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Constable Jeremiah O’Horrigan & Constable William HavillandPrint Page Print this page

01-May-2019
01-May-2019

Photographs supplied by Arthur Garland

The monument commemorates Constable Jeremiah O’Horrigan and Constable William Havilland some of the first police officers to serve Forbes, who were killed in the line of duty. The blocks used in the memorial were once part of a gaol which ran from 1883 to 1917.

Constable O’Horrigan drowned when his horse rolled in flood water while he was riding in the Weddin Mountains on February 25th 1863. He was buried in an unmarked grave in the plague cemetery near Forbes.

Constable Havilland was the first officer of the New South Wales Police Force to die on duty. He was held up when Ben Hall and Frank Gardiner robbed the gold escort from Forbes to Orange at Escort Rock.  After the robbery, the officer was shot by a gun that misfired. He died on June 16, 1862 and was buried in Orange.

 

 

Location

Address:6 - 8 Victoria Lane , Forbes Police Station , Forbes, 2871
State:NSW
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -33.386885
Long: 148.008703
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Government
Sub-Theme:State

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Monday 25th February, 2013
Front Inscription

Plaque :

             NSW Police Force
Constable William Havilland
Died Orange NSW - 16 June 1862
Constable Havilland joined the NSW Police Force in 1858 and was attached to the Forbes Gold Escort.  On 15 June 1862 the constable was part of the gold escort travelling to Orange when at the location known as Eugowra Rocks the escort was ambushed by bushrangers Frank Gardiner, John Gilbert and Ben Hall.  The bushrangers made away with valuables including 14,000 pounds in gold.  The following day Constable Havilland continued to Orange with the hijacked coach and soon after arriving in town and unsecured revolver under his seat discharged, the bullet striking the constable under the chin killing him instantly.

Plaque:

                NSW Police Force
Constable Jeremiah (Joe) O`Horrigan
Died Forbes NSW - 25 February 1863
Constable O`Horrigan joined the NSW Police Force in 1860 and was attached to the Forbes Mounted Police.  On Wednesday 25 February 1863 the constable was out on general patrol near the Weddin Mountains.  When the officer was returning to Forbes he was required to cross the Lachlan River which was in flood at the time.  Constable O`Horrigan entered the water on his horse but the current was so strong that the horse lost its footing and rolled over.  The officer could not swim and was subsequently washed down stream and drowned.

 

Back Inscription
Plaque:
These sandstone blocks were taken
from the `third` Forbes Gaol,
located on Camp Hill,
Elgin Street Forbes,
following its
decommission and demolition in 1917
Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au