Sketch builds on station’s history
A RETIRED senior police superintendent has gifted a valuable sketch of a historic North Queensland police station to serving officers.
Frederick Angus served as senior sergeant in Ingham in the mid-1980s before retiring as a superintendent in charge of Cairns Police in 1994.
Mr Angus, 82, said that upon his retirement, he was presented with a sketch of the old Ingham Police Station, a work by Forrest Beach artist Barbara Horsely who painted under the name of Barbara Saxton.
The artwork was commissioned by locals Lydia and Sandro Novelli, and Barry and Judy Beatts.
The officer, who was sworn into the force in ’58 and has served
throughout Queensland including in Brisbane and Townsville, said he and wife Laural were moving to a smaller Ingham home and had no space for the picture.
Ingham Police officer in charge Senior Sergeant Geoff Bormann said the old station – built in 1884 – was still in use when he arrived in the Hinchinbrook in 2003.
He said construction of the current police station on the same site began in 2004.
Mr Angus said when he served in Ingham, the police district, which stretched north to Tully, was a renowned cannabis-producing region, particularly during the ‘70s.
He said today, mental health concerns and domestic violence appeared to occupy a great deal of police time.
“In Ingham, you never waited in offices for jobs, you had to go out and find them,” he said.
“Nowadays, you wouldn’t have time to go out and look for work because you are too involved with these other matters.”
Mr Angus said Ingham had always held a special place in his heart as it was where he raised his family, two girls and a boy.