Edward Denny Day

Denny Day, as he was known, was born in Tralee,^[1] Country Kerry, Ireland in 1801.^[2] In 1820 he joined the 46th Regiment.^[3] In 1833 he became a lieutenant in the 62nd Regiment.^[3] He served some time in India until 1834 when he resigned due to ill health.^[3]

In 1835 he arrived in Sydney to work as clerk to the Executive Council.^[3] He worked in the office of the Colonial Secretary Alexander Macleay.^[4] In January 1836 he became the magistrate for the Vale of Clywdd.^[3] In January 1837 he served as magistrate in Maitland.^[3] In June 1838 he organised mounted police to arrest the 11 of 12 men responsible for the Myall Creek Massacre^[4] In 1840 he organised the capture of bushranger Edward Davis.^[3] He arranged the capture of two other bushrangers Davidson and Smith.^[2] Between 1841 and 1842 he became the commissioner for the Court of Requests in Maitland mainly working on insolvent estates.^[3] In September he announced to the community that he was replacing Captain Inness as superintendent of Sydney Police.^[2] On 1 January 1851 he was appointed the provincial inspector of police for the northern district of Sydney.^[3] In 1853 he was stipendiary magistrate in Port Macquarie.^[3] Between 1858 until illness and attacks of paralysis in 1869 forced his retirement as magistrate in Maitland.^[5][3]