Constable

John WILLIAMS

YEAR OF DEATH

1844

JURISDICTION

Tasmania

DETAILS OF DEATH

On 31 October 1844, District Constable Thomas Smith received a report that several men were illegally cutting timber. Some newspapers report the illegal activity was occurring on Crown Land on Bruny Island, which is situated across the D’Entrecasteaux Channel from Southport, other accounts report the activities occurring at Recherche Bay to the South of Southport.

Either way, District Constable Smith set out from Southport in the Government boat with several police constables and a ‘probationer’ convict and whilst in transit were caught in a violent storm which overturned the boat tossing all occupants into the sea. Thomas Smith, William Hodgkinson, John WILLIAMS and the convict ‘probationer’, Joseph Ward were drowned in the accident.

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National Police Memorial Australia

  • The National Police Memorial is located in Kings Park on the northern shore of Lake Burley Griffin adjacent to Queen Elizabeth II Island and the National Carrillion. View in Google maps