A NEW HOME AFTER 200 YEARS By Senior Musician Simon Deppeler

In January this year OIC Inspector Nat Russell and the Victoria Police Bands members welcomed a Victoria Police legend to their workplace.                  

Sinclair Imrie ‘Mick’ Miller AO, LVO, C St. J, QPM, the former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police ('77-'87). The purpose of his visit was to mark an auspicious occasion.

Former Chief Commissioner of Police, Sinclair Imrie "Mick" Miller and OIC Inspector Nat Russell

Mick Millers’ gifting of a 200+ years old, lead-light stained glass fanlight window of the Grand Crest of Scotland to the Victoria Police Highland Pipe Band.

Not all may be familiar with Mick Miller, but his story and association with Victoria Police is one to tell.

Born in Melbourne on October 13, 1926, Mr. Miller was the second son of James Miller, an Australian born Scot. His mother, Lillie (nee Imrie) was Scottish and named him Sinclair after her father. 

During a 40-year career in Victoria Police, Mr. Miller gained a peerless reputation. He was and still is, accepted as one of the most innovative, influential, respected and admired Australian police leaders of the twentieth century.

Never one to dwell on past achievements Mr. Miller’s history with Victoria Police and as a private citizen is nonetheless, exceptional. He is responsible for many groundbreaking Police initiatives. His many personal benchmarks during his Police career are evidence of a remarkable life.

1947 – Joined Victoria Police as a trainee constab

le

1948 – Assumed the position of Drum Major with the Victoria Police Highland Pipe band

1949 – In May, selected for plainclothes duty with Special Patrol (CIB); in November appointed as a detective and transferred to Brunswick CIB.

1950 – Selected for duty with the Homicide Squad (Commended five times)

1951 – Resigned from Pipe Band

1954 – Promoted to Senior Constable and transferred to Richmond.

1956 – Chosen to head the new Gaming (Special Duties) Branch

1963 - Appointed Officer in Charge Vice Squad.

1966 -  (1^st January) Appointed Officer in Charge at the Detective Training School

1966 – Became the first Australian policeman to be awarded a Churchill Fellowship, which he used to study detective training and criminal investigation techniques in the USA, UK, France, Hong Kong and the Philippines for five months in 1967.

"It’s not what you were that matters,
it’s what you are now"- Mick Miller

1967 - He was the first Australian police member to graduate from the FBI National Academy (the most prestigious qualification in U.S. law enforcement) He passed with distinction and was highly commended by the FBI as ‘the most outstanding representative we have ever had at our Academy from outside the U.S…he is regarded with pride as one of our own’.

1971 – (Jan–June) Attended the 8th Senior Command Course at "BRAMSHILL" the British National Police College. Promoted to Inspector during this time. The course Commandant noted at the time ‘His mind is alert, enquiring and penetrating, and he has an insatiable appetite for knowledge of all aspects of police work’.

1971 – (Oct) Appointed Assistant Commissioner (Operations)

1975 – became first Australian Policeman to complete the Defense Department Industrial Mobilization Course. The course assessed Australia’s industrial and manpower resources and the nation’s preparedness for war.

1976 – Assumed command of the Crime Department

1977 – Appointed Chief Commissioner 13^th June

During his tenure as CCP, Mr. Miller instigated many innovations:

The Air Wing

The Dog Squad

Reinstated Foot Patrols to great effect (Operation Crime Beat)

Neighbourhood Watch

Blue Light Discos

Task Force policing

Crimestoppers

The Research and Development Department

Police Psychology Office

Sexual Offences Squad

The redesign and development of a new Police uniform

The anti-terrorist Special Operations Group

And an Industrial Relations Office

Established Police Community Involvement Programmes with groups such as the Aboriginal community, ethnic groups, lawyers, media and victims of crime.

1978 - Instigated the lateral integration of women police into the general seniority list. This opened positions in the main force to women who, by the end of the decade were working as equal partners with men in most areas of the force.

1983 - Named Victorian 'Father of the Year'

1987 - After retiring, Mr. Miller was named ‘Victorian of the Year’ and was made an honorary Life Member of The Police Association.

1988 - Received an Advance Australia Award for 'an outstanding contribution to community service'

1988 - Awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws by the University of Melbourne.

"Work hard, tell the truth, don't flinch and back your judgement "- Mick Miller

Sinclair Imrie "Mick" Miller front and centre

As has been stated, in 1948, Mr. Miller was appointed the position of Drum Major with the Victoria Police Highland Pipe band. It was this connection that led him to

gift the remarkable artifact to the Victoria Police Highland Pipe Band in April, 2012.

Former Chief Commissioner of Police, Sinclair Imrie "Mick" Miller 2013

The artifact is a 200+ years old, lead-light, stained glass fanlight window of the Grand Crest of Scotland. It has been etched and hand painted on sandblasted and kiln-fired coloured glass.

It displays the Latin motto: ‘Nemo me impune lacessit’ meaning 'No one provokes me with impunity.' It is the motto of The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, said to be the oldest order of chivalry in Britain and to have been created in AD 787 and revived in 1687 by King James the Second.

Mr. Miller and Leading Senior Constable David McNamara standing beneath the Grand Crest of Scotland fanlight spectacularly sited above the main entrance to the Victoria Police Band complex in Melbourne.

HISTORY

The fanlight and a sand blasted Crest of the Henderson Clan which had been a sidelight in the doorway of the entrance to the Henderson residence, was originally installed above the front door of the residence of Samuel Henderson (born c. 1785) who was a lockmaster on the Forth & Clyde Canal, at Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire, Scotland. (He was the Grandfather of Samuel Henderson Miller (born 2 November 1859 who was the Grandfather of brothers Allan J. and Sinclair I. Miller).

It was brought to Australia by Samuel Henderson's daughter, Margaret and her husband, James Miller, when they immigrated in 1872.

Although not having great intrinsic value, it is clearly an historical relic and has a tangible link with the Miller family through the Henderson line.

In 1985, Hazel Black, (who had no children) aged 80, a grand-daughter of Margaret Henderson's brother, Samuel Henderson (born c. 1813) gave the fanlight (depicting the Crest of the Henderson clan) to Mr. Miller.

She had identified him as a direct descendant of Samuel Henderson Miller, who was her cousin.

OFFICIAL PRESENTATION

Mr. Miller was also welcomed to the Band Centre by another surprise visitor - former Police Commander and OIC of the Police Bands - Rodger Reid.

To commemorate the occasion, both gentlemen were treated to a performance by the Victoria Police Showband and Highland Pipe Band performing both separately and in a combined format.

After the impromptu performance, and low-key presentation, Leading Senior Constable David McNamara and I chatted with Mr. Miller about his gift to the Police Bands. He gave us some unique insights into the history of the leadlight window as well as some of the history and evolution of the Victoria Police Bands and his time with the band.

Q: Mr. Miller, what is the strongest memory you have of your time with the Pipe Band?

A: “Leading massed Pipe Bands at the Melbourne Royal Agricultural Society Showgrounds in 1950 in a night-time performance.”

“The massed bands consisted of six Pipe Bands. Charles Anderson was the Pipe Major. He was evangelistic as far as the band was concerned and came headhunting for me because Tom Meatchem wanted to resign as Drum Major to become a tenor drummer. However, he didn’t want to retire from that uniform and kept wearing it!”

“I apparently ticked all the boxes. They wanted an ex-serviceman who had recent military experience and was a good cut of a fellow! Plus, I came from a Scottish family.”

Taken at St. Kilda Rd. Police Training Depot, 1950

Front row L - R: Tom Meatchem, Jim Gay, Vin Slattery, Phil Stevenson, Inspector Col McPherson, D/M Mick Miller, Chief Commissioner Alex Duncan, D/Sgt Alf McDougall, J. Kennedy, D/Cpl Laurie Taylor, Ernie Russell.

Rear Row L - R: Allan Miller, P/Sgt Jim Colville, Charlie Mumford, Fred Jones, E.R. (Buck) Bryant, Bill Watson, Ernie Baynton, Rex Bird, P/Cpl Cliff Carrell

“I was 21 and recently discharged from the Army after 2¹/₂ years, the last 18 months of which had been spent in Japan with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force.  During that time I had been involved in numerous ceremonial parades.  The1st Australian Armoured Car Squadron, of which I was a member, had won a number of marching competitions involving Australian and New Zealand units, much to the surprise of the infantry battalions because we were “mounted” troops, not foot soldiers.  We marched well because our commanding officer had been a sergeant major in a UK armoured regiment before World War 2 and was big on marching.”

“I didn’t play pipes or drums but had some previous experience playing bass drum as a lad at school. Of course I’d never led a pipe band before but fortunately I had a Scottish Aunt on my mother’s side that had a connection at a place where she worked - a manager, Jim Ackerly was his name. He was the Pipe Major of the famous Hawthorn City Pipe Band. The Drum Major was Jim Davies. Anyway, my Aunt arranged for me to go down there to learn the rudiments from Jim Davies.”

“Police Band duties, in those days, were regarded as “on duty”.  However, bandsmen were not popular with officers in charge of stations who regarded us as being “half time” members liable to be called away for band duties at short notice. They were obliged to let us go from our regular duties when we had a parade with the band. I did this Drum Major role for three years. Because then I went to the Homicide Squad where I was on trial for six months to ascertain whether I fitted the profile. During this time I remained in my Drum Major role. Members of the public, upon learning that the Drum Major they just saw leading the band down the street, was a homicide detective, were gobsmacked. Understandably, they assumed that we were all full-time bandsmen.”

Q: How did the role of the Police band become a full-time position?

A: “When I became Chief Commissioner in June 1977, one of the first files to come across my desk proposed the abolition of the “Brass band”.   I knew that if that was to happen, the Pipe band would soon follow.   The proposal had originated in a government department as part of a cost cutting exercise.  I suspected that the decision had already been taken and no amount of argument would alter the decision.  Having given the problem some thought, I decided that the solution might be to introduce some emotion into the equation.”

It was then that I remembered the Premier, Mr. R.J. (later Sir Rupert) Hamer who had been the Minister responsible for Police when I was an Assistant Commissioner in 1972 and became Premier from 1972 to1981. I met with him frequently at the football, since we were both Hawthorn supporters.  Indeed, he and the State Governor, Sir Henry Winneke were joint No. 1 ticket holders and I was No.2.

On reflection, I remembered that Mr. Hamer had been the commanding officer of the 5^th Battalion, Victorian Scottish Regiment in the Citizen Military Force which had a close relationship with the City of Hawthorn Highland Pipe Band.   There is an old saying that in the core of any problem lies the seed of its solution.   And so it proved to be.

 So, on the following Saturday, I raised the matter with the Premier at the football.  He said, “They can’t do that.  We’ll see about that.  Can you send me an alternative proposal?”  It was that proposal which promoted the concept of full time, dual instrumentalists being recruited as full-time members of the Victoria Police Military Band.   Thus, the battle was won and it was only a matter of time until the same conditions applied to the police Highland Pipe Band.

This had been a fortunate playing out of events as Mr. Miller loved the bands so much and was able to prevent the abolition of the bands.

Mr. Miller related how all his relatives on his mother’s side were Scottish born and of Scottish descent on his father’s side.  He recalled how proud they were when they first saw him in his Drum Major’s regalia and when they watched him leading the massed bands at the Showgrounds.  He knew that he would have to answer to them if the police bands disappeared.

Q: What do you think of how the Band’s role has changed to include such a key P.R. role?

A: “Well a lot can happen in 25 years and you can’t compare like with like…it’s not a fair comparison. It’s like the Police force itself. There are whole departments now, which didn’t exist in my time…and so it must be, if an organisation is evolving the way it should. This is what has happened with both bands.”

“There was a seminal moment in 1986, the year before I was due to retire.   I attended the Australian Highland Pipe Band Championships in Adelaide where I was introduced to Nat. Russell who was then the Pipe Major and officer in charge of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Pipe Band.  He had taken them to a world championship and, it seems, he was widely acclaimed as a piper, instructor and motivator and in great demand for his services.   I wondered what he could do with the Victoria Police Highland Pipe Band.” 

“Pipe Major David McNamara and Drum Major Kevin Quinn suggested enticing Nat Russell to migrate to Australia to join Victoria Police and take over as officer in charge of the Pipe Band.  They believed that he had the vision and the capacity to transform the band into a world class unit that could aspire to performing at the Edinburgh Tattoo and to become a world class band.”  

“To achieve this dream, David McNamara was prepared to relinquish the position of Pipe Major in deference to Nat Russell.  This was typical of David McNamara’s unselfish attitude towards maximising the potential of the band.” 

I agreed with David’s vision.   It would be a magnificent achievement for the Victoria Police, and for the State of Victoria, if Nat Russell was to elevate the Victoria Police Highland Pipe Band to world class status.  However, I warned David McNamara and Kevin Quinn that, once Nat Russell accepted this proposal, there would be no turning back.  We would honour any agreement we entered into with him.  They agreed with this and were confident that his reputation was such that once it became known that Nat Russell was taking over the Victoria Police Highland Pipe Band, we would attract pipe and drum virtuosos from within Australia and overseas.

“Well that’s what proved to be the case and the rest is history!”

Q: What do you think of the CODE ONE rock band?

A: “The first time I saw a police rock band was a 5-piece American Police rock band (in uniform) in 1967 performing at a major city airport.”

Mr. Miller commented he saw it as a natural turn of events, as bands must play ‘popular’ music that people already know and are listening to, rather than esoteric ‘musicians music’. Highland Cathedral and Amazing Grace being just two Pipe Band examples of popular crowd pleasers.    

Q: Why have you so generously gifted the stained glass to the Pipe band?

A: “Well, I was in a dilemma.  I’d had this 200+ year old family heirloom tucked away behind a wardrobe in my bedroom for the past 27 years.   This was hardly doing justice to the Crest of Scotland and the respect it deserved.”

“None of my three children could take possession of it because their homes were not appropriate to accommodate an object of this size as a fanlight.  It was cumbersome to move and the only time it had been on public display was on the occasion of the 50 year anniversary celebration of the establishment of the Victoria Police Highland Pipe Band which took place in, 1986, at the former Savoy Plaza Hotel, in Spencer Street, which was then occupied by Victoria Police.”

“At that time, with some reluctance, I suggested that they should use it and it did look superb, back-lighted on display, and it was returned to me beautifully packaged and entirely unmarked, thanks to the efforts of Drum Major Kevin Quinn.” 

“Having seen the Crest installed as a fanlight over the main entrance to the Police Bands complex, I was delighted with this outcome which does credit to the concept.  I’m sure that my ancestors, going back to my great-great grandfather’s time, would be proud to be honoured in this way.”

Q: Can you give me a sense of the importance of the fanlight to you and your Scottish heritage?

A: “Well it was reaching the stage where you couldn’t lift it. It was too awkwardand bulky to manoeuvre. And with it came the Crest of the Henderson Clan, which is an object as old as the Crest of Scotland.   It is sand blasted on glass 8 mm thick, measuring 1070 mm by 650 mm and weighing 14,5 kg.  It displays the Henderson crest surmounting the Latin motto, “Sola virtus nobilitat” (Virtue alone ennobles). This sidelight would have been installed in the same doorway as the fanlight.”

“Both of these artifacts had been made in the latter part of the 18^th century and belonged to my grandfather’s grandfather, Samuel Henderson, who had been born in about 1790. Both the fanlight and the sidelight were brought to Australia either by Samuel Henderson (born 1813) or his sister Margaret Henderson (born 1825) who married James Miller. Samuel Henderson migrated to Australia in about 1870 and Margaret Miller (Henderson) in 1872.”  

(Mr. Miller’s grandfather was Samuel Henderson Miller. There were, in fact, three Samuel Henderson’s)

Mr. Miller thought about what to do with the fanlight Crest of Scotland, then became somewhat concerned when he reached the age of 80, realizing that he was in the same predicament as Hazel Black, who had given it to him.

“At the age of 80, in 1985, in the presence of her nephew, solicitor David Yuille Black, she gave me both the fanlight and the sidelight which had belonged to her great grandfather.”  

After chatting with Leading Senior Constable David McNamara, it occurred to Mr. Miller that a solution would be to formally gift the Crest of Scotland to the Victoria Police Highland Pipe Band. 

“In the circumstances, I needed to find a permanent home for the Crest of Scotland where its safety and security would be assured  and ideally, a location where it would be welcomed as appropriate, relevant and of some historical significance.” 

And so, after more than 200 years, the Crest of Scotland fanlight has a prominent position in its new home. It will serve as a symbol of time honoured tradition, reminding all who walk under it every day, of the traditional beginnings of what has now evolved into the unique blend of cutting edge music production with traditional music that characterises the Victoria Police Bands complex in 2013.