| John Morrison
OBITUARY.
VETERAN WATER-POLICE OFFICER.
HAD SEEN STRENUOUS SERVICE.
On Sturday flags flew at halfmast at Williamsitown out of respect to the memory of ex-Senior Constable John Morrison who succumbed at his private residence, Thompson-street, the previous night to an illness of some duration. Deceased, who was about 60 years of age, had been for 31 years a member of the Victorian police force. He had only taken his compensation on the 1st ultimo. Of this period of service 25 of it he had been stationed at Williamstown and the other six at the South Wharf. Deceased had been resident in this State from the early portion of the "Fifties." Prior to joining the police he was attached to the Victorian Navy of that period and was at one-time a member of the ship's company of H.M. Nelson. During his career in the water police Morrison had seen some particularly strenuous times, especially in connection with the troops of Orient firemen of that period (the majority of whom were "Liverpool rats "), who when ashore were constantly coming into conflict with the water police. He was a native of the North of Scotland.
The remains were interred in the Williamstown cemetery on Sunday afternoon. The funeral was an exceedingly large and representative one. The members of Trafalgar Lodge, U.A.O.D., preceded the hearse, which was "convoyed" by 24 members of the police force, including Sergeant Curtin, Senior-Constables Weatherlhed, Anderson, Wilkinson, A. Sims, O'Loughlin, Egan, ex-Senior Constables McDonald and Norgate, Constables J. O'Neill, McAuliffe, Appleby, Miles, Murdoch, Tatchell, Brennan, Black, Walsh, Reardon, Smith, Hazel, ex-water-police officer Harrid, McMillan, Crisfield and Charles. There were likewise a large assemblage of private friends following afoot and others in private vehicles and cabs, exclusive of three or four mourning coaches. The coffin consonated to the quiet unobstrusive demeanour of deceased in life, being in plain black cloth, surmounted by bunches of flowers. A brief interval separated the private residence from the hearse at the inception of the rites and over this space the coffin was borne on the shoulders of Comrades Norgate, McDonald, Harris and Reaydon, the pallbearers being Comrades Curtin, Ander on, Egan, J. C. Neill, Razel and Mc Auliffe. The order was repeated at the graveside, where the Rev. Mr Murray (Cecil-street Presbyterian) oficiated and later Past Arch-Druid Fisher recited the Druidical burial service. Mr J. H. Whear had charge of the funeral arrangements.
A very handsome globed wreath, bearing the tablet, "With deepest sympathy from his old comrades in the police force,"' was forwarded by the local constabulary.
Williamstown Chronicle, 14 November 1908 |