A tribute to a young Officer on Police Remembrance Day

 Last week I published a Blog about Ruston George Stephenson who gave his life to serve others in War and in peacetime.

Today, Police Remembrance Day, I wish to honour another member of the Force who gave his all but managed to arrest his murderer first! 

JOHN VANCE BLAIN

John was a native of Donegal, Ireland, born around 1850 to Joseph, a farmer, and his wife, Elizabeth. Not much is known of his early life or when he arrived on these shores, but it is known he was appointed to the Metropolitan Police District as a Constable on 26 December 1874 and was attached to the Darlinghurst Police Station.

Darlinghurst Police Station (now decommissioned) - author's own

Life was progressing well for the young man when just after 4pm on the 22nd of March 1877, Constable Blain was on duty patrolling by foot in Bourke Street Woolloomooloo, when he saw two men carrying a "bundle" in Forbes Street. He called on them to stop but they ignored him and ran off. Constable Blain gave chase. One of the men suddenly stopped and threw himself at the Constable, who had dropped his baton during the pursuit. As he wrestled with one offender, the other took up the dropped baton and struck the Constable severely to the head inflicting bloodied wounds. Blain bravely fought on and succeeded in handcuffing one of his assailants before staggering a short distance to the residence of Dr Pattison where he fainted from exhaustion. The Doctor sent word to the Police that a Constable was in his home who had almost been murdered. 

Constable Williams, who arrived quickly after being summoned, found Blain lying on the sofa bleeding from wounds to his head and scarcely able to speak. Constable Blain was able to advise Williams that a man he had captured was handcuffed in the street, and upon proceeding to the place, he found the man, John Wright, lying on the ground bleeding from the head. Wright was conveyed to the Infirmary and onwards to Darlinghurst Police Station. 

Later that day, Detectives Wilmott and Camphin found one blanket and 31 Crimean shirts in a sack on a piece of waste ground near Judge Street Woolloomooloo. The property of which was found to be that of Mr J. O. W. Hinsch of Pitt Street, who had reported the theft the night before.

John Wright was convicted of assault and burglary and sentenced to six years hard labour.

The Mercury newspaper dated Friday 23 March 1877 reported the story and indicated that "The Constable who was so barbarously assailed is suffering greatly from the wounds he received. His extraordinary courage and resolution in securing the man in the manner he died is worthy of lasting record." 

Constable John Blain was later presented by the Inspector-General of Police with a gold watch and chain for the gallant capture of a convicted burglar, named Wright.

The Constable seemed to recover somewhat from his injuries but in May 1877, some two months after the arrest of John Wright, Blain was again assaulted by some ruffians in Oxford Street Darlinghurst. 

A few weeks after this incident, Constable Blain attended the Infirmary for medical treatment. He was suffering from typhus and died a few days later. It is alleged his death was caused by the effect of the initial beating he received and in a weakened state, the foul drain under the bedroom he occupied in Stanley Street was the cause for him taking ill.

His Police funeral on 12th June 1877 was held with a certain amount of pomp and ceremony befitting a brave Police Officer, one who is renowned to be of the very few Police Officers to have arrested their own murderer!

His headstone in the Old Anglican area of the Cemetery reads "A record of his brave conduct for arresting and bringing to justice a notorious burglar at whose hands he received such savage injuries as to ultimately cause his death". 

Constable John Vance Blain monument - author's own

We remember Constable John Vance Blain for his bravery and attention to duty on this Police Remembrance Day. RIP.

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