Indigenous Australia

Almost fifty-five years ago, on the 16th July, 1897, Isaac Grovenor, a young Australian native, joined the New South Wales Police Department as a Police Tracker. 'Ike,' as he was popularly known to his many friends, was a native of Yass, and was then 27 years of age.

A man of kindly and modest disposition with the local reputation as an excellent horseman and bushman, Isaac Grovenor was recruited to the Police Tracker Service. During his period of fifty-two years with the Police Department, until he retired on the 12th January, 1950, he gave valuable and faithful service. He performed duty at various country stations namely, Animbo, Cooma, Wee Jasper and Braidwood; took part in the stock stealing cases; the tracking of criminals and lost people, and was transferred in 1926 from the country to the Police Depot, Redfern, where he rendered outstanding service in breaking in and handling in police horses.

In July, 1902, he married Miss Lee of Cooma, New South Wales. The family is comprised of three daughters and three sons. The three daughters and two of the sons are married. There are ten grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Grovenor saw that their children were afforded an education and for some years one of the daughters assisted as a teacher at her school in a Sydney suburb. Mr. and Mrs. Grovenor’s home and children hare always been a credit to them.

'Ike' was a keen gardener and a lover of flowers and music. He keenly appreciated the good things of life and by his unselfishness and conduct generally set an example to others.

He carried out his duties in the Police Service in an efficient manner and earned the commendation of all with whom he was associated.

On the 6th March, 1951, His Excellency the Governor, Sir John Northcott, presented Tracker Sergeant Grovenor with the Imperial Service Medal in recognition of long and meritorious service, rendered to the New South Wales Police Department. He was one of only two trackers in New South Wales to attain the rank of Police Tracker Sergeant.

Ex-Tracker Sergeant Isaac Grovenor’s death took place at Sydney on Friday, 16th February, 1952, and he was buried in Botany Cemetery on Saturday, the 17th instant. As a token of respect the Commissioner of Police, Mr. J. F. Scott, provided a mounted police escort to lead the funeral cortege from the funeral parlours in Crown Street along a portion of the route to the cemetery. Mrs. Grovenor and family expressed their deep thanks for the Commissioner’s kindness in providing the mounted escort and those of us who were so closely associated with ‘Ike’ at the Police Depot and elsewhere know how the kindly old gentleman would have appreciated such a tribute from the Department to which he rendered such valuable and lengthy service.

We pay tribute to the memory of one of Australia’s native sons, a man possessed of high manly qualities, of kindly, sympathetic nature and one who cherished the principles of Christianity.