Brisbane beat was formed of a series of streets and roads. A constable was ‘responsible for the security of life and property, and for the preservation of the peace, and general good order within his beat during the time he is on duty.’[1] The beats were divided into day, 5am to 1pm, 1pm to 5pm and 5pm to 9pm (12 hours each), and night, 9pm to 5am, duties. Brisbane night duty beats comprised of four sections, three on the north and one on the south sides of the Brisbane River.[2]
Brisbane 1865
No 1 Section
No 1
Commencing at the corner of Edward and Queen streets, thence by the right along Queen street to Eagle street, thence by the right along Eagle street to Mary street, thence by the right along Edward street to the point of starting.
No 2
Commencing at the corner of Queen and Albert streets, thence by the right along Queen street to Edward street, thence by the right along Edward street to Alice street, thence by the right Alice street to Albert street, thence by the right along Albert street to the point of starting.
no 3
Commencing at the corner of Queen and George streets, thence by the right along Queen street to Albert street, thence by the right along Albert street to Alice street, thence by the right along Alice street to George street, thence by the right along George street to the point of starting.
no 4
Commencing at the corner of George street and Queen streets, thence by the right along George Street to Alice street, thence by the right along Alice street to William street, thence by the right along William street to Turbot street, thence by the right along Turbot street to George street, thence by the right along George street to the point of starting.
Slaters Pocket Map of the City of Brisbane 1865
No 2 Section
No 5
Commencing at the corner of Adelaide and George streets, thence by the right along Adelaide street to Edward street, thence by the right along Edward street to Queen street, thence by the right along Queen street to George street, thence by the right along George street to the point of starting.
No 6
Commencing at the corner of Little Edward street, thence by the right along Wickham terrace to Leichhard street, thence by the right along Leichhard street to Wharf street, thence by the right along Wharf street to Wickham terrace, thence by the right along Wickham terrace to the point of starting.
no 7
Commencing at the corner of Edward and Queen streets, thence by the right along Edward street to Little Edward street and Wickham terrace, thence by the right along Wickham terrace to Wharf street, thence by the right along Wharf street to Queen street, thence by the right along Queen street to the point of starting.
no 8
Commencing at the corner of Queen and Wharf streets, thence by the right along Wharf street into Leichhard street, thence by the right along Leichhard street into Boundary street, thence by the right along Boundary street to Petrie’s Bight, thence by the right along Petrie’s Bight to the point of starting.
No 3 Section [Fortitude Valley]
no 9
Commencing at the corner of Ann and Brunswick streets, thence by the right along Anne street to Wickham street, thence by the right along Wickham street to Brunswick street, thence by the right along Brunswick street to the point of starting.
no 10
Commencing at the corner of Anne and Brunswick streets, thence by the right along Anne street to James street, thence by the right along James street and Harcourt street, thence by the right along Harcourt street to Brunswick street, thence by the right along Brunswick street to the point of starting.
No 4 Section [South Brisbane]
no 11
Commencing at the Brisbane Bridge in Stanley street, thence along Stanley street to Vulture street, and back the same street to point of starting.
[1] ‘Beats’, Manual 1876, p. 20.
[2] Appendix N. ‘Night Duty Beats, Minutes of Evidence Taken Before the Select Committee on the Management and Working of the Police Force’, QVP 1869, Vol I, p. 740 (52).