Thomas Shuldham O'Halloran
Encyclopedia
Thomas Shuldham O'Halloran (1797-1870) was the first Police Commissioner
and first Police Magistrate
of South Australia
.
O'Halloran was born in India, the second of eight sons of Major-General Sir Joseph O'Halloran, and a grandson of Irish surgeon Sylvester O%27Halloran.
He entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in 1808 and at 16 he was commissioned into the 17th Foot and sailed for India. He was promoted Lieutenant
in 1817 and transferred to the 99th Foot as a Captain
in 1827. He returned to England after twenty years in India in 1834. Soon afterwards he transferred to the Coldstream Guards
and was on half pay until he transferred again to the 97th Foot in May 1837.
Next year he sold his commission and migrated with his family to the new colony from India and established a farm, Lizard Lodge in the Adelaide
suburb which now bears his name, O'Halloran Hill. In December 1839 he was appointed by George Gawler
as one of four members of a Board of Police Commissioners. Upon the dismissal of the founder and first commander of the police, Superintendent Henry Inman
in May 1840, the Board was abolished and O'Halloran was appointed under a new title of Police Commissioner
. He is buried at Christ Church, an Anglican
church which he helped to establish and is also located in the suburb, now overlooking Glenthorne CSIRO Research station.
towards Hobart. By July 1840, stories and rumours had circulated that all 26 people on board had survived a shipwreck, but had been murdered by members of the Ngarrindjeri
along the Coorong. After a police investigation, which discovered some of the bodies and determined who the murderers were believed to be, Governor
Gawler
ordered O'Halloran (as police commissioner) and Police Inspector Alexander Tolmer
to lead a party of police and sailors to the area. His orders were to find and execute those responsible.
On 22 August, 1840, after several days of interviews, investigations and a drumhead court-martial
, two Ngarrindjeri men were publicly hanged in front of 65 people from their tribe. O'Halloran then told the people (through an interpreter) that their bodies were not to be taken down and that this was to be a warning against violence towards Europeans by Aboriginal
people.
This was one of the most contentious incidents in South Australian legal history. At the time, Aboriginals in South Australia were considered British subjects, and therefore deemed to be under the protection of British law. Gawler's ordering of a drumhead court-martial and the executions was not well received by the London
authorities and contributed to his removal as Governor.
Police commissioner
Commissioner is a senior rank used in many police forces and may be rendered Police Commissioner or Commissioner of Police. In some organizations, the commissioner is a political appointee, and may or may not actually be a professional police officer. In these circumstances, there is often a...
and first Police Magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
.
O'Halloran was born in India, the second of eight sons of Major-General Sir Joseph O'Halloran, and a grandson of Irish surgeon Sylvester O%27Halloran.
He entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in 1808 and at 16 he was commissioned into the 17th Foot and sailed for India. He was promoted Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1817 and transferred to the 99th Foot as a Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in 1827. He returned to England after twenty years in India in 1834. Soon afterwards he transferred to the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
and was on half pay until he transferred again to the 97th Foot in May 1837.
Next year he sold his commission and migrated with his family to the new colony from India and established a farm, Lizard Lodge in the Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
suburb which now bears his name, O'Halloran Hill. In December 1839 he was appointed by George Gawler
George Gawler
-External links: – Memorials and Monuments in Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK...
as one of four members of a Board of Police Commissioners. Upon the dismissal of the founder and first commander of the police, Superintendent Henry Inman
Henry Inman (police commander)
Henry Inman , cavalry officer, Pioneer of South Australia, founder and first commander of the South Australia Police, overlander, Anglican clergyman.-Origins:...
in May 1840, the Board was abolished and O'Halloran was appointed under a new title of Police Commissioner
Police commissioner
Commissioner is a senior rank used in many police forces and may be rendered Police Commissioner or Commissioner of Police. In some organizations, the commissioner is a political appointee, and may or may not actually be a professional police officer. In these circumstances, there is often a...
. He is buried at Christ Church, an Anglican
Anglican Church of Australia
The Anglican Church of Australia is a member church of the Anglican Communion. It was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania...
church which he helped to establish and is also located in the suburb, now overlooking Glenthorne CSIRO Research station.
Maria controversy
In June 1840, the brig Maria set sail from Port AdelaidePort Adelaide
Port Adelaide is a suburb of Adelaide lying about 14 kilometres northwest of the City of Adelaide. It lies within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and is the main port for the city of Adelaide...
towards Hobart. By July 1840, stories and rumours had circulated that all 26 people on board had survived a shipwreck, but had been murdered by members of the Ngarrindjeri
Ngarrindjeri
The Ngarrindjeri are a nation of eighteen "tribes" consisting of numerous family clans who speak similar dialects of the Ngarrindjeri language and are the traditional Aboriginal people of the lower Murray River, western Fleurieu Peninsula, and the Coorong of southern, central...
along the Coorong. After a police investigation, which discovered some of the bodies and determined who the murderers were believed to be, Governor
Governors of South Australia
The Governor of South Australia is the representative in the Australian state of South Australia of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level.In...
Gawler
George Gawler
-External links: – Memorials and Monuments in Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK...
ordered O'Halloran (as police commissioner) and Police Inspector Alexander Tolmer
Alexander Tolmer
Alexander Tolmer was a South Australian police officer and Police Commissioner. He migrated to the new colony in 1840 and was made sub-inspector by Governor George Gawler....
to lead a party of police and sailors to the area. His orders were to find and execute those responsible.
On 22 August, 1840, after several days of interviews, investigations and a drumhead court-martial
Drumhead court-martial
A drumhead court-martial is a court-martial held in the field to hear urgent charges of offences committed in action. The term is said to originate from the use of a drumhead as an improvised writing table, altar for religious services, and a traditional gathering point for a regiment for orders...
, two Ngarrindjeri men were publicly hanged in front of 65 people from their tribe. O'Halloran then told the people (through an interpreter) that their bodies were not to be taken down and that this was to be a warning against violence towards Europeans by Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
people.
This was one of the most contentious incidents in South Australian legal history. At the time, Aboriginals in South Australia were considered British subjects, and therefore deemed to be under the protection of British law. Gawler's ordering of a drumhead court-martial and the executions was not well received by the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
authorities and contributed to his removal as Governor.