Marking 75 years of women in police

Southland’s first uniformed constable, Barbara Flynn (nee Halcrow), will be in Queenstown today ...
Southland’s first uniformed constable, Barbara Flynn (nee Halcrow), will be in Queenstown today as police mark the 75th anniversary of women in the police. Photos by Mark Price & supplied.
Constable Barbara Halcrow ready for a shift.
Constable Barbara Halcrow ready for a shift.
Barbara Halcrow and  Jack Flynn as their engagement is announced.
Barbara Halcrow and Jack Flynn as their engagement is announced.

One of the first eight women to wear a police uniform in New Zealand is taking part in celebrations today marking the 75th anniversary of women in the New Zealand police force.

Eighty-nine-year-old Barbara Flynn, who lives in Elmslie House in Wanaka, will watch the torch relay as it goes through Queenstown, marking the anniversary, and will lunch at the police station.

While the first women joined the police force in 1941, it was not until December 1952, when Mrs Flynn (nee Halcrow) completed her training, that they wore a uniform.

Mrs Flynn said yesterday she joined the force at the suggestion of her father Jack Halcrow, OBE, who was chief of the Christchurch CIB.

She spent her first two years serving in Christchurch before being posted to Southland with Constable Pam Lambie.

The pair became the province's first uniformed policewomen.

In Invercargill she met Ohai constable Jack Flynn and soon the local newspaper reported a "romance in the force'', with two police constables announcing their "betrothal''.

Southland Daily News columnist "The Gascon'' had this to say: "And so Constable Halcrow will lay aside the handcuffs of the law for the pleasant bonds of matrimony, and Constable Flynn will learn to answer the summons instead of serving it.

"The Gascon wishes them every good fortune.''

Mrs Flynn recalled that she did not carry handcuffs or a truncheon, and that it had been "quite an honour'' to serve the police in Southland.

The couple's wedding in 1954 brought an end to Mrs Flynn's police career, as the rules at that time stipulated a married woman could not serve in the police.

Through Mr Flynn's interest in hunting and fishing, the couple had connections with Wanaka and Sir Tim and Prue Lady Wallis.

Mr Flynn died suddenly in Wanaka in January 1977, aged 52, and 80 police were among the mourners at the funeral.

The couple's daughter, Shirl Rowley, of Wanaka, this week recalled living in the Ohai police house, the back yard of which contained the jail.

The cells were a popular play area for the children of the neighbourhood, and it was always inconvenient for them when the cells were occupied - often by either shearers or miners involved in one of their regular confrontations.

mark.price@odt.co.nz

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