Initially collated by Harry Gilham as part of a file on Eltham Cemeteryeltham cemetery, edith lawlor, margaret lawlor, maud lawlor, michael lawlor, peter lawlor, eltham police

The Victorian gold rush came to Eltham in the early 1850s and with it came a crime wave. Local traders called for police protection. This led to the appointment in 1857 of Irish-born Peter Lawlor as Senior Constable at Eltham. In 1859 Peter and his wife Kate were able to move into an official police residence at the corner of Maria Street (now Main Road) and Brougham Street, with stables out the back and a large paddock for grazing across the road. Some of their children went to Eltham Primary School. That 1859 police residence is now the home of the Eltham District Historical Society. The small wooden building on the very corner is a modern replica of the separate police station/office built around 1885-1900. Cases investigated by Constable Lawlor included murders, stealing (horses, cattle, fowls, watches, linen, clothing), a search for a missing person, and two separate instances of abandoned children seeking help. He was officially commended in 1866 for bringing to justice a man who had indecently assaulted an 11-year old girl. Sadly, there was a similar but unconnected case only a few months later. But events had a lighter side; in 1871 Kate lent her piano to the Snowflakes Christy Minstrels for a Catholic Church fund-raising concert. Peter was transferred to Prahran in 1872. He died in 1876 and is buried in Eltham Cemetery with four of his children. His headstone was stolen some time after May 1990 but was returned anonymously (broken into three pieces) in August 2013. It is resting on his grave but has not been re-erected. The Inscription reads: Peter Lawlor Who died February 12th 1876 Aged 55 years Also his children Michael Margaret Maud and EdithBorn Digitaleltham cemetery, gravestones, edith lawlor, margaret lawlor, maud lawlor, michael lawlor, peter lawlor

Local Cemetery Excursion Sunday 27 May 1990 departed Eltham Shire Office at 9.30am and finish mid afternoon. Visits to Eltham , Kangaroo Ground, Queenstown (Smiths Gully), Nillumbik (Diamond Creek), St Katherines (St Helena) Hurst family graves at Hurstbridge and a little known early cemetery at Grteensborough. Attended by 20 members. In each case we were introduced to the cemetery with a brief talk. At Eltham, Frank Burgoyne gave us the benefit of his knowledge as a member of the cemetery trust and at Kangaroo Ground, Bruce Ness spoke in a similar capacity. The lunch stop was at Hurstbridge where we visited the Hurst family graves. The President of Nillumbik Historical Society, Jock Ryan, joined us at the Nillumbik (Diamond Creek) cemetery. He travelled on to St Katherines, St Helena, where he talked on the history of the church and cemetery.35mm colour positive transparency (1 of 23) Mount - Agfachrome Agfa CS System black 8 dotseltham, activities, shire of eltham historical society, cemetery excursion, eltham cemetery, graves, edith lawlor, margaret lawlor, maud lawlor, michael lawlor, peter lawlor