John King

DETAILS OF DEATH

John King Percy’s entry in the Police Register shows his appointment as a constable in June1858; he was transferred to the District of Horton in 1863. At this time Tasmania Police was a collection of several districts which came under the control of the Municipal Councils. Chief District Constable Percy was employed in the District of Horton in the North-West of Tasmania, the District being in existance from 1841-1890. Chief District Constable Percy married Sarah Ridge in 1857 and as reported in several newspaper articles they had five children, the youngest six weeks old when Constable Percy drowned. Entries in the Deaths in the District of Horton of 1866, his Inquest Report, the Police Establishment Record and several newspaper reports indicate he accidentally drowned while attempting to cross the West Inlet near Circular Head on his horse on 7th August 1866. A report appearing in the Mercury newspaper extensively covered the Inquest held on the 9th of Augst 1866. Chief District Constable Percy was sent to serve a summons on the master of a schooner for the crime of discharging his ballast into the river. Summons served Percy was seen mounting his horseand riding off in the direction of his home; he never arrived. The alarm was raised the following morning, a constable went searching for him, this proved a fraught exercise and it wasnt until the Captain of the schooner, sailing into Circular Head, spotted a dog on the beach; upon closer inspection they found the body of Chief District Constable Percy. The Inquest concluded ‘accidental drowning’ in the West Inlet bay at Circular Head.