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While digging around in the pile of family memorabilia that my Mother has accumulated, I came across my great grandfather's patrolman notebook. This used to be kept in my grandmother's dining room sideboard (not far from the peppermint pinwheel candies - hum, funny how you remember little things like that) and I recall paging through it as a child.

Reading it now, I see that it is really more of a time keeping book. Maurice Sullivan filled pages and pages with entries like the one below:

Ther. 39 0/1 Wednesday, Mar. 18, 1896 Wea. Clear

Patrolman Sullivan reported for duty at 7:15AM assigned to route 6 relieved Officer

At 9AM went to court reported back at 11:30AM at 1PM was relieved for dinner reported back at 2:15PM assigned to route 6 was relieved at 6PM by Officer Cadigan

Detailed to caucus at 7:30 was released at 8:30PM.

Clement McDonald
Drunk Probation

Ther. 36 0/0 Thursday Mar. 19, 1896 Wea. Snowing

Patrolman Sullivan reported for duty at 7:15AM assigned to route 6 relieved Officer Arnold at 8AM

At 1PM was relieved for dinner reported back at 2:15PM was relieved at 6PM by Officer Cardigan

Certainly not riveting reading, but the very blandness of the content gives you a feel for what Maurice's working day was like. He started early, put in a long day, and seemed to deal with a lot of drunken citizens. It is more fun reading newspaper articles about his police career...

Labels: Sullivan