Gwendoline Elizabeth MARTIN
Gwendoline Elizabeth MARTIN
The 1st Designated NSWPF Female Detective ( alongside Dell FRICKER ) – coming 4th in her course
AKA Gwen MARTIN
* Nickname: ?
Late of Burwood, NSW
You can’t say, I can’t do it – until I prove I can’t do it !
Relations in ‘the job’:
“possible” relation in ‘the job‘: ?
NSW Police Training Centre – Redfern – Class # 082A
New South Wales Police Force
Regd. # P/W 0041
Had females been integrated into the male Registered number system, Gwen would have had a Registered number in the vicinity of 9537 – 9627
Rank: Commenced Training at Redfern Police Academy on Monday 29 February 1960 ( aged 29 years, 7 months, 23 days )
Special Probationary Constable – appointed Monday 4 April 1960 ( aged 29 years, 8 months, 29 days )
Special Constable – appointed 1 March 1961
Constable 1st Class – appointed 1 March 1966
Detective – appointed 7 August 1971 ( YES ) Course in 1971 ( came 4th in Class )
Senior Constable – appointed 1 March 1970
Leading Senior Constable – appointed ? ? ? ( N/A )
Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed 1 June 1976 Seniority Date = 22 Oct 1975
Sergeant 2nd Class – appointed 1 January 1983
Sergeant 1st Class – appointed 30 September 1984
Inspector – appointed 16 July 1986
Final Rank: = Detective Inspector
Stations: School Lecturing, Traffic Branch ( School Crossings )( April 1960 ),
C.I.B. ( 20 Division )( Plain Cloths )( 25 February 1963 ), Parramatta ( Plain Cloths )( 18 Division )( 26 October 1964 ),
Blacktown ( 27 Division )( Plain Cloths )( 17 November ? ), Merrylands ( 26 Division )( Plain Cloths )( 12 January 1970 ),
Women Police Office ( C.I.B. )( 20 Division )(11 February 1970 ), Parramatta Detectives ( 18 Division )( C.I. Duties )( May 1974 ),
Central Police Station ( 1 Division )( 6 December 1981 )( Administration Duties ),
Ombudsman Office ( 11 March 1984 ), Internal Affairs ( 20 Division )( 17 February 1986 )( Inspector ) – Retirement
Time employed ( Paid ) with NSW Police: From: 29 February 1960 to 5 July 1990 = 30 years, 4 months, 6 days Service
Service ( From Training Date ) period: From 29 February 1960 to 5 July 1990 = 30 years, 4 months, 6 days Service
Retirement / Leaving age: = 59 years, 11 months, 29 days
Time in Retirement from Police: 33 years, 7 months, 25 days
Awards: National Medal – granted 15 September 1980 ( Det Sgt 3/c )
1st Clasp to National Medal – granted 22 September 1987 ( Det Sgt 1/c )
W D & H O Wills Trophy for the Most Outstanding Police Woman for 1973 – Awarded – 22 March 1974
Peter Mitchell Trophy for the Highest Marks in the Sgt 3/c exam for 1974 – Awarded – 18 June 1975
National Police Service Medal – Awarded – 6 September 2016
Police Ethical & Good Conduct Medal with 4th Clasp – Awarded – 2008
Born: Sunday 6 July 1930 – Cobargo, NSW
Died on: Friday 1 March 2024
Age: 93 years, 7 months, 24 days
Organ Donor: No – Age prohibitive
Cause: Natural – Old Age
Event location: ?, Sydney, NSW
Event / Diagnosis date: ?
Funeral date: Monday, 11 March 2024 @ 2.30pm
Funeral location: South Chapel, Rookwood Crematorium, Lidcombe, NSW
Auburn PAC will provide an Official Police Guard of Honour
Wake location: ???
Wake date: ???
Funeral Parlour: ?
Buried at: Cremated
Grave Location: Section: Row: ? Plot: ?
Grave GPS: ?, ?
Memorial / Plaque / Monument located at: Gwen MARTIN Scholarship
Dedication date of Memorial / Plaque / Monument: Nil – at this time ( March 2024 )
GWEN is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance * NOT JOB RELATED
FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.
PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal
May they forever Rest In Peace
https://www.facebook.com/groups/AustralianPolice.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NSWFallenPolice/
Australian Police YouTube Channel
Gwen was 1 of 3 NSW Police Women who obtained their Diploma in Criminology from Sydney University.
Gwen was accepted into the Detectives Training Course – later to become the 1st NSW Police Woman.
Gwen is reputed to have been a competitive Fencer ( Sword ) in her youth.
Police Legacy – 16 October 2019
Yesterday we played host to a meeting of the Retired Police Association, and had the pleasure of being introduced to Inspector Gwen Martin (retd), a trailblazing policewoman who joined the NSW Police Force in 1960 – one of three women in a class of ninety.
She’s been retired for nearly thirty years now, but has many fond and colourful memories of her time in the Force (some of which we couldn’t possibly repeat in a public forum 😱😂)
Gwen worked in many different capacities – everything from traffic control to the drug squad – before undertaking the Detectives’ Training Course in 1971, finishing 4th in the class.
From there she moved to Parramatta, working her way up through the ranks before becoming the first female member of the Police Association to be elected to the Executive, and eventually attaining the rank of Inspector at the Police Internal Affairs Branch, remaining there until her retirement in 1990.
Gwen, we salute you, and the example you have given for so many young women joining the NSW Police Force!
PARRAMATTA DETECTIVES
Back Row ( L – R )
W.A. ALLEN # 14367, D. McMILLAN, D.W. WILLIAMS # 14959, I.W. HAMILTON # 10159, K.R. SHEENS # 11044, L. MELCHIOR # 9268, P. MAYGER # 17359
Front Row ( L – R )
C.E. BROWN # P/W 0205, B.K. DRIVER # 14681, J.R. BRYANT # 6835, B.J. WILLIAMS # 12935, R. MOORE, Robert A. BROAD # 15359, Barry L. INGLIS # 8179, Gwen E. MARTIN # P/W 0041
Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995),
Saturday 7 August 1971, page 3
Detectives
SYDNEY, Friday. — Sergeant Dell Fricker and Senior Constable Gwen Martin graduated today with 26 males after a three month course to become Sydney’s first women Detectives.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110672664
* Story behind any Nickname:
Nothing further, than what is recorded above, is known about this person at the time of publication and further information and photos would be appreciated.
**********
Cal
7 March 2024
6 July 2024: Memorial updated with Live Stream and historical photos.
