To the Library Board of Victoria and the State Library Foundation, whose 2008–9 Creative Fellowship granted me the resources necessary to research and commence writing this book, my sincere thanks. I thank also the State Library of Victoria for permission to reproduce images from Frederick Piggott’s casebooks, and I am particularly grateful to Dr Kevin Molloy, Manuscripts Librarian, for his longstanding encouragement, advice and assistance. I gratefully acknowledge, too, the very valuable support of Margot Jones, State Library Publishing Project Manager, throughout the development of this publication.
At Hardie Grant Books, I especially thank my project manager and commissioning editor Sharon Mullins, editor Allison Hiew and text editor Jane Thompson.
I thank the Director and Keeper of Public Records, Justine Heazlewood, for the support of Public Record Office Victoria in this project. At the Office of Public Prosecutions Victoria I thank the director, John Champion, SC, for permission to reproduce images from criminal trial brief records.
At the Victoria Police Museum and Historical Unit, I am grateful to manager Jim McCann and assistant Caroline Oxley for facilitating access to important records; and I do not forget the warm encouragement of Liz Marsden, Kate Spinks and Terry Claven.
With much respect I acknowledge the contribution of several now-deceased members of the Victoria Police who generously gave their time for interviews, in some cases only months before their deaths: Fred Hobley, HR (Bill) Donelly, George A Newton and Jim Rosengren.
To Eric Beissel, grandson of Frederick Piggott, for granting me interviews and providing access without reservation to his grandfather’s records and papers, I extend my very sincere thanks.
And lastly, to my wife, Linda Tarraran, for her confidence in my ability to undertake and complete this work and her unflagging support and encouragement throughout—my deepest and most heartfelt thanks.