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14 March 1939, returning on 18 October 1939. At the outbreak of the Second World War, he applied for leave to
join the Army but was refused because his police work was considered an essential service.
From October 1940 to at least 1943 he was stationed at Maranboy, south of Katherine, then a tin mining
camp. Later he was responsible at various times for the police stations in Tennant Creek, Alice Springs and
Darwin. His horseback patrols are described in his diaries. The support of his wife, Edna, whom he married in
February 1940, was vital to the smooth operation of each police station at which he served. Edna Bowman was the
granddaughter of James Joseph Parer who owned a number of hotels in Darwin from the 1910s to 1930s. Several
of Edna’s sisters married into other well-known Territorian families such as the Cashmans and the Allwrights.
In the early 1950s, Jack was instrumental with others in the force in obtaining Government acceptance of the
principle of promotion on merit as well as on seniority. By 1958, he had risen to Administrative Inspector and was
second in charge of the force. He left then to become the Australian Government’s Official Representative on the
newly acquired territories of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and subsequently, in 1960, Christmas Island. Near the
end of his life he told his family that he left as he could see no prospect of further advancement following the
appointment of Clive Graham as Superintendent in charge of the police force. He later said that his Territory time
was the most fulfilling part of his career. Reflecting on a brief trip back by Jack in 1977 journalist Alan Wauchope,
described him as ‘the kindest and gentlest Policeman of them all’.
Both Christmas and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands comprised small isolated multi-cultural communities requiring
considerable sensitivity and understanding in their administration. On his departure from Christmas in 1966,
the Chinese community drew attention to the harmony among the island communities, crediting him with ‘this
happy state of affairs... (where he) provided outstanding meritorious service (achieving) much in the fields of
welfare and education’, and adding that he ‘treated all people alike (and was) most kind to them’. Likewise the
Malay community said that he could not have done better (and) would be best remembered as a good friend and
administrator’.
The final years of his career were spent in Canberra working with the Department of External Territories on
issues concerning the Territories and Aboriginal affairs. On his retirement in 1970, he was made a Member of the
Order of the British Empire (MBE) ‘for distinguished public service’.
Two books have been written about Jack: The Long Arm and The Diary of Constable John William Stokes of the
Northern Territory Police Force 1937–42 and other family history. A review of the first in an Aboriginal journal
recommended it especially to younger readers as an example that there ‘are some good cops around who really do
try to do more than their job’. The prominent singer, Ted Egan, wrote similar words.
He died in Brisbane on 3 August 1995 of multiple myeloma and associated illnesses and is buried at Mooloolah
Cemetery in Queensland. He is remembered as a sterling, inspirational and caring leader as well as a responsible
and a loving devoted family man. He is survived by his devoted wife, Edna, six children (Judith, Edna, John,
Anthony, Christopher and Carmel), 24 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
The Australian, 2 October 1995; C Bednall, ‘Arnhem Land Coast Patrol’, Walkabout, 1 August 1938; D Bosman (ed), Christmas Island
Police 1958–1983, nd; R Brown & P Studdy-Clift, Bush Justice, 1993; Canberra Times, 30 January 1970; Canberra Voice, November 1995;
H V Clarke, The Long Arm, 1974; T Egan, review of ‘The Long Arm’, Aboriginal News, vol 1, No 11, February 1975; C T G Haultain,
Watch Off Arnhem Land, 1971; North Queensland Register, 10 February 1940; Northern Standard, 12 January 1940; Northern Territory
Archives, oral history interview; review of ‘The Long Arm’, Aboriginal and Islander Identity, vol 2, No 5 July 1975; A Stokes (ed), The Diary
of Constable John William Stokes of the Northern Territory Police Force 1937–42 and other family history, 1982; J Stokes, ‘Coorapinni’,
Citation, December 1965; Sun-Herald (Melbourne), 6 October 1995; A Wauchope, The Star, 24 February 1977, ‘I Remember’, The Star,
26 August 1981; Who’s Who in Australia, 1970.
TONY STOKES, Vol 3.
STONE, CONSTANCE (1879–?), nursing sister, was born in July 1879, and first joined the Northern Territory
medical service in June 1924, holding both general and midwifery certificates. She had seen distinguished military
service abroad, and continued with a course in Adelaide in infant welfare work. She assumed an appointment as
matron of the Darwin Hospital in August 1928, relieving Miss O Mansbridge. However, Stone preferred to take on
the baby health clinic and to do antenatal work for the next eight years. Her clinic was located in the government
offices and police station on the Esplanade. In 1928, she opened an antenatal clinic, and in the first six months,
30 infants were enrolled.
On one occasion, Stone went to the aid of an expectant mother, Mrs Round, at Pine Creek, the wife of a
schoolteacher, on a railmotor ‘quod’ from Darwin with Dr Clyde Fenton and two railway employees, A Con,
a local Greek, and Harry Matthews. The party reached Burrundie and it is surmised that the front wheel hit a stick,
throwing the ‘quod’ off the line. Matthews sustained a fractured leg, and Stone, being fairly shaken, was taken to
the residence of Harry Hardy, a buffalo shooter from Annaburroo. Dr Fenton proceeded with Con to Pine Creek
only to find that Mrs Turner, the wife of a police trooper and a nurse, had delivered Mrs Round’s child.
Stone was the first Territory nurse to do statistics—birth weights of infants born in the wet season and the dry
season. She then commenced to operate clinics for pulmonary tuberculosis and venereal diseases, not only treating
patients, but following their ‘contacts’ for treatment also. Later in 1929, she commenced and became involved in
medical school inspections with statistics on children—height, weight, age and sex. Later Stone did tests for worm
infestation such as hookworm. The schools involved were in Darwin, Pine Creek, Katherine and Alice Springs.
Her work involved going to isolated areas with Dr Fenton of the Aerial Medical Service. Stone also gave invalid
cookery lectures, which became part of the confirmed syllabus of the student nurses first undergoing general
training at the Darwin Hospital in 1929.