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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Inverness => Topic started by: JennNZ on Thursday 23 October 08 03:10 BST (UK)
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Police Records Inverness-shire
Looking for records of my gg grandfather John MacDONALD PC in Croy and Dalcross around 1868 until 1873 when he was a PC in Fife.
Where would I be likely to find these records.
JennNZ
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Lochaber Archive has various police records for this area which will have come down from Inverness which suggests that there might be other police records held in Inverness. They don't seem to have their catalogue online but their website is here.
http://www.highland.gov.uk/leisureandtourism/what-to-see/archives/
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Police Records Inverness-shire
Looking for records of my gg grandfather John MacDONALD PC in Croy and Dalcross around 1868 until 1873 when he was a PC in Fife.
Where would I be likely to find these records.
JennNZ
Hi JennNZ:
I emailed the information of PC John MacDonald's service record (Inverness-shire Constabulary) to an enquirer in New Zealand (I am presuming it was you) on 17th September, in response to an emailed enquiry sent that same day to the Northern Constabulary's website.
If you did not receive it, please contact me on Moderator comment: email address removed to prevent spam and other abuses. Please use the Personal Message system to exchange such info and I will happily send it again.
Best regards
Dave Conner
Inverness
(Northern Constabulary's volunteer historian)
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Info on PC John Macdonald successfully re-sent!
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Hi Saw your post and am wondering if you can help me. I am looking for further information on a ancestor John McQuarrie, who gave his profession on his sons' marriage certificate in 1959 as “Police Constable”.
Not sure when or where born in Scotland but think is it is around the Invernessshire area about 1813. His son John McQuarrie (McQuarry) was born 8th Dec 1835: Baptized 22nd July 1837 Father: John Mcquarrie & Isabella Gordon: "Sheriff Officer", Dingwall
Would really aprreciate any help or who to contact info would be most appreciated, Thanks Louise Sutherland in New Zealand
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Hi!
I have a gt grandfather(x3) who became a policeman in Inverness in about the 1830-1840's - his name was David Anderson.
Can anyone advise as to whether there may be police records from that time, which may include him?
Thank you
Rosie60
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Would this be the David Anderson who was appointed Superitendent of the fledgling Inverness Burgh Police in 1847, and who went on to be the Superintendent of Dumfries Burgh Police (1858)?
I have a gt grandfather(x3) who became a policeman in Inverness in about the 1830-1840's - his name was David Anderson.
Can anyone advise as to whether there may be police records from that time, which may include him?
Thank you
Rosie60
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hello conner395, i saw your posts above and wondered if you could give me any info on the following photo. it featured in my great granny's (Betsy (MacLeod) MacRae) collection. i have no clues as to who this chap is. clearly marked is number 28 on his collar, and i'm presuming its a policeman's uniform? the imprint of the photographers name reads The Elite Studio, 25 Bridge Street, Inverness.
Hope you can help :-)
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I can confirm the photo is of a Constable in Inverness Burgh Police, definitely after 1910 (the cap badge was slightly different until then) and before 1930's when the Force adopted the Scottish National ("Semper Vigilo")cap badge.
I am afraid I cannot positively identify the officer (police records do not usually have the shoulder number as that can change over time as officers could be re-numbered to reflect seniority) - I but can at least narrow it down a bit more date-wise.
In 1912 the Force had only 26 (all ranks) and by 1925 it had 32 (all ranks), so we are talking mid-late 1920s for this photo. Inverness Burgh's personnel register, like many forces, was rewritten when a new Chief Constable took over (being a bound volume, it would have a lot of "dead wood" over time, with pages pertaining to officers who had left the force) so the change of Chief provided for a new book to be compiled, containing details only of those officers then serving. Inverness Burgh did NOT have a change of Chief in 1923, but for some reason a new book was started then, with Chief Constable MacNaughton on page 1.
Thankfully that book did not need re-doing for the rest of the force's existence, and latterly the shoulder number WAS recorded against an officer. But "28" is shown as allocated to a Constable who joined on 20th July 1938 (and retired 1964). Chances are he inherited that number from the person who left on the same date as the new man joined, and that man was a RONALD MACASKILL (b. 1886) who retired after 30 years service (as a Constable) on 20/7/1938. Only 2 men left the force in 1938 and the other was an Inspector (who would not wear a number).
That's of course mainly guesswork on my part, but it is definitely a possible.
Does that name by any chance mean anything to you?
Dave Conner
Inverness
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Further to above re PC Ronald MacAskill, and this will probably interest Martin Briscoe too (given our mutual interst in US Navy base at Inverness), his record shows that on 26/4/19 he was struck on head by baton while arresting U.S. Navyman - injury (inflicted By U.S. Picket) was several wounds on head.
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Hi Dave, wow you are a great detective! i confess Mackaskill is not a name i've come across in the family tree....do you know where Ronald was born/from? But I guess this guy doesnt necessarily have to be a relation does he, He could be have been courting one of my G Granny's daughters, or be the neighbour's son etc. Thanks for your help so far, very interesting :D
Kind regards, A
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Hi Dave, wow you are a great detective! i confess Mackaskill is not a name i've come across in the family tree....do you know where Ronald was born/from? But I guess this guy doesnt necessarily have to be a relation does he, He could be have been courting one of my G Granny's daughters, or be the neighbour's son etc. Thanks for your help so far, very interesting :D
Kind regards, A
Seems he was from Inverness - but whether from the town itself (or roundabout - rather sums Sneck these days!!) I do not know.
Since we must not quote email addresses - if you send me a PM, I could perhaps have a rake through the records to see if any other surname rings a bell.
Dave
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Gravestone in Petty Old Churchyard
In memory of John MacAskill who died at Balloch, Culloden on 16th May 1908 aged 51. Also his beloved wife Mary Cameron who died at 73 Argyle Street on 8th April 1934 aged 77. Also their son Ronald MacAskill, late of Inverness Burgh Police beloved husband of Catherine MacLennan who died 29th Sep 1938 aged 52. And the said Catherine MacLennan who died 6th Feb 1983 aged 92 years. And their son John MacAskill who died 1st Jan 1998 aged 84 years. Erected by his widow and family.
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thank you for that ghostwhisperer! i'm going to see what i can see on this family in some of the census' to see if I can find any geographical/surname connections to my lot...
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I would like to jump into this thread with a query of my own concerning a Donald Alexander Forbes, born 21 february 1888 and married in 1925 in Inverness. At the time of his marriage he described himself as a police constable and appears to have resided in or about that time at Innes Rd, Inverness. I am trying to work out if Donald Alexander Forbes is the same man who later ended up as port/customs inspector in colombo, sri lanka in the late 1930's to 1941 - when he died of peritonitis and was buried at St Andrews Church, Colombo. If it is the same person, I may have finally identified a near relation of mine - grandfather. I would very much appreciate any assistance on this perplexing question.
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Hello Dave. Is there any chance that you can look up my G.G. grandfather Hugh James Ramsay Born Boleskine Inverness 1831.And who was in the Police in Inverness, Boleskine, and Armadale Sleat Isles of Skye Inverness. From about the 1860s till 1880s . Thank- you. Cheers, Johnr.
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I would like to jump into this thread with a query of my own concerning a Donald Alexander Forbes, born 21 february 1888 and married in 1925 in Inverness. At the time of his marriage he described himself as a police constable and appears to have resided in or about that time at Innes Rd, Inverness. I am trying to work out if Donald Alexander Forbes is the same man who later ended up as port/customs inspector in colombo, sri lanka in the late 1930's to 1941 - when he died of peritonitis and was buried at St Andrews Church, Colombo. If it is the same person, I may have finally identified a near relation of mine - grandfather. I would very much appreciate any assistance on this perplexing question.
Apologies - I do not know how I was never notified of any updates to this thread, but thankfully I revisted tonight for another purpose.
Unfortuantely there is no record in Inverness Burgh Police records (only date back to 1923 and I think were transcribed retrosectively from another Registe which would have been destroyed in due course as no longer required) or in the Inverness-shire Constabulary records (which are complete).
I should however stress that vacancies in either force were few and far between, and many a Highlander went off to join a "south-country" force, e.g. Glasgow City or Edinburgh, or Metropolitan in London (with a thought to maybe transfer back "home" later)
Dave
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Hello Dave. Is there any chance that you can look up my G.G. grandfather Hugh James Ramsay Born Boleskine Inverness 1831.And who was in the Police in Inverness, Boleskine, and Armadale Sleat Isles of Skye Inverness. From about the 1860s till 1880s . Thank- you. Cheers, Johnr.
Apologies - I do not know how I was never notified of any updates to this thread, but thankfully I revisited tonight for another purpose.
No HUGH JAMES Ramsay - but there's a Hugh AND a James!
JAMES RAMSAY (appointed at age 27 - born 1831)(Native of Stratherrick) Farm Servant - joined Inverness-shire as a Constable on 15 March 1858, one of the original intake for the "new" force which was set up in terms of General Police Act 1857. He was taken on as a 2nd Clas Constable (better pay than 3rd class, which tends to imply already had police experience, perhaps as a member of the "old" County force) He left the Force on 31 May 1865 -only station listed "AIRD" which would have been the Beauly/Kiltarlity area. Sorry no mention of any transfers.
HUGH RAMSAY (appointed at age 30 - born 1835) (Native of Inverness-shire - unusual not to be more specific, as it's a big county and where you were from could be important!!) Shepherd - joined Inverness-shire as a 3rd class Constable on 26 June 1865 - THREE WEEKS after JAMES left. He did not attain 2nd Class until September 1872. He served until 4 Feb 1876, entire service at ARMADALE (Sleat, Skye) - that's quite some time for a posting.
It could conceivably be the same person, except that there was an obligation upon the Chief constable to re cord details of any police service on the record, and it was the same Chief who was in charge from 1858 right through to 1882. His was a large force (in Highlands terms) but he still only had 40 men. It may be the same chap who went back cap in hand to ask for his job back but only got it under strict terms? Hmm. Intriguing, especially since these are the only Ramsays to have been members of the Force.
If you have any more information on "your" Mr Ramsay, please PM me.
Sorry for delay, and the lack of detailed information
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Thank Davie , For the reply, on Hugh Ramsay Wife Jane Anne Macmillan. Shepherd, Policeman that is him alright / Father John Ramsay& Mother Marjory Fraser[Kilmorack Inverness] My G Great Father I know he was in the Isles of Skye Ar madale Castle as A few of his children where born there, and then he is Down in Angus as a Railway Policeman on the Census with his family , then a tram car driver in Glasgow. The other Ramsay Is a James Ramsay Cousin of Hugh! Wife Elizabeth McGruer Kirkhill Inverness , Left for Stevenston Ayrshire , was a Police Sarg! there , retired ran a Grocers, in Stevenston . Some of th his Children Born Inverness and the rest Stevenston . P.S. Was my Direct Relation Hugh Ramsay A bad Boy or something !! As that is Hugh James Ramsay alright he lived till the 1919 Camlachie Glasgow! Ie . Thank-you again, I am pleased with your reply ! Cheers and all the best, John
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Was my Direct Relation Hugh Ramsay A bad Boy or something !! As that is Hugh James Ramsay alright he lived till the 1919 Camlachie Glasgow! Ie . Thank-you again, I am pleased with your reply ! Cheers and all the best, John
Well if they are indeed diferent persons, then it may be that James suggested Hugh, or Hugh was aware of James leaving and made contact ASAP with Chief Constable Murray to seek to fill the vacancy.
As for the "cap in hand" bit, I wondered if they were the same person. Had they been, then going to ask for job back would require a lot of humble pie - but does not apply since, as you say, it was different folk.
Hugh could not have been much of a "bad boy" if he got taken on as Railway Policeman - would have had to mention his previous service, and CC Murray would surely have been asked for a reference. Can't blame him for not staying as Railway Policeman back then - it was likely policing for new line under construction (especially the navvy camps and escorting pay cash), and that would have been hard and dangerous work.
What a wealth of experiences he must have had - from quiet rural Skye, through the rail construction in Angus to the hussle and bussle of Glesca.
Glad to be of assistance.
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hello conner395, i saw your posts above and wondered if you could give me any info on the following photo. it featured in my great granny's (Betsy (MacLeod) MacRae) collection. i have no clues as to who this chap is. clearly marked is number 28 on his collar, and i'm presuming its a policeman's uniform? the imprint of the photographers name reads The Elite Studio, 25 Bridge Street, Inverness.
Hope you can help :-)
Better late than never - Identification of the Constable #28 whose photo appears on page 1 of this thread:
It rather looks as though the officer depicted is PC Ewen Cameron, who joined the Burgh Force, aged 20, on 29/11/1921 after previous employment as a ghillie. His place of birth is given as Sleat (Skye) but is it recorded he was the son of Police Pensioner Ewen Cameron, Glenelg.
PC Cameron (senior) was a native of Glenelg who joined the Inverness-shire Constabulary on 3/3/1883 after 18 months previous service in Glasgow City Police. After his first two years in Lochaber, the remiander of PC Cameron (senior)'s service was spentl entirely within the Isle of Skye - Carbost (twice), Portree, Staffin, Colbost, Uig and Isleornsay (twice)(son born in his first stint there). Cameron (senior) retired to Glenelg from his last posting at Isleornsay (Sleat) on 10/5/1917.
PC Cameron (junior) in the Inverness Burgh Police was promoted Sergeant 5/9/38; Inspector 5/12/39; and appointed Deputy Chief Constable (still in Inspector rank) on 10/4/50. He retired on 1/7/1955 aged 54, or more likely 55.
The two group shots of the successful Burgh Police Tug-of-War team in 1923 show PC Ewen Cameron, and the one in uniform shows his collar number as "twenty-something".
see: https://www.flickr.com/photos/conner395/8558793084