BX December 27, 1961

Former Police Chief, Harry Stanley Dies – On Force 42 Years

Harry Stanley, former chief of police here, died today in the Brantford General Hospital.  He was 74 years old.  Mr. Stanley was a member of the force here for 42 years, and served as chief for 26 years.  He retired on December 31, 1954.

Born in Derbyshire, England, in 1887, he came to Canada in 1912, and joined the police force here soon afterwards.  Serving first as constable, then as detective, he became chief in 1928.

One of his outstanding achievements was as a detective.  An international search for a man wanted in Lawrence, Massachusetts, for a triple murder, ended when Detective Stanley arrested him on Scarfe Avenue.  He recognized him from a photograph received by the department here.

Harry Stanley was the holder of three coronation medals – awarded to heads of police departments.  He was awarded the King George V., King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II coronation medals as well as the King George Jubilee medal in 1936.

Before joining the force here he served for two years on the City of London (England) police force.

In 1915 he went overseas as a member of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, being attached to the (125th Brant’s Own) Battalion with the rank of company sergeant major, and afterwards transferred to the 49th Regiment.  He served until 1920, when he resumed his position on the force.

Chief Stanley came though the horse and buggy days on the police force to its mechanization.  He drove the first automobile bought for the department, and was proud of the fact that when he retired he had not had one of the cars he drove even scratched.

Few men were better known or more appreciated here than Harry Stanley.  Besides his efficiency as a policeman, and as chief, he was active in many community endeavors.

He was a member of the Church of England, attending Grace Church; of the Brantford Branch, Royal Canadian Legion, the Ex-Imperials’ Association, Harmony Lodge, IOOF, Ozias Lodge, AF and AM, and a past president of the Chief Constables’ Association of Canada.

Surviving are his wife, the former Isabell Watt; one son, Frank, and one daughter, Mrs. Albert (Trudy) Beney, all of Brantford; six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren; and three sisters, Miss Agnes Stanley, Mrs. George (Florie) Shaw and Mrs. George (Ida) Harris, all of Dartford, Kent, England.

Mr. Stanley will be at the Beckett Funeral Home from Thursday for service at 2 p.m. Saturday.  Interment will be in Farringdon Burial Ground.