Australian Dress Register

The family information available on Cecil Carroll is stated in the births, deaths and marriages section. Cecil Carroll was a teacher, and then Captain in the Australian Imperial Forces before joining the Police Force. In 1915 Carroll enlisted in the Australian Military Forces and rose to the rank of Captain before being wounded in France. He returned to Australia in 1918 and worked in the Home Service until 1920. In between 1920 and 1934, Carroll worked within the Taxation Department and eventually became the Chief Inspector of Taxation. He was sworn in as the Commissioner of Police on 8 May 1934, and retired on the 23 July 1949.

Cecil James Caroll was born on 8th July, 1888 in Woombye, Caboolture. His father Patrick Carroll was born in Ireland in 1860. Patrick Caroll moved to Queensland prior to 1884 before marrying Margaret McGrath on November 26, 1884. Cecil Caroll was married with three children, Jack, Nell and Cecily, before becoming Commissioner of Police in 1934. He retired on 23 July, 1949 and died on 21 May, 1970.

Commissioner Carroll introduced many reforms including qualifying examinations for promotion, an improved training system for recruits and a new Cadet system of admission. He approved the extensive renovation of police buildings and the opening of the Queensland Police Garage and the Police Welfare Club. Mr Carroll oversaw the establishment of a wireless radio station, the installation of radio receivers in police cars, the introduction of the 'modus operandi' recording system, the single fingerprint system, the Scientific Section and the Traffic Squad.

Cecil Carroll oversaw many community issues during his period as Commissioner. Industrial action in particular was rife during this inter-war period. One railway strike on St Patrick's Day in 1948 ended in police-civilian confrontation. 

Cecil Carroll was Commissioner during World War II. The strain on human resources caused by the War had great effects on the Queensland Police. The movement of Australian and American troops through Brisbane proved to be particularly strenuous on the Police Force. Extra police officers were required for wartime emergencies. Carroll invested a lot of time with civil defence tasks, especially training Air-Raid Wardens.

Information was sourced from Trove. All newspaper articles cited were from The Courier Mail Brisbane. The biographical information on Cecil Carroll was provided by the Queensland Police Museum and can be found in their archives.

This garment has not been exhibited at any previous institution. It has also not been exhibited at the Queensland Police Museum.

The only trimming/decoration evident on the tunic is the braiding. Black braid has been used to form Austrian knots on the lower end of the sleeves and on the back of the tunic. Around the Austrian knot on the sleeves and around the tip of the collar is a soft, black braiding in loops called Bullet Hole braid. The back of the tunic also features two Crowsfoot knots and two covered braided buttons. The Austrian knots drop down from the buttons to the base of the tunic and the Crowsfoot knots stem up from the decorative buttons to the shoulderblade area. The epaulettes/shoulder straps are edged with a fine black cord.

Thick, black ribbon runs the circumference of the bottom of the tunic, the length of the tunic at the front and around the top circumference of the collar.

Austrian knots are featured on the both tunic sleeves, and also on the lower back of the tunic and two Crowsfoot knots on the upper back. The front of the tunic features ten woven braid circles and drops (large double circles and five on each side).

There is no evident piping.

There is no lacing.

There is no tucking.

There is no embroidery.

The tunic is primarily wool, with the trimming/decoration braid. This wool has been synthetically dyed black. There is also black velvet located on the standup collar and on the lower parts of the sleeve beneath the braided Austrian knots. Black softer fabric (perhaps cotton) lines the inside of the tunic. 

The main body of the tunic has been machine sewn. This includes the stitching of the sleeves to the tunic body, the internal tunic panels that provide the item with shape and the collar. Evidence of hand stitching is at the base of the sleeves where the lining has been sewn and the braiding decorations appear to have been hand sewn. The stitching is more uneven on these areas of the tunic.

The different coloured braiding on the front of the tunic may indicate briading was replaced or altered to serve some purpose. There is no evidence the entire garmant has been restitched. Little alterations have been made to repair wear and tear. The inside of both sleeves has handstitching to repair tears in the fabric lining. There is also evidence of white thread handstitching inside the tunic near the hook and eyes.

The tunic has been cut straight. There is no clear flair to the piece nor has the fabric been cut for any decorative purpose.

The buttons on the rear of the tunic covered in braid and are purely decorative. The front of the tunic is held together by hook and eyes that are painted, black metal. Some of the black colouring has worn off the hooks. 

It is possible that buckram has been used to stiffen the standup collar. There is something that can be seen through a patch of worn velvet on the collar. The tunic body itself has been shaped by panels of thick fabric that have been machine sewn onto the body. There is no evidence of whalebone, petersham, steel, cord or wadding.

There is evidence to suggest that this tunic was mainly worn as part of a uniform for ceremonial purposes. Why it might be a ceremonial uniform is as follows: The tunic is not worn to the same extent as a frequently worn day uniform might be. It is in very good condition with only minor damage caused by aging and management, and infrequent wear. Photographs of the Commissioner of Police and Inspectors during this time period (1936-1950) show them wearing full ceremonial uniform. This tunic appears identical to the tunics in the photograph.

The Queensland Policeman's Manual of 1925 states that the badges of rank for the Commissioner of Police consists of a Crown and two stars. These are to be worn on the shoulder straps of the tunic with the letters "QP" below such badges. Commissioned officers (Commissioner, Chief Inspector, Inspector, and Sub-Inspector) are also to wear a small silver badge on either of the collar about one inch from where the collar meets. This small oval badge features the Maltese Cross surrounded by a belt and surmounted with the Crown with the words Queensland Police on the belt. The images below show the rank insignia in gold metal. The crown is a King's Crown and worn when a King has ascended to the British throne.

The rank insignia in the images below are attached to the Queensland Police Inspector's tunic under ID554. A possible theory as to why the Commissioner's rank insignia is on the Inspector's tunic may be that the Commissioner needed a new uniform and moved his rank insignia accordingly. The Inspector's tunic lacks the extra circular cording surrounding the Austrian Knots on the sleeves. Perhaps the cording was unavailable at the time of making, or the Commissioner  decided to adopt a less ornate look.

Although this Police Commissioner's tunic has no rank insignia attached, the circular cording (Bullet Hole braid) surrounding the Austrian Knots on the sleeves indicates the rank of the wearer as shown in the image of the group of Queensland Commissioned Police Officers. The olivets or cylindrical toggles that would be used to decoratively fasten the front of the tunic are missing but can be seen on the Inspector's tunic in ID554.

There are a few notes that can be made with regard to the condition of the tunic. On either side of the collar at the front, there are two holes most likely left from badges (holes from the badge fastenings have left impressions on the velvet). Inside the collar underneath the badge indentations are numerous small puncture holes. On the right side of the collar the braiding has been torn off 510 mmm from the collar join and down the side to the hook and eye that closes the collar. There is some tearing in the sleeve linings of both sleeves underneath the velvet. Some evidence is present that these have been hand stitched closed. On the right hand side inside the front of the tunic are is some tearing near the hook and eyes and evidence of white stitching to try and close these gaps. On the front of the tunic four drops on the left side are no longer stitched to the tunic. There is some fraying of velvet as well at the base of both sleeves. Overall, the tunic when examined as a whole is in good condition. Small signs of deterioration can be noticed on closer inspection. 

There are a few handstitched repairs on the tunic inside the sleeves and inside the opening of the jacket.

On the lower right hand side on the front of the tunic is a small hole that is possibly a moth hole. 

There is no evidence of any mould damage.