About 7am on 4 June, 1929 Sergeant Lanham finished his shift at the North Sydney Police Station and shortly thereafter collapsed and died. The following brief article appeared in The Sun of 4 June, 1929.
AFTER NIGHT’S WORK POLICEMAN DROPS DEAD.
Returning from duty at North Sydney about 7 a.m. to-day, Sergeant William J Lanham of Willoughby-road, North Sydney, collapsed and died. Sergeant Lanham had been suffering from high blood pressure. He was 50 years of age and had been connected at different times with the North Sydney. In 1914, he and Inspector Pattinson and Detective-Sergeant Miller and others arrested a gang of desperate thieves at Willoughby. Subsequently he was promoted and transferred to Paddington. Last year he was again appointed to North Sydney.
The sergeant was born in 1878 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 3 January, 1908. He was stationed at North Sydney. He is also variously referred to as Lanaham, Lanahan and Danaham. He is not listed in the official New South Wales Police Honour Roll.
The Sydney Morning Herald Wednesday 5 June 1929 p 13
LANHAM. – The Relatives and Friends of the late
Sergeant WILLIAM JOSEPH LANHAM, of No. 6 Station, are invited to attend his Funeral; to leave Wood Coffill’s Funeral Home, corner Falcon and Miller streets, North Sydney. THIS WEDNESDAY, at 2.30 p.m., for Church of England Cemetery, Northern Suburbs, Motor Funeral.
WOOD COFFILL LIMITED.
Motor Funeral Directors.
LANHAM.—The Relatives and Friends of Mrs.
MARGARET ANN LANHAM and FAMILY are invited to attend the Funeral of her beloved HUSBAND and their FATHER, Sergeant William Joseph Lanham; to leave Wood Coffill’s Funeral Home, corner Falcon and Miller streets, North Sydney, THIS WEDNESDAY, at 2.30 p.m., for Church of England Cemetery Northern Suburbs Motor Funeral.
LANHAM.—The Relatives and Friends of MICHAEL and WALTER REGAN and Mr. and Mrs. A. BOWMAN and FAMILY are invited to attend the Funeral of her beloved BROTHER-IN-LAW and UNCLE, Sergeant William Joseph Lanham: to leave Wood Coffill’s Funeral Home, corner Falcon and Miller streets, North Sydney, THIS WEDNESDAY, at 2.30 p.m, for Church of England Cemetery, Northern Suburbs. Motor Funeral.
WOOD COFFILL LIMITED.
LANHAM.—LODGE WILLOUGHBY, 363, U.G.L.,
N.S.W.—Brethren of above and sister Lodges are fraternally invited to attend the Funeral of the late Wor. Bro. WILLIAM JOSEPH LANHAM; to leave Wood Coffill’s Parlour, Falcon and Miller street, North Sydney, on WEDNESDAY, 5th inst., at 2.30 p.m. Brethren meet at Temple, Lane Cove-road. North Sydney, at 1.15 p.m. Regalia.
E. W. DUMBRELL, W.M.; C. FRAZER, Sec.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16551704
The Sydney Morning Herald Wednesday 5 June 1929 p 14
LANHAM.—June 4, 1929, at his residence, 296 Willoughby-road, Naremburn, William Joseph Lanham, late Sergeant No. 6 Police Station, beloved husband of Margaret Ann Lanham, aged 50 years.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16551782
The Sydney Morning Herald Wednesday 5 June 1929 p 16
OBITUARY.
POLICE-SERGEANT LANHAM.
On returning to his home in Willoughby-road yesterday morning after a tour of night duty, Sergeant William Joseph Lanham, of the North Sydney police, collapsed, and died shortly afterwards. Sergeant Lanham, who was aged 50, had over 22 years’ service in the force, much of his time having been spent in the northern suburbs.
After terms as constable in North Sydney and Chatswood, he was promoted sergeant and transferred to Paddington, but a few months ago was again detailed for duty in North Sydney, and he did valuable service in the district with which he had an intimate acquaintance.
The funeral will leave Wood Coffill’s parlours at 2.30 p.m. to-day for the Northern Suburbs Cemetery.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16551732