logos, randell, shirley, oscar, geoff

An audit on the performance of the Whitehorse Council Commissioners, due to leave office at the March 15 Council election, will indicate 'impressive outcomes' according to chief commissioner, Geoff Oscar.An audit on the performance of the Whitehorse Council Commissioners, due to leave office at the March 15 Council election, will indicate 'impressive outcomes' according to chief commissioner, Geoff Oscar.city of whitehorse, local government commissioners, oscar, geoff