www.monumentaustralia.org.au

Special Constables MemorialPrint Page Print this page

29-May-2016
29-May-2016
Photographs supplied by Judy Lawson

The monument in the cemetery commemorates four special constables who at the time were believed to have been killed by the Clarke Gang at Jinden. The men were originally buried under sheets of bark but after a public outcry a large monument was built. A plaque was added to the memorial in 2007 to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the event. 

On the 9th January, 1867, John Carroll, Patrick Kennagh, Eneas McDonnell, and John Phegan, engaged as Special Constables to hunt down the Clarke Gang were murdered, apparently by the gang, near Jinden Station in the Braidwood District.  A reward of £5000 was offered for the apprehension of the murderers.  Both Thomas and John Clarke swore an oath the night before their execution that they had had nothing to do with the murder.

On the 27th April, 1867, Thomas and John Clarke`s careers were finished and they surrendered to Police after a shootout at Jingera which resulted with the wounding of Constable William Walsh and Sir Watkin Wyne a Police Tracker.  Thomas and John Clarke were tried at Sydney Criminal Court on the 13th May, 1867, for shooting with intent at Senior Constable Walsh, and sentenced to death. They were hanged at Darlinghurst Gaol on the 25th May, 1867.

Note: Eneas McDonnell's name has been incorrectly shown as McDonald on the memorial.  

Location

Address:Cowper Street, Braidwood Cemetery, Catholic Section, Braidwood, 2622
State:NSW
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -35.450225
Long: 149.796577
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
View Google Map

Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Culture
Sub-Theme:Crime
Actual Event Start Date:09-January-1867
Actual Event End Date:09-January-1867

Dedication

Front Inscription

 On all four sides:     

Sacred to the memory of
[ Name of Constable ]

One of the Special Constables murdered at Jinden 9th January 1867 whilst in pursuit of the outlaw Thomas Clarke.

Plaque :

1867  2007

Erected by members of the New South Wales Police Force

To commemorate the 140th anniversary of the murder of four fallen colleagues at Jinden, NSW, 9 January 1867

John Watkins                 Minister for Police
K. E. Moroney AO APM Commissioner of Police

May they rest in peace

Source: MA,NRUM
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au