William James Jones diary

MLMSS 12016/Box 1X

fonds

1895

9676097

0.27 metres of textual material (1 outsize box) - manuscript

William James Jones (1864-1946), born in Everton U.K., had settled in Sydney by 1886 and married Louisa Matilda Williams. In 1895, as a constable and later detective in the New South Wales Police Force, Jones worked 10-12 hour shifts and was involved in two dramatic criminal cases: the murder of Jessie Nicholls (the body in a packing case murder) and the George Dean perjury case. In 1908, Jones was promoted from Senior Detective to Acting Sub-Inspector of Detectives and in 1921 he was appointed Inspector of Police First Class at Wagga Wagga.
Reference: Library acquisition file

Previously sold at Davidson Auctions in May 2023.

1895 manuscript diary of William James Jones, police constable and later detective in central Sydney. Recorded in a foolscap Lett's No. 31 Australasian Rough Diary 1894 (repurposed for the year 1895), the bulk of the diary records his police work, including criminal investigations, encounters with 'pickpockets in Newtown', 'stolen property of two ladies cloaks', 'theft of necktie and breast pin', and a visit to '29 Nithsdale Street a brothel, flash place and met some criminals and turned them over'. Jones also records two high profile criminal cases of 1895, being the murder of Jessie Nicholls (the body in a packing case murder) and the George Dean perjury case. The diary also references his recreational activities and family members.

Out of copyright:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales