Family of Thomas Evans

Alice Edith Birt


Alice Edith Evans was born at Adelaide on the 25th January, 1875.

Insp. Birt Alice (Allie) married Robert Gibson Birt on the 19th April, 1895, in St Matthews (Anglican) Church, Marryatville. The wedding was conducted by Rev. William A. Swan.  N.A.Trevenen and W.P.Evans were the witnesses.   Robert was born on the 22nd May, 1866 at Euston, NSW to George Howard & Ellen (Coombe) Birt.

Robert Gibson Birt was a Policeman (sometime Mounted Constable, who rose to the rank of Superintendent). The Birts resided in various towns in South Australia - Murray Bridge, Beltana, Orroroo, Port Augusta, Mount Barker, Renmark, Adelaide, Wallaroo, Brighton, etc.  He was well liked and respected and several of his sons and nephews either followed him, or would have liked to follow him into the Police Force.


Personal - SA Observer
Sgt. R. G. Birt, who was recently promoted to be a sub-inspector of police, was born at Euston, (N.S.W.) on May 22nd, 1866. His father was a member of the New South Wales constabulary. Inspector Birt joined the mounted police in December, 1889, and was stationed for the subsequent nine years at Murray Bridge. From there he was sent to Beltana, where he remained for five years. The next four years he spent at Orroroo, and was for the same period at Port Augusta. Subsequently while he was at Renmark his promotion to sub-inspector was approved. Inspector Birt's promotion has been rapid, as it was not until 1917 that he was appointed senior constable, and sergeant in 1919


Children born to Robert & Alice:


Allie died on the 16th April, 1959, at Strathalbyn, where she had been living with her daughter and son-in-law, Margaret & Harry Yates. Harry had died many years earlier on the 3rd September, 1938, and both are buried at St. Jude's Cemetery, Brighton, South Australia.

Monday, September   Obituary Police Ex-Superintendent R.G.Birt

The death early on Saturday of ex-Superintendent R.G.Birt, at the age of 72, removed a well-known and highly respected former police officer. Superintendent Birt retired from the froce about 12 years ago. In the interval he has been chief investigation officer for the South Australian Dried Fruits Board.

A son of the late Mr. G. H. Birt, who was a member of the New South Wales constabulary, Mr. Birt was born at Euston, New South Wales, in 1866. He joined the mounted police force at Adelaide in 1889, and was stationed for the next nine years at Murray Bridge. He was then sent to Beltana, and during his five years there he had varied experiences in several trips into the outback to bring in lawbreakers. Some of his tracking exploits in pursuit of aborigines wanted on serious charges are detailed in Idriess' book, "Man Trails." The next four years were spent at Orroroo.

Then he was transferred to Port Augusta as divisional clerk of the Far Northern division, which was then in charge of the late Inspector Clode. He was next placed in charge of Mount Barker station, where he remained for seven years. Then he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. He was in charge at Renmark for a short period. His next appointment was sub-inspector, and he was transferred to Adelaide. Twelve months later he was sent ot Wallaroo to establish headquarters and open what was then western division, which extended from Balaklava to Fowler's Bay.

Upon retirement of Superintendent Pyne in 1922, Mr. Birt was placed in charge of the Mounted Police Barracks, Adelaide, and Central Division, with the rank of inspector. Later he was promoted to the position of superintendent. He evinced a keen interest in sport, and was a president of the Police Athletic Club. On his retirement in 1926, the Commissioner of Police (Brigadier-General Leane), on behalf of his fellow officers, presented him with a wallet of notes and a framed photograph of members of the police conference, of which he was chairman. The Police Athletic Club also handed Mr. Birt a gold life membership badge.

The secretary of the Dried Fruits Board (Mr. W. N. Twiss) said on Saturday that Mr. Birt joined the board's service in 1929 as chief investigation officer. The board had lost a very loyal and zealous officer, and he had lost a good friend.

Mr. Birt has left a widow, formerly Miss A. E. Evans, of St, Peters, three sons - Mr, Jack Birt (of the plain-clothes branch, Adelaide), Mounted Constable Gordon Birt (Northern Territory), Mr. Howard Birt (Woodville), and four daughters, Mesdames H. J. Mortimer (Minburra station, near Orroroo), M. Wesley (Melbourne), Bruce Butler (Gnalta, via Broken Hill), and Miss Margaret Birt (Brighton)

Many members of the police force attended the funeral at St Jude's Cemetery, Brighton, yesterday afternoon.

Parents